Los Angeles, 2019 — as raging infernos bursting from corporate buildings obfuscate the skyline, the masses huddle between the neon signs and the whirring machinery, fearing for their lives. The six new replicants — beings closer to perfection, stronger and faster than human beings — have revolted, killing their masters during their journey through the universe and escaping to earth. The retired “Blade Runner” Deckard is called back into action to destroy the replicants. Following waves of feverish tracking, the resilient Deckard is suddenly disoriented, as the straightforward task of hunting and trapping the replicants turns into an exploration of memory, identity and existence.
Not only did Blade Runner transcend the historical moment that borne it, it also founded the Cyberpunk aesthetic, its themes and its vision. Although garnering a lukewarm response initially, it stood against the test of time as a landmark in the history of cinema. Until today, the visual motifs of Blade Runner—the high-tech, low-life slums, gigantic signboards that devour all empty space and simulated machines—circulate in science-fiction films. Laying bare the symbiotic relationship between technological hyper-development and social control, Blade Runner has elevated science-fiction films to a level of philosophical sophistication, making it a cinematic gem that gleams with even greater relevance than it did in the past.
Professor Ackbar Abbas will give a one-hour lecture on William Gibson, Cyberpunk culture, and Blade Runner before its screening.
Blade Runner
Director： Ridley Scott
U.S.A｜1982 ｜117 mins｜Colour｜DCP ｜in English with Chinese Subtitle
