Comparing Frankenstein 'And Blade Runner: The Director's Cut'

Texts in time embody their social, historical and economical paradigms yet they transcend time as they appeal to universal concerns such as the effects of the development of science and technology on the human condition. Written during the early 19th century, Mary Shelley’s 1818 Gothic Novel, Frankenstein, the characterisation and destruction of Frankenstein’s humanity serves to highlight the dangers associated with ambitious exploitation of experimental science. Furthermore, the contrast between the creature and Frankenstein is the used to explore man’s moral limitations in the creator capacity. Similarly, in Ridley Scott’s 1982 noir film, Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut, parallels with Shelley’s novel are seen in his characterisation and
Like Victor, the creator within Blade Runner Tyrell is motivated by ego, but a greater impetus to use science as an economic motive reflective of the ‘greed is good’ philosophy, reflects the fusion of science and commerce in Scott’s auteur that he aptly condemns. This is evident in the beginning of the film; Scott uses a low angle shot when introducing the audience to Tyrell’s ziggurat (home of the Mesopotamian Gods), giving the structure an appearance of grandeur and power as it towers over the rest of society, highlighting the potential elitist effects of Regeanomics, which Scott condemned for increasing the margin between rich and poor. Furthermore the first scene where Tyrell is introduced the close up of his face during his objectification of his Replicants as “nothing more than experiments” further represents Tyrell as a cold, disembodied person whose economic rationalist values of Reaganomics has cost him his humanity. Tyrell condemnation of the Replicants to an early “retirement”, the euphemistic nomenclature emphasising their role as “slaves” and exploitable labour highlighting Scott’s concern of the profitable uses of genetic engineering incited by advancements such as cloning of Dolly the sheep.
Shelley’s belief of the corruption inherent in science is demonstrated through the allegory of Victor’s fall from grace as he loses his morality which is highlighted by his lack of empathy. Through his destructive quest for knowledge, Victor’s own sense of humanity is destroyed, as emphasised by the hyperbole within Victor’s statement, “I seem to have lost all soul or sensation, but for this one pursuit”. In contrast, the supposed “daemon” he creates is depicted as a sentient, passionate being, evident in his opening narration with its sensory imagery “innumerable sounds rang in my ears, and on all sides various scents saluted me” where the awareness and appreciation of nature reflects Shelley’s Romantic leanings. Shelley utilises this narrative voice of the creature to draw sympathy away from Victor to highlight the lack of empathy of Victor as he spurns his grotesque creation on superficial qualities, ignoring his responsibility to the thing he has created mirroring the chaos The creature alerts Victor of his moral failings through biblical allusions “I ought to be thy Adam... whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed”. Shelley's powerful biblical allusion to Genesis provides an immediate juxtaposition between the self-interested relationship of Victor and his monster,