Updated March 11, 2024 – Blade Runner was actually a box office flop in its day. But the film has garnered a huge audience since then. You’ll find it near the top in many lists of the best sci-fi movies ever. Some say it is the best ever.
One reason the film has gained new fans over the years is new versions of the film. Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut came out in 1992, and Blade Runner: The Final Cut in 2007. Learn more here.
Why a fan edit? The movie is not too long per se, only 117 minutes. However, the last time I watched it, it felt really slow. I chose to edit the 1982 theatrical version. But I used Scott’s main ideas from his The Final Cut, as well as pieces of that movie.
MAIN EDITS:
Footage from The Final Cut is used for:
OTHER NOTES: In all versions of the movie I could find, there is a weird jump in the scene where Deckard fights Leon. Also, there’s occasional picture degradation if there’s smoke, mist or bright light.
Siding with Philip K. Dick and Harrison Ford rather than Ridley Scott, I believe Deckard is NOT a replicant. In the movie, the unicorn origami figure represents Rachael. She is a one-of-a-kind replicant, a fact later supported by Blade Runner 2049. Sean Young’s performance as Rachael is flawless. And who will ever forget Rutger Hauer’s Roy.
For fun, I also did a black-and-white version of the film. It seems to work. See below for a sample. (Raiders of the Lost Ark would probably work in B/W also.)
Original Running Time: 1:57
Fan Edit Running Time: 1:43
Link to fan edits: here.