Ridley Scot on Bladerunner and Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Ridley Scot on Bladerunner and Frankenstein EssayInterviewer Ridley Scot, thank you for taking the time to talk to us about your movie Blade Runner. It is kind of an interesting characterisation that imposes a lot of issues and certainly makes us as an reference think and question out morality and our values. Ridley Scot Well any broad movie or film should indeed raise a fighteness to present day issues dont you think? Interviewer Indeed they should. And is that what you felt you should do with Bladerunner is raise awareness to the issues that you felt are predominant at the time?In watching Bladerunner I couldnt help but nonice the scope of the issues that you presented to the audience from purlieual, personal, and political. The list goes on, so why did you choose to play upon these issues and fears? Ridley Scot Those are ones that are close to my heart, cosmos raised in a world where I was confronted periodic by the fears of others in society in regards to war of nuc lear weapons and the effect these would have on the surroundings and on humanity.I was constantly imagining all of the different scenarios that could arise due to such weapons of mass destruction being used, But also the wonders and fears of space exploration, the search for other life forms and the search for another orbiter that we as humans could utilise. Well it left me wondering. Why do we need another planet? Is it because of the fear of this one being destroyed due to war or was it just out of greed? Interviewer So Im guessing that the reasoning behind the environment in which you chose to stage Bladerunner.The post prophetic like environment with dim lighting and long dark shadows being cast, It certainly magnifies the fear of destruction. Not to mention those massive buildings sticking up into the flip over and the dirty streets Ridley Scot ah yes the shadows. The directors and I worked long and hard on creating that feeling of darkness and gloom. I treasured it to fe el like the end of the world, and to show the destruction of the environment so what better way to do that than with a dirty city with no trees and little sunshine.Interviewer In watching that it really becomes evident your fear of the environment being neglected in pursuit of science and greed, much like Mary Shelley, Author of Frankenstein. Many of her issues that she chose to place emphasis on were the affair in the midst of nature or science. Do you feel that this may have been partly the reasoning behind your choice in lighting, set and issues raised.. Ridley Scot In some slipway yes. Mary and I do share many of the same ideas and I was inspired by her writing when filming Bladerunner. I guess we both wanted to raise awareness to the issues of our times.I feel the one that we both shared and placed high emphasis on would be science and humanity. Interviewer The great battle amongst the two. Do you think it is possible to find a balance between them? Ridley Scot Whether it i s possible or not Im still not sure but I wanted to point out the dangers in taking one too far and disregarding the other. In Frankenstein the problem is Victors and Waltons greed and obsession with science, much the same as in my movie. The pursuit of science and technology led to the destruction of the world and the disregard of humans.Interviewer What do you besotted by that? Ridley Scot The unveiling of the beings, not quite human yet more human than humans themselves. In the pursuit of science the disregard for humanity, emotions and feelings led to the creation of replicants that were hollow to an extent. They were designed for no purpose other than to serve. Interviewer Human greed Ridley scot exactly yet in the pursuit to always reach beyond what has already been accomplished they created Rachel, who had emotions and feelings so human Interviewer That even Deckard couldnt tell she wasnt a replicant.Ridley scot That was a very important thing to show, how human she was des pite being a replicant. What better way to show this than with camera angles? The conventions of film noir that I wanted to utilise here were the close up and zooming of her face in receipt to questions Deckard asked her and the use of film recording instruments to look into her eyes. We all know eyes are the gateway to the soul. Interviewer But she is a replicant, they arent supposed to be human, stomach emotion or have a soul?Ridley scot Ah you see but I believe a soul does not actually determine humanity, in the end isnt Rachel more human than many of the humans themselves? Much like the creature in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, only she cannot use film to show this Interviewer No but thankfully being raised in the romantic era and writing with influence of Romanticism Mary wrote with such expressive language, and her literary influences being included into the creatures own readings was brilliant in creating the human emotions within the creature himself. Ridley scot I was inspi red by her descriptive writing.How she could get so much across without pages and pages of dialogue. I felt that if I could do the same with Bladerunner through cinematic techniques then it would be more efficient in acquiring my messages across to the audience. Thats why in intense scenes, like that of the Death of Zhora there is no dialogue just raw emotions. Interviewer The raw emotions are evident. The decrease motion camera angles as she smashes through the glass is so powerful the pain on her face is evident as she gets shot and it sends shivers down my spine. Ridley Scot The relax motion in this scene was very important.If it went to fast then the magnitude of the scene would be lost so we slowed it all down and the dark, sad, melodic medical specialty to the scene as well to provoke more feelings out of the audience. We chose to use a lot of glass to reflect the magnitude of various colours. All of this at once adds for a vary disjointed fragile environment Interviewer ag ain more styles and conventions of film noir Ridley scot Well those conventions really helped to heighten the emotions within this scene, Interviewer And the camera cuts between the two of them, watching Deckards Determination to kill Zhora and Zhoras determination to survive.Ridley Scot It certainly makes you question doesnt it? After this pursuit of science and the disregard for humanity, nature, and the multifariousness in beliefs and values in the creation of these replicants who are not supposed to show emotions or feeling- Such important aspects of humanity. who in this scene ends up viewing the most humanity? Interviewer I guess we all have to take a moment to think and reassess our values now dont we. Thankyou Ridley for taking the time to speak with us about your inspirations and intentions behind Bladerunner, It has been a pleasure.