Harrison Ford in "Blade Runner"
(Credit: Warner Bros.)
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If you're looking for a last minute holiday gift for the movie fan on your list the solution just might be the long-anticipated collector's edition of the sci-fi classic "Blade Runner." Famously a flop when it was released in 1982 (the same year as "E.T." and "The Thing"—it was a big year for sci-fi), "Blade Runner" has since seen its status grow from cult item to one of AFI's 100 greatest American movies.
Based on a story by Philip K. Dick and directed by Ridley Scott, the film stars Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos and Daryl Hannah. On the surface it's a futuristic detective yarn involving human looking robots called replicants. But the hugely influential production design made it a frequent reference point in film discussions for years, and the release of alternate versions fueled interest even more.
Warner Bros. has now made all the various cuts available in several special edition releases. They follow a successful limited theatrical re-release of Scott's ultimate "Final Cut," which features added and extended sequences and lines of dialogue, updated special effects and remastered sound.
The "Final Cut" is a available on a two-disc set with three audio commentaries by various crew members including Scott, plus a feature length documentary. The other options:
A four-disc set that includes the same material as the two-disc release plus alternate cuts of the film—the original theatrical cut, the international version, and a 1992 "director's cut"—and an extra disc that features in-depth bonus material on Dick, the film's design elements and promotional material, as well as screen tests for Young and Hannah.
Completists will want the specially packaged five-disc sets which adds a workprint version of the movie, considered the most radically different of all the cuts, along with commentary by a "Blade Runner" expert and a featurette on all of the various cuts of the film. It all comes in a limited edition numbered briefcase (modeled after the one Ford's character uses in the film) and includes collectible items and photos.
Blu-ray and HD-DVD versions of the five-disc set are also available, with or without the briefcase packaging.
Also released:
"Balls of Fury" (also HD-DVD)
"Boy Eats Girl"
"Bring It On: In It to Win It"
"Deep Water"
"Halloween" (Unrated Director's Cut) (2-disc special edition)
"Hatchet" (Unrated Director's Cut)
"Illegal Tender"
"The Last Legion"
"Once"
"Rush Hour 3" (also Blu-ray) (available Dec. 23)
"The Simpsons Movie" (also Blu-ray)
"Stardust" (also HD-DVD)
"Underdog" (also Blu-ray)
Older titles and special editions:
"Braveheart" (Special Collector's Edition)
"The Evil Dead" (Ultimate Edition)
"National Treasure" (2-disc Collector's Edition)
Boxed sets:
"Bring It On - Cheerbook Collection"
"Rush Hour 3 Pack" (available Dec. 23)
Hi-def:
"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" (Blu-ray)
"That's Entertainment - The Complete Collection" (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)
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