Introduction
Blade Runner, created by Ridley Scott in 1982, is considered one of the most significant films in the history of cinema. It is a movie with its philosophy, investigating humanity, love, and life in a postmodern world. This philosophy, however, is reflected not only through the plot and actions but through every element of the film. Blade Runner is detailed in all its aspects, including lighting, sound, camera movement, and other components. As Ridley Scott himself notes, “every incident, every sound, every movement, every color, every set, prop or action has significance within the performance of the film” (qtd. in Bukatman 18). This paper will analyze the sound and cinematography of Blade Runner (the Final Cut version), referring to specific elements or episodes of the movie.
Main body
Every detail becomes significant, starting from the opening scene. The viewers can see Los Angeles covered in darkness with probably thousands of light dots from the buildings and a couple of skyscrapers in front spewing up flames. One of the dots is starting to move towards the camera, almost unnoticeably at first, and suddenly turns out to be a flying car with bright headlights. It seems as if this whole view also opens from the windshield of a flying car, but the camera is moving very slowly. Just a few seconds later, the lightning appears in the background. Thus, the opening scene allows the viewers to plunge into the atmosphere of the film from the first seconds.
In general, the film uses low-key lighting and is full of shadows and darkness. All the light in the movie is usually artificial: light from the buildings, neon signs of different vibrant colors, red Coca-Cola advertising. The lightning at the beginning is probably the only element of natural origin. The Sun that the viewers see when Deckard first meets Tyrell and Rachael is unusually bright and big and seems artificial as well. At some moments of the scene, the Sun is used as a backlight, helping to create more contrast and make the whole setting deeper. At the same time, this Sun plays the role of key light at some points in the episode. When Rachael first approaches, her face is lit in front, and her eyes reflect the Sun, in the next shot, the viewers see Deckard, whose figure is contrasted to the background. Such usage of the light in this scene may be interpreted from many angles. This representation creates meaningful contrast, and it is possible to assume, for instance, that it gives a hint to the future conflicts and interactions of these characters.
The described usage of lighting and colors in the movie contributes to the image of cyberpunk Los Angeles. The crowded and noisy city becomes even more full and lively with every neon sign or flashing TV screen in shop windows that can be seen when Deckard is reading a newspaper on the street. One may agree that lighting, citing Moeny’s words, also reflects “Scott’s philosophy of packing each shot with detail” (49). However, apart from lighting, other elements play a significant role in the movie as well.
The usage of the camera also supports the atmosphere of the film. As Pilcher notes, “streets are crowded, main characters are framed very close to the camera, and there’s rarely any wide-open space in a scene” (4). One of the most interesting episodes to discuss is Deckard chasing Zhora. In this scene, when Zhora runs out of the club, the camera follows her movements for a couple of seconds but stops at some point, showing her running away to the crowded street. When Deckard is trying to find Zhora in the crowd, the camera is unstable and, at times, moves almost chaotically. At the moment when Zhora hides and stays still, the camera freezes with her but moves actively with Deckard turning his head in different directions, trying to detect her. This scene is very dynamic and tense because of the described usage of the camera. However, the atmosphere of the episode is also achieved through sound usage.
The scene is full of voices, music, sounds of steps, cars, and sirens, which mix into one noise, but at the same time, each of the sounds can be clearly heard. All these sounds are diegetic, which allows the viewers to go deeper into the tension of the moment, plunging with Deckard in his pursuit in the heart of the crowded Los Angeles. Some sources are off-screen, which makes the sound appear from different directions, again, packing the scene with details. As Chion points out, in the film, “the setting and the characters are often shown in close shots while their surroundings are acoustically portrayed or suggested by sounds that evoke wide open spaces” (211). Thus, the sound in the movie performs not only the function of atmosphere creation but supports and expands the setting.
In addition, in Blade Runner, the sound is usually closely related to the image, following the characters’ actions and reflecting their emotions. It is worth discussing the scene where Deckard and Racheal have their first kiss. When they are sitting in front of the piano having a romantic moment, the music is very gentle. At these seconds, a diegetic piano sound that Racheal plays mixes with the soundtrack. Then, as the result of Deckard’s attempt for a kiss, Rachael tries to leave, but Deckard blocks her way and grabs her almost violently. At this moment, the music is tense and even threatening, and the sound of hitting the wall with the man’s fist is very sharp and loud. However, when he softly kisses her, music again changes to romantic and calm. Thus, the sound interacts with the visual components making them more meaningful.
In general, the sound in the film is rather tense. It also often does not have natural origins: cars, computers, neon signs blinking. In addition, when discussing voicing, it is necessary to note that in this version of the movie, all characters’ words are external. It makes the viewers pay more attention to other elements (such as mimics, lights, sounds) and analyze the whole picture created by numerous details to understand the characters’ feelings.
Conclusion
One may conclude that every element in Blade Runner is significant. It is hard to deny that Ridley Scott managed to embody his philosophy making each detail crucial within the performance of the movie. Lighting effects, camera usage, and sound complement each other and fill the picture with meaning. The setting becomes more expanded, and the image of this fictional world seems alive. The city is vibrating with its lights and sounds, and the camera leads the viewers through its crowded streets. Thus, every detail contributes to the movie’s philosophy and atmosphere.
References
Bukatman, Scott. Blade Runner. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
Chion, Michel. “Audio-vision and Sound.” Sound, vol. 11, edited by Patricia Kruth and Henry Stobart, Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp. 201–215.
Moeny, Jordan. “Things You Wouldn’t Believe: Predicting (and Shaping) the Future in Blade Runner and Minority Report.” A Journal of Communication, Culture & Technology, vol. 19, no. 2, 2019, pp. 46–57.
Pilcher, Tom. Discussion Guide for Blade Runner Ridley Scott.2015. Web.