PLOT: The classic Hollywood plot opens with an equilibrium, then there is disruption of that equilibrium, and at the end of the film there is a new equilibrium. Identify the equilibrium/disruption/new equilibrium in Blade Runner.
FORM: Discuss the technical and artistic achievements of Blade Runner in ONE key scene. Good choices might be the scene where Deckard shoots Zhora Salome, the exotic dancer/replicant or the scene where he kisses Rachel — or your favorite scene. Go into depth about how the shot composition, shot type, camera movement, editing, lighting, and sound create the mood or express the emotion of the scene. Refer back to chapter 3 in the textbook and the Toolbox for Analyzing Film for a refresher.
CULTURE: Discuss how Blade Runner both reflected and shaped attitudes about the relationship between humans and machines in the United States in the late 20th Century. What makes a body human? What risks might artificial intelligence pose? How do the replicants replicate human concerns regarding gender/race/class? How does the film use the conventions of science fiction and film noir to explore those questions?
