444 – Blade Runner – Part 1

Time for another celebration of some of the classics of Science Fiction cinema.  This time: Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Simon and Eugene discuss. Movie Synopsis:  Rick Deckard is a former Blade Runner: A special cop charged with retiring (read: hunting down and killing) rogue Replicants.  Replicants are artificial humans that are used as slave labor on Earth’s colony worlds, but outlawed on Earth itself.  Replicants can have superior strength and intelligence than the humans that created them. Deckard is coerced out of retirement when four Replicants have found their way to Los Angeles and attempt to infiltrate the Tyrell Corporation – the company that designs and builds them. Deckard starts his investigation at the top of the Tyrell Corporation with Eldon Tyrell, CEO and master designer of the Replicants.  Blade Runners employ the Voight-Kampf test, a physiological test to measure emotional responses to a series of emotionally-charged questions.  Replicants may be physically equal or superior to humans, but their emotions are under-developed.  After several years, they begin developing their own emotional framework without the benefit of a human lifetime of experience.  For this reason, Replicants have a fixed, four-year lifespan. Tyrell has Deckard demonstrate the test on a human first, his secretary Rachael.  After 5 times as many questions as usually required, he determines that Rachael is not a real human.  She is a Replicant and doesn’t know it herself.  Tyrell explains that she is a new development, a Replicant with artificial memories copied from a real person. Elsewhere, Roy and Leon, two of the Replicants intimidate the designer of their genetic eyes. They want information about themselves: their inception dates and programmed lifespans.  He does not have access to the information – only Tyrell does. He gives them the name of another genetic designer, J.F. Sebastian, who has access to Tyrell. Later, Rachael calls on Deckard at his apartment, trying to convince him that she’s a real human.  When he proves otherwise, she is heartbroken and leaves in tears. Pris, another of the Replicants, seemingly homeless, turns up on the doorway of J.F. Sebastian’s apartment building.  Sebastian magnanimously invites the vulnerable (and beautiful) Pris into his apartment for food and shelter. Later, while following up leads, Deckard tries to get Rachael to join him at a club, but she turns him down. Deckard’s leads bring him to Zhora, the fourth of the Replicants, working as a stripper in the club.  She runs and he “retires” her in the streets outside.  Unbeknownst to him, both Rachael and Leon see him commit the act. Leon, overwrought at Zhora’s death, attacks Deckard and nearly kills him, but Rachael uses Deckard’s gun to retire Leon before he can land the killing blow. Shaken, Deckard and Rachael return to his apartment where Deckard… asserts himself… for some post-killing sex. Pris has spent the night at Sebasatian’s and now Roy arrives, saddened over Leon’s death.  Sebastian knows they’re both Replicants and seems sympathetic to them.  With a little friendly persuasion, Sebastian agrees to take Roy to meet with Tyrell. Roy doesn’t get the answers he wants from Tyrell.  There is nothing Tyrell can do to extend their lifespans, so Roy kills him… and Sebastian. Deckard investigates the death of Sebastian and discovers Pris, and after a brief struggle, retires her, just as Roy returns. Roy is overcome with the loss of his friends at Deckard’s hands, the failure of their mission, and he has reached his natural termination date and beginning to fail.  He taunts, hurts and terrorizes Deckard, pursuing him onto the roof. When he corners Deckard, instead of killing him, Roy sits down and retires in front of him. Deckard returns to his apartment to find Rachael, now a fugitive replicant, sleeping. They escape together.