CONTEMPORARY NOIR: BLADE RUNNER

Blade Runner is a 1982 American film directed by Ridley Scott. It is set in Los Angeles, 2019 and stars Harrison Ford as retired police officer Rick Deckard. He is forced to go back into work to hunt down “replicants”, which are artificially created humans who have come to Earth illegally.

There are many Film Noir characteristics in Blade Runner. Deckard is the classic anti-hero, he is a loner who drinks too much and falls for the Femme Fatale. In this film, Rachael, played by Sean Young, would be considered to be the Femme Fatale. There was also a voice over used in the original version of the film, another classic characteristic. The settings were also often rainy and dark, such as deserted alleys at night. There is a direct link with Noir in the scene where Deckard kisses Rachael in front of a venetian blind, which was a distinct lighting effect used in classic Film Noirs. Also, the film puts into question the idea of what it is to be human, much like classic Film Noir toyed with the idea of humanity and fate.

Deckard: All he'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got?