Blade Runner Concept Art Hits the Internet

[Logan Westbrook]

Blade Runner Concept Art Hits the Internet

You're walking in the desert. You see a sketchbook lying on its back.

Ridley Scott's seminal sci-fi movie Blade Runner had a very clear - if a little bleak - view of the future, and while the concept art that inspired the film's incredible visuals was collected into a book, it has sadly been out of print for a number of years. Fortunately for sci-fi fans, the Blade Runner Sketchbook - for that is the book's name - has found its way online in its entirety.

[gallery=599]

The 99-page book shows how pretty much every aspect of the movie came to be, from the clothes that people wore, to the streets they walked, and even the noodle shops they ate at. It's really interesting to look at art which, despite being around 30 years old, still manages to look futuristic. My favorite is either the plethora of vehicles near the beginning, or the graphics towards the end - I'm a sucker for pretty typography.

You can read the book for yourself here [http://issuu.com/futurenoir/docs/bladerunner_sketchbook/43]. If and when the Blade Runner sequel [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114075-Ridley-Scott-Signs-On-For-Blade-Runner-Sequel] comes out, we can only hope as much thought will have gone into it as did into the original.

Source: io9 [http://io9.com/5873825/blade-runner-sketchbook-takes-you-back-to-the-neo+noir-future]

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[The Funslinger]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

Only one way to solve that predicament.

Don't expect an actionpacked movie though, cuz you'll be disappointed. However, if you like cyberpunk with a healthy dose of film noir, you'll get your fill.

 

[uzo]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

Silly billy binnsyboy.

Your mission, whether you choose to accept it or not, is to see Bladerunner. As Chimpzy says, though, it's not an action movie. Don't expect Total Recall - expect something more along the lines of LA Confidential. Film noir.

Or, as I like to say, 'tech-noir' (+1 Internets for anyone who can think of which mega-famous movie features the term 'tech-noir').


The old Bladerunner game, by Westwood, was fantastic as well. I pray they don't remake the movie, but a remake of the game with LA Noire-level tech would be *awesome*. Imagine the Voight-Kampff machine in those interviews ! Woot !

And that creepy as fuck paedophile pet-shop owner at the beginning trying to persuade the young staff member to help him 'relax' ?? ... gah ... one of the cases where you cheer the replicants.

 

[Jonathan Bradford]

Cool to see this, the film definitely is a favorite.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

Oh, wow. These are pretty damned magnificent. This really makes me want to get the movie on Blu-Ray. It's been woefully long since I've seen it.

 

[ultimateownage]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

Eh, it wasn't that great. It was enjoyable enough, but not something I would consider a masterpiece or even a must-watch.

 

[uzo]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

Eh, it wasn't that great. It was enjoyable enough, but not something I would consider a masterpiece or even a must-watch.

Holy shit are you for real? After 10k p

Edit: soz、typo here.
Meant to say; holy shit what would you consider a decent ...

Soz again tried 3 times now to explain. Couldn't be bothered now.

 

[Lieju]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

I haven't either...
That's because I love the origial book(Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), and sort of...
I'm afraid I will hate it just based on how it's not the book.

Your mission, whether you choose to accept it or not, is to see Bladerunner. As Chimpzy says, though, it's not an action movie. Don't expect Total Recall - expect something more along the lines of LA Confidential. Film noir.

Maybe if it's different enough, I won't mind.

From what I've seen, it's themes are somewhat different.
I mean, is there even any sheep in the movie?

 

[Woodsey]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

I'll hide behind you, because I fucking hated it. Nice artwork though.

Funnily enough, my Dad can't stand it either (I learned this after watching it), and we're two people you'd expect to love it.

 

[The Shade]

Or, as I like to say, 'tech-noir' (+1 Internets for anyone who can think of which mega-famous movie features the term 'tech-noir').

The Terminator's nightclub.

--------------

OT: Coming from a family of Blade Runner fans, and from a long line of film students who appreciate Ridley Scott's early masterpieces, I like the concept art - not so hopped up on the sequel/prequel/remake thingummy.

 

[Alexnader]

I'm going to admit something here...

I've never seen Bladerunner...

*hides*

If you do watch it make sure you watch the director's cut.

 

[Azmael Silverlance]

Oh man i love looking at concept art. Its true even tho its so old and art in general has evolved alot in those decades it still manages to look quite cool.
Actually just couple of months ago i bought the Blade Runner on Blue-Ray and it was still an amazing movie!

 

[weirdee]

I wouldn't say that it's a movie that I had fun watching, but it's still got things that you may enjoy thinking about later.

 

[Zom-B]

The old Bladerunner game, by Westwood, was fantastic as well. I pray they don't remake the movie, but a remake of the game with LA Noire-level tech would be *awesome*. Imagine the Voight-Kampff machine in those interviews ! Woot !

And that creepy as fuck paedophile pet-shop owner at the beginning trying to persuade the young staff member to help him 'relax' ?? ... gah ... one of the cases where you cheer the replicants.

Argh, that game... I loved it, however I'll never be sure if I was just missing something or my copy was glitched, but in attempting to play through a couple of times I always hit a wall in the same place where I just couldn't progress any farther. I really felt like something that was supposed to be there, wasn't.

This was also before all the internet FAQs and strategy guides, or at least before I ever had the notion to check one if I was stuck. I still have the game kicking around somewhere. I wonder if I could boot it up in Parallels on my Mac... ?

 

[Zom-B]

Oh man i love looking at concept art. Its true even tho its so old and art in general has evolved alot in those decades it still manages to look quite cool.
Actually just couple of months ago i bought the Blade Runner on Blue-Ray and it was still an amazing movie!

Two or three Xmases ago my wife bought me the DVD Final Cut briefcase edition. It came with a model of a police car and Gaff's origami unicorn, a film strip thingy, and a 5 disc set that has every cut and version of the movie plus one disc, maybe even two discs, of documentary films. It's pretty sweet. I'm kind of bummed that only a couple years later the movie itself came out on BluRay, however, my deluxe kit is pretty damn sweet.