Thanks to the brilliance of director Ridley Scott and cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, not to mention hundreds of hard working crew members, Blade Runner is a masterclass of visual splendor. To countless people who watched Blade Runner at a young age, the film offered a portal into an alternate version of Los Angeles. It’s so well-made and detailed, feeling at home in the overly-populated, ultra-commercialized landscape of Blade Runner becomes second nature, especially upon multiple viewings, which are a given for fans.
Blade Runner was inspired by a Philip K. Dick novel called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The name Blade Runner comes from a separate story by William S. Burroughs. However, neither of these influences actively shaped the unique look of Blade Runner, which is more akin to that of 1927 classic Metropolis by Fritz Lang. In any event, once you sit down to watch Blade Runner on a proper HDR-capable 4K projector, you’ll be smitten with the constantly contrasting visuals on display during its modest two hour run. Overall very dark in tone, the cityscape of Blade Runner is punctured by massive neon signs, animated billboards, endless lights from towering structures, flying cars, a gigantic blimp, and lively street scenes apparently inspired by 1970s Hong Kong.
Blade Runner offers such a palpable, almost tactile feel, it’s hard to describe. But you’ll definitely enjoy the play of light and darkness as they do battle for attention on-screen. That tension manifests most beautifully in the bookends of the picture. The opening sequence, with future LA sprawling to the horizon, has become legendary. Likewise, the final act with its rain soaked rooftop chase and monologues stands out in moviemaking history as singularly compelling.