Hey guys! You can call me Captain Ron.  I feel like I owe something back to you after checking your website everyday for the past 5 years.  I got to see something really fantastic last night, and was honestly ashamed more fellow fans were not there in force.  UCLA is hosting a series called "Movies that Inspired Me" that will run every Thursday for the next month.  It is hosted by the great Curtis Hansen, who picks people in the film industry to come show a movie that meant a lot to them and their future career.  Last night Christopher Nolan was the guest and he showed Blade Runner - the Original Cut.   

Yes I was in a state of confusion as well.  

When I heard this was happening I knew I had to be there, not only to hear Nolan and Hansen discuss one of my favorite films, but also to find out why in the hell Nolan chose the voice over version that Ridley Scott and, obvious by the performance, Harrison Ford hated.   

Curtis opened the film by explaining that he had to do quite a bit of string-pulling to get a print of the original since the studio will not allow it out (are they embarrassed about the VO now, too?).  He ended up getting it from some secret collection because the owner is a big fan of Memento.  Overall the print was decent and it was great getting to see the original on the big screen even if the VO can be a little grating.  Afterwards, Nolan spoke about how this was how he originally saw the film and this is the version that inspired him, therefore, it was only appropriate to show this version for the series.  He spoke in length about how watching a pirated VHS version of it influenced him in really being obsessive about every shot.  Hansen and him spoke about the whole theme of identity in the film and how it carried over to the movies that he went on to make - especially Memento.   

Hansen then announced that Nolan's next feature will be Batman, which Nolan did not deny.    There was some grumbling from the audience and Nolan just smirked a little about it and Hansen went on to take questions from the audience.  

Other than that, Nolan went on to say that he felt the effects in Blade Runner are far superior to those in today's film.  He said that CGI just doesnt have it, and "the technology isn't good enough yet, but we are being told that it is".   He also spoke in length about being "in" the studio system now, and how he likes being able to have professional people around him and having the ability to use a "larger canvass" since there is more money.   

A guy who likes being able to make big budget films, hates CGI, and says he has seen Blade Runner hundreds of times?  I think we might just get our great Batman movie that we all know is possible.   

After it was over Nolan and Hansen hung around and spoke with people one on one and were very accessible.  Next week Todd Haynes will be the guest and the movie will be Midnight Cowboy.  

Hope to see you there!  

Captain Ron

There you go... See, this is why it is absolutely important as hell to make the ORIGINAL versions of films accessible. This is why I buy prints of films I love in 16mm, like this version of BLADE RUNNER, which I have a beautiful scope print of... the colors just leap off the screen. And I absolutely agree... No CG has looked anywhere near as perfect as the work in BLADE RUNNER or CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. Douglas Trumbull... I own in 16mm film, original prints of BLADE RUNNER, 2001, SILENT RUNNING and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.... and I would love prints of CANDY and BRAINSTORM. His understanding of optics, the camera and how our eye perceives it all is genius. And knowing that Nolan agrees... makes me delighted to no end. I can't wait to see his BATMAN, especially if he somehow gets Trumbull to work on it, and brings back the art of Matte Paintings! Albert Whitlock was a GOD!