Saturday, May 24, 2008

Ecclesiastes on a rooftop.

I thought that for those who have never seen, or possibly don't remember Blade Runner very well, a little insight to this blog's tag line might be in order.

To be certain, there is a reference to the things I have seen when I worked as a paramedic for 22 years. I saw things that most people should never have to see, ever, and I saw them with a frequency that most folks couldn't comprehend.

The literal reference however, is to a scene towards the very end of Blade Runner, after Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) has saved Deckard's life, and is now confessing to him atop the roof of the building they have just jumped to. It is one of the most compelling speeches in all of filmdom, and one of the most repeated.

Batty is baring his soul, and freeing it at the same time. He is an organic machine, without empathy, that finds empathy in his last moments of life. The symbolism of the dove flying away should be fairly evident, and has been talked about by Blade Runner fans incessantly, as has the argument over whether or not Deckard is actually a replicant. (Oh, but that is for another post!)

For now, here it is:


2 comments:

Kori said...

This is the first movie I saw with Rutget Hauer in it, and promptly fell in love with him. Yeah. Good one.

Galoot said...

I tricked my mom into taking me to see this when I was 10. In college, I saw the director's cut and it was the first DVD I bought in the late 90's.

I must get the latest version.

I've always wondered what the Shoulder of Orion looked like.