Blade Runner 4K UHD (1982)

[grodd]

Never understood the appeal to the directors cut. I like the European cut, the narration and the happy ending. Feels more like a futuristic Sam Spade novel.
I feel like the directors cut is missing too much.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by nissling

Should also be mentioned that the 35mm elements were scanned in 4K and the 65mm in 8K for final cut. This doesn't mean that the DI is at 4K (though I know I've read that it is somewhere) but Warner Bros certainly have some decent sources they can use and hopefully get it right. I've never liked their way of treating home video with all of their re-releases and overuse of old masters, but looking at what they achieved with Unforgiven makes me think they at least are somewhat more serious with UHD-BD.

It was given a full 4K finish according to American Cinematographer's article on it.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Shoulda kept them as dallywitty has kept all or bought/gifted the majority of his BLADE RUNNER collection.

Originally Posted by grodd

Never understood the appeal to the directors cut. I like the European cut, the narration and the happy ending. Feels more like a futuristic Sam Spade novel.
I feel like the directors cut is missing too much.

It think it depends largely on which version you were introduced to. I first saw the Director's Cut on VHS when I was still in primary school. I didn't see the theatrical cut until after the 5-disc collector's edition came out.

[AllOuttaBubbleGum]

It's going to be interesting to see what the UHD disc can offer in terms of increased resolution. Even the DVD edition of the archival versions disc--from the four disc collector's edition--compares favorably to The Final Cut blu, with its grain removal and increased black level...both of which roll back visible detail. Long shots and effects sequences are clearly superior, but much of the SD Blade Runner is competitive with the blu-ray on the detail front.

..

[OutOfBoose]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I do think the Final Cut is best for new viewers, but I dislike this "definitive version" nonsense. A case can definitely be made that the original theatrical is always the definitive version of anything, and Blade Runner grew to cult hit status based on that cut on Laserdisc and the Director's Cut on DVD. Those cuts are going to be definitive for a lot of people.

There must be a reason still why FC is the best for the new viewers?

[UpsetSmiley]

The FC is the version that won me over as a first time viewer of Blade Runner. If I'd watched the theatrical first, the film wouldn't be in my top 10. The narration is pure exposition. I like how Deckard is rendered speechless, the words are all there in his expression alone, seeing that is the beauty of it.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by OutOfBoose

There must be a reason still why FC is the best for the new viewers?

a) It's the newest
b) It's explicitly titled the 'Final Cut'
c) It's Sir Ridley's personal fave
d) The voice-over and happy ending don't have the greatest reputation

I've got no problem recommending the Final Cut to newbies, but a lot of folks do seem to have this mentality that it's the only version that really matters, which I disagree with. Blade Runner had achieved cult classic status before that version was even released.

[Marcuslaw]

Originally Posted by OutOfBoose

There must be a reason still why FC is the best for the new viewers?

The FC is really the only version over which Ridley had complete creative control. He once called the theatrical version "damaged". In a CNN interview back near its release, Ridley was asked why the FC is the definitive version.

I was pleased about that, but also even more confused because I was thinking about the release, thinking we blew the release somehow, which kind of leads me to where I am today, because they said, "Do you want to do the original version that was originally intended?" and I said, "Well, yeah."

While I'm on Ridley qoutes, he unequivocly confirmed in this NYT interview that

[Show spoiler]Deckard is a replicant

.

[Show spoiler]What has been a matter of speculation and debate is now a certainty: Deckard, the replicant-hunting cop, is himself a replicant. Mr. Scott confirmed this: “Yes, he’s a replicant. He was always a replicant.”

Despite that, he says in this IGN interview that the question whether Deckard is a replicant will be answered in 2049.

[dallywhitty]

October needs to hurry the **** up. I cannot wait for 2049.

[TheSweetieMan]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

October needs to hurry the **** up. I cannot wait for 2049.

Dude, I saw the trailer in Dolby Cinema the other night. I will not watch that film in any other format during its theatrical run, that much is for sure.

[Alfred E. Neumann]

Imdb says that the Final Cut has a 2k DI.

[BenjaminG]

Originally Posted by Alfred E. Neumann

Imdb says that the Final Cut has a 2k DI.

!!! It's been confirmed again and again, including to me personally by Charles de Lauzirika - Final Cut was finished as a 4K DI. IMDB stats are meaningless and can be edited by users, just like Wikipedia.

[Pieter V]

Stop using IMDb as a source.

[Pieter V]

France:

[BenjaminG]

All discs are labelled DVD in that mock-up. The wait for specs continue!

[Doctorossi]

Ooh! Hope for a 5-cut set yet!

[dallywhitty]

Yup, Disc 3 lists the archival versions. Interesting.

[Talal86]

I already have the 30th anniversary digibook, I don't need another set, so hopefully they release a version with the Final Cut on uhd alone

[Geoff D]

Heh, as said above I don't actually see a BD or a UHD in that spread of discs above. It's just a mocked-up promo pic so I kinda doubt that's the final haul, natch, but it's still funny. Gotta love the French for putting out a 4K UHD release with just DVDs in it.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Gotta love the French for putting out a 4K UHD release with just DVDs in it.

C'est la video!