Atari on Film: Blade Runner

BLADE RUNNER turned 40 this June! We here at Microzeit want to celebrate director Ridley Scott's timeless science fiction classic by giving it the honour of kicking off our new series, which explores the presence of ATARI ON FILM.

On the original film set with Rudger Hauer (picture: Warner Brothers). 

Blade Runners depicts Los Angeles in the year 2019 as a dystopian metropolis, soaked in rain that never stops. For the citizens dwelling on the lowest levels, the only light source emanates almost entirely from the massive billboards and neon logos, like Atari.

Four decades later it seems difficult to fathom that Blade Runner bombed at the box office in 1982. What is now considered an undisputed masterpiece, and an endless fountain of inspiration for generations to come, simply faced too much competition in a season which has often been called the best movie summer ever.

Looking back at the release calendar, it is hard to argue with the sentiment. Conan the Barbarian, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Poltergeist, Star Trek II, Mad Max The Road Warrior, The Thing and Tron all premiered in just a few months.

The original (Director's Cut) or the sequel. Which one is the better one?

Just like John Carpenter's The Thing, which also tanked at the theatres during its first run, Blade Runner became a cult film and finally found its place as one of the most esteemed science-fiction features of all time.