Scientists vote 'Blade Runner' best sci-fi film.

[UN Spacy]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...lm_040825224353

LONDON(AFP) - "Bladerunner" by British director Ridley Scott is the best science fiction film ever made, according to a poll of 60 of the world's top scientists.

The 1982 movie came top in a Guardian newspaper poll of scientists including British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Canadian-born psychologist Steven Pinker. In the film, a retired cop, acted by Harrison Ford, hunts down renegade human replicants amid a dark futuristic vision of Los Angeles.

Stephen Minger, stem cell biologist at King's College, London, said "Bladerunner" was the best he had seen. "It was so far ahead of its time and the whole premise of the story -- what is it to be human and who are we, where we come from? It's the age old questions," he said.

US director Stanley Kubrick's epic, "2001: A Space Odyssey", came a very close second in the vote, followed by the first two films of the Star Wars trilogy, "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back", directed by another American, George Lucas. The other films in the top 10 were: "Alien", "Solaris" (the 1972 version), "Terminator", "Terminator 2: Judgement Day", "The Day the Earth Stood Still", "War of the Worlds", "The Matrix", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".

The scientists also voted for their favourite sci-fi authors, and Russian-born writer Isaac Asimov topped the list for his "Foundation Trilogy" and the novel "I, Robot" which has just been made into a film starring Will Smith.

Englishman John Wyndham, author of "Day of the Triffids" and "Chocky", came second. The scientists were polled by The Guardian as part of a science fiction special to be published Thursday in "Life", the newspaper's weekly science supplement.

[GobotFool]

OMG, I can see the firestorm aproaching! *ducks for cover*

That's cool. I've always liked BladeRunner and the other films listed there, cept solaris which I havn't seen and War of the Worlds, which I consider a piss poor adaptation. Though I find it hard to believe the Fritz Lang "Metropolis" didn't make the list considering that Blade Runner owes alot of its visual style to that film.

Edited August 26, 2004 by GobotFool

[Gui]

Same here... And what about Gattaca while we're at it?

followed by the first two films of the Star Wars trilogy, "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back", directed by another American, George Lucas.

Lol?

[Zentrandude]

i havent relized blade runner was that old. still one of my fravs

[eriku]

Heh, to this day I've never been able to make it all the way through Blade Runner...

[Wabbit]

It is the best. There may have been better ones, but Bladerunner is a classic!

[Mr March]

That's interesting, though I've never been a huge fan of Blade Runner. It is a good film and a science fiction classic, but not one of my favorites. It's funny to see a lot of the films I like on that list. I suspected 2001 would be number two on the list if it wasn't number one.

[JsARCLIGHT]

I find it funny that the original Blade Runner with Deckard's narration I can sit down and watch all the way through and like it... but the "director's cut" without the narration just seems to drag on like a deflating blimp and I cannot sit through more than a few minutes of it.

It's the same movie except the extra narration makes me feel there is more going on that needs my attention.

[Californium]

Here's the original story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/news/page/0...1290764,00.html

And yeah, where's Gattaca? BR is cool though. But 2010 kicks 2001's ass.

[Keith]

Bah, I've been saying that about Blade Runner for years! It's got story, action, and T&A, a finer balance in live action sci-fi has yet to be reached.

Edited August 26, 2004 by Keith

[bsu legato]

I'm still waiting for the mythical "Director's Cut." Maybe somebody will at least leak the workprint onto the net.

[Nightbat]

Though I find it hard to believe the Fritz Lang "Metropolis" didn't make the list considering that Blade Runner owes alot of its visual style to that film.

Those were my thoughts exactly

this was in a time when people though steampower was still the way to go

(over in England, they still think it is)

and remember, it was the first movie to feature a Queen soundtrack

[GobotFool]

I'm still waiting for the mythical "Director's Cut." Maybe somebody will at least leak the workprint onto the net.

eh? what cut might that be?

[bsu legato]

I'm still waiting for the mythical "Director's Cut."    Maybe somebody will at least leak the workprint onto the net.

eh? what cut might that be?

Which....the Director's Cut, or the workprint?

[EXO]

I find it funny that the original Blade Runner with Deckard's narration I can sit down and watch all the way through and like it... but the "director's cut" without the narration just seems to drag on like a deflating blimp and I cannot sit through more than a few minutes of it.

It's the same movie except the extra narration makes me feel there is more going on that needs my attention.

Yeah, I'm still waiting for the original on DVD too...

Bladerunner is one of my faves, but I gotta say I'm surpised that the geeks didn't vote for Alien or 2001. (Right Max?)

[Opus]

and remember, it was the first movie to feature a Queen soundtrack

I hate to to tell you but Flash Gordon(1980) is the first film to feature a Queen soundtrack. A kick ass one at that.

[Vostok 7]

and remember, it was the first movie to feature a Queen soundtrack

I hate to to tell you but Flash Gordon(1980) is the first film to feature a Queen soundtrack. A kick ass one at that.

FLASH!! Ahhh-Ahhhhhhh! He saved every one of us!!!

Vostok 7

[Nightbat]

and remember, it was the first movie to feature a Queen soundtrack

I hate to to tell you but Flash Gordon(1980) is the first film to feature a Queen soundtrack. A kick ass one at that.

Check the date

Metropolis is from 1927!

"All we hear is: Radio Gaga!"

[bsu legato]

Check the date

Metropolis is from 1927!

"All we hear is: Radio Gaga!"

You do realize that Queen was not the original soundtrack for Metropolis, right?

[Noriko Takaya]

I can't stand the Director's version which cut out Deckard's narration and added this little unicorn scene or whatever. I love the way it was originally released, which is why I still own the Criterion laserdisc. I won't buy it on DVD unless Ridley Scott gets the hair out of his butt about which version is the 'true' version.

Opus: "I hate to to tell you but Flash Gordon(1980) is the first film to feature a Queen soundtrack. A kick ass one at that."

I think Nightbat was being facetious.

Vostok 7: "FLASH!! Ahhh-Ahhhhhhh! He saved every one of us!!!"

Don't even get me going there. I want a newly remastered DVD version of this fine cheesefest. Yeah, sure they released it before, but they stopped printing it after what, one week? Go, Flash, go!! *Runs around cheering and clapping hands in weird manner like Dale Arden*

Edited August 26, 2004 by Noriko Takaya

[Angel's Fury]

Vostok 7: "FLASH!! Ahhh-Ahhhhhhh! He saved every one of us!!!"

Don't even get me going there. I want a newly remastered DVD version of this fine cheesefest. Yeah, sure they released it before, but they stopped printing it after what, one week? Go, Flash, go!! *Runs around cheering and clapping hands in weird manner like Dale Arden*

Flash Gordon is cool, even though it was kinda a little bit cheezy.

[ewilen]

I find it funny that the original Blade Runner with Deckard's narration I can sit down and watch all the way through and like it... but the "director's cut" without the narration just seems to drag on like a deflating blimp and I cannot sit through more than a few minutes of it.

It's the same movie except the extra narration makes me feel there is more going on that needs my attention.

Yeah, I'm still waiting for the original on DVD too...

Bladerunner is one of my faves, but I gotta say I'm surpised that the geeks didn't vote for Alien or 2001. (Right Max?)

I can't remember which version I saw, but while I came out of the theater respecting the movie, I wasn't extremely excited by it. Maybe I saw the director's cut, because I didn't see the film until around 1988.

Given the above list, I would have voted for 2001, hands down. I think I could watch that movie again and again and again.

(I would have nominated "Quatermass and the Pit" aka "5 Million Years to Earth", and Carpenter's "The Thing" although I'm not sure I would have voted for them over 2001.)

[EXO]

I don't think the director's cut was released until the early 1990s. I remember going to the opening day at the Nuart in Santa Monica. While I was excited to see it, now I hate it because I can't find a decent copy of the original on DVD... hmmm... maybe I'll check evil-bay...

[Angel's Fury]

I don't think the director's cut was released until the early 1990s. I remember going to the opening day at the Nuart in Santa Monica. While I was excited to see it, now I hate it because I can't find a decent copy of the original on DVD... hmmm... maybe I'll check evil-bay...

So the original on DVD is kinda hard to find?

[EXO]

I don't think the director's cut was released until the early 1990s.  I remember going to the opening day at the Nuart in Santa Monica.  While I was excited to see it, now I hate it because I can't find a decent copy of the original on DVD... hmmm... maybe I'll  check evil-bay...

So the original on DVD is kinda hard to find?

There is none. Unless someone made a laserdisk transfer... As of yet, I haven't researched that route...

[Sarensaas]

That is awesome. BR was such a unique film it took me a few years to "get" it. You have to remember, it came out in theaters the same summer as "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", and that was the kind of movie Sci-fi we were used to. Blade Runner gets released, starring Han Solo, and being sci-fi, I think a lot of people were expecting something Star Wars-esque. Not. It did pretty bad at the box office, and everyone went to see Khan. But when I finally saw BR with interest, it was incredible, the visuals, the music, replicants that were artificial flesh and blood and not same old metallic-insides androids or robots. If you are into the story, it is great, but if you have been conditioned to todays sci-fi movies that have been formulized to force action all throughout the movie to keep your attention (usually at the expense of story) and filled with CG eye candy to please the people who expect it now, you're not gonna get this movie.

I hope this helps make the BR DVD Ridley is working on get as much extras and goodies as possible.

[JELEINEN]

Flash Gordon is cool, even though it was kinda a little bit cheezy.

It's cool because it was cheezy.

They only polled 60 scientists. Doesn't that seem to be a very small sample? I'm not a statistician, but 60 just doesn't sound like very many to be accurate.

[bsu legato]

They only polled 60 scientists. Doesn't that seem to be a very small sample? I'm not a statistician, but 60 just doesn't sound like very many to be accurate.

Dude, it's accurate becuase scientists are so much smarter than the rest of us. If you don't believe me, just ask one.

[F-ZeroOne]

Any poll that doesn't list The Last Starfighter doesn't count.

[Californium]

Any poll that doesn't list The Last Starfighter doesn't count.

Good point!

[ewilen]

Flash Gordon is cool, even though it was kinda a little bit cheezy.

It's cool because it was cheezy.

They only polled 60 scientists. Doesn't that seem to be a very small sample? I'm not a statistician, but 60 just doesn't sound like very many to be accurate.

The poll doesn't claim to be representative of all scientists--it just shows what a particular group of top scientists thinks. If they wanted to show the opinions of "scientists in general", they should have used a random sample instead of selecting the group to be surveyed.

Edited August 26, 2004 by ewilen

[Skull Leader]

Any poll that doesn't list The Last Starfighter doesn't count.

lol

Grig: "Death is a primative concept! I prefer to think of them as battling evil... in another dimension!"

(later)

          Alex: "you, me? One ship against the entire Rodan armada?!?"

          Grig: "Yes, one ship.. I always dreamed of fighting a glorious battle against overwhelming odds (this line may be wrong, movie buffs correct me if I am)

          Alex: 'It'll be a slaughter!"

          Grig: "THAT'S THE SPIRT!"

          Alex: "No! MY slaughter!"

[Keith]

Wait a minute? You actually want the cheesey narration & cheesey happy ending version? That's like wanting the studio edit of Brazil.

[EXO]

Wait a minute? You actually want the cheesey narration & cheesey happy ending version? That's like wanting the studio edit of Brazil.

Well now that you put the word cheesy before each of those words, maybe I'll change my mind...

Oh wait, that was done to sway my opinion... let me try it too...

Anyone ever seen that Cheesey Macross 7?

[Keith]

Wait a minute? You actually want the cheesey narration & cheesey happy ending version? That's like wanting the studio edit of Brazil.

Well now that you put the word cheesy before each of those words, maybe I'll change my mind...

Oh wait, that was done to sway my opinion... let me try it too...

Anyone ever seen that Cheesey Macross 7?

A bit touchy eh? Though I'd like to know what you call "studio required" narration & a "happy ending" added. All the DC version did was trim the unnecessary studio fluff. I personally enjoyed the "fluffless" version better. It's not like we're talking about Star Wars where the director wend back & tried to re-write the whole film.

This is more akin to what happened with Brazil. Studio wants one version of the film, Director wants another. In both cases, the director eventually one out, leaving a superior version of the film available.