Bladerunner would be forgettable without the soundtrack.

[Robmobius]

That's my assertion anyway. I just watched it again and, overall, I think that the movie is somewhat mediocre. Of course, part of that is that we never get the future right in movies so some things, e.g. CRTs, are quaint. Still, the soundtrack is so dramatic I think that it makes the movie.

It makes me wonder how much better mediocre sci-fi might be with the right music?

Riiiiight... I totally disagree with you...

Well, that's ok, we can't all be right all the time. Well, by we, of course, I'm not referring to myself, why would I, that's just unnatural.

But your assertion seems to be a touch incongruent with most other people who like Sci-Fi (or appreciate good movies in general). The soundtrack was cool... If you took it out the film score, it would still be a great film (okay a little less but great none the less).

But as it's a subjective opinion, you are indeed correct, but your are against the majority.

[bailees7irish]

That's my assertion anyway. I just watched it again and, overall, I think that the movie is somewhat mediocre. Of course, part of that is that we never get the future right in movies so some things, e.g. CRTs, are quaint. Still, the soundtrack is so dramatic I think that it makes the movie.

It makes me wonder how much better mediocre sci-fi might be with the right music?

You're right. I found the film to be "nothing special". Of course, you have to put it in context with the time it has been made, and it surely was pretty good for the time, but i think there's more groundbreaking sci-fi films. To be totally honest, i even found the soundtrack to be not as awesome as i always heard and read it was. But then, i'm not a big fan of Vangelis anyway.

Agreed 100%.

[bailees7irish]

It's an awesome film (for me one of the very best scifi films ever made) but what is interesting is Harrison Ford also starred in another film about the same time that although subject-wise was completely different has a lot of structural similarities and also has a great synth soundtrack that takes it to another level - Witness.

I think Harrison Ford is a major part of the problem with Blade Runner. He's just not a good actor by any stretch of the imagination. A better lead actor could have lifted the movie considerably. Rutger Hauer, however, was f***ing badass as always.

[ghettosynth]

But your assertion seems to be a touch incongruent with most other people who like Sci-Fi (or appreciate good movies in general). The soundtrack was cool... If you took it out the film score, it would still be a great film (okay a little less but great none the less).

The majority of people use to think that the world is flat as well.

But as it's a subjective opinion, you are indeed correct, but your are against the majority.

You know I'm just having some Saturday afternoon fun, right? That said, I don't think that the movie is very good, but, then, I think that hardcore fans, especially of sci-fi have various biases, groupthink being one of them.

I don't really care what other people think about a movie, or anything really, beyond it being something of a gross filter that helps me avoid schlock.

[Robmobius]

But your assertion seems to be a touch incongruent with most other people who like Sci-Fi (or appreciate good movies in general). The soundtrack was cool... If you took it out the film score, it would still be a great film (okay a little less but great none the less).

The majority of people use to think that the world is flat as well.

But as it's a subjective opinion, you are indeed correct, but your are against the majority.

You know I'm just having some Saturday afternoon fun, right? That said, I don't think that the movie is very good, but, then, I think that hardcore fans, especially of sci-fi have various biases, groupthink being one of them.

I don't really care what other people think about a movie, or anything really, beyond it being something of a gross filter that helps me avoid schlock.

Yes, with the 'flat world' comment you've really got me on the ropes - logic cannot cope with that fallacy.

But as you say, you don't care what other people think. So why put it up on a forum...? I think you ant-logic reality filter is about to kick in.

[aMUSEd]

It's an awesome film (for me one of the very best scifi films ever made) but what is interesting is Harrison Ford also starred in another film about the same time that although subject-wise was completely different has a lot of structural similarities and also has a great synth soundtrack that takes it to another level - Witness.

I think Harrison Ford is a major part of the problem with Blade Runner. He's just not a good actor by any stretch of the imagination. A better lead actor could have lifted the movie considerably. Rutger Hauer, however, was f***ing badass as always.

Nah he's fine for the film it was. And Witness.

[Robmobius]

It's an awesome film (for me one of the very best scifi films ever made) but what is interesting is Harrison Ford also starred in another film about the same time that although subject-wise was completely different has a lot of structural similarities and also has a great synth soundtrack that takes it to another level - Witness.

I think Harrison Ford is a major part of the problem with Blade Runner. He's just not a good actor by any stretch of the imagination. A better lead actor could have lifted the movie considerably. Rutger Hauer, however, was f***ing badass as always.

Nah he's fine for the film it was. And Witness.

Rutger Hauer steals the show and the director's cut puts a totally different slant on things too. So well worth a watch.

It's incredible just how influential that film has been (and still is of course). Those visual still kick the crap out of the majority of films we see today.

[ghettosynth]

But as you say, you don't care what other people think. So why put it up on a forum...?

To have a discussion. I'm sharing my opinion as you are sharing yours. Don't waste your energy trying to convince me that I'm wrong, just say what you like about the movie. All you've said so far is that you like it because other people think that it's a great movie.

I think you ant-logic reality filter is about to kick in.

When you display logic and I reject it, you might have a point, all you've presented so far is fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

completely disagree :shrug:i still find bladeunner to be more than the sum of it's parts. the soundtrack is important, sure, but there is so much more magic to be had. it is the visuals, and overall setting/ambience that still blow me away.

I'm totally on a soundtrack kick this afternoon. Any suggestions for what to cue up next?

sneakers - james horner



rumblefish - stewart copeland



angel heart - trevor jones



the piano - michael nyman



dead man walking - various



edward scissorhands - danny elfman

[ghettosynth]

So, since some people are, IMNSHO, just a bit too serious about this, I watched a particular version referred to as "the final cut."

Here's an excerpt from some of the Netflix reviews that I agree with. The reviewer first discusses the cinematography and score, and then has this to say:

But that is as far as I will go in praising this film: ultimately this is still an action/adventure sci-fi film that only sci-fi fans will grade as five stars. Great sets and one terrific speech are fantastic by the standards of sci-fi films, but by my standards any film that contains a lot of chases, killings and someone's eyes getting gouged out drops a film like this one from 'classic' to 'great in some respects'.

http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Blade-Runn ... t/70082907

To be clear, I am a sci-fi fan, but I'm very critical about the sci part of the fi. So I don't always agree with the majority about what is "good" and what isn't.

Here's a review from rotten tomatoes that also highlights some of my reasons for thinking that the film is mediocre. Note, that I posted my comment above regarding the tedium of darkness prior to reading this.

Scott, working with cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth and production designer Lawrence G. Paull, effectively paints an evocative portrait of a smoky, downright seedy world, yet there does reach a point at which the relentlessly grimy atmosphere becomes overwhelming and oppressive. The synth-heavy score by Vangelis only exacerbates the film's many problems, while the sluggish pace succeeds only in keeping the viewer at arm's length (the protracted finale is, to put it mildly, awfully anti-climactic). That Blade Runner is now considered a landmark achievement within the science fiction genre is nothing short of baffling, with the frustratingly ambiguous conclusion only cementing the film's status as a hopelessly overrated piece of work.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blade_runner/

Now, the reviewer doesn't like the soundtrack. I confess, I love the sound of an analogue synth and there is probably some part of my brain pleasure center that responds non-linearly to such sounds. Regardless of whether you agree with me though, the point that I was wanting to make is that, if you like it, the soundtrack helps immensely to mitigate the unnecessarily slow pace in some parts. I can imagine that if you don't like it, then those parts may seem even more tedious.

[Robmobius]

But as you say, you don't care what other people think. So why put it up on a forum...?

To have a discussion. I'm sharing my opinion as you are sharing yours. Don't waste your energy trying to convince me that I'm wrong, just say what you like about the movie. All you've said so far is that you like it because other people think that it's a great movie.

I think you ant-logic reality filter is about to kick in.

When you display logic and I reject it, you might have a point, all you've presented so far is fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum

I think you should be checking that link a touch more then me...

You can try to spin it, so I only think it's 'cool' because of popular opinion, which is not what I said at all (see straw man logical fallacy). My opinions are my own.

I merely said that you are going against the grain so to speak. Therefore, I was deducing that you probably lack the skills to judge a good or bad film. But that's my own deduction...

I have no intention of trying to convince you of anything, why would I?

But yet you say you don't give a toss about what others think, but you must do at some level, or you wouldn't bother to create a thread about it. The fact you are looking for discourse shows you obviously care about what others think.

You still have not explained your flat world analogy by the way...

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

the point that I was wanting to make is that, if you like it, the soundtrack helps immensely to mitigate the unnecessarily slow pace in some parts.

then why not make that point, rather than running with "Bladerunner would be forgettable without the soundtrack" ??

[ghettosynth]

But as you say, you don't care what other people think. So why put it up on a forum...?

To have a discussion. I'm sharing my opinion as you are sharing yours. Don't waste your energy trying to convince me that I'm wrong, just say what you like about the movie. All you've said so far is that you like it because other people think that it's a great movie.

I think you ant-logic reality filter is about to kick in.

When you display logic and I reject it, you might have a point, all you've presented so far is fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum

I think you should be checking that link a touch more then me...

You can try to spin it, so I only think it's 'cool' because of popular opinion, which is not what I said at all (see straw man logical fallacy). My opinions are my own.

I said that you offered nothing but that.

I merely said that you are going against the grain so to speak.

Which implies that the majority know what a good film is, i.e., ad-populum.

[ghettosynth]

the point that I was wanting to make is that, if you like it, the soundtrack helps immensely to mitigate the unnecessarily slow pace in some parts.

then why not make that point, rather than running with "Bladerunner would be forgettable without the soundtrack" ??

I did make that point, in my first post. The title reflects how I feel about it. Why are you posting here if you aren't interested in my discussion. Don't you have the same power to start your own posts?

Why is it that people get so offended when someone denies the cannon? I said exactly what I meant. I think that it's a mediocre film, I did not find the story compelling, I found it simple and pretentious. If it weren't for the soundtrack I would have turned the movie off.

[ghettosynth]

American Beauty, Thief or any John Carpenter film

So right, got that playing now. Compared to Bladerunner, that's a movie that I liked a lot. Now I want to watch it to see how much the soundtrack impacts my enjoyment of the movie.