I have a friend who has never seen Blade Runner. Which version should he watch?

[NAZGÛL]

How do you think the Theatrical ending betrays Deckard's ambiguity?

I think it doesnt touch it at all, making it unimportant in the film. The happy ending, forced on by the studio with pretty trees ( :confused, what hapened to dead planet everyone is trying to escape?), happy music and hopes for a bright future with our hero driving into the sunset with his lady.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fCeH-WnJYM

The forced on ending leaves us with a ending of hope. The other ending leaves us in despair. I guess one could argue that the forced on ending could be dark also, but then you can say that about pretty much every other happy ending also. Sure the rebels won in ROTJ, but after the happy scenes on Endor, the empire arrived with more troops and killed them all.

The other ending, combined with the re-inserted unicorn dream, follows the themes of the film perfectly. Gaff tells him he knows his dreams. Deckard is also having little time left, and cant trust his memories or who he is.

This is one of the best endings ever imo.

 

[nickytea]

You and I read both endings very, very differently.

 

[NAZGÛL]

How do you read them then?

 

[Gigatron]

Is there a version of this movie that isn't so boring that it could put dirt, to sleep :angel?



:lol

-Fred

 

[rodneyfaile]

It depends on the friend. If they just want to see a movie, go for the US theatrical with narration. If they really get into movies, probably the Final Cut. Hopefully they like it enough to see it again, because it's the kind of movie you get more out of during subsequent rewatchings and arguments about Deckard being a replicant, lol.
If they are the type who really enjoy movies, watch the documentary making of Blade Runner called Dangerous Days. I can't recommend it enough. I like it as much as I do the actual movie!

 

[Orionx42]

I finally saw it a few years back for the first time and ended up watching 3 different versions. I would say show them the final cut.