Written by: Philip K. Dick (novel),  Hampton Fancher & David Peoples

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Buffy Comments:

Oh, the Replicants. Let me first answer Zack's question about whether or not the movie made sense without some god awful voiceover nobody wanted. Answer: of course it fucking made sense! Why do people think audiences have no brains? The one thing that wasn't evidently clear to me was that Harrison Ford's character (I'm sorry this is the laziest review ever, I just have to type it and get it done or I feel like I will never review again...your patience is appreciated) was a [spoiler alert!] Replicant, but in retrospect that's usually the stuff I miss in movies anyway. Of course the Replicant-hunter would be a Replicant himself. Muy cleveroso. Lots of fun, and I agree with comments here that the movie loses steam with that bit with the dollmaker guy. However, all is forgiven for the great interior shots, which were enough to entertain me even while I was losing track of the story. ("Oh, what's going on? Where are they? Oh good here's another ass-kicking part...")

As for my rating for the 100th Pick--extremely well-played, and I think not only wrapped up the previous 99 films and all they are about in quite perfect harmony, I think its last lingering note set the tone for the 101st Pick, a masterful stroke indeed.

It has been a sublime pleasure to join all of you before the Stucco, the Big TV, and the Sheet. I thank you for your camaraderie, for your joie de vivre, for your commitment to stating your truth. I feel privileged to be invited to watch such carefully selected movies, in the spirit of all things worth doing it for. My cheers to all of you for keeping this magic night going. Pick 500 will be here soon enough I'm sure. I'm also sure somebody already has figured out whose pick #500 would currently be. Love you all.

Nubs Comments:

‘Blade Runner’ is, just as Tooda put it, one you’ve always wanted to see on the stucco/sheet. I thought it was a Slam Dunk for all the reasons Davis mentioned in his preamble; because it was a Movienight dream realized, it spoke to the future of Movienight wanting eternal life, and to the jam session (though the helicopters from Halloween are kind of a reach - it’s hard to keep the riff going after the Horror Cycle), and most poignantly it takes place in Los Angeles in November.

As most of us, save Buffy, know this movie very well it seems redundant to talk about the brilliance of the design, the imagination and realization of the complete world Ridley Scott creates, or how well Harrison Ford conveys getting his ass kicked. No, I’d like to speak to the unique experience watching on this night in our unique forum. This night was the second time I had seen the infamous ‘Director’s Cut.’ The first time was at home and I nearly fell asleep before realizing the narration was absent. I wondered then what’s wrong with storytelling, Ridley?

Well, I have to admit the Director’s Cut is perfect for Movienight.  Since most of us know the story, it was great to see it for its vision and quiet storytelling. Even the neighbors must have loved this one. I guess the real litmus would be if Buffy followed it without Harrison’s purposefully flat voice-overs. I suppose since no one other than myself and Tooda will read this we’ll call it a Slam Dunk, pretentious cut and all.

While I am speaking to our lack of readers, let me take this opportunity to ask for some extra time for my follow-up Pick this week. We’ve been lax with our 9 PM start time, which was fine for Halloween and the shorter picks. However, if my Pick calls for a little more time then the rules dictate, we need to start on time. Anybody who has a problem with it can let me know. Otherwise you’ve been warned, and it’s not my fault you didn’t read this.

I’m glad you didn’t audible, Tooda. Here’s to 100.

SELECTOR Comments:

Yes, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ is the film I have most wanted to see at Movienight, and Yes, I did get permission to run long with the 100th Pick, but what could I do. The Movienight Gods work in mysterious ways and I had no choice but to go with this dark and sumptuous tale set 12 years (to the month) in our future.

The choppers skimming over the Back Yard on Halloween just pushed this Ridley Scott classic into my head and I couldn’t let it go. The last time I saw ‘Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut’ was when it was screened at Radio City Music Hall in New York about 12 years back. I marveled then, as I did again Wednesday, at how timeless a future it represents. Much of the technology on display in this film still seems credible despite the age of the film. Sure the neon tubes on the umbrella shafts are a bit silly, but most of the locations, architecture and fashions seem lived in and authentic.

If there is a flaw with ‘Blade Runner’ it is the pacing. The story gets a strong and pulsing start, but the energy drops when we meet Sebastian, the genetic engineer/shut-in beautifully played by William Sanderson. Once we arrive at his workshop in the Bradbury Building I feel like the story languishes until Daryl Hannah starts beating the shit out of Harrison Ford.

Still, it’s ‘Blade Runner.’

I was tempted to go all MOFO on the Crew and announce a Zip.Thud. before this Pick rolled, but after 100 Picks I know no such thing exists. Movienight has held my passion and interest for lo these many moons because the Selection can be an excellent film and a piss poor Pick (‘Wings of Desire,’ anyone?). Movienight is all about the timing. MONA wrote a Blog Entry in the early days of MovienightNorth (what am I talking about, they’re still in the early days) where he suggested SELECTOR’s should “wait patiently” to roll a Pick if there is a definitive edition of the film nearing release. While I understand the perspective completely, it is antithetical to my view of what makes Movienight so special. Prior to writing this review Peter and I had a brief back and forth in the Comments thread below so I won’t go into too much detail here but to say that December will see the release of ‘Blade Runner: The Final Cut,’ (those interested in buying it can click on the Amazon link above) and I wish it had been released sooner. But if I’d waited till December we wouldn’t have had the juxtaposition of flying cars over head in the skies of Los Angeles, or of beginning the month of November with a Pick set in the same place and time (12 years removed), and we wouldn’t have had the thick mist of a chilly Autumn night illuminated by the glow of the HAL 9000. In short, we wouldn’t have had the magical evening that Wednesday represented.

We are 100 Picks deep, and now more than ever the interplay of films week to week is more important than any one night or any one print. I hope that everyone enjoyed the Wednesday as much as I did, I look forward to sharing 100 more films with all of you.

Onwards.

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