Blade Runner essay plan

I have decided to research the Blade Runner franchise. Blade runner is known as one of the most postmodern films, taking inspiration from Philip K. Dicks novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ which is about the character Ric Deckard. The original was released on the 25^th of June 1982, while 2049 was released on the 3^rd of October 2017. Ridley Scott (who directed the original), had not taken part in the directing of 2049. We see Denis Villeneuve taking his place.

Blade runner 2049 is set in an overcrowded dystopian city which has a noticeable postmodern aesthetic; the rich escape to the off worlds while the poor are stuck poverty. One of the key themes in the films is the ‘blurring’ of differences between the real and artificial, between replicants and humans. It in increasingly no longer possible to be clear about what it means to be human. Replicants have implanted memories which have been experienced by other real humans. These memories are so real that it is almost impossible to tell real from fake. This highlights the realism which is given to the replicants.

Blade Runner’s postmodern aesthetic mixes textual references and images. The film noir voiceover of the original release is juxtaposed with the futuristic, dystopian images, but at the same time the shadows and constant rain fit in with the film noir style.

We are shown an intertextual reference between the film and Philip K. Dicks novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The whole idea for the film originated from this novel. A question which is brought up in the book is whether these replicants have evolved into something more than just circuitry and wires. This question is answered in 2049 as Rachael and Rick Deckard had a child. This information had to be kept quiet to help prevent a war between the humans and replicants.

Furthermore, Baudrillard’s theory links in closely with the Blade Runner films. Baudrillard came up with the idea that you could create a simulation so powerful that anyone who came in contact would think it was reality. In the film replicants are given fake memories, which enables them to believe that the simulation they are in is reality. Them being in this simulation makes them act human, and this was a way to keep the peace between replicants and humans. This idea is the basis of the first film, but has a deeper meaning in 2049.

Another theorist who links closely with Blade Runner is Rene Descartes. He is the one who came up with the dream argument. This argument is when you are unable to differentiate between the dream world and real life. He says that there are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. Descartes questions whether we are in reality.

His theory links to blade runner 2049. From the start of the film we know that K, who is played by Ryan Gosling, is in fact replicant. It is only further on in the film whether he starts to question his own memories. We find out that he could possibly be the child of Rachael (a replicant) and Rick Deckard. These specific memories take him back to his childhood when he was bullied. They start to mess with K’s mind as he tries to distinguish whether they are real. We later find out in the film that he was not the child and that these memories were not his own.

In my opinion, the Blade Runner franchise are portrayed as postmodern films, through the use of intertextuality, hyperreality, and pastiche. Both Baudrillard and Descartes has set a foundation for the film as well as the novel ‘Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep’ by Philip K. Dick.