Every Friday TNG recommends a movie you may have missed. Last week we featured Once Upon a Time in the West.

I’m interested in using the TNG movie club to occasionally highlight films that are exceptional not just for their own merits, but for inspiring films (and movements) that followed them. Blade Runner (1982), the visionary classic that blends film noir with science fiction, is one such film. Director Ridley Scott re cut, remastered, and re released his final cut last year, and the film has never looked or sounded better. I bought the box set, and I recommend it not only for the final cut, but the expansive archive of historical material related to the film.

25 years later, the visual elements (fashion, lighting, cinematography, set design) are still recognized in popular film, almost to the point of cliché. While the film suffers from a lack of narrative structure, the heart of the film, embodied by Rutger Hauer’s performance as the leader of a group of android “replicants” who are trying to find a way to survive longer than the 4 year lifespan their human masters have given them, still beats strong on repeated viewings. It’s a beautiful performance by Hauer, who embodies the archetype of the child both innocent and intemperate, and in the process conveys a moving message about the preciousness of life.

I’ve included a youtube of his death scene. You may not want to watch it if you plan on putting the movie on your netflix queue.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_qdir-pnE&hl=en]

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