Comparing 'And Unfamiliar In The Film Blade Runner'

Notions of the Familiar and Unfamiliar in Blade Runner
Films intend to stimulate, inform and challenge us; there are many ways, both subtle and unsubtle that filmmakers use to express ideas and information. The notions of the familiar and unfamiliar are crucial to the construction of the science fiction film. The familiar is used to connect the viewer, while the unfamiliar is used to create a comfortable distinction between the film and reality and to show grand ideas that may not be expressed without far out imagery or iconography. The film Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott shows many notions of the familiar and unfamiliar for effect, these notions in many ways are crucial to the success of the film in expressing its message and ideas.
This paranoia and fear is expressed in many ways throughout the film, one example is the police presence that dominates the dystopian world of the film. Low angle shots show surveillance lights constantly looming over the public’s windows; this seems to portray the people in the film as being a constant state of fear (imc.gatech.edu, 2013). This paranoia and lack of privacy is relevant and familiar to the viewers of the film as it is a very common concern in modern society as well as at the time of the film’s release in 1982. This invasion of privacy and domination by the government and organizations is also shown by the power of the Tyrell Corporation. Tyrell represents corporate power and domination, an example of a ruthless corporation having huge power in the world (imc.gatech.edu). Due to both the dystopian and uninviting setting of the film, the viewer associates this dominant corporate power with paranoia and control. Not only does Tyrell show domination over the corporate world, they also show domination over the world of genetics. The idea that Tyrell can create replicants than can surpass humanity in many aspects is something else to be fearful of (imc.gatech.edu). The viewer can relate to the paranoia and fear of the world even though it has many unfamiliar aspects such as replicants and the kind of
2008. “Blade Runner and the postmodern use of Mise-en-scene”, The Motley View: The Journal of Film, Art And Aesthetics, Available: http://ardfilmjournal.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/blade-runner-and-the-postmodern-use-of-mise-en-scene/ [accessed 26 May 2013]

Fried, K William PhD. 2004. “Blade Runner: An Interpretation”, Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21, 312-318

Martin, Michael. 2005. “Meditations on Blade Runner”, Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 17, 18, 105-122

Sobchack, Vivian. 1987. “Screening Space: The American Science Fiction Film, New Brunswick, New Jersey, London, Rutgers University Press

English.ucsb.edu. Dystopia and Science Fiction: Blade Runner, Brazil, and Beyond, Available: http://dc-mrg.english.ucsb.edu/WarnerTeach/E192/bladerunner/Dystopia.Blade.Runner.Hoffpauir.htm,

Imc.gatech.edu. Blade Runner Themes, Available: http://lmc.gatech.edu/~stevenson/courses/1102spring06/projects/c2/bladerunner/websitethemes.html

Bibliography:

Nebolit.com. Blade Runner Cinematic Techniques: Mise-en-scene, Available: