This is topic Happy 25th, 'Blade Runner'! in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-25-2007, 01:08 AM:
 
"Man Has Made His Match. Now It's His Problem"

On June 25, 1982, twenty-five years ago today, "Blade Runner" was released. The film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, opened in 1,295 theatres in the United States and Canada, eleven of which showed the film in the deluxe 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo presentation format*. It opened to mixed reviews and would gross a paltry $27 million. The film did, however, receive numerous movie-industry award nominations, including Academy Award nods for Art Direction and Visual Effects, and, of course, the film developed a tremendous following over the course of the past two and a half decades.

Anyone see it in its (brief) theatrical run? Any memories you care to share?

Me? Believe it or not, I did not see "Blade Runner" in its original theatrical run. I had wanted to see it, but a couple of things got in the way: (1) the film's "R" rating (I was 13 at the time), and (2) "E.T."

As a sci-fi/fantasy buff and big fan of Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Indiana Jones performances, I had every intention of seeing "Blade Runner." I recall pre-release coverage in magazines like Starlog, but was disappointed upon learning of its R rating. And since my folks had no intention of taking me to see it, the only way I was to see "Blade Runner" was if I snuck in. (I suspect my parents regret taking me to see R-rated fare like "Saturday Night Fever," "Slap Shot" and "The Deer Hunter," films I probably had no business seeing at a young age.)

So, on a weekend in July of '82 at the now demolished Movies 7 in Victorville, California, the plan was to purchase a ticket to "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," which I had not yet seen, then, following "E.T." I would sneak into the auditorium showing "Blade Runner." I had made arrangements to have my folks pick me up about 5 hours after dropping me off, allowing me time to see two movies. The hiccup: I was so overwhelmed by "E.T." that I failed to leave the theatre, instead staying through the break and watching "E.T." a second time! (I would end up seeing "E.T." nine more times that year.) And, unfortunately, because "Blade Runner" performed poorly at the boxoffice, the film was gone by the next time I went to the movies.

We didn't have a VCR at the time, but thanks to cable movie channels like HBO, I did finally see "Blade Runner" about a year after its original run in the theatre. But, I hated the movie! I thought at the time Ford and the rest of the cast played unsympathetic characters and the movie didn't have enough action or fantasy elements to hold my interest. (I did enjoy Joanna Cassidy's nude scene, though! )

But…as the years went on, additional exposure to "Blade Runner" through TV broadcasts, the great Criterion Collection laserdisc, the Fairfax Theatre's infamous 1990 screening of the "test" print, and the book "Future Noir: The Making Of Blade Runner" allowed me to come to the realization that the film is quite good and deserving of the status of a "classic," justifying in my mind celebrating the film on this, the 25th anniversary of its original release.

I'm looking forward to seeing the 25th anniversary, multi-disc DVD due out later this year and which is scheduled to include as many as five(!) different cuts of the film. There's also been some talk of a theatrical re-release in selected markets, possibly in D-Cinema and/or IMAX.

And now that I've written this reminisce, I realize I probably should have posted something similar back on June 11 to celebrate the anniversary of the original release of "E.T." So, knock yourself out if you wish to post about "E.T." in addition to or instead of "Blade Runner."

__________________________

*For the technology and history buffs, here are the original 70mm bookings of "Blade Runner":

Chicago, IL: Esquire
Corte Madera, CA: Cinema
Denver, CO: Cooper
Los Angeles, CA: Bruin
Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood
New York, NY: Criterion Center
New York, NY: Murray Hill
Pasadena, CA: Hastings
San Francisco, CA: Coronet
San Jose, CA: Century 22
Seattle, WA: Cinerama

A 70mm workprint was used for the film's test screenings in Denver (March 5, Continental) and Dallas (March 6, Northpark). The film was also test-screened in San Diego (May 8, Cinema 21), but I do not have confirmation that a 70mm print was screened.

[ 07-08-2007, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: Michael Coate ]
 

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-25-2007, 02:05 AM:
 
I did have an opportunity to see BLADE RUNNER during it's original theatrical engagement at the Coronet Theatre in San Francisco in 70mm on my way home from a photographers convention on the east coast and recall sleeping through most of the movie. At first I thought it was jet lag but when I tried watching it again in 70mm during a revival showing here in Honolulu at the Cinerama, I slept through it again, I found that it was not my kind of movie and that is the reason I probably slept through it. It may be a classic and I envy everybody that love this movie and might give it another chance when the special 25th anniversary DVD is released soon.

-Claude
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-25-2007, 03:45 AM:
 
I saw "Blade Runner" on week after opening and was quite impressed with it since "Raiders" was still fresh in our minds from the previous year (and we can forget his "Hannover Street" for the time being...) and seeing Ford change from a Nazi chaser an adventurer, to a futuritic policeman was quite the change as well..

His voice over narration was very good and really helped out with the story. Also, with Vangelis doing the music which was also excellent as his music for "Chariots of Fire."

I was sore disappinted that the voice over narration was eliminated in the director's cut for DVD.

(Ridley Scott - "Alien" a few years before .."brrrr!" that was a chiller of a movie...)

Just unfort, didn't see it in the 70mm format, just plain scope and mono sound. But,I did see "E.T." in 70mm around that same time of year...then "TRON" later in the fall in 70mm..
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-25-2007, 08:14 AM:
 
A little bit of info on that test screening most people don't know about...

GCC Northpark was still a changeover house at that point. There were two last reels to Blade Runner with the print, each having a different ending. Ridley Scott sat on the projectionist balcony to view audience reaction and about 5 minutes before the final changeover was to happen, made the decision on which ending to use.
 

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Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 06-25-2007, 08:24 AM:
 
I saw Blade Runner in 35mm at the now defunct Town Theatre in Emerson NJ. This once nice single screen theatre had recently been twinned into two long "hallway" style theatres. In spite of bad presentation and mono sound, I loved the film. Did not get to see it in stereo until Criterien released the Letterboxed LaserDisc. I believe, but not sure, that Bladerunner was their first letterboxed release.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 06-25-2007, 09:29 AM:
 
I saw it at the Edwards Huntington Cinema in Huntington Beach,
CA. My recollection is the large single theater had been twinned by that time, which turned it into a horrible place to see a movie. Long, skinny rooms, seats not aimed at the screen, and a lot of noise from the projection booth.

I was aware at the time that the movie's imagery was unique and maybe groundbreaking, but I also thought the narrative was "off". It seemed underwhelming at best. HOWEVER, the fact that I can recall that experience 25 years later shows that the movie made an impact. I now rank it as a flawed masterpiece.

Having seen the subsequent alternate cuts, with and without Harrison Ford's narration and other tweaks by Ridley Scott, the original theatrical cut is still the best for me.

Mitchell, I think you're right about it being Criterion's first letterboxed laserdisc. If not, it was at least one of the earliest. (Could Woody Allen's "Manhattan" be the first?)
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 06-25-2007, 10:10 AM:
 
I saw Blade Runner opening night at the Mann's Bruin Theatre in Westwood in 70MM. (Sold Out show-800 people)

And I saw it again at the Cineplex Fairfax Cinemas during one of their Special Sunday Series. That 70MM print turned out tobe an early preview print. No one knew the print was not a regular release print, not even the studio. (Another Great show)

[ 06-25-2007, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]
 

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Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 06-25-2007, 10:57 AM:
 
I'd like to hear more about the 70mm workprint screening, is that the 1990 screening you are talking about Coate? The only thing I know about it is that WB apparently sent the wrong print out.
 

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Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 06-25-2007, 11:00 AM:
 
I actually saw ET and BLADE RUNNER on the same day in Hollywood the day after the latter opened. I started with the 10am showing of ET at the DOME, I THINK I saw THE THING next at the Hollywood Pacific, then it was BLADE RUNNER at the Hollywood (around 3pm if memory serves), and last was FIREFOX at the Vogue. All 4 were in 70mm.

As far as my BLADE RUNNER memories, the Hollywood had a superb 70mm image, albeit on a very small screen at the end of a very narrow, shoebox theatre built before the Palace era. Whether this film had a surround track, I don't know, as the theatre didn't have it activated (a problem I had with several other Mann houses with films I knew full well had surround tracks). Excellent bass, though. The images were ravishing to look at, though. Unfortunately, the narration really distracted. It was way too folksy and stripped away the dark, somber tone of the film. There was a sadness to it that clashed with that last-minute narration. The theatre was completely packed for the show. (It would have been far more approriate to have opened this at one of the smaller Chinese Theatres).
 

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Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 06-25-2007, 12:29 PM:
 
Unfortunately, the narration really distracted.

I used to feel that way, but after seeing the "Director's Cut", I have come around to feeling the narration is an essential part of the film.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-25-2007, 01:25 PM:
 
According to the IMDB, BladeRunner was released in Australia on December 16th, 1982. That makes sense as I remember running the trailer with E.T. that Christmas.

I ran it in the cinema the first week it was on in Mackay and the print was pretty new still. Nobody came to see it which explained the condition of the print. I remember seeing the opening scene and thinking this was going to be pretty special.

The next week it was at the Westline Drive-In on its fabulous scope screen and that's where I truly learned this was something special.

Years later, I ran BR in repertory at the soon-to-be-office-space Valhalla Cinema in Glebe, Sydney and we were guaranteed to have 300 people to see it whenever we ran it which was at least two or three times every six months (Valhalla had a famous calendar which told you what was on up to six months in advance )

My friends and I went to the Village Double Bay Cinema to see the Director's Cut (Cameron, were you there too?) on its first Friday night and the place was packed. However, I couldn't help thinking there was a track missing whenever Deckard was supposed to be speaking. They made a big error with the DC by not cutting down the length of the shots where the narration used to be. It just seemed too bizarre. As a result, I continue to prefer the 1982 version over the re-issue.

I quite enjoyed the fact that Harrison Ford hadn't been in anything contemporary to that point (his bellboy scene not withstanding) and wouldn't be until he teamed with Polanski with Frantic. (You can't count the headmaster scene in E.T.)
 

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Posted by Chad M Calpito (Member # 3736) on 06-25-2007, 01:53 PM:
 
While I never saw Blade Runner in the theatre, since I was only around 11yrs old at the time, I did see it on HBO. I thought it was a great movie, especially with the Narration which added Depth to the film and the music was great. While I liked the Director's Cut, it lacked the ambience of the original because the narration was taken out.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 06-25-2007, 01:54 PM:
 
Now that you mention it, the theater was practically empty when I saw it first. When the Director's Cut without the narration showed at the Bijou Art Cinemas here in Eugene, it was to sellouts. Parents brought their kids to see it. I recall they were charging a higher admission price than normal too. Unfortunately, the Bijou's sound and projection just wasn't that great. They cranked the volume up as loud as they reasonably could but you can't get something from nothing. Why one of the better theaters in town didn't show this is a mystery, they could have sold a LOT of tickets. Plus the Bijou's print looked kind of milky-grey, not all that good, even though it seemed to be brand new. And I missed the narration.
 

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Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 06-25-2007, 02:13 PM:
 
Few film in my life have moved me like BLADERUNNER did when I saw it opening week; I think only VERTIGO, CITIZEN KANE, KING KONG and MY DINNER WITH ANDRE got to me in a like manner.

I've long been a fan of the narration voice-over. I have it in Word and it amounts to only 419 words but really says so much more. It's the only way we can get into Dekard's (Scott's?) head.

And here's the thing, everyone I've ever spoken to or read who isn't a fan of the voice-over comes to the "Director's Cut" with the voice-over already ingrained in their mind. Even if they don't actually hear the words, they're in your mind and contribute to the story. I've seen this film 30-40 times and it never fails to amaze and move me.
 

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Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 06-25-2007, 02:24 PM:
 
The biggest problem with the "Director's Cut" is that when they removed the voice overs, they did not re-cut the scenes accordingly. What you are left with is chunks of the movie with people doing nothing for an inordinately long time. As Jim said, those of us who know the film will hear the voice overs in our heads, but for everyone else, the film stops dead where the voice overs should be.

You know what a turtle is? Same thing.
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-25-2007, 04:21 PM:
 
I guess I should watch this film again. The 1st time I saw it, I thought it as depressing as "Brazil".

I didn't like either film.

In general, I don't like bleak and depressing films.

But since it's so highly rated and recommended, I will watch it again... with an open mind.
 

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Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 06-25-2007, 06:25 PM:
 

quote: John Wilson

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My friends and I went to the Village Double Bay Cinema to see the Director's Cut (Cameron, were you there too?) on its first Friday night and the place was packed.

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quote:

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They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop, ex-bladerunner, ex-killer.

Sushi, that's what my ex-wife called me. Cold fish.

The charmer's name was Gaff. I'd seen him around. Bryant must have upped him to the Blade Runner unit. That jibberish he talked was city-speak, guttertalk, a mishmash of Japanese, Spanish, German, what have you. I didn't really need a translator. I knew the lingo, every good cop did. But I wasn't going to make it easier for him.

Skin jobs, that's what Bryant called replicants. In history books he was the kind of cop that used to call black men niggers.

I'd quit because I'd had a belly full of killing. But then I'd rather be a killer than a victim. And that's exactly what Bryant's threat about little people meant. So I hooked in once more, thinking that if I couldn't take it, I'd split later. I didn't have to worry about Gaff. He was brown-nosing for a promotion, so he didn't want me back anyway.

I didn't know whether Leon gave Holden a legit address. But it was the only lead I had, so I checked it out. Whatever was in the bathtub was not human. Replicants don't have scales. And family photos? Replicants didn't have families either.

Tyrell really did a job on Rachel. Right down to a snapshot of a mother she never had, a daughter she never was. Replicants weren't supposed to have feelings. Neither were blade runners. What the hell was happening to me? Leon's pictures had to as phony as Rachel's. I didn't know why a replicant would collect photos. Maybe they were like Rachel. They needed memories.

The report would be routine retirement of a replicant which didn't make me feel any better about shooting a woman in the back. There it was again. Feeling, in myself. For her, for Rachel.

I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life, anybody's life, my life. All he'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die.

Gaff had been there, and let her live. Four years, he figured. He was wrong. Tyrell had told me Rachel was special: no termination date. I didn't know how long we had together, who does?

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quote: Mike Heenan

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I'd like to hear more about the 70mm workprint screening, is that the 1990 screening you are talking about Coate?

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quote: Dave Williams

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I saw Blade Runner at the Trolley Corners theater in Salt Lake City, Utah

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quote: Brad Miller

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A little bit of info on that test screening most people don't know about...

Northpark was still a changeover house at that point. There were two last reels to Blade Runner with the print, each having a different ending. Ridley Scott sat on the projectionist balcony to view audience reaction and about 5 minutes before the final changeover was to happen, made the decision on which ending to use.

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Is it possible that the reason most people don't know about this is because your story may be pure bunk?
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-30-2007, 05:15 AM:
 
Hmmmm.....I remember running it alot when it came out....I STILL remember some of the changeover cues! "Goooood evening JF" was one of them.

I also ran the director's cut at the Uptown (also changeovers).

I really enjoyed the film on its initial release. I also like the director's cut but didn't mind the voice overs and that is VERY rare for me. The voice overs in say Field of Dreams really bothered me.

Steve
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-30-2007, 01:56 PM:
 
I don't mind the narration in Bladerunner. I thought that did more to support the kind of mix of film-noir and science fiction that was intended.

The one thing that does grate on me about Bladerunner is the very beginning. I'm sorry, but I think the opening titles are ridiculous. First, the music and audio effects mix suggest that we need to revere these titles with great importance as they appear on the screen. Meanwhile, I'm scratching my head, wondering, "why don't they SHOW US the replicants breaking out of that off world colony? Why do I have to read about it instead?"


Bladerunner is a great looking movie. But I do not consider it to be a great movie on the whole at all. Drama-wise, I'd give it 2.5 stars out of four.

I think this movie has been able to sustain interest over the past 25 years because of its visual design, both in production design and the graphical design of its visual effects. Bladerunner has influenced the look of many science fiction movies that followed it -including the last three Star Wars prequels.

The visuals and atmosphere in Bladerunner have been very popular in the visual arts communities, whether the artist works on comic books or builds fine art shows.

Still, production design alone is not enough to make a movie truly great. While Bladerunner is often beautiful to watch, I think it is pretty flawed at its dramatic core. A lot of movies from Ridley Scott are like that.

With that said, I think another movie that came out the same year deserves even more notice. It had a better story and even more amazing, unique visuals. That movie was Tron.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 07-02-2007, 04:01 AM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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Nowadays I hear about many different versions of Blade Runner and how it none of them are the "true" versions or some such nonsense like that. I don't know which version to watch. So I figure "why bother?" Many movies have "unrated" cuts. Blade Runner only has "overrated" versions.

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We all know what happens after multiple changes to a film after release to achieve thier "true" version... we end up with Star Wars the special special recut resound rescrewed edition with the original no longer existing because "the original isn't what I intended" crap.

I wish I could get away with that same crap. I go to court and tell the judge "running over that old lady is NOT what I intended, what I ACTUALLY intended was to pick her up and give her some cookies before taking her grocieries home for her" and then I get away with it because my original action was not my original intention.

Its all BULL!!! If you can't get it right the first time, then at least try and get it right the next four or five times, please!!!

Ciao
 

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Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 07-02-2007, 05:37 AM:
 
See: Wikipedia

btw, only 12 years to 2019
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-25-2007, 09:25 PM:
 
The Blade Runner - Ultimate Collector's Edition (5 Disc Briefcase) comes out here December 5th for only $189.83.

No sign of a theatrical release at present.
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 09-26-2007, 06:30 AM:
 
The film is slated to play at the Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC from Oct. 5th.- Oct. 18th., it will be a Digital Cinema Presentation. Warner now has new plans to only present classic re-issues from their library in Digital Cinema Presentations only, no 35mm prints.

The film is to play select markets here in the US.
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 09-26-2007, 09:41 AM:
 
It's a shame they can't do a 70mm engagement at the Ziegfeld. Watched a lot of movies in 70mm there.
 

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Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 10-05-2007, 07:28 PM:
 
So I walked over to the Ziegfield Theatre this afternoon to see Blade Runner: The 25th Anniversary Last Final Ultimate I Swear On My Children’s Eyes This Is Really the Last One No Seriously, This Is It Director’s Cut. All DLP from the theatre’s NEC 2K projector, the pre-show too, with about 30sec. pause-in-black in between.

Really, there isn’t a whole lot of difference between this and the last so-called Director’s Cut. Some scenes are shorter, some are extended (Tyrell and Pris’s death scenes are longer and a little bloodier), a little bit of new footage is in the nightclub scene. Some continuity errors and mistakes have been cleaned up, many others left in. The crane cables lifting up the flying police cars have been erased, and everybody knows about the newly shot footage with Joanna Cassidy to fix her death scene. Batty’s death scene with the dove flying away has been reshot as well. The sound has been remixed, and the effects tracks have been brought more forward, it seemed to me. No narration. Ridley Scott gave an interview to Wired Magazine in which he confirmed that Dekkard is absolutely a replicant, which still doesn’t make a lick of sense given what happens in the movie. Oh well.

It looked great though. I understand all the effects plates were rescanned at 8K resolution and recomposited. It’s amazing how much well photographed miniatures can look so much more convincing than CGI cartoons. Whether or not it’s all worth another pop for the DVD, well, that’s up to you. I’m not a bit convinced that this will really be the last version of this title.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 10-06-2007, 11:45 AM:
 
So, do we know unequivocally that there are no 35mm prints?

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 10-07-2007, 06:13 PM:
 
It looks like Warner Bros. is only going to do those reissues with Digital Cinema from now on. The info came from the people that run the theatres at UCLA campus.
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 10-16-2007, 12:02 AM:
 
Blade Runner opens on October 25th in Baltimore at the Senator Theatre. According to their website, they will be showing a "dazzling new print." (Are they referring to a "digital print?" Is the Senator equipped for digital projection?)

I'm thrilled about this, and hope WB opens Blade Runner in more cities. And I'd be really happy to hear that they are actually striking 35mm prints!


 

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Posted by John Stewart (Member # 989) on 10-19-2007, 12:31 PM:
 
35mm prints are being made. I have trailers for BLADE RUNNER and we have it booked starting Nov. 18 at the Paramount in Austin, Tx. And, we do not have digital cinema.

John
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 10-20-2007, 12:59 PM:
 
Terrific news John, thanks!

Here's the list I've compiled:

- 11/18 Austin, TX, Paramount Theatre
- 11/02 Portland, OR, Cinema 21
- 10/26 Chicago, IL, Music Box Theatre
- 10/26 Baltimore, MD, Senator Theatre
- 10/19 New York, NY, AMC Empire 25
- 10/05 New York, NY, Ziegfeld Theatre
- 10/05 Los Angeles, CA, Landmark Theatre

Anyone know of any others?

 

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Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 10-25-2007, 02:10 PM:
 
The complete list, via WB:

10/26 - Seattle (Cinerama - 35mm)
Washington D.C. (Uptown- 35mm)
Portland (Cinema 21 - 35mm)
Salt Lake (Gateway Megaplex - DLP)

11/2 - Chicago (Music Box - 35mm)
Santa Barbara (Arlington- DLP)
Baltimore (Landmark Harbor East- DLP)

11/9 - Boston (Coolidge Corner - 35mm)

11/16 - Detroit (Main Art - 35mm)

11/18 - Austin (Paramount - 35mm)

11/30 - San Francisco (Embarcadero - 35mm)
Dallas (The Inwood - 35mm)
San Diego (Ken - 35mm)
Minneapolis (Uptown - 35mm)

12/7 - Denver (The Landmark Greenwood Village - DLP)
Philadelphia (The Ritz 5- 35mm)

12/25 - Boston (The Brattle- 35mm)(I'm betting that this one dosn't happen, especially if the 11/9 Coolidge date sticks)

1/2/08 - Austin (The Paramount- 35mm)

1/4/08 - Nashville (The Belcourt- 35mm)

1/18/08 - Durham (Carolina - 35mm)

2/1/08 - Columbus (Drexel Gateway - 35mm)

2/15/08 - San Francisco (Castro - 35mm)(I'd be very surprised if this holds)

2/29/08 - Sacramento (Crest - 35mm)
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 11-12-2007, 11:54 PM:
 
The Grand Lake in Oakland, CA is advertising Blade Runner for 11/30...
 

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Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 11-20-2007, 01:11 PM:
 
Any Canadian dates planned on 35mm?
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-20-2007, 01:37 PM:
 
The Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene are advertising BR as a coming attraction, although they don't specify the date. It would have to be either 35mm or "home video", no D-Cinema there.

Wish one of the technically better theaters in town would show it.
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 12-01-2007, 01:43 AM:
 
Alrighty! Saw Blade Runner tonight at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. (I had never seen it.) Theatre was almost sold out! I'm not sure exactly how many seats there are in the main auditorium, but there must have been only about 40 seats left, on the extreme front sides and the extreme rear sides. Me thinks there's some good $$ to be made re-touching up and re-releasing some a these not too old classics. Had a fantastic time. Was treated to the Wurlitzer organ playing before the movie, not tv commercials and that annoying First Look crap! Audience was respectful and quiet. Not one cell phone rang, and no one was talking through the movie. The audience was appreciative of the opportunity to see the movie on the big screen. Applause at the end. I thought to myself, wow, this is what going to the movies should be all about.

Then I wandered into the upstairs auditorium showing Enchanted (because I had never seen the converted balcony "upstairs" auditorium) and there was this yuppie couple in their 30's talking to eachother "over the movie" just pissing everyone off near them. Nope, "the movies" still seem to be the same. No need to start going regularly again.
 

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Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 12-11-2007, 05:25 PM:
 
I had wanted to see Blade Runner for ages and saw the final cut on Saturday at the Curzon Mayfair in digital. Amazing sound and picture quality, and I loved the film, can't imagine it with narration or a 'happy' ending like the original release had. I wish we had got this at work however our classic screenings are very sporadic.
 

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Posted by Tom Doyle (Member # 1474) on 12-28-2007, 07:01 PM:
 
Trinity College in Hartford is playing it 2/13 - 2/19:

http://www.cinestudio.org/current.htm

Judging from all the bookings, it looks like it was VERY worth it for Warner Bros. to strike a 35mm print. I just hope it's not trashed by the time I see it in mid-February.
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 12-28-2007, 07:47 PM:
 
Blade Runner has earned $1.1 M on the theatrical re-relase, according to Box Office Mojo.

Unfortunately, WB hasn't done a very good job of promoting those screenings. The official BR site doesn't have a complete list. I've been trying to keep a list at my blog, and it's tough tracking down theatres showing it. I just added Cinestudio - thanks.

I'm looking forward to seeing it at the Castro in February.

Jonesy
 

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Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 12-28-2007, 11:44 PM:
 
I just had an epiphany moment!

Back around 1996-1998 I saw lots of movies at General Cinema Theatres. I remember the intermission music was great, and had lots of jazz, new age, and ambient tracks, with a few vocals thrown in. It seemed the same CD was played at all four GCC locations here in the Bay Area. I had gotten to know it so well I began to know which order the songs would play in. I always liked this one new age sounding song that would always play after John Lennon's "Imagine". I never knew what the song was, but I always hoped I'd hit the CD just right so that I'd hear the song before the movies started.

Tonight I was going through some music files on my computer. One was called "Blade Runner End Titles", and since I had just seen the movie for the first time, and I remembered the end credits had real neat music, I pushed play. That's when I had my epiphany moment.

I had always wondered what that song I liked so much was...Funny I didn't pick up on it at the Grand Lake screening.

I didn't know the Castro will be showing Blade Runner. I might have ta check that screening out!
 

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