Harrison Ford breaks his silence on Blade Runner’s biggest dilemma and reopens the controversy of this film classic
Harrison Ford has perplexed the fans of the emblematic ‘Blade Runner’, a jewel of contemporary cinema, with a recent confession during an interview.
In a surprising display of impulsiveness and sincerity, the charismatic actor has settled a dilemma that has been eating away at the restless minds of fans for decades, by admitting that he always knew that Rick Deckard was a replicant in the acclaimed 1982 science fiction film.
This revealing change of position has revived the eternal debate about the true nature of the iconic character that the actor who premiered ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Fate’ played so long ago and that permeated, like the film, very deep in the popular culture of the Twentieth century.
For decades, the director Ridley Scott has strongly defended the theory that Deckard is a replicant, while Ford had been on the opposite side, vehemently rejecting the idea.
Is Deckard a replicant or is he ultimately a human?
In an unexpected twist, the veteran interpreter, already in his 80s, has acknowledged that he knew the truth from the beginning, but that he has finally decided to say that he wanted to deny it publicly.
Ford:
“I always knew I was a replicant, however I just wanted to reject this idea. I think a replicant would want to believe that he is human. At least this one did.”
The focus of the debate centers on the famous scene of the “dream of the unicorn” Present in the 1992 director’s cut and in the 2007 final cut. According to Scott, this fragment clearly suggests that Deckard is a replicant and that the dream has been implanted into his programming.
On the contrary, Ford had originally envisioned the character as human, with the goal of establishing an emotional connection with the audience.
Ford:
“That was the main point of contention between me and Ridley at the time. I thought the audience deserved a human being on screen with whom they could establish an emotional relationship. He had gained agreement that this was what Ridley was for, but in fact I think he had a bit of a reservation about it. I think I really wanted to have both.”
The film adaptation based on the novel, ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ of Philip K. Dickmakes it explicitly clear that Deckard is human.
This discrepancy has generated a sharp contrast of opinions not only between Scott and Ford, but also between other members of the production team and actors, such as the art director, Emmet Walshand the remembered Ruther Hauer.
As the debate continues, the enigma surrounding the true nature of Rick Deckard lingers, dividing fans and pundits alike.
Ford’s revelation has sparked a new chapter in this fascinating story, challenging perceptions and leaving fans with a resounding question: human or replicant?
Esquire Source
