Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vs. Blade Runner

Blade Runner

Directed by Ridley Scott

1982

Plot Summary:

The film is set in 2019 in Los Angeles. Earth has turned into a desolate landscape that is no longer conducive to life and lacks natural resources. Los Angeles has become extremely industrialized and has a terrible climate of acid rain and fog. The beginning scrolls tell the viewer that the Tyrell Corporation has just put out its latest version of replicants, the Nexus-6. Replicants are androids that are almost identical to humans. The only way to tell the difference is to use the Voigt-Kampff empathy test. Blade runners work for the police as replicant hunters. Their job is to retire (kill) any replicants that come to Earth from the off-world colony.

The story begins with Mr. Holden in an office at the Tyrell Corporation headquarters administering the Voigt-Kampff test to Leon. Holden is a blade runner who believes that Leon is a replicant. When Holden asks about Leon's mother, Leon begins to answer the question but then shoots Holden with a handgun.

The camera then follows Rick Deckard. Deckard is a retired blade runner who was the best on the force before he developed a moral conscience towards his job. After a while, he decided that his job made him feel like a killer instead of retiring androids for the greater good. However, after Holden was shot, Deckard is approached by two men working for the police department, Gaff and another cop, and brought back to the station. He meets with his old boss, Inspector M. Bryant, who tells Deckard that replicants had escaped from the off-world colonies 2 weeks before, after killing 23 people. One was killed in an electric field but there are four remaining. He is briefed on the remaining four replicants. The first is Leon, the one that shot Holden. The next is Roy Batty who most likely the leader of the group. The last two are Zhora and Pris, both female. All four are Nexus-6 models, which have an automatic lifespan of four years to prevent them from developing human emotions.

Deckard is sent to the Tyrell Corporation to determine if the Voigt-Kampff test still works on the Nexus-6 replicants. He arrives at the Tyrell Corporation and is greeted by Rachael. She brings him to meet with Dr. Eldon Tyrell, the founder of the corporation. Tyrell insists that Deckard demonstrates the test on a human first and tells him to administer it to Rachael. After an abnormally long set of questions, Rachael is asked to step out and Deckard tells Tyrell that the test has proven she is a replicant. Tyrell explains that she doesn’t know she is not human because she has human memories implanted in her brain from Tyrell's niece.

After leaving the Tyrell Corporation, Deckard goes to Leon's hotel room looking for leads while Leon and Batty watch from across the street. He finds a small scale-like object that he brings with him along with some of Leon's family photos. Later, Batty and Leon meet to visit the man who created their eyes, Chew, because they want answers about how to extend their lives. He tells them that he only created their eyes and that they need to talk to Tyrell for more information. He also gives them the name of J.F. Sebastian and tells them that he will be able to get them to Tyrell.

When Deckard returns to his apartment, Rachael is waiting for him to convince him that she is not a replicant and to ask questions about the results of the Voigt-Kampff test. Tyrell wouldn't see her so she decided to ask Deckard instead. He explains that her memories were implanted. To prove it, he tells her two of her memories even though she never told him or anyone else. In a rush of emotion, Rachael runs out of Deckard's apartment, leaving behind a photo of her and her supposed mother.

The next replicant is Pris, who walks down the street and hides in a pile of trash out front of an apartment building. The following morning, J.F. Sebastian comes home and startles her. She jumps up and begins to run away but he invites her up to his apartment, happy to have the company. Sebastian lives in the building by himself and tells Pris that he makes his friends. He is a genetic designer who makes toys and has made many small robotic toys to keep himself company.

Later, back at Deckard's apartment, he analyzes one of Leon's photos. In a reflection in the photo he finds a woman sleeping, with the tattoo of a snake across her face, and a showgirl's outfit in the closet. Viewers are led to believe that this woman is the last of the replicants, Zhora. He then takes the photo and the scale that he found in the bathtub in Leon's hotel room to a section of the city that produces fake animals. Deckard believes that he has a fish scale but the woman at the fish booth tells him that it is actually a snake scale and gives him the number encoded in it. The number tells him the manufacturer and he visits that booth to find out where the snake is. Deckard is directed to the Snake Pit nightclub, where Zhora works.

At the nightclub, Deckard follows Zhora into her dressing room after she performs with her snake. They have a short conversation while Zhora showers. After she finishes, she attacks Deckard and is about to strangle him before she is interrupted and runs away. Deckard quickly follows and catches up with her and shoots her twice in the back. Leon is standing witness to Zhora's death.

Bryant and Gaff then meet up with Deckard to tell him that Rachael has been added to the list of replicants to be retired. When walking through a crowd after the two men leave, Deckard is approached by Leon and they start fighting. Just as Deckard is about to be killed, Rachael shoots Leon in the back and saves Deckard's life. Deckard brings Rachael back to his apartment and, after waking up from his nap, kisses her. She is frightened and runs away but he stops her from leaving and they have a romantic moment.

Back at Sebastian's apartment, Sebastian explains to Pris that the reason he could not leave for an off-world colony is that he could not pass the medical exam because he has the Methuselah syndrome. This causes his glands to grow old too fast, which is why he looks much older than 25 years of age. Batty then shows up to visit Pris and tells her that they are the only two replicants remaining from their journey. Sebastian, knowing that they are different, asks them what generation replicants they are. He correctly guessed that they were Nexus-6 and agrees to help them talk to Tyrell. Batty and Sebastian go to the Tyrell Corporation and Batty finally gets a chance to speak with his creator. Batty asks for extended life but when Tyrell can't grant his wish, Batty kills him while Sebastian watches in fear.

Deckard is then sent a message that Tyrell and Sebastian have been killed and is told to go to Sebastian's apartment. When Deckard enters, Pris has disguised herself as another one of Sebastian's toys. As Deckard gets close, she kicks him and attacks him until he nearly dies. He shoots her in the stomach before she can kill him, leaving only Batty left. When Batty returns and finds Pris dead, he kisses her corpse and grieves over her. Deckard, waiting for his return, attempts to shoot Batty but misses. After a long battle, the two end up on a rooftop. Deckard jumps to a nearby rooftop but misses and is left hanging over the edge as Batty follows him onto the same rooftop. Deckard loses his hold and slips but Batty reaches down and saves him by pulling him back onto the roof. Moments later, Batty dies of age and Deckard lives.

Deckard returns to his apartment to find Rachael asleep, realizing Gaff has been there but did not kill her since she has only a short time to live. The film ends with Deckard and Rachael leaving the apartment to escape so that Rachael has a chance to live.

Characters:

Holden (Morgan Paull)- blade runner assigned to retire the latest replicants but is killed by Leon
	Leon Kowalski (Brion James)- replicant, kills Holden, retired by Rachael
Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford)- protagonist, retired blade runner recruited back for one more assignment
	Gaff (Edward James Olmos)- works for the police department
Captain Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh)- works at the police department as Deckard's boss
	Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer)- replicant, most likely the leader of the group, dies of age
Zhora (Joanna Cassidy)- replicant, exotic dancer with snake tattoo, retired by Deckard
	Pris (Daryl Hannah)- replicant, lives with Sebastian, retired by Deckard
Rachael (Sean Young)- replicant with implanted memories from Tyrell's niece, Tyrell's assistant
	Dr. Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel)- founder of Tyrell Corporation, killed by Batty
Chew (James Hong)- develops the eyes for Nexus-6 replicants
	J.F. Sebastian (William Sanderson)- genetic designer for Tyrell Corporation, has Methuselah and was unable to leave Earth, takes in Pris and helps Batty, killed by Batty

Director-Ridley Scott:

1937-present: Born in England. Scott graduated from West Hartlepool College of the Arts and received his graduate degree in graphic design from the Royal College of Art. He has directed/produced 18 films along with music videos, commercials, and television shows. Scott has won many awards for his films and has been nominated for three Academy Awards for best director as well as other prestigious nominations.

*****

Created by Allison Jones, Depauw University

Questions/Comments? Email:

allisonjones_2013@depauw.edu

Last Updated November 23, 2009