Whatever happened to the new BLADE RUNNER: Special Edition?
 

I remember hearing of a new dvd and slightly different version of Ridley Scott's sci-fi movie that was to come out this year. Anyone know what happened to it?

Legal troubles have delayed the dvd. All the reported information about the new Blade Runner dvd has been compiled here:
http://www.brmovie.com/BR_Special_Edition.htm

Does anyone know precisely what the legal issues are that's holding this DVD in 'limbo'?

I'm not certain, but I'd bet a nickel that they're the kind of legal issues they can't talk about publicly for (wait for it)....

legal reasons

They could at least remaster the current edition. It's still in print so it must not be in legal trouble.

The bad news is that you can pretty much give up hope on seeing a Blade Runner SE any time soon. The legal problems are not even close to being solved and it sounds like it has been put on the back burner. We may never see an SE on DVD. It sucks big time.

For a more indepth reason go here

this sucks!

Guess I'll just go ahead and get the original one...I been waiting like 5 years...damn!

At least the current version isn't the stopgap abomination that Goodfellas is.

Word ;)

True

What about a transfer from the LD? That should be a lot better than the current DVD version, right?

Bladerunner SE is probably the most brought up topic besides Star Wars :rolleyes: (and maybe Song of the South is #3)

I want the SE because I want BOTH verions. I happen to like the theatrical release myself.

Seems like I'd have a better chance of seeing a unicorn (like Decker). :lol:

I don't know . . . that might be a while, too ---> Unicorn? :D

I really love Blade Runner, and it sucks that you have to wait THIS LONG to see a movie you love so much get the special treatment........ :(

My guess is the "legal problems" are related to the fact that the original film had a lot of complex financing from European investors, the now defunct Ladd Company, and Warner Bros.

The sharing of profits of a new version (of a film everone lost money on the first time around) probably has everyone coming out of the wordwork claiming a share of the money (probably money they felt they were cheated of when WB released the Director's Cut in '92)

The DC would have been ok-ish if the violence were not censored.

The violence wasn't censored. It was in 1982, but it was only kept out of the DC because they couldn't locate the footage. Scott has said he would have preferred the DC to have the extra violence of the European cut, but that the DC was hurried and they couldn't find the material.

If you have a Widescreen TV the current Blade Runner DVD will BLOW any LD version away! People who are crying for a SE are doing so more for a different (or seamless branching) version of the film and better sound. The video is Anamorphic and very good on the Director's cut DVD avalaible now. If you really like this film I wouldn't hesitate buying the current DVD (it can be found cheap) and it will hold you over nicely until they get this legal crap done with.

There are so many small variations in each version that I don’t think seamless branching would be either feasible or even worthwhile.

http://scribble.com/uwi/br/brfaq/versions.html

The point of a SE (besides extras) is that you’d have a “complete definite” version, which this DVD is not.

The video may be better on the DVD, but isn’t the LD more “complete”? It has the extra violence, the “happy ending”, and the voiceovers (all missing from the DVD).

Blade Runner was one of the very first DVDs ever released, and its compression quality leaves a lot to be desired. The picture does not hold together very well on a large screen. The title needs remastering.

The current BR DVD is not anamorphic and the picture quality is crap.

It is anamorphic

I do not like talking about my pubes either. jk.

It is anamorphic but it looks like crapola

So the LD [on DVD] would be a LOT better (and more complete)