BRmovie.com: Blade Runner News Archive

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Please note that most links are not revised. Although correct when originally written, the nature of news means that I cannot guarantee that any particular link will still be valid today.

28 Jun 2006	So, does the Maxwell Street Sunday market in Chicago look somewhat like the market in BR? Michael Nagrant sees the similarity. And the fact he's looking for an eyeball taco... makes one wonder what Chew might have done with his reject eyes... served on noodles perhaps, ("Two is enough!")
27 Jun 2006	With the approaching release of "A Scanner Darkly", just thought I'd mention that PKD's head is still missing... IHT
25 Jun 2006	If you would like to know a little more about who this Jerry Perenchio guy actually is and why he might make the decisions he does, <restrain self from saying anything I can get sued for...>, then you should read this in-depth Miami Herald article about the extremely successful multi-billionaire. I would like to be super-wealthy too, but I have to wonder, surely there comes a point where you just don't need to drive the hardest deal you can and maybe think you could also make some people happy? 28 June update: Univision has now been sold for $12.3bn, at least $1bn goes to Jerry (who already has a few).
23 Jun 2006	While I expect very soon everyone will have reviews up of "A Scanner Darkly", (and of course I, for one, will ignore the mainstream reviewers who I expect to throw in a load of vague/arty references to justify their not actually understanding the film), fishbowlLA looks at the marketing of the film, particularly the pack of goodies sent out. Which word would you display on your black wristband? I think I'll opt for "DESPAIR" right now...
22 Jun 2006	"The Surrogates" is a comic book set in 2054 where many people live through android surrogates out in the world while they stay at home, connected via data feed. The android's looks are chosen so that the person driving them can appear to the world how they want. With techo-terrorism, a tough cop and a quasi-religious leader, there is plenty of good SF material here. It isn't pulp SF though as the story goes deeper into speculative fiction. You might already be looking for the BR or even the DADoeS comparisons. The review at the comicbook bin likens the visual style to that of the cinematography in BR. Eye-catching visuals set a tone and mood as backdrop to character driven examination of near-future human identity and existence.
21 Jun 2006	The London underground is set to take one step closer to the look of Blade Runner and Minority Report from the start of next year. The BBC reports that following the LCD screens already installed at the sides of escalators, there will now be full colour, high def "posters" projected on wallscreens opposite platforms. Remotely controlled images means absolutely any image can be projected, including sports results. There will be a few per platform, interspersed between regular paper posters. It is not completely new and not the first city to do this, BUT, this is the perfect example of the 21st century being grafted into 20th and even 19th century architecture. We've always had retrofitting, but BR is the movie that truly recognised that the future isn't all new. Which of course is how the future has always been!
20 Jun 2006	The new Guthrie Theater complex in Minneapolis is opening this Sunday. The architecture and interior spaces are such that I really wouldn't be surprised to see it used in some or other SF film in the not too distant future. As the MSP City Pages says, "The lobby inside the front door, for instance, reminded me at first look like one of the big stark corporate spaces in 'Blade Runner'."
11 Jun 2006	Where has Daryl Hannah been most of the last 20 days? Well, up a Walnut tree actually. Protesting against a "significant" farm being replaced by a warehouse. The Guardian reports on she and many other Hollywood celebs trying to save this Los Angeles patchwork of hundreds of small farming plots. Update: 15 Jun. Daryl was arrested as expected. The L.A.Times does a larger piece on the issue and her involvement in this and other environmental issues. Daryl hasn't stopped acting yet though - she'll be filming in Italy this time next month.
09 Jun 2006	Probably ought to mention the film "Natural City" which is popularly being referred to as "the Korean Blade Runner". It certainly has many of the same elements, though no doubt presented completely differently. Korean SF, in the BR style - definitely worth a couple of hours of any regular visitor to this site.
09 Jun 2006	William Sanderson is also interviewed by Delaware Online where he offers a view on the two types of actors - those like Harrison Ford, and those like him - the "journeymen" who take whatever roles they can. All I can say is thank goodness for the journeymen - that is surely what I would be if I took up acting! And, after all, aren't they the ones who end up being more interesting?
08 Jun 2006	TVguide interviews William Sandereson, mostly about Deadwood. They finish with the question, "As someone who was in Blade Runner [as lonely genius J.F. Sebastian], what was your take on the whole director's cut/narration-versus-no narration debate?". His rather non-committal answer, "I didn't get it. Because I'm a fan of Ridley Scott, I want to say to a degree "leave him alone." Ridley told me himself, "I couldn't get through the book [Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?]." [Laughs] I was just happy not to be cut out!"
08 Jun 2006	Should you read the book, "Sci-Phi - Philosophy from Socrates to Schwarzenegger" by Mark Rowlands? Well, this blogcritic recommends that if you are inclined towards philosophy as exposed in Science Fiction, (Sci-Phi), you probably will find it interesting. If you find yourself watching films like Blade Runner and asking yourself, "What is real", "What does it mean to be Human", "What is death", etc . then maybe it is for you.
07 Jun 2006	"The Olympics do not turn a Blade Runner megalopolis into a ghost town." But the World Cup does (except in the USA, but even there it is getting noticed, and every single game will be televised live.) Yes, it is time for the biggest sporting event on the planet. BR fans are not the most obvious soccer fans, so here is an alternative viewpoint in the Guardian. The last World Cup Final (in 2002) was watched by fully one quarter of the entire population of the world. A few more years and it will be the 2018 World Cup. Will Deckard watch? What about Roy out in space? I know this is a long way from being a sports site, but let me give my predictions anyway. It is being held in Europe, so it is almost certainly going to be won by a European team. Will they be defeating Brazil or Argentina - well actually I don't think those two are good enough this time and it will be an all-European final. So who? I'm English so I'd love England to be there - it's their best chance for years, but I have to admit, I don't think I'll be watching them in the final. The host nation has won one third of the World Cups, so Germany has a chance, but even Germans would be happy if they reached even the quarter finals. Other outside chances are Sweden, Holland and Portugal, but probably not. I'll take my choices from Italy, Spain, Czech Republic or France. But then, what do I know? Update: Turns out the World Cup is the one sports event I have a clue about - Italy beat France in the final and Germany take third place against a @#$% Portugal team.
07 Jun 2006	Netflix and the time-space continuum. Glenn McDonald reports at popmatters of the strange world of unlimited DVD rental by mail and catching up on the back history of classic film. Why Harrison Ford should be limited to movies starring Han Solo, Indiana Ford and Rick Deckard. Why watching multiple time-travel films can screw with your mind and why you really should have watched Annie Hall back in 1977 (and maybe you still can...).
06 Jun 2006	Giant corporate signs on the sides of buildings? Very Blade Runner. Now very Raleigh as reported by The News & Observer.
06 Jun 2006	Flesh and Machines - MIT robotic scientist Rodney Brooks foresees a future mercifully free of robot-inflicted terror. Boston's Weekly Dig looks at Rodney's views of the future of robotics and the influence on human evolution. Interestingly promotes the view I have long-since proposed, that by the time the robots are sufficiently evolved to challenge us, we will have enhanced ourselves so much with the same technology that we will be the robots.
14 Apr 2006	The CalTrade Report has an interesting bio and update on Paul Moller, who many of you reading this will know is an engineer who has been working for decades to make the flying car a reality. Interesting addition for me is that Boeing's research arm is looking not just at flying cars themselves, but what it would take to create an airway control system that could handle thousands of flying cars.
11 Apr 2006	LAist mentions an interesting looking debate: If you want a dose of smartness on Saturday, what could be better than the Science Matters panel on The Science and Ethics of Reproductive Cloning at the California Science Center? If you can't make it, but live in L.A., then according to the official site, it will be broadcast later this month on LA36 (check site for times). The site also has further web links for those interested.
07 Apr 2006	Retro in the future? Of course that sums up Blade Runner, but it also describes our now. The Toronto Star looks further into technologies that some still cling to and why that really isn't such a bad thing.
07 Apr 2006	So who would describe Tokyo thus: "You feel like Forrest Gump in Blade Runner."? Well Robin Williams would, at Premiere.
05 Apr 2006	Do robots have souls? So asks Joseph Wilson in Now Toronto. How is the Western view different to the Japanese view? Shouldn't robots be seen as friendly? Depends on whether or not they take over?
03 Apr 2006	Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? How about you?. Cnet brings attention to "Electric Sheep", the company. The name from the obvious source, but what their business? Creating virtual places in a virtual world. In 'Second Life' to be precise, and they have some major corporate clients. Don't miss the special screen saver offshoot. All sounds very "Snow Crash" to me.

If you see a Blade Runner article not listed, please send me the link so I can add it.

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