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Name: Giovanna Fonseca _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PHIL 1260 EXERCISE: BLADE RUNNER (1982)
DUE DATE:
See related listing through the Canvas “Assignments” link in the navigation menu or the syllabus “Due Dates” chart. HOW TO SUBMIT COMPLETED EXERCISE:
Upload it through the appropriate link on the Canvas website in one of the following formats: (1) by typing your answers in this a Microsoft Word document and submitting it; (2) a pdf with handwritten answers, either scan a printed hard copy into a pdf or
take a photograph of the hard copy and transfer the photograph into a pdf. INSTRUCTIONS: Based on your close reading of Blade Runner, answer at least 10 of the descriptions listed below, by very briefly describing a related film scene. If you type your answers, use a red font color
, to make it easier for the professor to read your answers. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FILM REPRESENTATIONS & SYMBOLISM 1.
an example of modified language uses of the terms “replicants,” “retired,” or
“blade runner” in ways that tend to distract from their true meanings
:
At the Chinese restaurant, the server translates and tells the man that they say he is the blade runner 2. description of a
blade runner as “little people
” or as a person low in the economic and social hierarchy
: The policemen says “if you are not a cop you’re little people”. 3. characters that have rebelled against a law that forbids their leaving an “off-colony”; in other words,
they rebel against territorial regulations
: 4. a member of the police force refers
to “replicants” as “skin jobs” and slave labor: When the police man brings Deck says that he has four skin jobs walking around. 5. the following mis-quote from the poem “America: A Prophecy” by the English 18
th
to 19
th
century poet and painter William Blake: “Fiery the angels fell; deep thunder rolled around their shores; burning with the fires of Orc.” (Here “fires of Orc” can be interpreted as suggesting creative “fires” that challenge imperialistic forces, for example
.): 6.
religious and gender divide symbolism: through symbolism associated with a biblical story about a so-called “female temptress” Salome (FYI: In the biblical text Mark 6:21-29, there is the description of how during the time of the Roman Empire, the girl Herodias danced for King Herod and his banquet guests; this girl is also described in some ancient texts as “the daughter of Herodias herself.” Because the king was so pleased with her dance, he offered to give her anything she wanted. Based on the wishes of her mother, the girl requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter; this John was the preacher who foretold the arrival of Jesus and who baptized Jesus. King Herod gave the girl what she wanted, the beheading of John the Baptist. Historically, the biblical stories of Herodias and a woman named Salome (cf. Mark 15 and 16) have been mistakenly interpreted as the same character. As a result, “the dance of Salome” has been the focus of various literary writings, dramatic and operatic stage productions, and visual artworks.)
:
7. religious symbolism:
a manufactured snake owned by a “replicant”
(This snake can be interpreted as a symbolic reference to the serpent in the biblical text Genesis 2-3; this text is often interpreted as describing how the serpent tempted the first woman named Eve into tempting the first man named Adam to eat the “forbidden fruit” of the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil.” FYI: Some biblical scholars argue that through an in-depth close reading of the text, it becomes evident that this interpretation is too simplistic and stereotypically-biased against women; for more information, see for example Pamela Norris’s book Eve: A Biography
(1999))
:
The woman that Deckard goes on looking has a manufactured snake and she is a replicant. 8. religious symbolism: an unlikely Christ-like figure, whose body is pierced with a nail (This is symbolic of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which is interpreted by Christians as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.): Roy pierces his hand with a nail. 9.
religious symbolism: a dove (In biblical texts and related history, the dove is described as symbolic of a few different things, including: (1) the Holy Spirit (cf. Matthew 3:16); (2) in the apocalyptic story of Noah, Noah releases a dove that returns with an olive branch as proof that the flood waters have subsided (Genesis 8); and (3) the olive branch historically was used in ancient Rome as a symbol of peace.)
: Deckard sees a white dove after Roy dies. 10.
religious symbolism: a god-like “Father” as creator of life (In the Hebrew bible, the transcendent God is at times described as the “Father,” and in the Christian New Testament God is also defined as the “Father” head of the Trinity, with Jesus defined as the “Son,” and the “Holy Spirit” as the third part of the Trinity.)
: 11.
economic and/or social class divides
: 12.
a verbal reference(s) to
“replicants” as business products. For example, one “replicant” states: “I am the business.”:
Rachael says this exact line to Deck 13.
an engineer who makes
his friends
: Jf sebastian says that he doesn't get lonely because he makes his friends. 14.
a “replicant” is referred to as “perfect”;
this “replicant” can to be interpreted as symbolic of the designer Tyrell’s creation of the Nazi concept of the Aryan race
as “human superiority and perfection”: Jf Sebastian tells the replicants that they are perfect.
15.
chess as a game of
strategy, and religious and political power struggles that are symbolized by pieces referred to as the bishop, the king, and queen [Reminder: chess has also appeared in 3 previous course films; in each case played by a main characters]:
The two replicants are shown playing at Sebastians place. 16. a description of
seemingly logical scientific and technological fixes to a problem, but the attempted fixes resulted in new problems
: 17.
a scene in which a language other than English is spoken on sung, and not translated in the subtitles into English (FYI: Because the primary intended 1982 film audience was English speaking, the non-translations can be interpreted as an intended representations of “foreignness” and “the Other”)
: At the beginning of the film at the Chinese restaurant, the people that come to arrest the man, spoke in a different language 18. an example of
product placement as a type of commercial within a film
(Reminder according to the course “Reference Sheet/Handout 2”: one of the primary purposes and definitions of Hollywood filmmaking is as a money-making, for profit business.)
: 19.
a representation(s) of
climate change in Los Angeles, California, which is the film’s setting:
All of the constant rain. 20. a “replicant” states: “I think therefore I am.” (The 17
th
century French philosopher, René Decartes, stated this in his Discourse on Method; Decarte presented this statement as supporting evidence or
truth
that he himself existed without doubt. When spoken by a “replicant,” Decartes’ statement takes on an interesting meaning about self-awareness and who/
what is human.)
:
Pris is the one to say this. 21. a violent so-called “romantic” act against a female “replicant”; this scene can be interpreted as a rape scene (FYI:
This “replicant’s” designer meant her to symbolize or embody the so-called “good girl” image, and therefore her purpose was in part meant to be different from that of the other two female “replicants” in the film.
:
Deckard forces Rachel to kiss her and to do and say things she did not necessary wanted to. 22. one of two extremely violent deaths of a female “replicant”; each of these females struggles until the very end in attempts to escape death (FYI: Each of these females also falls into a glass window and breaks it; this may be interpreted as a symbol of brokenness
or of being vulnerable
or fragile
in some way, for example. They each were created by Tyrell for the
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visual and/or sexual pleasure of men.)
: The woman replicant that Deckard is chasing dies by going through the glass. 23. a description of what is lost at death: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Optional: If applicable, email or see the professor about any questions or issues you would like clarified regarding the required film, readings, lectures, and/or discussions so far for the course.