Blade Runner-Film Noir
Blade Runner: Film Noir
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is a “neo”-noir film that includes elements of classic film noir in its setting/environment, plot and characterization. Though it can be classified into many different genres,it is undeniable part of the film noir genre.
Though Blade Runner is a sci-fi movie set in the future, it features an environment and setting that is ideal for a film noir. It works because these films usually take placein urban landscapes, usually in New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles. (Silver, page 1863) Blade Runner is not only set in Los Angeles but is a perfect example of an urbanized landscape. First off, it is always raining in the whole film. Never is there any daylight, with the exception of the” sun” seen at the top of Eldon Tyrell’s pyramid and the uplifting ending. The streets where the story takes place are lit dimly by artificial neon lights, they are gloomy, and shadows lurk everywhere. This gives the impression that it is always night. The decaying urban city portrayed in Blade Runner can be compared to many different other cities in other films of the genre, such as Gotham City in Batman, or Basin City in Sin City. Though all neo-noirs, they have all the atmospheric elements of classic film noirs. Additionally, there seems to be no other life forms besides humans in Blade Runner. All the animals that are shown are artificially made, and plants are inexistent, due to pollution and the lack of sunlight. This film also incorporates visual techniques seen in other film noirs; there is a moving camera, especially to introduce and conclude the movie, there are many flashbacks and in fact, the original movie had a voice over of Deckard which was later removed. (Hunt)
In addition to the setting, the plot of Blade Runner contains many obvious film noir elements.First off, the tone of the whole story is very pessimistic and cynical. This does have to do with the dystopian setting; it depicts an Earth that most of the
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is a “neo”-noir film that includes elements of classic film noir in its setting/environment, plot and characterization. Though it can be classified into many different genres,it is undeniable part of the film noir genre.
Though Blade Runner is a sci-fi movie set in the future, it features an environment and setting that is ideal for a film noir. It works because these films usually take placein urban landscapes, usually in New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles. (Silver, page 1863) Blade Runner is not only set in Los Angeles but is a perfect example of an urbanized landscape. First off, it is always raining in the whole film. Never is there any daylight, with the exception of the” sun” seen at the top of Eldon Tyrell’s pyramid and the uplifting ending. The streets where the story takes place are lit dimly by artificial neon lights, they are gloomy, and shadows lurk everywhere. This gives the impression that it is always night. The decaying urban city portrayed in Blade Runner can be compared to many different other cities in other films of the genre, such as Gotham City in Batman, or Basin City in Sin City. Though all neo-noirs, they have all the atmospheric elements of classic film noirs. Additionally, there seems to be no other life forms besides humans in Blade Runner. All the animals that are shown are artificially made, and plants are inexistent, due to pollution and the lack of sunlight. This film also incorporates visual techniques seen in other film noirs; there is a moving camera, especially to introduce and conclude the movie, there are many flashbacks and in fact, the original movie had a voice over of Deckard which was later removed. (Hunt)
In addition to the setting, the plot of Blade Runner contains many obvious film noir elements.First off, the tone of the whole story is very pessimistic and cynical. This does have to do with the dystopian setting; it depicts an Earth that most of the