Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Like most people I have seen this film on more than one occasion before buying this. Having recently bought a Blu Ray player I wanted to watch the film again. Totally breath taking. One of the very few films that have given me the blu ray wow factor... 1 of very few. Total perfection.

I have been waiting for this collection on DVD, but never got it. Then after getting a Blu-Ray player it was time to start building a collection. I have the original and other cuts on LaserDisc and DVD, but have always been confused by what I was led to believe to be additional versions available. Now I have them all and on Blu-Ray. This was a must have, first acquisition. From what I can tell there is so much in this collect that it will take me forever to get through it all. But I have watched the Director's Cut and it was amazing. Picture and sound were incredible on my DLP and 7.1 Surround Sound system. This will be a perfect snow bound day way to spend the time. I can't wait.

Other reviewers have described what a wonderful production of the latest Director's cut is included with this package - I can only echo that - you have to see this movie in High Definition to really appreciate it. For me though, the purchase is justified by the lengthy (several hours long) documentary included, which describes the history of the movie from inception to eventual commercial success. This is an astonishing story of the last, great non-CGI special effects movie ever made, and includes generous contributions from virtually everyone involved from producers and director down to extras. I'm no film buff, and don't normally watch such extras, but I was spellbound by the story of how this remarkable film was made (and very nearly not made!) and amazed at the wonderful little facts and stories peppered thoughout (who would have thought that the film almost starred Dustin Hoffman rather than Harrison Ford!).

Also included are a wealth of other materials, including amazing offcuts and extra scenes which give an insight into the fuller story of Blade Runner. Was Decker an android? - watch this and make your own mind up...

This sci fi movie takes place in Los Angeles in 2019. We have flying cars and can still drive on the ground. The earth at this time looks more like a wasteland and not healthy. Even the animals are scarce. Rick Deckard played by Harrison Ford is a retired hunter of robots called a Blade Runner. 4 cyborgs called replicants have escaped from a space colony. They're very dangerous models types, and it's illegal for them to even be on earth. They look human. Deckard is called in to resume his job as a Blade Runner and destroy them.

Deckard sees it as a job he wants to get over with. But something in him changes as he goes after these replicants. The main creator of them named Tyrel of the Tyrel Corporation's motto is, "More human than human." These latest escaped models are nexus 6's, they can even be smarter than most humans. The leader of the escaped group is Roy played by Rutger Hauer and the other three are Prise, Zhora, and Leon. They have a purpose as to why they have left for earth. Which is tragic yet shows one of the reasons they can be so hostile and angry.

Deckard does alot of investigation throughout the movie to track the replicants down. There are a few good action scenes, but there are a number of dialogue scenes that carry alot of dramatic themes in them. These dramatic themes are what really made Blade Runner very different from many other sci fi movies.

Rachael played by Sean Young has an influence on Deckard's life, whether she realizes it or not. She is a new model of replicant, who has something the escaped ones do not have. She is allowed to stay on earth through Tyrel's permission. Deckard is a pretty cold guy and straight to business, we see him transform throughout the movie as he meets all these characters.

The scenery is very dark, and it rains alot. Riddley Scott's films are usualy like that. This is the same man who did Alien. It does fit in with the seriousness tone of the movie. Everywhere you see are endless buildings. The special effects still hold up, they had to spend alot of time on models and lighting to do alot of their scenes. This was before CG came in to help with that. This is all in the behind the scenes disc.

There are 4 discs. Disc 1 is the final cut, Disc 2 has the making of Blade Runner, Disc 3 has the theatrical, international, and the director's cut. Disc 4 has all the bonuses with deleted and alternate scenes, image galleries, screen tests, and featurettes. All of these different versions of the movie together and for the price makes it a great buy.
The movie is still poplular today. You won't find many sci fi movies like this one.

I'm assuming this 5 disc Blu-ray was really only produced for obsessive Blade Runner fans like myself, but with that being said... THIS THING IS AWWWESOME!!! (OK, got that out of my system)

But if you're someone who's yet a member of the cult, and unfamiliar with the long and twisted legacy of the film, the 3 hour documentary included here will certainly help you become indoctrinated, or just check it out to see some of the best visual effects ever put on film