Is Blade Runner Post Modern or Not?

Is Blade Runner Post Modern or not?

Blade runner is a film that has caused controversy between many critics in the media as the film has brought up the idea of post-modernism through the characters, Mis en scene and general storyline. It was directed by Ridley Scott in 1982 and till this day will he claim that it is probably the best film he has ever created. Film itself is set in future Los Angeles and begins by showing a 2019 sign to really set the futuristic scene.

One way pastiche is used within the film is through the supporting characters, there is one significant scene which is just before the character Zhora’s death when Deckard enters her room to ask about a snake. Deckard goes through all of her belongings and tells her he is part of some sort of human rights act, this is quite ironic as he has stormed into her dressing room and is practically perving on her in the shower. Even though he has entered without her permission she comes across as sexual and inviting even though she doesn’t want him to be there. Coming out of the shower, she makes no attempt at modesty and tosses a towel at Deckard, inviting him to dry her while she dresses in a bikini outfit. It is immediately after this sexually suggestive invitation that Zhora launches into her sudden and unexpected attack on Deckard. After the whole chase and conflict , there is a sudden, quick cut to a shot of Zhora's body lying face down on the ground, this shot is absolutely lifeless and could resemble a mannequin. This is significant as this relates to the eastern womens role as they were degraded as a human and essentially used to please the men. This suggests that the pastiche is post-modern but the use of the social hierarchy contradicts this.

Ridley Scott tries to show the audience what it would be like living in a modern world and questions the quality of lifestyle if the world carries on as it is. There is a clear class difference which can be seen in J.F Sebastians home. There are a high number of floors in which he has control over entering and his apartment is one of many and clearly can only be owned by the rich. It’s almost as if the rich and the poor are completely separate and is impossible for the poor to climb up the ladder. The poor are seen to be working in over-crowded and polluted environments, the loud and confined market places look nearly the same as modern markets which shows how the lower class have not been able to experience the new technology and the new things that have been created.

The film sprouts a lot of questions about things being created which links into the human qualities and the hyper-reality world that we live in. Is it possible for humans to be created to perfection? This is one of many of the questions that post-modernists would ask and the film highlights the ongoing problem with this idealistic Hollywood world that is presented in the media. The replicants are a representation of how the media creates such “perfect” people and these replicants are the new creation. They are young, fast, good looking and are stronger than any human, they hold all human qualities but are even better which is what the media portray some people to be. This brings up the question of who is a replicant

in the film? As a replicant is so good at being human, could it disguise itself in this postmodern world?

Blade Runner poses this question to “Is Deckard a Replicant?” and also brings up the theme of Identity crisis. While Harrison Ford said that he didn’t think that Deckard was a replicants and that him and the director agreed at the end of the film that Deckard was human. However according to interviews with Ridley Scott; Deckard is a replicant. Deckard is a replicants as in conversation with the Gaff near the end of the film the Gaff compliments Deckard and says  “You've done a man's job, sir. I guess you're through, huh?” This compares him to a human and seperates him from being a man. You  fails to show emotions throughout the film, like when he kills the replicants as well as during the rape scene with Rachel, however towards the end he develops emotions for her. It is suggested that a fault with the replicants allow them to develop emotions, they are not created with emotions.

Time plays a big part in the film and highlights on the importance of it throughout. The lifespan of the replicants is four years exactly and is done so to prevent them from learning too much in such a short amount of time. The advancement in technology and the thirst for knowledge is portrayed to be negative here as Ridley highlights that humans are trying to take on God’s role and this can only result in bad things.

There are also many key modernistic aspects of the film which is clear within the mis en scene and the people in the lower class market. Los angeles seems to be a poverty struck area and is filled with Chinese stalls and Oriental people which brings up the idea of such a multicultural society. This is also stereotypical of the future as the Chinese are known to be the fastest growing country in the world both in technology and the population, it seems that they have dispursed to America as well as many other races.