How to Watch the original Blade Runner before Blade Runner 2049

What’s the best version of the original Blade Runner? There’s only one answer.

Before heading out to see Blade Runner 2049 this weekend, you may want to brush up on the original. Or maybe you’ve never seen the original. Since then there’s been eight different cuts of the 1982 sci-fi classic starring Harrison Ford.

So what’s the best version of the Blade Runner?

There’s a recent piece in Esquire that argues you should only watch one of two versions, and it’s not the first one that came out in theaters.

If you don’t want to get into the nitty gritty details below, I’ll save you some reading. Go watch the 2007 version of the original Blade Runner film before going to see Blade Runner 2049.

If you don’t you may not be getting the full vision of the latest film.

What’s wrong with watching the original that was released in ’82?

There’s been an ongoing debate on Reddit about problems and merits of each version of the movie. And each of them give us a very different ending and answers about Deckard’s hunt for replicants set in Los Angeles in 2019.

Why are there so many versions of Blade Runner?

Well, director Ridley Scott had one way he wanted to movie to end, and the movie studio wanted something completely different. Guess who won? People who lament how the ’82 version of the film ended often complain about the voice-overs explaining certain parts of the story really get in the way

For years, there have been efforts to edit the movie into Scott’s original vision of the story, including a 1992 “Directors Cut”. The only problem with the Director’s Cut is that Scott didn’t really oversee it. He was busy filming Thelma & Louise, so a film preservationist re-worked the film using Scott’s notes.

There’s two added scenes in this version, which are seen as improvements. One scene involves Gaff and an origami unicorn. The other shows Deckard asleep and dreaming of a unicorn.

There’s no happy ending in this version of the film and some people prefer it that way.

Where to watch the 1992 Director’s Cut:

Rent on Amazon, or buy on DVD.

Watch the original Blade Runner, the Final Cut made in 2007

What’s the difference between the original Blade Runner in theaters and the 2007 version?

The 2007 version of the Blade Runner is called “The Final Cut.” There’s no happy ending in this version either. But who needs happy endings? Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford both agree that this is the version of Blade Runner that they prefer. In other words, it’s the film that both of them tried to make at the time.

This film has been described as better looking more cohesive, especially with the “fixed” unicorn scene. Even Denis Villeneuve, the director of Blade Runner 2049, says the film he made with Ryan Gosling and Ford is the sequel to the final cut. So that alone should make you want to watch Blade Runner: The Final Cut before going to see the sequel.

Where to watch Blade Runner: The Final Cut

Rent on Amazon and iTunes, or buy on DVD