Blade Runner Discussion

Themes
Corruption - the 'corruption' of the Replicants away from their designed prupose results in their attemot at humantiy - they turn into us when the are corrupted - brings into question the IDENTITY of HUMANITY and what defines it
Corporation - the individuals are lost to the neon glow of billboards and products, swimming in a sea of light it's hard to find yourself, let alone anyone else. Also draws comaprisons to America at the time (production context), who were promoting corporations heavily, and shows that it may already be happening. Brings in ISOLATION
Implicit - humanity can be achieved by other means - what does it take to be human? Is what we knw what is ture (Vertigo).

Aesthetic
High contrast colour, low key lighting. Typical in sci fi, expecailly the gritty dystopian ones of Scott. Without the harsh neon there is blackness - the tech and corpoations are rising to the top and the darkenss is the result. Confusing, alien but still reminiscent of our world
Shoot through smoke - everywhere. Cigarettes in the bar show the seedy nature, but also obscure the view of the other patrons and makes it feel unsafe, unfamiliar. Constantly smoke or steam iun the background achievieng a familiar effect, and shows that the inudstrial wasteland is ever present in the lives of the inhabitants. The smoke as he's fighting Leon hides the fight and leaves us confused and on edge. The background is always hazy and unclear, drawing our attneiton to the foreground but also showing danger and uncertainty
Long landscape establishing shots + cinematography that docuses in world building - the world is more inteseresting than the characters - the world defines and shapes the characters, and the story is told thourhg them but it's of the world. We learn relativily little of the character's backgrounds or personality, but how they act and react tot he world is what defines them to us
Eye close ups - ie the beginning and the Voight Kompff test showing them. Eyes are the gateway to the soul, and is how we see others - eye contact is noticeable and it's our key to our perception of the world. Lights shine off replicant eyes to show who they are - they betray who we are, our identity, and our purpose. Eyes are used for symbolism constantly in the real world for divinity. They visited an eye shop to find Tyrell, very important part of creation and them

Deckard - an enigma, even at the end we learn very little about him, compared to Scotty who we learn everything about in the second scene