Topic > Analysis of the Visual and Philosophical Elements in Blade Runner

Throughout the centuries, people have always tried to imagine what the distant future would be like. One hundred years ago, people saw elaborate visions of grand Art Deco architecture and gigantic airplanes that could hold six hundred passengers, equipped with lounges. In the 1950s and '60s, campy space adventures and the colorful, nuclear world of "The Jetsons" complete with flying cars were a common fantasy. Meanwhile, Blade Runner showcases and is based on the exact opposite of this: a "repurposed" dystopian Los Angeles, where the world is in constant decline and society is struggling to keep up with the changes. In this 1982 science fiction masterpiece, the imagery, characters, narrative and dialogue provide insights into how civilization and the state of being human are perceived, the lesson learned strongly suggests that it may be necessary to draw a line between that what is considered human and what is human. that which is not considered human as technology advances. In Blade Runner, all the visual and philosophical elements work in tandem to express the themes of Man vs. Machine, just as Man vs. Society was. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The 1980s were a crucial decade that continued to permanently structure the modern world as it is known today. Revolutionary music, technological feats, fashion, and more defined the 1980s and made them incredibly special for those lucky enough to be alive during this bizarre and exciting time. The 1980s seemed to explode with bright colors and fanaticism filtered through a kaleidoscope of pop culture, while most of the science fiction media disconsolately reminded Americans of the more modern and stylized idea of ​​an anti-utopian wasteland full of artificial people, overdeveloped cities, “corporate labor that has brought about a policed ​​society, a stale air and a corrupt world” (Jenkins, 2017) and omnipresent consumerism; This very setting contributes directly to the key theme and central message of Blade Runner. Indeed, many consider Blade Runner a pioneering film of “cyberpunk” – a science fiction subgenre characterized by the presence of high technology and low life. Science fiction has been redefined, perhaps even reborn, this decade. The 1980s drifted away from a previously imagined utopia as, despite the era's entertaining presentation, ruinous socioeconomic incidents occurred globally, with America continuing to grow overly commercialized with no sign of stopping. The AIDS epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Chernobyl disaster, the famine in Ethiopia and the Challenger tragedy have shaken populations around the world. Technological innovation and pioneering in the sector were also an extremely critical aspect of the 1980s. The capabilities of early versions of video games, cell phones, and other devices advanced as home computers such as the Apple II and Commodore 64 became more available to the general public. For the first time, signs of contemporary technology can be seen. Instead of simply being a quirky pastime for “geeks” and scholars, computers were rapidly evolving into a promising product that can be advertised and marketed to a wider audience. The influence of these significant events can be seen in the story, characters, and location of Blade Runner. At the beginning of Blade Runner, simple text scrolls slowly across the screen, briefly outliningthe narrative of the film. Then, audiences are confronted with an avalanche of complex philosophies: what it means to be human, how memories shape us, with themes of love, exploitation, postcolonialism, social hierarchy and social decay. The main character, Rick Deckard, must traverse this cyberpunk world to complete his mission. He is first shown as a bounty hunter who has been dragged out of retirement by his former inspector, Bryant, to track down four replicants who have escaped from off-world colonies, but more of Deckard's human complexities come to light as the events of Blade Runner take place. He is simply surviving, not thriving, in twenty-ninth Los Angeles. Times have changed, with Earth's climate radically distorted due to frightening levels of pollution, turning Deckard's hometown into a grim, overburdened urban jungle. He is divorced and is portrayed as lonely and far from romantic. Deckard is a jaded, reticent and cynical man, struggling with the moral ambiguities of being an assassin, despite the inhuman nature of the Replicants who are ordered to "stand down". However, over the course of the film, Deckard falls in love with Rachael, who is a hyper-realistic replicant. In Blade Runner he is presented with numerous challenges, having to deal with what it means to live, die and be human. At the end of the film, the burning question remains as to whether or not "Deckard, the film's protagonist, is an android, just like the ones he was hired to eliminate." (Thompson, 2008) As Deckard explores his surroundings in Blade Runner, a myriad of things can be seen, such as crowded city buildings, bustling crowds, buzzing colorful signs, eternal rains, all representing a diminishing landscape of a dying Earth. It seems that the residents of this biosphere are trapped with nowhere "else" to go, other than off-world colonies that are never actually shown or elaborated on. But in another sense, other settings are referenced extensively in the film – through the architecture of the metropolis, the clothing, the music, as well as the different ethnicities Deckard sees pass by as he navigates the unforgiving, narrow streets. All this suggests that the city of Los Angeles in the twenty-ninth year is actually a heterogeneous fusion of different races, social classes, cultures and time periods. “The crowded streets are narrow and dirty. There is a feeling of uneasiness… Each frame is like an abstract painting.” As the film guides us through the futuristic, decadent chaos that is Blade Runner's setting, giant electronic screens shamelessly advertise some of the city's largest business enterprises: the looming Tyrell Corporation, which keeps Los Angeles in a space prison of marketing. and even Coca-Cola. Director Ridley Scott also lengthens shots to show the elaborate scenery of the dystopian neighborhood, moments like these are woven throughout the film to add atmospheric and emotional context. This seemingly limited sphere of neo-noir creates a distinct mood and atmosphere for the viewer, which seems to be perfectly cultivated to emphasize and expose every other creative aspect of Blade Runner. Despite the hellish landscape that characterizes 29th Los Angeles, it has a kind of disconcerting majesty and majestic splendor. Everything is huge and disturbing, but the people are small and struggle to make a living in a bleak world with an outlook that is anything but bleak. Now, in the new year of twenty-five, we can actually reflect on how this imagined corporeity could perhaps one day become reality. Many highly philosophical themes and messages are communicated throughout Blade Runner. To?”