A great film from 1982, directed by Ridley Scott and based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, which seems to be viewed as merely a cult/niche work. Really, it is a hybrid action-detective-horror-noir-science fiction-doomsday-end of life-redemption-love story. There are several versions of the film; OTL,S! recommends “Final Cut.” Don’t expect to get a lot out of this film if watch it one eye while you are answering your emails; it takes some attention.
The casting of this film took years and somehow arrived at an ideal group of players. Dustin Hoffman was initially penciled in as the protagonist; that would have been awful. Harrison Ford is very well-suited to the title role, as are the other members of the cast to theirs, including Daryl Hannah, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, William Sanderson, and Joanna Cassidy. The musical score by Vangelis adds greatly to the mood.
One notable high point is Roy Batty’s/Rutger Hauer’s soliquy, near the end of the film:
I’ve… seen things you people wouldn’t believe… [laughs] Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those… moments… will be lost in time, like [coughs] tears… in… rain. Time… to die…*
Over the line, Smokey! 