Blade Runner (1982)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1981
Running Times: 111 mins 46 sec (UK video - Director's Cut)     112 mins 2 sec (UK video, 1986)      116 mins 29 sec (UK video - Director's Cut)     117 mins 4 sec (UK theatrical)
Format: Technicolor     35mm     Panavision (anamorphic)
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: 70mm 6-Track Dolby

(Full Credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Warner Brothers / Ladd Co / Shaw / Perenchio-Yorkin / Deeley-Scott
Executive Producers: Brian Kelly, Hampton Fancher
Co-Executive Producers: Jerry Perenchio, Bud Yorkin
Producer: Michael Deeley
Co-Producer: Ridley Scott (uncredited)
Associate Producers: Ivor Powell, Run Run Shaw

SCRIPT
Script: Hampton Fancher, David O. Peoples; Roland Kibbee (voiceovers - uncredited)
Novel: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

DIRECTION
Director: Ridley Scott

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Jordan Cronenweth
Additional Photography: Steven Poster, Brian Tufano

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Supervising Editor: Terry Rawlings
Editor: Marsha Nakashima

MUSIC
Music: Vangelis
Additional Music: Gail Laughton (Harps of the Ancient Temples)
Song Written and Performed By: The Ink Spots (If I Didn't Care)

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Bud Alper, Gordon K. McCallum (uncredited)
Re-Recording Sound Mixer: Joel Fein (uncredited)

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Marvin G. Westmore
Hair Stylist: Shirley L. Padgett
Costume Designers: Charles Knode, Michael Kaplan, Jean Giraud (uncredited)

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Photographic Effects: Entertainment Effects Group
Special Photographic Effects Supervisors: Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich, David Dryer

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Lawrence G. Paull, Peter J. Hampton (uncredited)
Art Director: David Snyder

LOCATIONS
Locations: Bradbury Building, 304 South Broadway, Los Angeles, California, USA; Ennis-Brown House, 2655 Glendower Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA; Million Dollar Theatre, 307 South Broadway, Los Angeles, California, USA; Old Union Station, Los Angeles, California, USA; Pan Am building, Los Angeles, California, USA; Second Street Tunnel, Los Angeles, California, USA; Burbank Studios, California; Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, UK
Location Manager: Michael Neale
Assistant Location Manager: Greg Hamlin

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Gary Combs

CASTING
Casting: Mike Fenton, Jane Feinberg
Additional Casting: Marci Liroff

CAST
Harrison Ford (Deckard)
Rutger Hauer (Roy Batty)
Sean Young (Rachel)
Brion James (Leon)
Joanna Cassidy (Zhora)
Daryl Hannah (Pris)
Edward James Olmos (Gaff)
Morgan Paull (Holden)
Hy Pyke (Taffy Lewis)
M. Emmett Walsh (Bryant)
William Sanderson (J.F. Sebastian)
Joe Turkel (Tyrell)
James Hong (Chew)
Kevin Thompson (Bear)
John Edward Allen (Kaiser)
Kimiko Hiroshige (Cambodian woman)
Carolyn DeMirjian (saleslady)
Robert Okazaki (sushi master)

PLOT SUMMARY

Los Angeles, 2020: a group of renegade replicants have illegally arrived on Earth from the off-world colonies. Blade Runner Rick Deckard is sent to find and "retire" them, but this time he finds himself up against the technologically highly advanced Nexus 6 machines, replicants that are developing their own emotions.

CAPSULE REVIEW

Quite simply stunning. The most influential science fiction movie since 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Blade Runner was a failure when it first opened but has rightly come to be regarded as one of cinema's milestone achievements. The multi-layered narrative delivers surprises and new interpretaions on almost every viewing and the look of the film has been copied by films, rock videos and adverts ever since. A challenging, beautiful and intriguing work of genius.

Argentina
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Video Distributor: Argentina Video Home

Germany
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video (20008LD)
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video

Japan
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video (08JL-70008); Warner Home Video (NJL-20008); Warner Home Video (NJL-12682 - Director's Cut)
DVD Distributor: Warner Home Video (DL-12682)

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video (Screen Classics SO70008); Warner Home Video (SO12682, widescreen Director's Cut)
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video
DVD Distributor: Metrodome Distribution (MTD2000 - Director's Cut, Deluxe Box Set); Warner Home Video (D012905 - Director's Cut)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers / Embassy Pictures Corporation
Television Distributor: Columbia TriStar
Laserdisc Distributor: Warner Home Video (12682 - Director's Cut); Criterion (CC1120L); Criterion (CC1169L); Nelson (13806)
DVD Distributors: Warner Home Video (12682 - Director's Cut); Creative Design (20107 - Director's Cut Collector's Edition)

Argentina
Rating: 16

Australia
Rating: M

Chile
Rating: 18

Finland
Rating: K-16

France
Rating: -12

Germany
Rating: 16

Netherlands
Rating: 16 (director's cut)

Norway
Rating: 15

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R

1982
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Best Cinematography (Jordan Cronenweth) - winner

1983
Academy Awards, USA
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Linda DeScenna, Lawrence G. Paull, David L. Snyder) - nominated
Best Effects, Visual Effects (David Dryer, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich) - nominated

British Academy Awards
Best Cinematography (Jordan Cronenweth) - winner
Best Costume Design (Michael Kaplan, Charles Knode) - winner
Best Production Design / Art Direction (Lawrence G. Paull) - winner
Best Film Editing (Terry Rawlings) - nominated
Best Make Up Artist (Marvin G. Westmore) - nominated
Best Score (Vangelis) - nominated
Best Sound (Bud Alper, Graham V. Hartstone, Gerry Humphreys, Peter Pennell) - nominated
Best Special Visual Effects (David Dryer, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich) - nominated

Fantasporto
International Fantasy Film Award: Best Film (Ridley Scott) - nominated

Golden Globes, USA
Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Vangelis) - nominated

Hugo Awards
Best Dramatic Presentation - winner

1993
National Film Preservation Board, USA
Added to the National Film Registry

Fantasporto
International Fantasy Film Award: Best Film (Ridley Scott - director's cut) - nominated

1982
May
27: UK - rated AA by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

June
25: USA - theatrical release

August
21: Spain - theatrical release

September
10: Sweden - theatrical release
15: France - theatrical release

October
1: Finland - theatrical release
14: West Germany - theatrical release

1983
January
28: Norway - theatrical release

1986
April
10: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

1992
September
29: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release - Director's Cut)

November
20: Finland - theatrical release of Director's Cut

December
4: Sweden - theatrical release of Director's Cut

1993
February
Day Unknown: Portugal - Director's Cut shown at Fantasporto Film Festival)
18: Argentina - theatrical release of Director's Cut
25: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

May
19: USA - laserdisc release (Warner Home Video (12682 - Director's Cut))

1995
March
24: Germany - laserdisc distributor (Warner Home Video (20008LD))

1996
October
28: UK - video release (Warner Home Video (Screen Classics SO70008))

December
Day Unknown: Japan - DVD release (Warner Home Video (DL-12682))

1997
March
25: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (12682 - Director's Cut))

September
8: UK - video release (Warner Home Video (SO12682, widescreen Director's Cut))

1999
September
29: Germany - DVD release (Warner Home Video)

November
1: UK - DVD release (Warner Home Video (D012905 - Director's Cut))

2000
June
6: USA - DVD release (Creative Design (20107 - Director's Cut Collector's Edition))

September
25: UK - DVD release (Metrodome Distribution (MTD2000 - Director's Cut, Deluxe Box Set))

A chilling, bold, mesmerizing, futuristic detective thriller.

Man has made his match... Now it's his problem.

Der Blade Runner - German title
Dangerous Days - working title

SEE ALSO
Akira (1988)
Baburugamu kuraishisu (1985)
Blade Runner (1997)
Dark City (1998)
The Making of Blade Runner (1997)
Metropolis (1927)
Mystery Men (1999)
Natural City (2003)
Nirvana (1997)
Trancers (1985)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
My Science Fiction Life (2006)
On the Edge of Blade Runner (2000)
A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1994)
Visions of Light (1992)

MAGAZINES

Empire December 1992 (UK)
review

Entertainment Weekly no.491/492 (25 June 1999) p.148 (USA)
article (Distance 'Runner' by Mike Flaherty)

The Face 40 (Jan 92) p.39 (UK)
review

FilmMagasinet June / July 1994 pp.76-78
review (by Kjetil Korslund)

Official Blade Runner Souvenir Magazine by Vic Bulluck (New York: Ira Friedman Inc (1982)) (USA)
production notes

Photoplay January 1984 p.53
illustrated review

Svenska Dagbladet 4 December 1992
review (Blade Runner tillbaka med nytt slut by Jeanette Gentele)

BOOKS

The BFI Companion to Crime p.53
credits, review

Blade Runner Sketchbook (Blue Dolphin Press (1982))
production notes

Blade Runner: The Inside Story by Don Shay (London: Titan Books (2000))
production notes

Film Architecture: From Metropolis to Blade Runner
production notes

Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner by Paul M. Sammon (NYC: HarperPrism (July 1996))
production notes

The Harrison Ford Story by Alan McKenzie (Zomba Books)
credits, review

The Illustrated Blade Runner by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples (Blue Dolphin Press (1982))
production notes

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.46
credits, review

Horror and Science Fiction Films III pp.25-26
credits, review

Retrofitting Blade Runner edited by Judith D. Kerman
reviews

York Film Notes: Blade Runner by Nick Lacey (York Press (30 September 2000))
reviews, articles

the future, androids, police, los angeles, genetics, scientists, memories, memory implants, book into film, chess, cyberpunk, detectives, eyes, doves, birds, origami, dreams, replicants, unicorns, synthetic humans, dancers, nightclubs, rain, snakes, flying cars, cities

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008