Where's The New Footage In The Blade Runner: Final Cut Commercial?

As far as I'm aware - and I'm spectacularly unsure of my detail-based recall of Blade Runner, if I'm being honest - there are three pieces of new footage in the Blade Runner: Final Cut ad.

The first is a still image from the Esper. You can see it around 27 seconds in. Here's a screencap.


The second one, I previously mentioned: the infamous shot of the two go-go girls in hockey masks. Again, here's a screencap.

And then, at 51 seconds in, we see the fruits of the recent reshoots for the very first time. There's a brief shot of Zhora just as she's about to tumble through glass, right at the camera. Either the entire shot is new, or a CG blend has been done to put Joanna Cassidy's head on a stuntwoman's shoulders... or both. Here's a sequence of screencaps for you to scrutinise.





And the rest of the trailer is apparently old footage given a bit of spit and polish - the Blade Runner we already know and love. If it ain't broke...

At my previous post on this subject, I've included a screencap of an old continuity error that has remained intact - at least in the trailer, if not the finished film - despite reshoots to the scene. Curious.

No Hauer In Blade Runner Reshoots

Some days ago, I e-mailed Rutger Hauer's people to enquire if he'd taken part in the Blade Runner reshoots. They didn't reply.

Then, I was told he wasn't - but that was by somebody I have to kind of pretend I never get any info from, if you know what I mean. So I couldn't say a peep. But now, at last, it's official:

There's no reshooting with Rutger Hauer happening for the Blade Runner final cut. Several sequences featuring Hauer have been altered, but not through any filming of new material with the actor. This will be stuff like CG replacement compositions for dicky opticals, and the changing of errors in matte paintings and model backgrounds.

Of course, this means the scene where Batty meets his maker then offs him is going to stay this way. I'd been led to believe that a subsequent scene was on the cards where Batty then takes the elevator one floor higher to find the real Tyrell in a life-support tank, revealing the one we'd previously seen to be a replicant copy. I guess that's something we'll never get to see - unless Scott turns into George Lucas and comes back for a fiddle in a decade or two. Scott turning into Lucas? Sure - just after Michael Bay turns into Alan Resnais.

Apparently now confirmed as taking part in the reshoots - which are all done and dusted - are Joanna Cassidy and, possibly for voice work only, Benjamin Ford, Harrison's son. Rumoured as taking part is Daryl Hannah, but it's a loud rumout and I think we should keep a close eye on it. Nobody else has been rumoured - at least to me - as yet.

JoBlo caught wind of the Benjamin Ford story too. They also report that the trailer will be on the 300 DVD in August - but don't say anything at all, curiously, about the film's theatrical release.

I'm told we can expect a run in cinemas before the DVD package hits in time for Christmas. No word on how big a cinema release, but I'm betting on a small-ish one.

[EDIT: Apparently, there was a press release announcing the theatrical release. It was issued in 2006 - before film ick became what it is now - so I don't have a copy. So, the theatrical release seems to be 100% sure]

Replicant Reshoot Clarification

Now, according to the original source of the Blade Runner reshoot details - and factoring in the contributions of a fresh voice who piped up in the meantime - there's a little bit more I can tell you about the new filming.

Apparently, all of the shooting was studio based, much of it using green screen (or similar). It seems that the new footage isn't so much replacement shots as replacement shot elements.

Who is to do the blending? Well, let's just put it like this... they're the ones who will be making these images work. And there's probably a reason that looks like an anagram, batfans.

A third source (brilliant bloke, rarely wants to go on record - has told me so much in the past that I couldn't even begin to tell you without losing his trust and respect) has promised more info at a later date - but I thought I'd better fill you in a tad in the meantime.

Bladerunner Reshoots? Yep - For The Upcoming DVD

The director's cut of Blade Runner is finally due later this year. Not the so-called director's cut - the real director's cut. The film the way, at last, Ridely Scott wanted it.

Joanna Cassidy's official site has broken the news that she has completed reshoots of her scenes:

Joanna has just finished re-shooting her scenes from the original Blade Runner movie. Joanna is wearing her original outfit (which she kept over from the first production). These new scenes will be part of the upcoming special Blade Runner DVD re-release. Check back for more details.

And check back we will.

Thanks to Burroughs for the tip.

[EDIT: And here, thanks to somebody who must remain anonymous, are details of what was changed. The shots are for the sequence in which Cassidy's character Zhora is chased through the streets. In the original film, the chase shows Zhora in flat boots but previously we saw her put on heels - the reshoots feature heels; the control wires for the squib that released Zhora's blood was previously visible - not any longer; a wound make-up that was missing in some angles is now in place; Zhora gets a second shot in the chest now, whereas she didn't before; the lighting is much improved; several new angles have been taken and, depending on the edit, the sequence could end up looking rather different overall]

[EDIT: There has been a further update]