Blade Runner Themes Essay Example

He cannot empathise with their plight. Can only ‘see’ their commercial value. Blind to their experience.

The corporate world left behind the primitive earth behind, where only perfect humans are able to leave. Shelley proposes that humanity is fading from beneath our grip and there is still time – whereas Scott proposes that what has happened has happened and can’t be changed. Scientific Progress Blade Runner addresses consequences of scientific/ commercial progression that goes unchecked, unquestioned within society. There is a significant price of scientific and technological progress. Shelley addressed the question of scientific progression at the start of industrial revolution.

Scott examines post industrialisation. Scott examines the outcome and direction taken Shelly offers a warning, whereas Scott depicts a vision of the effects. Vision of a haunting future. A dystopian future (deterioration of the superstructure of society and the breakdown and decay of the society) Warning against science running amok. The absence of nature (artificial owl and snake, and fake Bonsai tree) Shelley offers a sublime vision of nature as the Romantics offered this as a respite and alternate to the science, Scott offers a world of the consequence.

The future world has gone back to the 19th century with the breakdown of society. Business - “commerce”. Science entrenched in consumerism and commercial society. For Tyrell, replicants are just commerce. Given humanity of the replicants questions are raised about social priortiy (what are the needs of the society of the time, focus points of what we see humanity to be, and what is of importance to society) and moral obligations. The dystopia is a vision of a world where intellect has gone too far.

Like Shelley, Scott questions

the cost of testing boundaries of science and the ethical and moral issues associated with this. Suggestion that this is a world worth avoiding. Science has created the world, and sadly, has destroyed it too. Many advancements. However, there is still poverty, overcrowding, ill treatment, desolation. Science is a commodity in his culture. While advancements have been made, none of the problems of these advancements have been dealt with. A broken down society which simply does not work.

The film noir of the darkness of the darkness, smoke billowing from the floor and the isolation of construction areas. Inability to Accept Responsibility Blade Runner addresses ideas associated with parental responsibility. The role of the creator in the life of the created Tyrell does not “parentally” align himself with the replicants. Furthermore, insights are offered into a world where no responsibility has been taken for an obsession with science, technology and advancement. Scott shows the end result of the mistrust of responsibility here Shelly warns of what will happen with not taking responsibility.