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Tatooine Heat EDITORIALS
24th July, 2000
Just a week or two ago the word came in: Director Ridley Scott has finally officially confirmed that Deckard (played by Harrisson Ford) was a replicant in Blade Runner; thus ending an age old controversy of sorts over the origins of Deckard.
Without going into the details of the story, replicants are genetically created creatures, specifically humans. In the original Philip K. Dick novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", Dick had hinted at the main character, Deckard, being a replicant himself. In the original cut of the film by Ridley Scott, there were no hints about this fact; though Scott himself hinted the same to just about everyone he met! In the Director's Cut that was released later, a few scenes were included which hinted about Deckards origins (the famed unicorn scene). Cool! It was what what he had wanted to do with the film all along, but couldn't do what he chose with it at the time (read about that here). So fans all over kept arguing, betting and discussing the possibilities; until one fine day this month Ridley Scott comes out and says, "Hey boys, he was a replicant after all." It was 18 years too late. (more on the Blade Runner story here)
There is something wrong here; and it struck me to be an extremely familiar feeling.
It was the same feeling as the one I had talking to fans who did not like The Phantom Menace, or some aspect of it. They felt betrayed; and why not.
At that time I had been unable to understand their emotions; but judging from how I felt after Ridley Scotts 'judgement' on a wildly debated subject, I began to see their point of view. These are not some kind of 'lesser' Star Wars fans. They love Star Wars. They love it a lot.
And that might be the root of the problem.
It had been 16 years since the last Star Wars film. Though the story remained the same; the fans grew up. Over the years all of us have discussed every possibility, every angle and every wish we had for the prequels; and just about every other aspect of the movies. We had our own opinions, our own dreams and our own perceptions of the Star Wars universe.
When The Phantom Menace arrived, some people had their dreams come true, their opinions matched and their perceptions met. Episode I was a great movie; "from a certain point of view".
Some people had their dreams shattered and their opinions greatly opposed; and their perceptions just changed. Right there. Right then. They found something in the vast Star Wars universe that they did not like. Not because it was bad; but because they felt betrayed.
You might say the prequels came too late, for them. I know it wasn't too late for me; only because I'd rather have them late then not at all!
<DevanJedi thinks Deckard was not a replicant.>