Alienations
in a Dystopia: Scott's Blade Runner
and Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
by Patrick Meaney, 10 June 2002
           In adapting Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep to film, Ridley Scott shifts the focus from bounty hunter Rick
Deckard's struggle with his conscience, to the plight of the hunted replicants,
and the question of what is human in a world of ever advancing technology.
Dick's work focuses mainly on the effect that hunting human-like replicants
has on Deckard, while Scott spotlights the diminishing line between human
and replicant, by expanding the role of replicant cell leader Roy Batty,
and questioning the humanity of Blade Runner Rick Deckard. This change
alters the primary message of the novel, but in doing so, proves a universally
resounding point.
           Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep shows the isolation
of a dystopian future through the gradual breakdown of bounty hunter,
Rick Deckard. Commissioned to kill six renegade androids on Earth, Deckard
spends the novel losing confidence in the accepted beliefs of his society,
realizing that android achievements are just as valid as human achievements,
and that though they are made artificially, android life forms are not
very different from humans. However, Deckard still continues his work
as a bounty hunter after making this realization, placing his own need
for survival above his moral beliefs. The novel focuses on Deckard, and
his conscious crisis. He is the driving force of the novel, actively seeking
out the androids, and constantly pursuing them.
           The major symbols in the novel are animals. In a post-apocalyptic
world, any living thing is valued, and Deckard's major goal in the novel
is to get enough money to buy a real animal, to replace the fake sheep
he has. Real animals are a status symbol, and in acquiring one, he would
rise up in society. By protecting humanity, and killing androids, Deckard
acquires enough money to purchase a real sheep, and replaces his own electronic
model. However, Deckard's sheep is killed by an android, and that true
life cannot be replaced. Through his interactions with androids, Deckard
realizes that humans and androids, artificial and natural are not that
separated, and that his feelings of compassion for androids are not unwarranted.
Ironically, this does not stop him from continuing his life as a bounty
hunter. The novel tells how Deckard comes to terms with his problems of
conscience, and how he finds fulfillment in his own life.
           The film, Blade Runner, replicates the atmosphere,
most characters, and the general plot of Sheep, but alters the
novel by changing Rick Deckard from an active to passive character, and
explicitly demonstrating the equality of replicants and humans by expanding
the role of replicant cell leader Roy Batty. The film's message is that
replicants are the same as humans, and that the prejudice against them
is not warranted, a more conclusive stance than the book. Director Ridley
Scott changed the name of androids to replicants, a more ambiguous term
in that could be human or mechanical, as opposed to the harshly artificial
android. A less welcome change was bounty hunter to blade runner, which
softens the impact of Deckard's profession, by creating a euphemism for
killer.
           The film's incredible visuals capture perfectly the run down
city atmosphere that Dick described in his novel. Constant oppressive
rain, and neon lights illustrate the seedy nature of LA city streets.
Scott's film reduces the role of animals in the world, making only vague
references to the mass extinctions so important a part of Dick's novel.
           The film adapts the detective story into a distinctively
film genre, Film Noir. By blending traditional film noir character archetypes,
such as the detective and femme fatale, with the future setting of the
novel, Scott creates a "Future Noir." Deckard's trenchcoat is classic
noir attire, and his voiceover is a trademark of detective thrillers.
The interrogation scene at Tyrell captures the feeling of vintage film
noir through tense interaction between Detective Deckard, and femme fatale
Rachael, whose atmospheric cigarette smoke pollutes the frame.
           Deckard's investigation is significantly different from the
novel. In the film, Deckard pursues the leads left by the replicants,
but mainly assumes a passive role, rarely doing any traditional detecting.
In the novel, he was an investigative force, but in the film, Deckard
only retires one replicant, and is even saved from death by another replicant.
This change ruins some of the impact of the book, because there is so
little development, or action for the film's major character.
           In adapting the film to the screen, Scott drops a number
of plot points that would have been very interesting, and helped to flesh
out Deckard. In the novel, Deckard is captured by the police for attempting
to kill an opera singer, who is also a replicant, and is taken to an underground
police station run by replicants. Deckard is completely lost in an unfamiliar
world, oblivious as to why this police station would have no knowledge
of his. While there, he is partnered with bounty hunter, Phil Resch, who
is having doubts about whether he is human or replicant. This exemplifies
the fact that there is little difference between human and replicant;
all that matters is taking advantage of life.
           The element that makes the film superior to the novel is
the increased role for replicant messiah Roy Batty. In the novel, Batty
is a leader, but he is a minor character, and functions mainly as cannon
fodder in the end. In the film he is a sympathetic antagonist, divided
between his moral responsibilities and the "questionable things" he must
do to find his maker, in the hope of breaking the limit of his four year
lifespan. By showing the life of a replicant instead of merely presenting
Deckard's musings on the subject as the novel does, Scott actively demonstrates
that all replicants "wanted were the same answers the rest of us wanted,
where have I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got?" This alteration
by Scott is effective, because it takes advantage of the show, don't tell
nature of film as a medium. Deckard's meditations would not have translated
to film, but seeing Roy's actions works well visually.
           Batty's goal during the film is to rise above the limitations
of his creation, and confront his creator about his four-year life span.
To avoid the development of emotions, in beings that are intended to be
slaves, and to keep sales high, the Tyrell Corporation limited all replicant
lives to four years. With the end of his life nearing, Batty leads a group
of replicants on a mission to confront Tyrell.
           After a buildup, Batty confronts his maker, a scene not present
in the book, one of Scott's best additions. In the novel, Tyrell's attempt
to create life, and play God went unchallenged. Here, he must face his
greatest creation, and attempts to shirk responsibility for that creation's
impending death. Batty confronts Tyrell to find out if "The maker can
repair what he makes," carrying the questions of every replicant with
him. After hearing that he has "burned so very...brightly," but will burn
no more, Batty turns violent. Without the time to develop the proper emotional
control, having only lived for three years, Batty gives in to rage, and
kills Tyrell, gouging out his eyes through his glasses. The symbolic breaking
of the glasses reflects the failure of Tyrell's knowledge to save his
prodigal son, the knowledge useless to Roy, his fate already sealed. The
addition of this scene demonstrates the folly of playing God, and demonstrates
the emotionally volatile nature of replicants.
           The divide between Roy's violent side, and his caring side
is best exhibited in his final confrontation with Deckard. Deckard "retired"
Roy's greatest friend, Pris, and Roy is moved to tears looking at her
bloody, dead body. He stains his face with her blood, symbolically carrying
on her life through his memories, and hoping to honor through his actions.
However, seeing the body also inspires a rage in Roy. His juvenile concept
of justice indicates that killing Deckard is the only way to avenge Pris,
and Roy pursues him, behaving like an animal. When he gives in to his
rage, he loses some of his humanity, and proves true the authorities who
feel that replicants can be exterminated as easily as insects. He howls
at the moon, and chases Deckard, who was supposed to be the aggressor,
to the rooftops of LA. Deckard is outmatched by the "A" replicant, who
is physically fit beyond any human means. This scene demonstrates the
dual nature of replicants, with perfect athletic ability, but unable to
control their emotions.
           Eventually, Roy leaps to another building and Deckard, while
attempting to replicate the leap, lands hanging from a plank, slowly slipping.
Batty is forced to weigh his human compassion against his animal desire
for revenge. As Deckard begins to fall, he is gripped by Batty's hand
and pulled up, saved by the man he was trying to kill, saved by the "savage
and dangerous" replicant. Batty has proven to himself that he is human
and as he dies he convinces Deckard also. As he dies, he conveys to Deckard
the wonder that life has given him:
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter
in the dark near Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in
time, like tears in rain. Time to die."
          Â
This one speech, beautifully scored, and wonderfully lit, conveys,
more than Dick's entire novel, the fact that artificial life is as sacred
as natural life. Because Roy Batty had limited life, he used it completely,
never becoming complacent, and always appreciating the wonders of the
world. He changes Deckard, who now believes that replicants are the same
as humans, with congruous dreams, and an unparalleled lust for life. Through
his death, Batty saves the entire replicant race in the eyes of Rick Deckard
who is "done" with Blade Running after the experience. Roy Batty's appreciation
for life convinces Deckard that replicants are the equals of humans. Scott's
use of all of cinema's techniques conveys the message of the story more
elegantly and succinctly than Dick's novel did.
          Â
Overall,
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner
conveys a different and more powerful message than its source novel by
focusing on the actual experience of a replicant, instead of merely the
personal problems of Rick Deckard. The film takes most of the novel's
best aspects, and combines them with great acting, an awe-inspiring future-scape,
and a haunting score to create a unique work that demonstrates that artificial
life deserves as much respect as natural life, a message that will become
increasingly important as organic technology advances. Scott's adaptation
of the work is excellent because he tailors Dick's story to the medium
of film. While the deletion of some sequences is regrettable, Scott's
altering of the text is generally welcome. While the sacrifice of the
novel's ambiguity toward androids is regrettable, the strong stance that
Scott takes, saying that replicants deserve all human rights, is inspiring,
and the character change in Deckard further illustrates the themes of
Dick's novels. Scott removes the excesses of Dick's novel to create a
more polished and concise finished product.
Copyright © 2002 Patrick Meaney.
Published by BRmovie.com in the
Blade Runner and DADoES Analysis Section
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