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Blade Runner: The Final Cut Finally Available on DVD and HD Formats

Ridley Scott's eagerly anticipated BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT finally arrives today (Dec. 18) on DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD.

In honor of its 25th anniversary, Scott has gone back into post-production to create the definitive version of this post-apocalyptic, dystopian vision of L.A., digitally restored and remastered from original elements and scanned at 4K resolution. The final cut of BLADE RUNNER contains never-before-seen added/extended scenes, added lines, new and improved vfx (from Sony Pictures Imageworks, Illusion Arts, Lola Visual Effects and The Orphanage), director and filmmaker commentary, an all-new 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track and more.

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT can be purchased in three DVD editions: a Two-Disc Special Edition ($20.97), a Four-disc Collector's Edition ($34.99) and the Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition ($78.92) in Collectible Deckard Briefcase packaging.

Simultaneous Blu-ray and HD DVD versions ($66.95) of the Deckard Briefcase will also be released in numbered, limited quantities. Blu-ray and HD DVD 5-Disc Digi Packs with collectible slipcase ($39.99) will include all of the UCE content.

Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young and Daryl Hannah are among some 80 stars, filmmakers and others who participate in the extensive bonus features. Among the bonus material highlights is DANGEROUS DAYS: a brand new, three-and-a-half-hour documentary by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika, with an extensive look into every aspect of the film: its literary genesis, its challenging production and its controversial releases.

Additionally, two of the collections (4- & 5-Disc) will include an entire disc with hours of enhanced content containing featurettes and galleries devoted to more than 45 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes recently discovered in deep storage and approved by Scott, visual effects as well as background on author Philip K. Dick, script development, abandoned sequences, conceptual design, overall impact of the film and how it lead to the birth of cyberpunk. Trailers, TV spots and promotional featurettes will also be included.

Among some of the fascinating factoids talked about in the special features:

* Notable actual locations were used to reflect 2019 Los Angeles, such as Union Station, 2nd Street tunnel and the Bradbury building.

* The top of Police Headquarters is actually part of the Mothership from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.

* In the last scene, Hauer made the jump between buildings himself.

* In the fight scene between Hannah and Ford, she pulled his nose so hard that his nose actually bled afterwards.

* Holding a dove, and letting it fly away, in the last scene was never in the script, but rather Hauer's idea when filming the scene.

* DANGEROUS DAYS was originally the title of the script.

Said Scott: "THE FINAL CUT is the product of a process that began in early 2000 and continued off and on through seven years of intense research and meticulous restoration, technical challenges, amazing discoveries and new possibilities. I can now wholeheartedly say that BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT is my definitive director's cut of the film."

Two-disc bonus features also include:

* Commentary by Scott

* Commentary by exec producer/ co-screenwriter Hampton Fancher and co-screenwriter David Peoples; producer Michael Deely and production exec Katherine Haber

* Commentaries by visual futurist Syd Mead; Production Designer Lawrence G. Paull, Art Director David L. Snyder and Special Photographic Effects Supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer

Four-disc bonus features include: three additional versions of the film (1982 theatrical, international and 1992 director's cut), as well as an Enhancement Archives bonus disc of enhanced content that includes 90 minutes of deleted footage and rare or never-before-seen items in featurettes and galleries that cover the film's history, production teams, vfx, impact on society, promotional trailers, TV spots and much more.

Five-disc bonus features include rare 1982 workprint plus a unique digi-package with handle, which is a stylish version of Rick Deckard's own briefcase, individually numbered and in limited supply. Included is a lenticular motion film clip from the original feature, miniature origami unicorn figurine, miniature replica spinner car, collector's photographs as well as a signed personal letter from Scott.

Bill Desowitz's picture

Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.

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