Blade Runner: Black Lotus - The Movie Edit

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Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
2021
Original Running Time:
291
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
158
Subtitles Available?
Available in HD?
Available in 4K?
Brief Synopsis:
I’ve always loved the philosophical questions that the Blade Runner world poses. So I was very excited for Black Lotus, but ended up feeling frustrated at the end of almost every episode in season one, despite so many positives. Odd pacing in dialogue, weak writing, and an overall slow pace. The flashback episode was excruciating. After accepting that it is what it is, I tried to make the best of what we got.


Intention:
Bad Movies Made Less Bad Presents:
Tightened dialogue, less flashbacks, and less “Junior.”
Additional Notes:
This edit was quite fun to do - the animation element allowed me to mash together two shots that were farther apart, allowing a lot more options for dialogue manipulation. Much of the tightening of scenes mentioned below are not simple cuts, but literal rotoscoped overlapping shots.
Other Sources:
M83 “Us and The Rest”
Special Thanks:
One constant request on this edit from early viewers was the desire for film grain. Simpler methods like overlays never achieved more than a “muddying” of the look, and I never was happy with the results. However @inightmares took my edit and added high quality film grain with Topaz, as well as upscaling it to 4k. It looks absolutely amazing. (It would have took my computer over a year to process the same file at those settings)
Also a big shoutout to @thetveditor for the new custom credit text effects. The few folks who have seen this movie have shared their passion and wanted to help make it even better, which I am completely grateful for.
Release Information:
Digital
Special Features
Separate additional "2036 : Nexus Dawn" Post Credits Scene has been tightened to remove discussion about the food solutions Junior created and simply focus on Wallace Junior with his new Angel and gaining legalization of replicants.
Editing Details:
Main Changes:
• High quality fine film grain added by @iNightmares
• Show, don’t tell philosophy in effect.
• Flashbacks minimized.
• Dialogue and pacing trimmed when possible. (Some continuous shots were unavoidable) Any fat that could be trimmed to reduce overall runtime without sacrificing story was removed.
• Fight scenes trimmed to remove as many lame fight sequences as possible.
• Wallace Junior isn’t revealed until Wallace Senior is killed.
• No actual confirmation who commands Marlow, but its implied that Blade Runners are dispatched by Wallace, not Police Chief Grant.
• Memory themes minimized in default to revenge plot theme.
• Jay’s contact with Wallace Junior is hidden until their phone call after Elle’s memory wipe.
• Jay’s flashback story minimized to it’s principles, that Jay wants revenge on Marlow.
• White Lotus is first revealed when she is infiltrating the Memory Maker’s lab.
• Davis doesn’t make it through alive in this season one edit. (If they make a season 2, I’ll adjust her demise.)
• There is a separate post-credit vignette “2039 : Nexus Dawn” that has been trimmed to focus directly on legalizing obedient replicants and truly bridge Black Lotus and 2049.
Cuts and Additions:
Episode 1
• New Adult Swim Intro
• New Credits Animation from @thetveditor
• Removed Series Intro
• Removed some of Elle’s flashback, leaving only the eye shot.
• Removed date and location card, added official title card for the edit
• Removed Elle getting knocked down by a passerby in the city, moved “This is all wrong” to when she is first looking around.
• Removed the shot of Elle with the neon storefront right behind her, across from the diner. After so many years, things would have changed it a little… so let’s draw less attention to it.
• Removed Elle talking to diner owner about her tech
• Removed Gang Leader line “Aww, what's a nice girl like you doing with a tat like that?”
• Removed Elle discussing the daytime darkness
• Removed Doc and Elle’s dialogue ”Ah, now that is something”, and “I don’t have any money. I should have known. Well I think I’ve had enough trouble for one day. I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
• Re-edited Elle and Doc’s dialogue about the tech not being Elle’s.
• Removed continuity issue where there is a closeup shot of Elle getting ready but her nose is unharmed.
• Removed Gang Leader line “She can’t hide forever”
• Bumped up some of the punch and kick SFX during the fight
• Tightened Elle’s reaction before her flashback
• Removed some of the “Blimp Advert” after Elle fights the gang. After so many years, they would have changed it a little… so let’s draw less attention to it.
• Shortened Doc looking at the tech before Elle returns
• Removed Doc looking for Jay. Now he just walks right into his home.

Episode 2
• Tightened Jay first looking at the tech
• Removed Davis interaction at the diner
• Tightened Elle following Senator Banister
• Trimmed some shots of the boxers that highlight the bad CGI
• Trimmed Elle walking into the club, and some of her walking through
• Added more crowd sound during Elle fight with Bannister’s guards
• Removed Bannister yelling “Kill him!”
• Added crowd chanting “Kill him”
• Removed Junior and Senior Wallace talking
• Tightened Davis’ interaction with Elle outside the club
• Vfx to remove Junior.. Senior puts a game piece on the Go board in the room alone now, and receives the news about Bannister from… someone.

Episode 3
• Tightened Elle coming to
• Tightened some of Jay and Elle’s discussion
• Tightened Davis and Drove’s scene, removing Davis fighting anyone but Drove
• Slightly tightened Elle and Jay’s “replicant discussion” scene.
• Removed VK questions about Elle’s mom and boyfriend
• Removed Wallace Senior and Junior scene
• Tightened Davis’s interaction with Doc
• Added sfx so Elle wakes to the sound of the computer tech
• Tightened video footage

Episode 4
• Tightened flashback to continue where the footage ends, instead of the full flashback story
• Tightened Jay calming Elle down
• Tightened Davis taking info to the Chief

Episode 5
• Vfx and sfx to tighten Scene with Wallace Senior and the Chief moved up, manipulated to remove implications that the Chief directs the Blade Runners
• Scene from Episode 5 of Junior playing Go from his lab while ignoring Senior trying to call him has been inserted here, with shot of Junior’s face removed.
• Tightened Marlow calling into HQ
• Removed scene of Elle finding Jay’s gun

Episode 5
• Moved up Chief sending out the Police to search for Elle to before Jay offers her food
• Removed Chief calling Marlow
• Moved Elle and Jay discovering the Chief on the video footage to after Chief sends the force after Doc, so Jay gets the call after that.
• Removed Jay’s last name when the Police say they found him at Doc Badger’s place

Episode 6
• Removed Elle taking out guards a Chief’s residence
• Removed Marlow talking to Chief
• Tightened Elle’s fight with the Chief’s wife, vfx to tighten their discussion
• Tightened Elle’s confrontation with the Chief
• Tightened Elle’s confrontation with Marlow, removing some of their fight
• Removed Elle’s experience after she is thrown from the explosion

Episode 7
• Removed Junior Wallace confronting Senior Wallace
• Tightened Davis confronting Jay
• Beginning of Davis’ interrogation moved up to here, heavily trimmed.
• Elle entering Dr. M’s lab tightened
• Discussion by doctors about “an inconsistency” tightened
• Tightened Elle fighting Dr. M

Episode 8
• Davis’ interrogation is heavily trimmed to remove the flashbacks, we begin at the end of the session
• Discussion in the desert tightened

Episode 9
• Vfx to remove Junior cut out of scene with a panicking Senior, Go gameboard inserted
• Edited dialogue between Jay and Elle to remove the “Senior” reference
• Scene of Marlow looking over photos of Elle removed
• Removed Jay talking on the phone
• Tightened Elle’s infiltration of the Wallace Tower slightly
• Tightened some of Elle’s fight with Marlow
• Trimmed handprint sensor showing Junior reference
• Tightened some of Wallace Senior and Elle confrontation

Episode 10
• Jay’s flashback trimmed to just when Marlow shows up at the club, dialogue tightened
• Elle’s flashback removed

Episode 11
• Reveal of White Lotus removed
• Tightened Doc welcoming Elle
• Removed scene of Jay and White Lotus
• Tightened Jay at the payphone, moved discussion with Davis to first
• Removed Jay scene at the mirror

Episode 12
• Tightened first fight between Elle and White Lotus
• Removed shot of Davis disappearing after being stabbed
• Removed first Jay flashback
• Added rain visuals to the shot of Marlow’s car when Jay calls him.
• Tightened Jay and Marlow confrontation to its core elements
• Removed Jay dream with Elle

Episode 13
• Tightened Elle and Junior’s discussion
• Tightened Elle’s fight with White Lotus slightly
• Tightened Junior finding Jay
• Tightened Elle and Junior’s final confrontation
• Removed Jay and Elle’s final emotional exchange
• Removed Davis’ return to the office
• Removed final Junior scene with reporter
• Removed extra rider as Elle rides into sunset
• Used the wonderful track by M83 “Us and The Rest” to close the story out, suggested by @Inightmares
New end credit text animations by @thetveditor

2036 : Nexus Dawn Post Credits Scene
• Tightened to remove discussion about the food solutions Junior created and simply focus on Wallace Junior with his new Angel and gaining legalization of replicants.
Trailer

User reviews

5 reviews
Overall rating
 
9.9
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0(5)
Visual Editing
 
9.6(5)
Audio Editing
 
9.4(5)
Narrative
 
9.8(5)
Enjoyment
 
10.0(5)
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Mastery of a Masterlycop of a Masterpiece :)

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
TLDR: This was damn good.

Let me start by saying I tried to watch the regular release multiple times and failed. Good gravy it just dragged and dragged. You get spoon fed information so slowly that by the time something important happens, you forgot the other stuff you learned and you are just bored. This seems to be a very common thing I've noticed happening more and more. I would put money on this started as a movie and someone brilliant executive said, "This is fantastic! You know what would make it even better? If we made it into a series."

I was probably going to give the original version one more go, as I really love the Blade Runner universe, but I dreaded sitting down to try again. I am so happy that Wakeupkeo tackled this one.

There are other reviews that dive more into technical detail, so I will keep it simple... Did I enjoy it, big check. Were there any major technical issues that pulled me out, nope. Would I recommend this Fanedit, definitely check!

Ps. Just to add, I wondered to myself if this could or should be even shorter. My answer to this is a solid no. I feel it has the proper pacing to feel right at home as a Blade Runner movie.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 2 0
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
I've been watching this edit since version 1.0something, and I love it. It's been wonderful watching Keo take out the bloat and unnecessary flashbacks. I didn't know how he would combine the episodes without the end scenese that had music, but wow. This thing flows pretty well. There are a few parts I wish he had kept in, but overall I think it's spectacular.

There are subtitles. All the best edits have subtitles, so thank you for bringing them with you when you did the edit.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
D
1 reviews
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0
(Updated: September 23, 2023)
Overall rating
 
9.7
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
8.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Solid fight choreography, a familiar setting, and some surprising character notes make for a worthwhile watch.

AUDIO/VIDEO QUALITY

I opted for the low quality 1080p file option, as the size/length balance seemed reasonable to me (and I only have a 1080p display).

There was a considerable amount of banding in many of the scenes, and as much as I'd like to say it wasn't distracting, it often was. I can appreciate the difficulty of avoiding that on something that is fully animated, and especially something that's quite dark, but in light of the fact that I opted for the LQ file, I haven't marked this down any.

The added grain was pleasing and not overdone.


VISUAL EDITING

Nearly perfect, as far as I observed, but there is a continuity error at 1:55:40 (with the phone).


AUDIO EDITING

I noticed some audio issues, but they seemed to only be present during the first part of the movie. Maybe the content that comprises episodes 1 and 2? I'm not sure where it switched, but this is what I observed for the first part:

* Overall, the volume level seemed too high. I had to drop the volume in my player to 85% to find a comfortable level. Again, this issue seemed to go away further in, but I can't pinpoint where.
* There are moments in some early scenes where the volume dips noticeably during moments that would normally be punctuated by a larger sound. Or at least that's the best way I can describe it. Examples: 1:40, 4:24, 4:52, 4:57, 24:09. I compared with the original material and the volume seemed nice and level, but for those timestamps it seems like it dips in a strange way. Again, I only noticed this in the first part of the edit, and I'm not sure when I stopped noticing it.

Some other notes I made regarding the audio:

* It seems to be a little out of sync from 55:25 to 56:18.
* There's a pop at 1:20:07
* It seems to be out of sync at 1:53:29
* At 2:13:35 the music/ambient cuts out a little fast
* At 2:23:04 Elle's grunting/breathing is coming from the left instead of the right


NARRATIVE

The story is clear and easy to follow, and while I wouldn't say it's concise, it's straightforward and well-developed.

It was a considerable undertaking to bring the runtime down this far, but I can't help but feel it's a story that could be told in less than two hours. However, the fight sequences are great, and it's unusual for a John Wick movie to be any shorter than 2:20 in spite of being so thin plot-wise, so the same can be true here. The fights get a free pass. :)

There's a moment at 1:48'ish that's great and feels earned.

Very nit-picky, but it seemed strange that the VK test only had two questions. I was primed for three.


ENJOYMENT

I did really enjoy this, but I have to mark this down as I ended up watching it over three sessions. It didn't quite have the right amount of tension and release to keep me engaged for a single viewing. I wouldn't say it necessarily fits as a three part narrative (maybe it does?) but it did feel like 48:00 was a solid break point.

Overall, I found this quite pleasing, and I'm happy to have experienced Elle's story. The expansion of two other notable characters (one major, one minor) were very appreciated, but I'll say no more.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 3 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Full disclosure, I did help on this edit, but Keo did all the wonderful editing and deserves all the credit. My contribution can be noticed but the dedication Keo had to editing down an entire show seamlessly into this film version is ALL him. And boy did he achieve a great final edit.
Like Keo, I too am a lover of the Blade Runner universe and philosophical questions it sometimes poses. I'm a superfan of the original Black Lotus show, but this edit is now possibly one of my favourite edits EVER with the final musical choice inserted. No joke. S tier to me. I love it whether he went with my small contribution or not! So heck yes I recommend this edit to anyone and everyone even mildly interested in anime or Blade Runner.
I hope people flock to this edit and check it out and also fall in love like I did.
I think Elle's story is great, and the editing Keo has done has only enhanced that for me. The visuals and action, especially the shotgun fight near the end are awesome to watch unfold. The cinematography and colors of the cityscape is enough to draw anyone in I think. But like I said it's Keo's editing that will keep you watching till the end!

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0