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Good Guy Deckard
Updated
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Genre:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1982
Original Running Time:
117
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
113
Subtitles Available?
Additional Links:
Brief Synopsis:
Main Changes:
No V.O. - "Show, don't tell" philosophy (try to give more discovery of mysteries to the viewer) means no voiceover at all - not even the memory voiceover from Gaff as Deckard looks at the origami unicorn. The goal is to tell the story with the emotions of the characters instead of spoon-feeding info.
No Unicorn Dream - For me, the "Deckard is a replicant" question is more interesting as an open-ended question than the execution we got, so no unicorn dreams here. The audience today is much more aware of the tech and concepts of the movie than the average 80s viewer, so the movie keeps the original spirit but leaves more dots to connect for the modern viewer.
More Pollution - I love all the new higher Res releases of Blade Runner, but to me the better resolution removed a lot of the gitty pollution-like vibe to the world of Blade Runner. Here, the outside scenes are adjusted to feel dirtier, which also allowed me to insert upscaled footage of deleted scenes that hopefully stand out less.
No Dates - all references to the year dates are removed.
No "Trapped Rachael" Scene - I know I am going to get hate for this but there is one particualr part of this film which has not aged well. People like to say this movie is about replicants because of Roy Batty and crew, but simutaneously write off how utter fucked up Rachael's experience must be too, arguing that the scene is needed to show an aspect Deckards growth in regards how he treats replicants, how he fundamentally sees them.
No V.O. - "Show, don't tell" philosophy (try to give more discovery of mysteries to the viewer) means no voiceover at all - not even the memory voiceover from Gaff as Deckard looks at the origami unicorn. The goal is to tell the story with the emotions of the characters instead of spoon-feeding info.
No Unicorn Dream - For me, the "Deckard is a replicant" question is more interesting as an open-ended question than the execution we got, so no unicorn dreams here. The audience today is much more aware of the tech and concepts of the movie than the average 80s viewer, so the movie keeps the original spirit but leaves more dots to connect for the modern viewer.
More Pollution - I love all the new higher Res releases of Blade Runner, but to me the better resolution removed a lot of the gitty pollution-like vibe to the world of Blade Runner. Here, the outside scenes are adjusted to feel dirtier, which also allowed me to insert upscaled footage of deleted scenes that hopefully stand out less.
No Dates - all references to the year dates are removed.
No "Trapped Rachael" Scene - I know I am going to get hate for this but there is one particualr part of this film which has not aged well. People like to say this movie is about replicants because of Roy Batty and crew, but simutaneously write off how utter fucked up Rachael's experience must be too, arguing that the scene is needed to show an aspect Deckards growth in regards how he treats replicants, how he fundamentally sees them.
Intention:
As I began to rewatch the movie with the focus PURELY on the experience of Rachael... She seems trapped. Think about it. She had nowhere to go, she knows she will be endlessly hunted, she wasn't allowed to leave, after being tossed against the wall, she was told she must repeat the words of the one guy who knows she really is, the one she knows is breaking rules by NOT killing her, and she doesn't want to piss HIM off. The rest of the world wants her dead. He is still her only chance. Hell, he reminder her of all this quite blatantly.
For instance, he tells her she must repeat his words, after keeping her from leaving, after telling her she will always be on the run from others like her. She does not have many options. Then, the lines they say at then end are parallel of his earlier need for her to parrot back his words, like she is conditioned, like she understands the rules. She seems more trapped as I watch more, in many ways he is exploiting her lack of options to his benefit. As much as we want to say he is bad, he is also COOL in this movie, and as much as people want to say "That is not an excuse for assault... it’s an exploration for why it happens," this movie does not question whether is SHOULD happen at all, it acts as an excuse for his actions.
I bring all of this up because of this whole "Deckard-centric" idea of a "bad Deckard." I agree many that that the whole point of the film is make audiences empathize with the Replicants, and I argue that the more the audience views Deckard in a "bad guy" view, the less the audience has to identify with the way the replicants are treated by society as a whole. The Replicants should be sympathized with, that they are a metaphor for a marginalized society. But by viewing Deckard as a bad guy, and making him the focus of the movie, it allows the audience to say "hey, its just bad guys that hurt these replicants, not the society as a whole." However, from the replicants POV, it's society as a whole that is the problem, not just Deckard. The less we focus on Deckard as an outlier society and more of an avatar of it, the more the plight of the replicants is made aware (especially if the "love" aspect is removed). The development of Rachael through this whole thing, and her development of not knowing who she is and who she can trust is actually pretty deep, while not completely obvious.
If we change one thing, giving Rachael more autonomy in wanting to stay near the protection of Deckard as opposed being trapped, her character arc becomes much more empowering. They don't "fall in love," he just begins caring for and protecting her.
For instance, he tells her she must repeat his words, after keeping her from leaving, after telling her she will always be on the run from others like her. She does not have many options. Then, the lines they say at then end are parallel of his earlier need for her to parrot back his words, like she is conditioned, like she understands the rules. She seems more trapped as I watch more, in many ways he is exploiting her lack of options to his benefit. As much as we want to say he is bad, he is also COOL in this movie, and as much as people want to say "That is not an excuse for assault... it’s an exploration for why it happens," this movie does not question whether is SHOULD happen at all, it acts as an excuse for his actions.
I bring all of this up because of this whole "Deckard-centric" idea of a "bad Deckard." I agree many that that the whole point of the film is make audiences empathize with the Replicants, and I argue that the more the audience views Deckard in a "bad guy" view, the less the audience has to identify with the way the replicants are treated by society as a whole. The Replicants should be sympathized with, that they are a metaphor for a marginalized society. But by viewing Deckard as a bad guy, and making him the focus of the movie, it allows the audience to say "hey, its just bad guys that hurt these replicants, not the society as a whole." However, from the replicants POV, it's society as a whole that is the problem, not just Deckard. The less we focus on Deckard as an outlier society and more of an avatar of it, the more the plight of the replicants is made aware (especially if the "love" aspect is removed). The development of Rachael through this whole thing, and her development of not knowing who she is and who she can trust is actually pretty deep, while not completely obvious.
If we change one thing, giving Rachael more autonomy in wanting to stay near the protection of Deckard as opposed being trapped, her character arc becomes much more empowering. They don't "fall in love," he just begins caring for and protecting her.
Additional Notes:
So we go into my edit with a new perspective. No personal backstory for Deckard, no ex-wife. It is implied that Deckard is, in essence, a retired IT specialist from back when replicants were easily distinguishable from humans. His job grew considerably darker as the replicants became closer to humans. He starts from a place of lying to himself about not seeing humanity in the Replicants.
And I tried to change enough to feel like a new experience, but left as much in as possible to honor this great movie. This is not a "Bad Movies Made less Bad" edit, more of a "Great Movies Made More Timeless" edit.
Other Sources:
One Alone - Vangelis
Piano in an Empty Room - Vangelis
Blade Runner - Deleted and Alternate Scenes
Piano in an Empty Room - Vangelis
Blade Runner - Deleted and Alternate Scenes
Special Thanks:
Special Thanks: Got some great help from reddit user u/Garrymad-gm to use Topaz AI to upscale the deleted scenes footage used, and to Malthus for gleaning me info of how to run Topaz myself!
And an additional big thanks to The Scribbling Man for helping fix the one frame error issue! Amazing solid work!
And an additional big thanks to The Scribbling Man for helping fix the one frame error issue! Amazing solid work!
Release Information:
Digital
Editing Details:
Main Changes:
No V.O. - "Show, don't tell" philosophy (try to give more discovery of mysteries to the viewer) means no voiceover at all - not even the memory voiceover from Gaff as Deckard looks at the origami unicorn. The goal is to tell the story with the emotions of the characters instead of spoon-feeding info.
No Unicorn Dream - For me, the "Deckard is a replicant" question is more interesting as an open-ended question than the execution we got, so no unicorn dreams here. The audience today is much more aware of the tech and concepts of the movie than the average 80s viewer, so the movie keeps the original spirit but leaves more dots to connect for the modern viewer.
More Pollution - I love all the new higher Res releases of Blade Runner, but to me the better resolution removed a lot of the gitty pollution-like vibe to the world of Blade Runner. Here, the outside scenes are adjusted to feel dirtier, which also allowed me to insert upscaled footage of deleted scenes that hopefully stand out less.
No Dates - all references to the year dates are removed.
No "Trapped Rachael" Scene - I know I am going to get hate for this but there is one particualr part of this film which has not aged well. People like to say this movie is about replicants because of Roy Batty and crew, but simutaneously write off how utter fucked up Rachael's experience must be too, arguing that the scene is needed to show an aspect Deckards growth in regards how he treats replicants, how he fundamentally sees them.
No V.O. - "Show, don't tell" philosophy (try to give more discovery of mysteries to the viewer) means no voiceover at all - not even the memory voiceover from Gaff as Deckard looks at the origami unicorn. The goal is to tell the story with the emotions of the characters instead of spoon-feeding info.
No Unicorn Dream - For me, the "Deckard is a replicant" question is more interesting as an open-ended question than the execution we got, so no unicorn dreams here. The audience today is much more aware of the tech and concepts of the movie than the average 80s viewer, so the movie keeps the original spirit but leaves more dots to connect for the modern viewer.
More Pollution - I love all the new higher Res releases of Blade Runner, but to me the better resolution removed a lot of the gitty pollution-like vibe to the world of Blade Runner. Here, the outside scenes are adjusted to feel dirtier, which also allowed me to insert upscaled footage of deleted scenes that hopefully stand out less.
No Dates - all references to the year dates are removed.
No "Trapped Rachael" Scene - I know I am going to get hate for this but there is one particualr part of this film which has not aged well. People like to say this movie is about replicants because of Roy Batty and crew, but simutaneously write off how utter fucked up Rachael's experience must be too, arguing that the scene is needed to show an aspect Deckards growth in regards how he treats replicants, how he fundamentally sees them.
Cuts and Additions:
Full Change List:
• Workprint intro used of the definition of Replicants, remove the lines "Specifications and quantities - information classified", and "Copyright 2016."
• Removed the 2019 from the Los Angeles Title Card
• Most outside shots have been adjusted to feel more polluted, and gritty.
• Adjusted intro shots to create one long cut of the eye, merging the two separate shots together
• Slowed the shot zooming into the office in the Tyrell Building.
• Used the Deleted Scene Shot of Deckard reading the Newspaper (better shots of people at the bar IMO)
• Used the Deleted Scene wider shot of Gaff approaching Deckard (shows the noodles better)
• Removed Deckard's smirk when about to leave with Gaff.
• Cropped Gaff out of the shot of Deckard eating noodles while heading to the station (irks me that Gaff's mouth is moving but there is no dialogue)
• Initial shot of Bryant before Deckard enters his office removed
• Dialogue with Bryant adjusted so the replicants did not kill a crew of a shuttle to return to earth. Removed "If you ain't cop you're little people" to imply Bryant has something obligating Deckard to him.
• Added and adjusted the deleted scene to have Deckard walk by (but not talk to) an incapacitated Holden before his briefing with Bryant.
• During the Bryant briefing, removed mention of killings by Replicants and removed and references to dates. Also removed telling Deckard about "Nexus 6," since they are just the next model of Nexus, and Deckard only sees profiles on what Leon and Roy look like, not the female replicants he will eventually kill, keeping the "Have you ever retired a human by mistake?" question more important.
• Shot of Tyrell's office dimming is rotoscoped to keep the room dimming but shortening to remove the part where Deckard "fake removes" the machine from the briefcase. (something that bugged me ever since high quality version of this scene was released - I never noticed before but now I can't unsee it)
• Deckard's questioning of Rachael is edited to feel like many more questions were asked.
• Leon's apartment scene is adjusted, and shots from the deleted scenes were added: Deckard opens the drawer first, past the newspaper and matches and finds the photos, Leon walks by, Deckard checks under the mattress, then hears the buzzing neon from the bathroom (from deleted scene). Also, the deleted shot of the scale being put into the evidence bag is used, as the shot from the official versions makes the scale look heavy like a guitar pick, something that always bugged me)
• Deleted Shot of Leon emerging from subway used before seeing Roy in the phonebooth instead of Truck on the street.
• Hannibal scene trimmed so he doesn't mouth words without dialogue as Leon is poking around to his left.
• Hannibal doesn't ask if Roy is Nexus 6, he knows.
• Mention of Sebastian's first name are removed, so the connection to JF are only revealed when he rejoins with Pris.
• Deckard doesn't offer Rachael a drink initially.
• Shots of Deckard in his crappy kitchen with jello molds around removed when looking for a glass for a drink for Deckard.
• Theatrical cut of scene of Deckard at piano without unicorn dream used.
• Shots of excess curled photos on Deckard's piano removed.
• Photo enhancement scene edited to visually be easier to understand and less outlandish.
• Deleted scene of Deckard pulling scale off the fish of another customer's food added.
• Scene with inspection of the scale trimmed to remove the serial number mention. The Fish lady reads the serial number herself and that lets her know who made it.
• Hasan's snake shop no longer has a cop right outside (its a seedy area where this guy operates)
• Deckard doesn't ask Zhora if the snake is real. Zhora doesn't try to strangle Deckard, she just runs.
• Deckard chasing Zhora edited for more mystery.
• Discussion with woman selling liquor to Deckard adjusted so she knows him and what he orders there without asking.
• Date reference removed from fight with Leon.
• Deckard and Rachael scene tightened for pacing. Deckard begins bonding with Rachael, nothing more. No forced affection scene.
• Deleted scene of Bryant and Gaff in the briefing room added and adjusted to be reviewing audio of Deckards interaction with Zhora. This allows us to hear Gaff speak English so his last line in the movie isn't so odd that he speaks perfect English out of nowhere, and allows us to see his mutual contempt for Bryant.
• Couple shots of J.F's long nose toy guy looking weirdly at Pris removed.
• Removed Roy kissing Pris and JF interrupting them uncomfortably.
• Removed ominous looks by Roy and Pris about JF, so that JF seems willing to assist, not forced to.
• Slowed down the shot of the elevator slowing down.
• Removed implications that Roy killed JF after killing Tyrell. JF just ran away.
• Removed Roy's lines until after the grab's Deckard's hand through the wall.
• Deckard spitting at Roy removed.
• Gaff only tells Deckard "I guess you're done now" and walks away.
• Deckard doesn't ask Rachael if she loves him like a Munchausen syndrome victim.
• No Gaff V.O. while Deckard looks at the unicorn. It is up the the viewer to interpret what it means.
• Workprint intro used of the definition of Replicants, remove the lines "Specifications and quantities - information classified", and "Copyright 2016."
• Removed the 2019 from the Los Angeles Title Card
• Most outside shots have been adjusted to feel more polluted, and gritty.
• Adjusted intro shots to create one long cut of the eye, merging the two separate shots together
• Slowed the shot zooming into the office in the Tyrell Building.
• Used the Deleted Scene Shot of Deckard reading the Newspaper (better shots of people at the bar IMO)
• Used the Deleted Scene wider shot of Gaff approaching Deckard (shows the noodles better)
• Removed Deckard's smirk when about to leave with Gaff.
• Cropped Gaff out of the shot of Deckard eating noodles while heading to the station (irks me that Gaff's mouth is moving but there is no dialogue)
• Initial shot of Bryant before Deckard enters his office removed
• Dialogue with Bryant adjusted so the replicants did not kill a crew of a shuttle to return to earth. Removed "If you ain't cop you're little people" to imply Bryant has something obligating Deckard to him.
• Added and adjusted the deleted scene to have Deckard walk by (but not talk to) an incapacitated Holden before his briefing with Bryant.
• During the Bryant briefing, removed mention of killings by Replicants and removed and references to dates. Also removed telling Deckard about "Nexus 6," since they are just the next model of Nexus, and Deckard only sees profiles on what Leon and Roy look like, not the female replicants he will eventually kill, keeping the "Have you ever retired a human by mistake?" question more important.
• Shot of Tyrell's office dimming is rotoscoped to keep the room dimming but shortening to remove the part where Deckard "fake removes" the machine from the briefcase. (something that bugged me ever since high quality version of this scene was released - I never noticed before but now I can't unsee it)
• Deckard's questioning of Rachael is edited to feel like many more questions were asked.
• Leon's apartment scene is adjusted, and shots from the deleted scenes were added: Deckard opens the drawer first, past the newspaper and matches and finds the photos, Leon walks by, Deckard checks under the mattress, then hears the buzzing neon from the bathroom (from deleted scene). Also, the deleted shot of the scale being put into the evidence bag is used, as the shot from the official versions makes the scale look heavy like a guitar pick, something that always bugged me)
• Deleted Shot of Leon emerging from subway used before seeing Roy in the phonebooth instead of Truck on the street.
• Hannibal scene trimmed so he doesn't mouth words without dialogue as Leon is poking around to his left.
• Hannibal doesn't ask if Roy is Nexus 6, he knows.
• Mention of Sebastian's first name are removed, so the connection to JF are only revealed when he rejoins with Pris.
• Deckard doesn't offer Rachael a drink initially.
• Shots of Deckard in his crappy kitchen with jello molds around removed when looking for a glass for a drink for Deckard.
• Theatrical cut of scene of Deckard at piano without unicorn dream used.
• Shots of excess curled photos on Deckard's piano removed.
• Photo enhancement scene edited to visually be easier to understand and less outlandish.
• Deleted scene of Deckard pulling scale off the fish of another customer's food added.
• Scene with inspection of the scale trimmed to remove the serial number mention. The Fish lady reads the serial number herself and that lets her know who made it.
• Hasan's snake shop no longer has a cop right outside (its a seedy area where this guy operates)
• Deckard doesn't ask Zhora if the snake is real. Zhora doesn't try to strangle Deckard, she just runs.
• Deckard chasing Zhora edited for more mystery.
• Discussion with woman selling liquor to Deckard adjusted so she knows him and what he orders there without asking.
• Date reference removed from fight with Leon.
• Deckard and Rachael scene tightened for pacing. Deckard begins bonding with Rachael, nothing more. No forced affection scene.
• Deleted scene of Bryant and Gaff in the briefing room added and adjusted to be reviewing audio of Deckards interaction with Zhora. This allows us to hear Gaff speak English so his last line in the movie isn't so odd that he speaks perfect English out of nowhere, and allows us to see his mutual contempt for Bryant.
• Couple shots of J.F's long nose toy guy looking weirdly at Pris removed.
• Removed Roy kissing Pris and JF interrupting them uncomfortably.
• Removed ominous looks by Roy and Pris about JF, so that JF seems willing to assist, not forced to.
• Slowed down the shot of the elevator slowing down.
• Removed implications that Roy killed JF after killing Tyrell. JF just ran away.
• Removed Roy's lines until after the grab's Deckard's hand through the wall.
• Deckard spitting at Roy removed.
• Gaff only tells Deckard "I guess you're done now" and walks away.
• Deckard doesn't ask Rachael if she loves him like a Munchausen syndrome victim.
• No Gaff V.O. while Deckard looks at the unicorn. It is up the the viewer to interpret what it means.
User reviews
18 reviews
Overall rating
9.5
Audio/Video Quality
9.5(18)
Audio Editing
9.5(18)
Visual Editing
9.6(18)
Narrative
9.6(18)
Enjoyment
9.5(18)
(Updated: April 07, 2024)
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
9.0
This is the way to watch Blade Runner!
The removal of the narration is definitely the biggest improvement here. It seems odd to me that no other edit does that. The cuts are seamless and the technical quality of this edit is impeccable. I especially appreciate the removal of the scenes that make the Replicant seem like intrinsically bad people. The "trapped Rachel" scene was incredibly unncessary in the original, and this edit doesn't suffer at all from its removal. This edit makes their ploy more believable, and more relatable to the viewer. Deckard is also shown, obviously, as a good man, making the story morally nuanced.
I definitely recommend you watch this edit! It's definitely replaced the original version for me.
The removal of the narration is definitely the biggest improvement here. It seems odd to me that no other edit does that. The cuts are seamless and the technical quality of this edit is impeccable. I especially appreciate the removal of the scenes that make the Replicant seem like intrinsically bad people. The "trapped Rachel" scene was incredibly unncessary in the original, and this edit doesn't suffer at all from its removal. This edit makes their ploy more believable, and more relatable to the viewer. Deckard is also shown, obviously, as a good man, making the story morally nuanced.
I definitely recommend you watch this edit! It's definitely replaced the original version for me.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
A
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Honestly this might well become my definitive version of Blade Runner. Deckard is left a little more of a mystery as his reactions to "retiring" the Replicants grow--it's a dark world and perhaps the reason Deckard retired in the first place. What I truly enjoy about this version (apart from the absence of Harrison Ford's tired narration), is how it refocuses the narrative on choice.
Rachael's arc is perhaps the best shown by this, from her attempt to prove her own humanity to her choice to save Deckard, this edit brings Sean Young's marvelous and nuanced performance to the fore. The bond between her and Deckard is still one forged of desperation, but now it's also a shared vulnerability and kindness. It also makes the parallels between Batty/Pris and Deckard/Rachael more compelling, and Deckard's fear at the end all the more palpable.
This extends to the adjustment of Sebastian's motivation and fate. While elements of manipulation and danger remains, it feels so much more fulfilling leaving that to the background. Instead we get a feel for this lonely man who knows what it is to be dying, who lets his sympathy blind him to the anger and despair that Batty is cycling through. Leaving his fate ambiguous also makes more sense given what we've learned about Batty: namely that beneath the fire is a scared man desperate to be free.
Rachael's arc is perhaps the best shown by this, from her attempt to prove her own humanity to her choice to save Deckard, this edit brings Sean Young's marvelous and nuanced performance to the fore. The bond between her and Deckard is still one forged of desperation, but now it's also a shared vulnerability and kindness. It also makes the parallels between Batty/Pris and Deckard/Rachael more compelling, and Deckard's fear at the end all the more palpable.
This extends to the adjustment of Sebastian's motivation and fate. While elements of manipulation and danger remains, it feels so much more fulfilling leaving that to the background. Instead we get a feel for this lonely man who knows what it is to be dying, who lets his sympathy blind him to the anger and despair that Batty is cycling through. Leaving his fate ambiguous also makes more sense given what we've learned about Batty: namely that beneath the fire is a scared man desperate to be free.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
P
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
TLDR: Some Blade Runner fans might not like it, but IMO this is the best version, full stop.
It's been a hot minute since I've seen the original or any fanedit for that matter. It was nice to watch the story with a fresh eye. From a technical/editing standpoint, I always look at it from a "did anything take me out of the film" point of view and I'm happy to say no.
Furthermore and in that regard, it's what is truly great about this fanedit. The tightness and precision really drives the story.
Now all visual and audio cues make you focus on the story in front of you. I actually noticed little things I hadn't before or at least I payed more attention to them. No voice over, no dates, no dream, etc. This is the right way to tell the story. It's a detective story after all and part of what makes it fun is detecting.
It's all there to drive the story, to explain the world and the characters, all without spoon feeding you like the theatrical cut did. It's a less is more approach that this kind of story and film thrive on. You watch it once and are blown away, then you come back and soak up the little things more and more.
Anyway, that's my two cent take on this fanedit. Thank you Wakeupkeo for your great fanedits and looking forward to watching more.
It's been a hot minute since I've seen the original or any fanedit for that matter. It was nice to watch the story with a fresh eye. From a technical/editing standpoint, I always look at it from a "did anything take me out of the film" point of view and I'm happy to say no.
Furthermore and in that regard, it's what is truly great about this fanedit. The tightness and precision really drives the story.
Now all visual and audio cues make you focus on the story in front of you. I actually noticed little things I hadn't before or at least I payed more attention to them. No voice over, no dates, no dream, etc. This is the right way to tell the story. It's a detective story after all and part of what makes it fun is detecting.
It's all there to drive the story, to explain the world and the characters, all without spoon feeding you like the theatrical cut did. It's a less is more approach that this kind of story and film thrive on. You watch it once and are blown away, then you come back and soak up the little things more and more.
Anyway, that's my two cent take on this fanedit. Thank you Wakeupkeo for your great fanedits and looking forward to watching more.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
M
Overall rating
9.4
Audio/Video Quality
9.0
Audio Editing
9.0
Visual Editing
9.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Nothing of consequence was cut, in my opinion.
I've always liked the apparent good movie hidden underneath Bladerunner. The general trend in Riddley Scott's movies seems to be to have great aesthetical ideas that COULD mesh well together with the themes if those themes weren't either bogged down by bloat or additions to the movies. I would summarize Scott's achiles' heel as being unfocused.
This edit by Wakeupkeo brings that focus, as fanfixes tend to do, with what in my opinion is thematic clarity. The big selling point of this is the removal of the abuse scene between Deckard and Rachael. Not just a comfortable removal for more modern eyes, editing this out refocuses the narrative on the messaging, and there is a similar editing refocusing on the replicants with regards to their quickly kindled friendship with Sebastian that likewise makes them, if not "good", at least not morally unscrupulous. The original Bladerunner is pretty deep into a noir aesthetic with all characters being more or less assholes, but never not being an asshole. To me it feels oddly gratuitous and indulgent – another way to sum up Scott's general issues, for that matter.
And indulgent is how I would characterize the abuse scene, just to linger on that note a bit more. I don't think the point that comes across is necessarily that Deckard is an abuser, but that this abuse is necessary for Rachael's grasping of freedom, and as such it just feeds into pretty nasty stereotypes rationalizing partner abuse. Being a woman, I'm pretty biased in this reading, but to be clear I'm not against showing abuse in movies itself, but I think the implied idea that abuse leads to liberation is a pretty unhealthy messaging that just detracted from the core narrative about the replicants' struggle for liberation. "He hits you because he cares/likes you" is a trope I'd rather just not make excuses for why they should be included, and therefore I think this edit really has a substantial effect on the movie itself, rather than just being a censoring of uncomfortable content - in the sense of censoring profanity, that is, and not censoring speech. I will say, however, that the abuse scene is historically interesting and a good conversation starter if nothing else.
Bladerunner isn't just a movie about social themes, however, and I think Wakeupkeo has done a good job bringing that ambient, slow and dreamy experience that originally drew me to the movie (and which I thought Bladerunner 2049 did better, in the end) by abstracting elements in the movie. Even small things, like removing the date markings, help this, but I also enjoyed the removal of the unicorn passages, as it puts more focus on the world and the aesthetic. This means that it's a pretty lousy Philip K Dick adaptation, with his recurring themes about identity dissipation, by definition. But then again, Bladerunner never really was an adaptation to begin with.
There are a few editing hiccups that other reviews have made me aware of, but nothing that anything but really keen eyes would notice.
In conclusion, this is pretty much an edit that does EXACTLY what I wanted, and is perfectly in line with my tastes. I actually went hunting for a Bladerunner edit without this scene because I find the replicants relatable to things going on in my own life currently, and was delighted when the editor had also done other editing choices that I was interested in seeing! I fully recommend giving this a watch, whatever your opinion on the abuse scene is.
I've always liked the apparent good movie hidden underneath Bladerunner. The general trend in Riddley Scott's movies seems to be to have great aesthetical ideas that COULD mesh well together with the themes if those themes weren't either bogged down by bloat or additions to the movies. I would summarize Scott's achiles' heel as being unfocused.
This edit by Wakeupkeo brings that focus, as fanfixes tend to do, with what in my opinion is thematic clarity. The big selling point of this is the removal of the abuse scene between Deckard and Rachael. Not just a comfortable removal for more modern eyes, editing this out refocuses the narrative on the messaging, and there is a similar editing refocusing on the replicants with regards to their quickly kindled friendship with Sebastian that likewise makes them, if not "good", at least not morally unscrupulous. The original Bladerunner is pretty deep into a noir aesthetic with all characters being more or less assholes, but never not being an asshole. To me it feels oddly gratuitous and indulgent – another way to sum up Scott's general issues, for that matter.
And indulgent is how I would characterize the abuse scene, just to linger on that note a bit more. I don't think the point that comes across is necessarily that Deckard is an abuser, but that this abuse is necessary for Rachael's grasping of freedom, and as such it just feeds into pretty nasty stereotypes rationalizing partner abuse. Being a woman, I'm pretty biased in this reading, but to be clear I'm not against showing abuse in movies itself, but I think the implied idea that abuse leads to liberation is a pretty unhealthy messaging that just detracted from the core narrative about the replicants' struggle for liberation. "He hits you because he cares/likes you" is a trope I'd rather just not make excuses for why they should be included, and therefore I think this edit really has a substantial effect on the movie itself, rather than just being a censoring of uncomfortable content - in the sense of censoring profanity, that is, and not censoring speech. I will say, however, that the abuse scene is historically interesting and a good conversation starter if nothing else.
Bladerunner isn't just a movie about social themes, however, and I think Wakeupkeo has done a good job bringing that ambient, slow and dreamy experience that originally drew me to the movie (and which I thought Bladerunner 2049 did better, in the end) by abstracting elements in the movie. Even small things, like removing the date markings, help this, but I also enjoyed the removal of the unicorn passages, as it puts more focus on the world and the aesthetic. This means that it's a pretty lousy Philip K Dick adaptation, with his recurring themes about identity dissipation, by definition. But then again, Bladerunner never really was an adaptation to begin with.
There are a few editing hiccups that other reviews have made me aware of, but nothing that anything but really keen eyes would notice.
In conclusion, this is pretty much an edit that does EXACTLY what I wanted, and is perfectly in line with my tastes. I actually went hunting for a Bladerunner edit without this scene because I find the replicants relatable to things going on in my own life currently, and was delighted when the editor had also done other editing choices that I was interested in seeing! I fully recommend giving this a watch, whatever your opinion on the abuse scene is.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
T
Overall rating
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
9.0
For a "sacrilegious" edit of Blade Runner, "Good Guy Deckard" is quite possibly the best version of the film to date. Every edit serves to streamline the pacing without sacrificing the atmosphere or story and improve the characters substantially. Deckard still remains a flawed human being (emphasis on human being and not Replicant), but is ultimately a "good guy" and not a rapist, which in turn improves his dynamic with Rachael and his overall character arc. The removal of the mentions of the offscreen murders made the Replicants a lot more sympathetic.
Highly recommended and my go-to version of Blade Runner from now on!
Highly recommended and my go-to version of Blade Runner from now on!
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
B