Blade Runner: The Final Voiceover Restoration

Perfect, (IMHO). Wraith has put together every frame from the main versions of the film, which at last means it’s all in one place, add in Ford’s narration and the tweaks Wraith had to use to get “just the right speed & tone” in Ford’s voice, this edit must have been a true labour of love.

It's a seamless edit; even the work print scenes fit in perfectly and added to the full experience I've always craved.

Some fans don’t like the happy ending, I’m not one of them. I think the happy ending is essential now in order to pave the way for the 2nd film. The VO also adds to the possibility of a long life for Rachael and the fact that she was “special” is actually spoken by Deckard. With all these scenes in one place and easy to follow, the story between the 2 films makes much more sense. Thank you Wraith for giving me the definitive film I always wanted.

With TM2YC's 'Penultimate cut' and now Wraith's 'Final Voiceover Restoration', we are being spoiled for 'Blade Runner' edits recently. I go back and forth as to whether I like the voiceover - for me, it ticks the old school noir box Fancher and Scott originally intended, but there's something to be said for letting the moody silences and incredible visuals to speak for themselves.

Regardless, Wraith ably succeeds in exactly what he intended to do - an edit of every available frame from the main versions of the film, with the addition of extra voiceover lines where needed. It's seamless, and the extra lines I noticed absolutely fit the flow of the film. I'm sure that more work went into this edit than meets the eye, down to changing the pitch and speed of Ford's occasionally lacklustre narration. We get the best of both worlds with an extended unicorn shot (I still haven't found the little extra Wraith dropped in there - I have to ask him about that), but it unfortunately means we get the happy ending too. Within the scope of this edit, it was an essential addition, but pardon me if I press pause when the elevator closes the next time I watch this.

And here's the thing - I will rewatch this. There are days when TM2YC's 'Penultimate Cut' will be my go-to, and days when only the voiceover will do. With Wraith's edit, I can finally have my cake and eat it.

Very good edit. Up until the very end I wasn't aware of any cuts. It was only the shot after Roy puts his head through the bathroom tiles that I noticed a slight quality dip in picture and sound. But other than that: outstanding. I like the VO and think it adds to the overall enjoyment and "weirdness" (in a positive sense) of Blade Runner.
Thank you Wraith!

Had always avoided versions of Blade Runner with the narration on account of the generally poor reception to it, but on hearing it for the first time here it doesn't feel at all "harmful", even adding insight at certain points. I seem to follow Wraith's observation though, that one may lean towards or away from the voiceover depending on whether your first viewing included it or not, I find that I prefer the film without it.

Still nice to see the additional material all collected together, plus the extra enhancements that (in addition to the narration) help clarify some points that I never caught onto before. Thanks Wraith for putting his together!

I've always been a fan of the original Blade Runner VO, as it makes the film feel like a sci-fi cyberpunk detective noir in the spirit of Sam Spade and hardboiled crime fiction of the past. If you're like me or even if you're just curious, this edit is definitely worth a viewing. It was honestly shocking to learn that some Deckard VO lines had been tweaked (e.g. to correct pitch), because as far as I could tell, they all sound flawless and seamless. As others have said, while the VO is very tonally different from the feel of the Final Cut and Blade Runner 2049, it *does* actually add to both films by A) clarifying certain events in the movie and illuminating Deckard's thought process, and B) setting up a solid narrative transition into the events of Blade Runner 2049.

Amazingly, this edit also includes every frame from the different major releases of the film. This is a truly impressive feat, and fans will find a lot to like here. The scenes have been cut together very nicely so that action flows seamlessly, and there isn't the slightest hint of an edit in the soundtrack. It's a truly impressive feat.

Unfortunately, I couldn't give the visual editing a perfect score because there are problems. Some of the scenes have text stamped at the bottom out of frame, indicating that you're watching a specific version of the film. This can be jarring at times. There are also very noticeable changes in visual quality, and again, it can be stark and jarring as the visuals switch from one version to another. Short of an effort to upscale or color-correct every segment, it's hard to know what could be done, so I don't much fault the editor.

That said, a quality edit and well worth your time if you're a fan of the VO or just want to give it a try.