Blade Runner: The Penultimate Cut

TM2YC never disappoints, and this is no exception. It's a fantastic edit and what I've always wanted out of Blade Runner. Thanks, man :)

I had been following the progress of this edit for some time (although, admittedly, not as long as TM2YC had been working on it) and so to fully appreciate it, I decided to check out a few different versions commercially available first - the workprint, US theatrical and the Final Cut. Each have their pluses and minuses and none are completely satisfying to me for one reason or another.

Here's where TM2YC's version comes in. He modestly titles it the 'Penultimate' cut, but I'm certain that there will be many who feel that nothing needs to come after this. The amount of detail that has gone into this version is incredible. The film looks fantastic. The oppressive blue tint is gone and a more natural tone has been achieved. This is no mean feat, considering how so many scenes can switch from dark to blinding within a few frames. It truly looks like a new film, in the best way that phrase can be taken.

I admit I am someone who pays less attention to audio than most, but there's nothing to worry about soundwise here either. The whole endeavor has been treated with respect, care and a level of professionalism that many big studios seem to lack with their own releases sometimes. My only complaint - and nothing to do with the edit itself - is that I don't have the technology to watch the BD version on my projector & screen; I watched a 720 mpg4 version on my TV and was still blown away. I can only imagine how superior it would look otherwise.

Is it a cliche to state that this will be my go-to version now? So be it. It really is that good. Bravo.

No teal? It's a deal!

TM2YC pulled off a masterful color grading, unparalleled. That alone should warrant a repeated viewings but backed up with abundant audio offering assembled here makes it a real treat to any Blade Runner fan. It may be called Penultimate but this enterprise is both educational and ultimate window into the world Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scott, Syd Mead and Vangelis gave us. Very much recommended.

Put simply, The Penultimate Cut looks and feels like The Final Cut without the heavy handed impregnation of teal fog, as though it had been extracted from the actual FC itself chemically. Like the FC it manages to unify a wide variety of exposure latitudes and grain within a darker, contrasting style - though here the contrast carries more clarity from the highlights by teasing out more detail rather than simply fogging an area to avoid burn out. This is also expertly assisted by the application of an almost universally warm skin tone in most scenes quite seamlessly - It is here where TM2YC has succeeded with flying colours in their aims to render a high definition 1980's analog video aesthetic, very reminiscent of the early VHS and laser discs of this title and indeed typical of the era. By using the latest elements it now looks crisp and sharp throughout and is possibly the most consistent quality of grading I've seen for this film from beginning to end. It is a professional looking job.

Having worked on the same source material previously myself, it is possibly academic to note that my preferences for the 2007 'Archival' Directors Cut grading do still remain. It's tonal depth, shadow detail, varied skin tones, exposures and environmental hues also add to my preference for an alternative narrative than is presented here - But TM2YC has pulled out and crafted many tonal elements that I openly envied as I watched it - There were details and concise colours drawn out from some tricky highlight areas that had me skipping back to double check. Very nice work. It gets full marks from me for visual editing for some excellent grading changes.

Also, any viewer need only look to the comprehensive list of available audio tracks accompanying this seamless presentation to realize it is a must in any Blade Runner collection. A lot of hard work and passion for the source material has gone into this and it shows.

Does exactly what it sets out to do - it's the Director's Cut of Blade Runner with Final Cut fixes. The visual overhaul is stupendous, as is the video quality and the seamless editing. This edit made me see I actually prefer the tinted lighting of the Final Cut, but if it really bothered you, this edit will cover it nicely. Mandatory viewing for BR fanatics.