Random Rambling Blog Thingy

Watched Blade Runner today. No reason other that I had the director's cut DVD, had never watched it, and felt like being a couch potato. By a bizarre coincidence it was also airing on AMC as I watched, but doubtless that was a shorter version.

All I really recalled from the movie going in were unconnected scenes; Harrison Ford in a Daryl Hannah thigh master head lock, Edward James Olmos doing origami, Rutger Hauer melting in the rain. I only noted a few differences in director's cut from dim memory. Gone was a little voice over soliloquy Ford gave at the end on why Hauer, homicidal maniac for the entirety of the film, had saved him. Gone also was another Ford interjection on the gift of normal mortality to the android he now loves as they drive into the sunset. Indeed, we are left to believe his love is destined to be short lived, persecuted, desparate. Apparently the theatre version couldn't even tolerate this small bitter sweetness.

I thought the script was pretty poor overall, barely coherent. Almost all the dialog was awkward. There's a scene between Ford and his would be lover, when he's trying to kiss her. It's pretty cringe worthy, the dialog is George Lucas bad.

However, the performances were good and the cinematography was inspired. This is a pretty good example of a movie that works in spite of the script. The director strongly establishes a Nior future distopia long before cyberpunk would be fashionable, let alone reflected in film. Overall, fun to see again.

They're advertising a new animated movie type thing called Arthur and the Invisibles, though currently IMDB only lists it as Arthur et les Minimoys. I noted the writer/director was Luc Besson, who definitely looks like the uncle who should not be minding the children.

I then noticed that Besson is responsible for at least two movies I really like. One is The Fifth Element, which makes sense, keeping with the fantasy genre of the first movie. The other is The Professional, aka Leon, which is a different movie entirely.

The Professional is exceptional; violent, artistic, quirky, sympathetic. The lead, Leon, is played by
Jean Reno, who I recently noted to someone was the ugliest leading man in Hollywood. Reno is also brilliant, always fun to watch, even the bit parts he usually get's in the big stuff, e.g. Mission: Impossible.

Might have to see Arthur :p