Blade Runner: The Ultimate DVD of 2007?

by Steve Rogers

2007 has been a good year for classic sci-fi films on DVD and a good year for Warner Home Video. With titles like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Fantastic Voyage and Forbidden Planet released in deluxe special editions, it seems only fitting that one of the greatest sci-fi flicks of the home video era should close out the year with a whopper of a 25th anniversary special edition.

And make no mistake about it - this is a whopper. Blade Runner is being released in no less than seven different editions, containing no less than five different versions of Ridley Scott's visionary near-future masterpiece. For the non-high def crowd, there's a two-disc version featuring Scott's brand new "Final Cut" of the movie along with "Dangerous Days", a humongous making of documentary, and three separate commentary tracks. The four disc "Collector's Edition" contains the new version of the movie, "Dangerous Days", the commentary tracks, the original 1982 theatrical version, the 1982 International version, Scott's 1992 Director's Cut, and a bonus disc containing a huge bevy of extras. And if that's not enough to satisfy your Blade Runner jones, there's a five disc "Ultimate Collector's Edition", which contains all of the above along with a fifth disc featuring the rarely seen "Workprint" version along with an extra featurette and commentary track. And just for good measure throw in a lenticular motion film clip, original collectible figures and photographs and a signed letter from Ridley Scott. All of this housed in a replica of the Dekkard character's brief case from the movie.

Needless to say, there's a lot to sort through in one of the most ambitious DVD packages ever put together for a feature film. But there probably isn't a better candidate for this super royal treatment than Blade Runner. The film was ahead of its time in many ways and during the past two decades has gone from cult status to the loftiest of critical heights, unthinkable upon its inauspicious 1982 debut. And for good reason, as Scott's noirish take on the Philip K. Dick novel about androids run amok in a grimy, dystopian Los Angles circa 2019 was a marvel of authentic set design and the director's unique, futuristic visual style. It's really the design and look of Blade Runner that first grabbed most video geeks, this writer included. And of course it should be one heck of a thrill to check out the newly restored and remastered visuals (complete with a first ever 5.1 surround mix). But Blade Runner was no ordinary sci-fi outing and one viewing for the uninitiated should make that evident.

DVDProfiles.com will be on the case in the next few weeks to sort out all the details of this mega release. Look for our comprehensive review soon as we weigh in on the 25th anniversary celebration of Blade Runner. The ultimate DVD release of 2007? Stay tuned.