Blade Runner: Theatrical Cut (1982)

I don't remember when I watched Theatrical Cut last time. When Director's Cut was released theatrical cut became obsolete. Blade Runner is one of those movies studio's meddling ruined. Or at least that is what they say. I have already reviewed The Final Cut so I concentrate on what is different from other versions. Director's Cut and The Final Cut were pretty similar with couple restored scenes and redone effects in The Final Cut.

Studio made changes director Ridley Scott didn't want to do. They got their way but later they let him made two revised versions. This let us see what was changed from Ridley Scott's original vision. Most of the movie is the same. Major differences are the ending and Harrison Ford's voice over. Minor changes include little bit differently cut scenes and louder background voices. Do those changes ruin the movie. No. But they make the movie worse.

Changes were made to make movie easier to follow for common person. Other cuts work better because they flow better without distractions. It is not because I am more familiar with Director's and Final cuts. It is because Harrison Ford's voice over and louder background voices break the rhythm and feel of the movie. Voice over feels half done. It is missing from scenes which needs it to keep the rhythm. At the beginning almost all silent moments are filled with voice over. Then it stops for the most time only to be there to explain some scenes.

To make voice over work there should have been more of it. But voice over wasn't that good. It explained things which didn't need explaining. Other cuts let you find your own meanings. Voice over tells you how you should feel about what is happening on screen. Problem with voice over was it really didn't bring anything. It was afterthought when someone felt movie would be too hard for common people. I wouldn't had problem with voice over if it was supposed to be there from the beginning and had same thought put into it as the rest of the movie.

The ending has same problems as voice over. It is called happy ending. Other versions end with elevator doors closing. It leaves open what happens next. It hints they managed to escape. Theatrical cut shows them escaping and voice over tells they managed to escape. Doesn't ruin the movie but makes it worse.

The Final Cut is the version to see. Theatrical Cut is more of a curiosity. It doesn't have the unicorn scene. If you have problems with that scene you should watch Theatrical Cut. Voice over wasn't good enough to make this alternative version to see. If it was better we probably wouldn't have got Director's and Final Cuts. I could see voice over work completely rewritten and with much more of it. But as it is The Final Cut is the version to see.