The term "blade runner" referred to a smuggler of medical supplies, e.g. scalpels. The title was later bought for use in Ridley Scott's 1982 science fiction film, Blade Runner. The plot of that film was based on Philip K.
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English ˈblade ˌrunner noun [countable] informal a runner who runs with blades attached to their legs because the lower part of their legs are missing ˈBlade ˌRunner (1982) a US film by the director Ridley Scott, in which Harrison Ford appears as a policeman in Los Angeles in the ...
In this novel, Bladerunners (the term is one word in this novel) are black market medical suppliers for underground physicians. The term appears to refer to the scalpel blade; a picture of a medical scalpel is prominently on the book cover illustration. William S.
In the novel, Deckard is referred to plainly as a police officer and a bounty hunter, not a Blade Runner as he's known in the film. The words 'Blade Runner' and 'Replicant' don't appear in the novel at all, making them excellent additions by Scott and screenwriters Hampton Fancher and David Peoples.
A “Blade Runner” is a futuristic bounty hunter tasked with violently decommissioning “replicants,” androids that have broken free of their human masters' control. These uncanny products of genetic engineering were made to serve, understandably yearning for more than just hard labor.
Replicants were used Off-world as slave labor, in the hazardous exploration and colonization of other planets. After a bloody mutiny by a NEXUS 6 combat team in an Off-world colony, Replicants were declared illegal on earth — under penalty of death.
These police units are once again called Blade Runners, but are now composed of self-aware replicants with implanted memories, though they are fully aware that they are replicants and that their memories are artificial.
There is a subtext of Christian allegory in Blade Runner, particularly in regard to the Roy Batty character. Given the replicants' superhuman abilities, their identity as created beings (by Tyrell) and "fall from the heavens" (off-world) makes them analogous to fallen angels.
Blade Runner later became a cult film, and has since come to be regarded as one of the greatest science fiction films. Hailed for its production design depicting a high-tech but decaying future, the film is often regarded as both a leading example of neo-noir cinema and a foundational work of the cyberpunk genre.
By its conclusion, the film suggests that one's ability and willingness to perceive systemic social inequality is the true measure of humanity. Blade Runner trains us into awareness of flawed social hierarchies by repeatedly emphasizing eyes and connecting them with perception beyond the physical.
But because of its style, and perhaps stiff competition from ET and The Wrath of Khan, Blade Runner suffered the twin curses of poor box office returns and bad press. According to Paul M. Sammon's book Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner, the film made 14 million against a budget of 28 million.
Much like the original, Blade Runner 2049 became a cult hit but failed to thrive financially due to pacing issues, murky stakes and zero fun factor. Ridley Scott followed up the tremendous success of his science fiction horror film Alien with his cyber-noir thriller Blade Runner.
The Earth in “Blade Runner” has faced a different sort of climate change. If it's always raining in southern California, then there is probably a drought somewhere else. The causes of that environmental shift are not made clear, but one look at these fictional California skies tells you that pollution must be a factor.
What critics failed to understand is that the glowing eyes weren't there for the characters or actors, but rather for the audience. The Replicants eyes didn't actually glow in the world of Blade Runner. It was simply a stylistic choice to help the audience follow the narrative.
What does the unicorn at the end of Blade Runner mean?
The unicorn itself is, of course, a mythical creature steeped in mystery and its uniqueness embodies the kind of individuality that Deckard believes will satisfy his anxiety. It, therefore, serves as a metaphor for Deckard's quest for existential authenticity and a vehicle on which he can pin his hopes and aspirations.
There is a rich subtext of religious allegory in Blade Runner. Eldon Tyrell has the appearance of a living god from within a pyramid above the clouds that exudes wealth and power. This self-image is reinforced when Tyrell assumes the role of the gods by dimming the sun on command.
Humans hate replicants because even though they appear similar to humans they're still perceived as fundamentally different. Humans have once again fallen for the bias of seeing themselves as the center of the world (which is called anthropocentrism).
The horse, with the inscription "6.10. 21", establishes the connection between the dead female replicant who gave birth and died on 6.10. 21, and K himself, implying that the memories were not in fact "implanted" but are rather genuine after all.
Blade Runner 2049 revealed that Rachael was the first replicant to get pregnant. Deckard is the father, and it's suggested - though never stated aloud - that the only way a replicant could get pregnant is by another replicant.
Nexus-6 replicants had a built-in four-year lifespan, created as a safety mechanism to prevent possible emotional development. Due to their short lifespans, replicants had no framework within which to deal with their emotions.
Replicants were sometimes referred to as "skin jobs" or "skinners," as they were indistinguishable from non-engineered humans, except for their empathetic abilities. These terms were considered slurs. Mentioned in the original Blade Runner.
In a 2023 interview, Ford stated that he "always knew" that Deckard was a replicant, but wanted to "push back against it", adding that a replicant (or at least, Deckard) would want to believe that they are human.
