#287 BLADE RUNNER The FINAL CUT is a complete waste of time

One of most re-worked films of the modern day by one of the greats gets a official final release, and it’s a such a disappointment AKAPAD couldn’t even finish the film.

Summary of Video Content: Blade Runner Final Cut and Cyborg Movie Discussion

This video is part of a broader series dedicated to exploring cyborg and robot-themed movies, focusing in this episode on Blade Runner: The Final Cut. The host, known as AKA Pat (also referred to as the pop culture Pope or white chocolate), shares personal reflections, industry insights, and critical analysis of Blade Runner’s multiple versions, particularly emphasizing the challenges of defining cyborgs in science fiction.

Key Themes and Insights

• Cyborg Definition and Sci-Fi Context
  The host discusses the complex nature of what constitutes a cyborg, emphasizing that Blade Runner challenges traditional boundaries between cyborgs and robots. The film pushes philosophical questions such as whether a robot can possess a soul or humanity, thus expanding the genre beyond simple mechanical or biological hybrids.
• Cyborg Movies Landscape
  There is a recognition of the 1980s and 1990s as the golden era for cyborg films, including RoboCop, Ghost in the Shell, and Nemesis. However, many movies labeled as cyborg films in popular lists do not fully embody the cyborg concept in execution, often featuring characters that are conceptually cyborgs but not convincingly portrayed as such.
• Personal Viewing Journey
  The host embarked on an extensive quest, watching nearly every cyborg movie available across streaming platforms, including paid, rented, and borrowed titles. This exploration exposed the disparity between cyborg movies by concept and those by execution.
• Versions of Blade Runner
  The host grew up with the original Blade Runner version featuring Harrison Ford’s narration, which served as a guiding voice for the audience. Over time, several alternate versions emerged, including the Final Cut, overseen and released by Ridley Scott himself, featuring updated special effects but no narration.
• Narration Importance
  The host strongly emphasizes that the narration in the original version is crucial to understanding the film’s plot and themes. Without it, particularly in the Final Cut, the movie becomes difficult to follow and less engaging, losing much of its emotional and narrative impact.
• Critique of the Final Cut
  The Blade Runner: Final Cut is described as a failed attempt to improve the film, as it lacks the original narration that helped clarify the story. The host found it boring and confusing after roughly 25 minutes of viewing, leading to a recommendation to avoid this version for first-time or casual viewers.
• Broader Perspective on Director’s Cuts
  While the Final Cut of Blade Runner is criticized, the host acknowledges Ridley Scott’s other director’s cuts, such as Kingdom of Heaven and Alien, as superior and preferable to their theatrical versions. The Kingdom of Heaven director’s cut, in particular, is praised as a better and longer movie.
• Blade Runner 2049 Commentary
  The host briefly comments on Blade Runner 2049, stating that the idea of Deckard as a replicant is unnecessary and detracts from the story. They suggest Ryan Gosling’s character should have been another human “Deckard” figure without complicating the narrative.
• Upcoming Content
  The next episode will focus on Upgrade, described as a modern-day cyborg masterpiece, continuing the thematic exploration of cyborgs in cinema.

Detailed Timeline of Key Points

Definitions and Comparisons

Bulleted Highlights

• Blade Runner challenges the typical cyborg/robot classification by exploring themes of humanity and identity.
• The narration in the original Blade Runner is essential for plot clarity and emotional engagement.
• The Final Cut lacks this narration, making it a less accessible or enjoyable version for many viewers.
• Ridley Scott’s director’s cuts of other films (Kingdom of Heaven, Alien) are often superior to theatrical releases.
• The replicant theory for Deckard in Blade Runner 2049 is viewed as unnecessary and confusing.
• The host’s personal journey included watching a wide range of cyborg movies, revealing that many labeled as cyborg-themed do not convincingly depict cyborgs.
• The next episode will cover Upgrade, a modern cyborg film hailed as a masterpiece in the genre.
• The video includes informal studio noise and background conversations, reflecting the host’s transition to a new recording space.

Core Concepts

• Cyborg identity: Explored beyond physical traits to philosophical questions about soul and consciousness.
• Film versions and storytelling: The impact of narration and editing choices on understanding and appreciation of a film.
• Genre evolution: The 80s and 90s as formative decades for cyborg cinema, with many attempts but few masterpieces.
• Director control vs. studio influence: How filmmakers’ visions can be altered or diluted by producers and distributors.

Conclusion

The video offers a nuanced critique of Blade Runner: The Final Cut, emphasizing that despite its improved visuals and director involvement, it fails to capture the narrative clarity and emotional depth provided by the original narrated version. The host underscores the complexity of cyborg representation in science fiction, advocating for a thoughtful approach to understanding these films. Additionally, the video situates Blade Runner within a broader context of cyborg cinema history and announces upcoming content that continues this thematic exploration.

Keywords

• Blade Runner Final Cut
• Cyborg definition
• Sci-fi movies
• Narration importance
• Ridley Scott director’s cuts
• Blade Runner 2049
• Upgrade (movie)
• Cyborg cinema 1980s-90s
• Film versions and edits
• AI and robot identity

00:00:00
AKA patters are you ready for some more cyborg action we’re doing a big cyborg block today we’re talking Blade Runner the Final Cut and I’m AKA pad another not as Peter a deuca another known as the pop culture Pope another known as white chocolate here we go you hear that music let’s just get through it and jump into what is revered as one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time thank you for joining me look look if you’re H if if if you’re hearing a little bit of background and ziance

00:00:40
noise that is because I’m talking to you from a new location I’m no longer at what used to be the AKA Pat Studios I’m at a new studio and I’m working out a ton of the audio Kinks duh anyway so I’m still I’m still moving but I don’t want to slow down with this podcast cuz I already had about like a 3 we Gap a couple episodes ago and I just wanted to keep Rock and rolling and I wanted to get these cyborg movies technically the laay to are robot movies out of my head and it’s kind of funny because Blade

00:01:17
Runner uh it’s classified yeah like it’s it’s kind of cyborg movie but it’s not and it’s kind of a robot movie and it’s not and it they I think this movie in the lace episode episode 286 AI Steven Spielberg Stanley cubrick AI they they challenge what the idea of a cyborg is now people might be saying Pete uh you said the next episode episode 288 that’s going to be upgrade they’re like Pete that’s that’s going to be your final episode but but we get it you you’ve done just

00:01:54
about all all the Star Wars we get it you’ve done Terminator cuz Terminator too I mean the the only Terminator movie to have a cyborg in it is actually the latest one Terminator dark fate technically there’s a cyborg in that so these ideas and and I think a little bit of what challenges the the thought of what a cyborg is is that uh you know like does it manifest a soul does the the you know like the character the The Narrative you know these are the great things that are done within science

00:02:27
fiction that challenge us you know CH science fiction itself pushes the idea of what cyborg is but as I was saying that was a little tangent there you might be like Pete what is happening why aren’t you doing Robocop Robocop okay well look next to cyborg next to our next one upgrade next to battle Angel aadita maybe right and next two ghosts in the Shell you know like we can we can basically say that RoboCop is really like the the echelon the top of the top of what the cyborg is in science fiction because it

00:03:14
also is breed it’s bred from the 80s and everything you know like I talked about this a little bit with the Ghost in the Shell anime ‘ 80s and the 9s were the era of the cyborg we had a lot of underground like B movie C movie d movie F movie attempts at cyborgs hey D uh by the way people Dallas is with me in the studio with up budy and to see like the the highs and the lows it’s easy to discuss the heist now look after I saw cyborg jeene call Dame’s greatest movie that was a few

00:03:52
episodes ago I went on this tangent I went on this Quest and I literally watched nearly every single cyborg movie I could get my hands on some paid some rented some borrowed whatever was available on any and all of the streaming networks I scoured all of it and I spent a lot of time and one of the things I found that a lot of these movies were like uh Nemesis for example was classified as science fiction ended up on a lot of Science Fiction cyborg list you know if you Google top 100 cyborg movies Nemesis

00:04:29
like always there and eventually what I discovered was that it’s a it’s a cyborg movie by by concept but not by execution we’re told cyborgs are in the movie where they they point at things at people that actors that are supposed to be cyborgs but actuality they’re not they’re not really cyborgs so a lot of those movies you know I it was hard for me to put them on the list to discuss the reason why Ai and the reason why Blade Runner ended up on the list is because they challenged the idea of what

00:05:06
cyborgs are they push the envelope because you can a can a robot become more human and when it does does it then become a cyborg so like you know it’s a classification type thing but either way AI it’s a must bash and Blade Runner Final Cut and the reason why I’m just discussing Blade Runner Final Cut Is I grew up with one version of Blade Runner I I grew up with the narration the Black cover VHS and by naration I mean that Harrison Ford talks to you the audience through the movie and gives you all the nice little

00:05:51
details and and holds your hand and walks you through everything then as time marched on a young Peter a young CAG goinging Peter copile Peter before copile was even a term learned of a laser disc disc version a Japanese laser disc a a Japanese version made for TV version this also echoed Terminator 2 Judgment Day this also echoed Superman the movie Aliens where these these alternate scenes these alternate takes would just become a part of discussion and eventually these uh film companies and these content holders got aware of

00:06:37
this and they they let you know they let people have two versions now Way Back when Mark and I used to do the giant long the marathon episodes of Dream Warriors you going have to go away back for this Mark did drop a little bit of an idea cuz we talked about Blade Runner I don’t even know what episode it was and he kind of mumbles what version you know you’re seeing when you say you’ve seen the movie and there’s something harmful to that there’s something harmful to the general

00:07:20
idea sorry about that Dallas you know Dallas got little bit anxious he Dallas is living in a new home in a new studio stud also and he uh he’s going through his jumping on everything pH but look look look look getting back to the point mark touched upon something very significant because it’s almost like the idea of if a superior version of a movie exists do we even need to see the original do we need to see the source and this is pretty much what’s happening with the Star Wars movies because they’re just saying look

00:08:00
you’re you’re only going to get what we’re giving you and that’s not echoed with something like Blade Runner who has going through the most um versions studied versions I mean outside of Star Wars and it’s almost to the point of you know what Blade Runner should we really watch what Blade Runner should we go to so this came up on Amazon Prime and or I believe it came up on Netflix and I’m like oh oh my God I you know like I need to see the Final Cut cuz the Final Cut is another recut

00:08:35
version by Ridley Scott okay and it should be touched up a little they got some of the special effects in and out awesome thumbs up but it’s by Ridley Scott is overseen by Ridley Scott it’s controlled by Ridley Scott it’s released by Ridley Scott this is significant so I jumped right on it and I gotta be honest I got about 25 yeah know maybe even less minutes into this movie and I couldn’t I couldn’t continue I could not continue because the narration the version I grew up with

00:09:19
explains everything if we don’t have this narration running through Blade Runner it’s nearly a useless movie it’s such a failed attempt it’s such a poor idea and it was a little bit of a revelation it it was a revelation that maybe sometimes these Studios and these Bean counters and producers and and all these hands involved with some of these movies they know enough to take the movie away from the filmmaker they take it away from him and they say look good like whatever like thanks for the effort

00:09:54
we love you we paid you you made some money off of this but let us deal with the movie and put it out for you I really like every time I go into some of these alternate cuts and these alternate takes that’s almostly what I arriv at and it was so clear with me with Blade Runner because it just clearly just it wasn’t interesting it was hard to follow and I practice and I talk about this a lot with all of you with all of you and thank you for joining me don’t forget to subscribe but I talk about this with all

00:10:26
of you all of you is this it’s a very simple point do the brain dump let everything go you think you know about a movie you think you know this you think you know that well you don’t and you’re going to sit down and you’re going to watch a movie every single time I see a movie this is what happens I did this with Blade Runner I went in Blade Runner Final Cut I went into Blade Runner Final Cut not seeing any of the Blade Runners ever not even hearing about and I sat down and said I want to follow this

00:11:04
movie I want to be able to follow it scene to scene it’s bad it’s horrible it really makes your question Really Scott and the only reason why I’m bringing this up it’s not a recommendation to go see this movie it’s a recommendation not to I’m it’s a warning not to see this movie but you should see Blade Runner and you should see the one that has an opening narration with Harrison fort with Decker and this whole idea and and and I really feel like this hurt blade rner

00:11:51
2049 Decker is not a replicant none of it works with him as a replicant I don’t know why you would want him to be a replicant if you watch that movie Blade rer 249 gets anchored down by this concept Ryan Gosling should just have been another Decker that would have been fine um you know like the dude’s got the look he’s he’s got the acting chops you know he’s he’s got the name recognition to do some damage in that movie and you should just let that be enough but they you know people always have to add to

00:12:27
what’s not really there anyone that’s seen Blade Runner you know Decker’s not replicant anyone that sees Blade Runner knows there has to be a narration to follow that plot cuz otherwise it’s just it’s not very interesting and I was bored out of my mind so that’s about it everyone now when it comes to Ridley Scott and other versions of his movies I prefer the Tangerine Dream score for legend I don’t care about the jury Goldsmith one and Kingdom of Heaven director’s cut

00:13:08
that’s the one that matters that is a far superior better movie longer movie than the theatrical version of Kingdom Come starring Ora Bloom Ora Bloom it’s a solid movie check it out I think there’s might be two versions of gladiator I don’t know I could never really tell tell the difference and there also might be two versions of his um well look everything with alien meaningless the director’s cut of alien meaningless and and everything I think his version of Robin Hood has two cuts I

00:13:46
I have yet to see that but look everyone this is not bashing Ridley Scott this is not even bashing Blade Runner it’s just an idea to stay away from blade warer Final Cut next episode episode 288 we have a modern day Masterpiece we have a modern day cyborg Fest that will be wrapping up our cyborg block we’re talking upgrade again right second episode an upgrade you have to scroll down pretty deep to catch the first one I did that one with John I believe or I saw the movie with John I don’t know if

00:14:17
him and I were if he was available to review it with me but look look look everyone rock and roll go out there and create and thank you for sticking with me through a pandemic Philly’s on lockdown I’m here I’m broadcasting and I’m coming at you live not really live but hey rock and roll let’s do this I love you [Music]

PETER A DELUCA AKAPD

AKAPAD is a versatile thinker known across Philadelphia, Europe, and even in the vast Multiverse as The Electic One. By day, he excels as an IT Mastermind, assisting individuals, both big and small, with a wide range of simple and complex solutions. In contrast, he is also a talented illustrator, a passionate comic book enthusiast, a creative content creator, and an active live streamer. Additionally, his podcast, “AKAPAD The Film Buff Podcast,” boasts an impressive catalog of over 500 episodes available on nearly every major platform.