When companies announce the ‘reboot’ or the ‘re-imaging’ of some of our favorite movies, many fans are excited at first but then cringe at the possible end results.
‘Blade Runner’ is my favorite movie. My wife and I even attended the premiere of Ridley Scott’s release of his directors cut at a theater in Los Angeles with Scott in attendance. So, when Alcon Entertainment announced they had purchased the rights to ‘Blade Runner’ back in March, my first thought was ‘fantastic’, more from author Philip K. Dicks’ universe. But then reality sunk in. And my thoughts focused on Hollywood’s track record for re-booting (ruining) films. I do try to hold my judgment until a film is actually released and I can see for myself, but I’m usually disappointed and sometimes a bit disgusted when it looks like a studio was desperately in need of some cash and thought they could make a quick buck with a piece of garbage.
Usually when a property is re-booted, re-tooled or whatever ridiculous word is used, very few people from the original return except maybe a few actors for cameos. But, now that original director Ridley Scott is involved my expectations and hopes have risen.
While the original film veered wildly at times from Philip K. Dicks’ excellent novel (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep), the films end results were worth it. Scott’s (and futurist Syd Mead’s) look and feel of our world in the future were breathtaking. His vision realized the dystopian future fans had been reading about in books for years, but had never seen on the screen. And like the promise of great science fiction, the film actually explored “what it really means to be human”.
Scott is one of those directors that is probably extremely difficult to work with because he has a vision and he wants to see it on the screen. Here’s to looking forward to seeing Scott’s vision on the big screen in the world created by Philip K. Dick.