The
happy ending I did miss because I am a romantic and I like the possibility and
knowledge of a better future. This version gave us ambiguity and lack of
closure. The main thing that I did like was the new aspect of the unicorn dream
suggesting that Deckard could be a Replicant. It was a view that I had inklings
about but was not sure about. As Deckard sits at his piano, we see a shot of a
unicorn running through a forest. In the Director's Cut, it is implied that
Deckard is simply sleeping and dreaming. The original 1982 International
version had a happy ending added following feedback from the preview versions.
This happy ending could have been left off and the voice over taken away and I
would have liked that version better. Ford was always unhappy with what this
movie was about and how it turned into a cult picture. Even though I like some
of the aspects of this movie, I still agree with Ford when he said, “The
final version was something that I was completely unhappy with. The movie
obviously has a strong following, but it could have been more than a cult
picture” (Pfeiffer 119).
The
important change happened at the close of the movie made it seems clear that
Rachael has a short replicant life-span, rather than a full human life-span
like we originally thought. Assuming that she and Deckard safely escape, does
this make the ending that much less happy because of the hope of a happy ending
being dwindled. The questions that are raised about whether Deckard himself is
a Replicant are particularly interesting in my opinion because of how his feelings
about Rachael help to provide some proof about that. As a romantic I prefer the
feel-good ending in which Deckard and Rachel escape into the wilderness and the
directors cut simply eliminates this footage and ends the film in an
unsatisfying state. It left me feeling like I hadn’t seen a whole movie. It
does fit this versions new mood however.
A
directors cut implies that this version of Blade Runner is the best in his opinion.
The scene that illuminates the Director’s Cut the most occurs when Deckard is saved
and not killed in the ending. When Batty says that it is time to die, I
originally thought that he was talking about Deckard. He actually expires and
releases the dove as he dies. When we see the first daylight shot in this film
noir movie, we realize that even the replicates were real in some ways. He
understands why this is important when he moves on with his life with Rachel.
Or so we can imagine.
I agree with much of what you said, especially the part about the unicorn dream. However, I have to say that I really liked the new ending. Perhaps it’s just a matter of personal opinion, but I thought the new ending was much more interesting. I think it was more interesting because it gave the audience an opportunity to fill in the blank based off of the patterns we had seen throughout the course of the movie, and draw a conclusion based on our own logic.
ReplyDeleteI see what you’re saying, however, when you said “The happy ending I did miss because I am a romantic.” The new ending without a doubt robs the movie of its sense of textbook romanticism. With an ending like that, I think its important for the director to enhanced emphasis on the romantic pattern if he wants the notion of romanticism to be achieved at the end of the story. If not, then he must be careful not to emphasize that, because someone could falsely draw a romantic conclusion if he did. In my personal opinion I like the fact that there was not a romantic ending personally I feel that life is not as romantic as fiction makes it seem and I therefore felt more of a connect to it.