Number One: Blade Runner (1982)

A film I know very well that I *should* have seen so an obvious one to start with. For reference, this is the Final Cut edition - one of seven different edits of the film I read have been released (more on that later).

What I enjoyed  

The influence of this film on others that I really like is obvious from the get go. Almost anything made since Blade Runner dealing with artificial intelligence borrows so heavily from this film, particularly Ex Machina and Fallout 4. Also the futuristic cityscape, almost comedic when you consider the film is set only two years from now, is extremely immersive and again has been imitated many times since, most notably for me in The Fifth Element.

The themes and ideas really left me contemplating the ethics of creating 'life'. The film explores this notion in many ways, from the inbuilt life span of the replicants which drives the story forward and particularly the freak show in Sebastian's lab, Blade Runner raises increasingly pertinent questions about where artificial intelligence is going... and at what point robots earn rights.

The sound, particularly the editing, really grabbed my attention. Very immersive, the mix created an awkwardness and emptiness which was essential to establishing the world. The scene where Rachael first arrives in Rick's apartment, with a blaring alarm, deep, rhythmical added so much to the feeling. The soundtrack too, very much of it's early 80s era, adds such dark urbanity, with a very Kavinsky vibe throughout.

What didn't quite work

The story felt quite muddled and loose. I must admit I don't love noire storytelling - the strong silent hero solving a crime does little for me. I'd suggest though that there were ideas which weren't fully developed (the six rogue replicants, the back stories of the antagonist group to mention, Sebastian and Tyrell) and others which were dwelt upon too long (the love story between Rachael and Rick). I wonder perhaps if a different cut of the film would be an easier watch as films with multiple versions often become somewhat diluted. I also don't love ambiguous endings, so this did little for me.

Harrison Ford as Rick really did nothing for me. I was left wondering what he was pitching as - Jack Nicholson in China Town maybe or a badass Clint Eastwood type role? His best stuff is as a tongue in cheek loveable rogue, the kind of stuff Chris Pratt does today. For me, his delivery throughout was simply wooden. I loved Daryl Hannah's tricky intensity though and Rudger Hauer with what developed into a very complex performance stole the show.

Conclusion

I'm left in no doubt of this film's immense impact - it'd be a ground breaking film in 2017, let alone 1982. There's a lot to like and I'd be very keen to watch it again as I wonder if there's things which would be clearer to me on a second viewing. I'd also be very keen to see the sequel in November!