Web 2.0 - Michal Wesch

La Juventud y la Ancianidad - Oswaldo Reynoso

En el ser humano hay dos momentos de profunda crisis: la juventud y la ancianidad. Son momentos existenciales y, por eso, los personajes más definidos en la literatura son jóvenes, como en Dowstoievski. Cuando se consigue estabilidad, lo que Sartre llama 'la edad de la razón', ya no se está frente al abismo. La vida se hace rutinaria, los hijos, el trabajo. ya no hay tiempo para pensar en la existencia, hasta la ancianidad. Así como el joven se enfrenta a un futuro incierto, el anciano se hace un examen y mira hacia la nada, que es la muerte.

Oswaldo Reynoso (Arequipa, 10 de abril de 1931)

William Butler Yeats - When You are Old

When You are Old

WHEN you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,	5
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled	10
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars. William Butler Yeats. b. 1865

El otro tigre (extracto) - J.L. Borges

Un tercer tigre buscaremos. Éste
Será como los otros una forma
De mi sueño, un sistema de palabras
Humanas y no el tigre vertebrado
Que, más allá de las mitologías,
Pisa la tierra. Bien lo sé, pero algo
Me impone esta aventura indefinida,
Insensata y antigua, y persevero
En buscar por el tiempo de la tarde
El otro tigre, el que no está en el verso.

Jorge Luis Borges, 1960

Control - Ian Curtis Movie

TOP 10 MOVIE DRUG DEALERS

TOP 10 MOVIE DRUG DEALERS

10. REESE FELDMAN from STARSKY AND HUTCH
With a moustache that would look at home on Ron Jeremy (or some part of his body anyway), Reese Feldman is a dealer that’s got the 70’s look down cold. He’s got every right to feel like a big ol’ pimp: he’s just discovered an untraceable form of cocaine that’s going to make him rich. He has it all – a drug empire, a boat – sorry, a yacht - and even Kitty, his dumb girlfriend on the side. The one thing he didn’t count on was getting busted by the Frat Pack’s finest - David Starsky and Ken ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson - who eventually brought Feldman to justice after ruining his daughter’s Bat Mitzvah and shooting her pet pony. Still, Reese’s gear was top-notch if Starsky’s drug-fuelled dance-off is anything to go by, and Hutch put it to good use in a three-way with Carmen Electra and Amy Smart. Arrest him? Those guys should have thanked him.

Say what? “Am I tanning weird?”

9. RUPERT from THE RULES OF ATTRACTION
Quite clearly a few ounces short of a gram, coked-up Rupert should perhaps heed the age-old dealer advice: “Don’t get high on your own supply.” Surrounded by piles of cocaine, he paces back and forth in his pig sty of an apartment, brandishing a gun in the face (and forehead) of a frightened James Van Der Beek, who’s looking to sell weed on campus. Rupert is not convinced of Dawson’s dealing abilities, claiming he needs his services like he needs an asshole on his elbow: “I think you're a rich motherfucking motherfucker who owes me a fucking fuckload of motherfuckin' cash, that's what I think, you rich motherfuckin' motherfucker.” Not only does too much blow limit Rupert’s vocabulary, it’s making him lose his cool – all those drugs racing through his blood didn’t stop him from being shown up by TV’s wettest teen.

Say what? “You want some coke? Then buy your own, bitch.”

8. YOUNGBLOOD PRIEST from SUPERFLY
Youngblood Priest was never going to sweep roads for a living – with a name like that, he was destined to be either a high rollin’, big pimpin’ drug dealer, or a porn star. Choosing the former (although he’s dynamite in bed), Priest quickly became one of New York City’s coolest pushermen, but the life of a dealer was not for him. Opting for one last big deal, Youngblood planned to live off his $1 million score and get the police off his back for good. Despite several twists, turns and double-crosses, Priest still kept his cool and cashed out, putting one over ‘the man’ who claimed that without a dealer lifestyle, he’ll be nothing but a “two-bit nigger junkie.” As he hopped into his tricked-out Caddy and drove into the sunset to the sounds of Curtis Mayfield, he leaves you wondering if a career in cocaine management isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Say what? “You don’t own me, pig, and no motherfucker tells me when I can split.”

7. TODD GAINES from GO
Doug Liman’s Pulp Fiction-style story of pill-popping club-goers wouldn’t be complete without a drug dealer extraordinaire, so say hello to Todd Gaines – the creepy looking topless psycho wearing the Santa hat. Todd is a laid back kinda fellow who agrees to offload twenty hits of Ecstasy to willing young Ronna, but being a businessman first and foremost, requires collateral. “I already got a fuckin’ Swatch,” he says, before wisely choosing to keep Katie Holmes’ Claire company for the evening. Despite a sinister look in his eye that only a killer from a Scream movie can have, Todd ends up banging Cruise’s missus on the steps of his house, with Claire unaware her new gentlemen lover has left her best friend for dead in a ditch – hey, it’s just business. All this, and at Christmas too. Ho ho fuckin’ ho.

Say what? “I give head before I give favours and I don't even give my best friends head so your chances of getting a favour are pretty fucking slim.”

6. HENRY HILL from GOODFELLAS
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” Oh Henry, if only you’d stuck to grand theft and gunning down goombas, maybe you wouldn’t have lived out the rest of your life like a schnook. It was only when he dabbled in drugs that Hank’s life started to go down the shitter, despite mentor Paulie telling him it was a mug’s game. Witness the scene in which Henry juggles his responsibilities as a drug dealer and a family man: one minute he’s cooking a slap-up meal for his nearest and dearest, the next he’s racing off to see his mistress and shipping an ungodly amount of cocaine that would give even Paris Hilton a nosebleed. The Feds eventually catch up with Henry – paranoid and convinced he’s marked for death, he rats on his mafia family and ends up without a friend in the world. Probably should have stuck with hijacking trucks, then.

Say what? "Business bad? Fuck you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? Fuck you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning huh? Fuck you, pay me."

5. JAY from the VIEW ASKEW movies
A small town dealer and Jersey born and bred, Jay is always representing out front of his local Quick Stop, pounds of pot in his pocket and eager to make a deal. Shit, give him your order and he’ll even sing you a song if you’re lucky, perhaps a number by his favourite band, “Morris Day and the motherfuckin’ Time” – clearly, years of being a mallrat have left his tiny mind in a musical muddle. Forever flanked by his hetero-lifemate Silent Bob, Jay has made quite a living shifting dope: together, the two clueless stoners saved up enough to buy the convenience store they were permanently attached to, on the proviso they were allowed to continue dealing outside – now that’s a sound business investment. Jay was pretty much a given to appear on this list, given actor Jason Mewes’ fearless method acting – he spent years hitting the crack pipe to research for the role.

Say what? “Fifteen bucks little man / put that shit in my hand”

4. CLARENCE from TRUE ROMANCE
Like the other low-down crooks on this page, Clarence didn’t become a drug dealer by choice. After meeting sweet ho Alabama and falling in love, Clarence attempts to straighten things out with her pimp. Does everything go to plan? Hell no – this is a Quentin Tarantino screenplay after all – and instead of getting Alabama’s belongings and leaving quietly, he ends up shooting poor old Drexl and half-inches a suitcase of his Colombian marching powder by mistake. Clarence arranges a deal with Hollywood producer Lee Donowitz, but it goes predictably tits up – first when his gopher Eliot is pulled over by the cops while covered in coke, and secondly when the wimpy prick turns up at the deal wearing a wire. Clarence, cool as fuck, escapes relatively unscathed from the resulting shoot-out and goes on to live a life of luxury with his southern gal and young son in Cancun – surely a high no drug can match.

Say what? “I always said if I had to fuck a guy… I’d fuck Elvis.”

3. GEORGE JUNG from BLOW
George is a shining example to aspiring drug dealers – think big, and there’s no limit to the success you can achieve (or the prison sentence you’ll receive). Starting out as a lowly pot dealer in southern California, George hooks up with Paul ‘Pee-wee Herman’ Reubens, a big-time distributor with whom he makes some serious bank. After his own mother turns him in, George meets a Columbian contact in prison, and no sooner than he’s walked free, he’s hitting up head honcho Pablo Escobar and supplying grade-A cocaine to the US – at one point, approximately 85% of the white stuff in America came through Jung. George lived the high life – kicking it with wifey Penelope Cruz in his south Cali pad – but eventually he realised that crime doesn’t pay, and he lived out his days in jail. However, Johnny Depp was forever affected by playing the coke-addled dealer – you think Captain Jack Sparrow is straight edge? Please.

Say what? Danbury wasn't a prison, it was a crime school. I went in with a Bachelor of marijuana, came out with a Doctorate of cocaine.”

2. DANNY THE DEALER from WITHNAIL & I
Danny is the quintessential drug dealer – wild-eyed, frazzled and not entirely from this planet. Listening to him spouting conspiracy theories (“Hair are your aerials - all hairdressers are in the employment of the government”) you’re left in no doubt Danny has smoked one too many Camberwell Carrots in his time. When the pretentious Withnail questions his drug intake, Danny removes his sunglasses and reveals the devastation that lies behind them. “Don’t get uptight with me, man,” he intones flatly. “Because if you do, I’ll have to give you a dose of medicine, and if I spike you, you’ll know you’ve been spoken to.” Wisely, Danny also has a back-up plan should his dealing business ever go south – along with his partner Presuming Ed, he’s planning on launching a range of dolls that shit themselves. Items, it has to be said, yet to appear on the shelves at Toys ‘R’ Us.

Say what? “Have either of you got shoes?”

1. TONY MONTANA from SCARFACE
Forget those small-time, ten-dollar chancers – if you’re going to be a pusher, then do it in style. Tony Montana – Scarface to his enemies – was a self-made man who dragged himself up from the Cuban slums to make it as the most feared drug dealer in America. At the height of his power, Montana was a gangster extraordinaire, with Michelle Pfieffer bouncing on his dick, pinstripe suits for every occasion and mountains of coke spread around his plush Florida mansion. His rags-to-riches story and ‘fuck joo’ attitude continue to be an inspiration to moronic gangsters everywhere (all of whom presumably haven't seen the last few minutes where a cocaine-fuelled Montana is riddled full of bullets) and the legend even lived to deal another day in the Scarface videogame. The world was his, but it just wasn’t enough.

Say what? “Say hello to my leetle friend!” After snorting that much coke, we presume he’s talking about his penis.

Cosa Nostra - Questione d'onore

1. Se prohíbe “prestar dinero directamente a un amigo”. Si es necesario, se hará a través de una tercera persona.
2. “No se mira a las mujeres de nuestros amigos”.
3. “Prohibido cualquier tipo de relación con la policía”.
4. “Un hombre de honor no debe dejarse ver en tabernas y círculos sociales”.
5. “Si el deber te llama, debes estar disponible siempre”, incluso “si tu mujer está a punto de parir”.
6. “Puntualidad y respeto de manera categórica”.
7. “Fidelidad total a la esposa”.
8. “Se está obligado a decir siempre la verdad”.
9. “Se puede matar, extorsionar, traficar, pero nunca robar el dinero de otros padrinos o de otros clanes mafiosos”.
10. No se permite la entrada de “quien tiene un familiar en las fuerzas del orden”, quien ha “traicionado sentimentalmente” a la mujer, tiene “un mal comportamiento o no demuestra valores morales”.

Salvatore Lo Piccolo - Il Barone
(Palermo, July 20, 1942)

Quién sabe

¿Te importa mucho que Dios exista?
¿te importa que una nebulosa te dibuje el destino?
¿que tus oraciones carezcan de interlocutor?
¿que el gran hacedor pueda ser el gran injusto?
¿que los torturadores puedan ser hijos de Dios?
¿que haya que amar a Dios sobre todas las cosas
y no sobre todos los prójimos y prójimas?
¿Has pensado que amar al Dios intangible
suele producir un tangible sufrimiento
y que amar a un palpable cuerpo de muchacha
produce en cambio un placer casi infinito?
¿acaso creer en Dios te borra del humano placer?
¿habrá Dios sentido placer al crear a Eva?
¿habrá Adán sentido placer cuando inventó a Dios?
¿acaso Dios te ayuda cuando tu cuerpo sufre,
o no es ni siquiera una confiable anestesia?
¿te importa mucho que Dios exista? ¿o no?
¿su no existencia sería para tí una catástrofe
más terrible que la muerte pura y dura?
¿te importará si te enteras que Dios existe
pero está inmerso en el centro de la nada?
¿te importará que desde el centro de la nada
se ignore todo y en consecuencia nada cuente?
¿te importaría la presunción
de que si bien tú existes
Dios quién sabe?

Mario Benedetti

(1920-)

Hagamos un trato

Compañera

usted sabe
puede contar
conmigo
no hasta dos
o hasta diez
sino contar
conmigo

si alguna vez
advierte
que la miro a los ojos
y una veta de amor
reconoce en los míos
no alerte sus fusiles
ni piense qué delirio
a pesar de la veta
o tal vez porque existe
usted puede contar
conmigo

si otras veces
me encuentra
huraño sin motivo
no piense qué flojera
igual puede contar
conmigo

pero hagamos un trato
yo quisiera contar
con usted

es tan lindo
saber que usted existe
uno se siente vivo
y cuando digo esto
quiero decir contar
aunque sea hasta dos
aunque sea hasta cinco
no ya para que acuda
presurosa en mi auxilio
sino para saber
a ciencia cierta
que usted sabe que puede
contar conmigo.

Mario Benedetti
(1920-)

RE: (leerlo x partes)

-----Mensaje original-----

De: Norvic Chicchon
Enviado el: Lunes, 23 de Mayo de 2005 12:54 p.m.
Para: los patas
CC: bauhaus77@hotmail.com
Asunto: RE: (leerlo x partes)

Muchas gracias, causitas. De puta madre todo: los saludos, las fotos de la rubia (‘ta que te pasaste Kirchhoff!), la foto que un paparazzo me tomo visitando a la familia en Paracas (buena Canebo!), en fin por acordarse de este cumpa, que de morsa, morcilla y marsopa con mostacho ralo paso a marsupial. (Je! ‘ta buena).

Por acá a Dios gracias todo de lo mejor, asimilando nuevas y buenas costumbres, desechando y denunciando la malas.

Son pocas las veces que salgo de juerga. Aunque la última vez estuvo bacán. Lastima que los gentlemen clubs cierran demasiado temprano para mi gusto (1 AM), por lo que el caldo de gallina a las 6.30 am con la polilla de turno ya es cosa del recuerdo.

Entre las cosas que me llama poderosamente la atención en esta sociedad, es la vanidad y arrogancia de "guys & girls" así como también el consumismo que se vive por acá: bagatelas de 20 cocos (algo aproximadamente equivalente a una hora de trabajo gringo), pitu-punkies realmente graciosos que harían avergonzar a los lejanos originadores del movimiento por los 60s, jeans rotosos y "rusty" (lo ultimo con impregnaciones de cuero y a la cadera) a precios astronómicos, el auge del piercing (aretitos especialmente en lenguas, orejas, cejas y labios). Y, dado que uno de las residencias estudiantiles donde estudio - George Washington U. en DC, fue considerada x Playboy hasta hace poco el dorm mas promiscuo de los States, mi intuición me indica que el piercing vaginal y las hilos dentales deben ser lo mas requerido entre las liberales jovencitas de esta zona, quienes provienen principalmente de ciudades de la costa este: Nueva York, Boston, Filadelfia, Miami, y otras mierdas que no conozco.

También me impacta el pseudo-individualismo de estos gringos. La desintegración familiar, la incomunicación, y la pérdida de valores es realmente grande. Mi housemate en mis primeros meses por acá, me conto sobre una enfermedad de su viejita, quien vivía en Pennsylvania. Luego de unos días me comentó que la cosa no iba bien y que iban a operarla, a lo que le pregunté: y cuando vas a ir a verla? Me dijo que no podía por A o B motivos. Mayor fue mi sorpresa cuando luego me indica que se quitaría el fin de semana a Maryland, de juerga mientras la vieja de mierda cagándose en el hospital sin familiares cercanos que la vean (la tía es viuda, y su otro hijo es un tipo dizque businessman sin el tiempo para ir a verla). Solo en América! pensé.

Otro punto son los grandes abismos de comunicación que estos mierdas se ponen. Tienen un afán de mantenerse ocupados y saberlo todo a su mejor manera: la suya, así sea hasta el culo. Encuentras gringuitos ensimismados con los últimos Ipods (reproductores mp3 de Apple, no gran huevada), tus amigos no son los que quieren compartir tiempo contigo, tomarse una chela, o simple y llanamente conversar, sino los que mas mensajes grabados te dejan en la casilla de voz, o mas emails te escriben y que puedes chequear desde tu blackberry (engendro electrónico de moda). Encuentras cojudas metidas en el PC lab, quejándose on-line en su chat club sobre la soledad de sus días, prefiriendo los emoticons a las llamadas o conversar con entes pensantes, vivientes y con sentimientos reales. Quizá la evolución de esta sociedad gira en torno a temas vanos para este sudaca, pero aun así creo por verdad incontestable, creo que por gran influencia de Sábato, sobre la cosificación de la especie humana.

Asimismo, me causa hasta cierto grado indignación y una suerte de vergüenza ajena la desinformación e ignorancia que reina en los habitantes de esta supuesta maravilla estadounidense, los enraizados estereotipos que aun, quizá inconscientemente, se propagan en las familias "americanas" (si, entre comillas por que estos mierdas se han apropiado del continente entero).

La primera vez que me di una vuelta por el patio de comidas de la universidad (donde proliferan las conocidísimas franquicias MADE-IN-USA Wendys, McDonalds, y Subway) me espanto la indiferencia en la que se centra su modus vivendi. Colegiales almorzando o cenando, despabiladamente, en feliz grupo, luego de una ardua faena estudiantil, mientras monitores de 30" (HDTV - High

Definition TV, of course) muestran en serie imágenes del genocidio en Darfur, o el ultimo reportaje de CNN en Irak, mostrando (y con censura) el bombardeo a civiles, escuelas, colegios, obra y gracia de la estupidez de autoridades (o mejor dicho títeres) que buscan perdurar este neo-babilónico imperio.

Tampoco es de extrañar algunos roces en el bus, en los que me vi obligado a intervenir en defensa de algún cumpa, debido a maltratos contra gente latina, merced a su desconocimiento del idioma inglés o a status migratorio inválido, el cual no les permite expresar a viva voz su malestar ante situaciones, que lejanas de ser de índole civil, rozan la xenofobia. Dicha situación no solo proviene de blancos venidos menos sino también de afro-americanos (those damned muthafucka niggers, u know!) quienes se atribuyen derechos que fueron ganados a su vez por ancestros suyos a costa de mucha pero mucha sangre. Así por ejemplo, un cumpa de Malawi, país africano que hace ver a nuestro Perú como superpotencia, me comento con desazón el desprecio que sintió de parte de africanos nacidos en suelo USA. Al principio cuando me ven, me dijo, todo bacán, pero en cuanto diferencian su acento (algo británico, dada su condición de ex-colonia UK) su comportamiento es otro. Lo marginan y tratan con una arrogancia que realmente no debería existir, especialmente por ser ambos de tronco común (el África negra).

D.C. no tiene los rascacielos de NY, el espectáculo de Las Vegas o el chongo de Miami, pero si es una ciudad de grandes contrastes, como todas las ciudades, de las cuales no se escapa mi querida Lima la Horrible (el Keirolo de Kilka es mi rincón más añorado por estos días de cumpleaños). Por acá encuentras la Casa Blanca, el Capitolio, el FMI, el Banco Mundial, agencias financieras, el Rigg Bank (fenecido banco ke lavaba el dinero de Pinochet), consulados y embajadas. Pero vasta tomar un viaje vía metro de pocos minutos para adentrar en el South East, área de población 99% negra, bastión de lo más lumpen en esta parte de US, similar a los locales Barracones y Siberia en el Llauca, Los Intocables en Sullorqui, o La Parada en el Rico Agucho. Mucho crack, putas, y pandillas que rivalizan con las maras salvadoreñas y hondureñas, pandillas armadas que actualmente son el principal problema de esta pinche ciudad.

Y pensar que estos mierdas se quejan por lo choritos carteristas limeños. Seguramente están acostumbrados al atraco con UZIs y autos del año, estilo Destructores. Incluso sin ir muy lejos, basta ir por el céntrico DC y chequear un culo de white trash - blanquitos homeless que en D.C. si que hay muchos - en fila junto a negros vagos y junkies frente al banco mundial para recoger algo de comida y cobijas para pasar la noche.

Y este hecho es de conocimiento general; sin embargo muchos gringos tienden a pensar en que aun vivimos con un penacho de plumas en la frente, y su ignorancia les hace tener por seguro que la "hoja de cocaína" se consume en los hogares de todo el Perú. Y aun así, con ese alto grado de desconocimiento, comparan sus costumbres con las de un país pobre como el nuestro pero que en muchos aspectos brinda una vida más reconfortante que el imaginario y banal confort de este país. Pero, por qué no se comparan con capitales europeas?, con sociedades mas civilizadas que las que se originan en estos bloques de concreto, verdaderos caldos de cultivo para las bacterias del alma? Por ejemplo, en materia de alfabetización, los EE.UU. están en el puesto 49 a nivel mundial y, en alfabetización matemática, ocupa el puesto 28. En materia de salud, ocupa el lugar 37. Bien anota Guillermo Giacosa, al decir que si quieres ir al norte de rio grande, está bien; y ojalá que el 20% de los estadounidenses que cree que el sol gira alrededor de la Tierra no logre cambiar sus opiniones al respecto. Que? Tienen Tony Romas' en Perú? Me preguntaba un gringuito que no tuvo la suerte de conocer más que este parte del globo.

Pero, todo es malo aquí? Pues definitivamente no. Felizmente he podido conocer gente de puta madre, con real sentido de las cosas, algo reaccionarios en contra de su gobierno algunos, republicanos pro-Bush a muerte otros, pero demás esta decir que aun creo en que lo mejor de las personas esta en sus mentes y corazones. Y es en ese sentido que esta experiencia es enriquecedora.

Esto me recuerda una conversa que tuve con un gringo ex drogo en el paradero del bus (se había querido matar de un muy visible tajo en la garganta un año antes y ahora estaba "en vías" de rehabilitación). Trabajaba en construcción civil y, contándome como había aprendido algunas frases en español con otros obreros latinos, refirió que sus capataces le decían:

- …por que pasas tiempo con esas basuras (por los latinos), mira como se visten y lo que comen (puro arroz y frijoles)”.

El ex-drogo les respondía: hay algún pecado en eso?

Y le seguían diciendo: “…si ellos viven como animales, 10 personas en un cuarto!”

- Si, replicó, pero en 10 años cada uno va a tener su casa propia, cabrones.

Y les callo la boca por que saben que eso no es ficción. Sino, lean sobre el mexicano-americano que recientemente elegido alcalde de Los Ángeles, 2da ciudad mas grande de esta auto-calificada superpotencia.

Ahora, mi mente divaga por kilka, kamana, la kolmena, rumbo a Alfonso Ugarte. Las combis, la gente, el tráfico y el barullo de, a mi concepto, la ciudad más importante de la costa oeste de Sudamérica. Lima, ciudad de migrantes, tres veces coronada villa, y tres mil veces orinada en cima, pero que chucha, la quiero (o la queremos) no por bonita, horrible, contaminada, infernal, tranquila, sucia, o limpia, sino por que es mía ( o nuestra).

Ahora también las tripas aprietan, y me quito a empujarme un arroz con pollo, obra maestra de mi hembrita, refrescado con un Inka Kola heladita y a darle un besote a Alessandra, mi bebe (marsopita dirían Uds.) por quien miento, robo, y mato para que no le falten anchovetas en su dieta diaria je!

Besos para todas,

(Suggested Soundtrack:

Sonic Youth - Youth against fascism

Rage against the Machine – Freedom

Rafo Raez - La inocencia primaria del diablo

Leuzemia - En una invernal noche de surf

Manganzoides - Tren fantasma).

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT October 5, 2007

At last! The Definitive Version of Sir Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi Classic starring Harrison Ford

The Film That Started It All

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT

Debuts on DVD December 18 with Exclusive New York/LA Theatrical Launch October 5

Three Spectacular Editions of Director's Long-Awaited New Version, Restored and Remastered with 5.1 Audio, New and Deleted Scenes, Special Effects and More

All 4 Previous Cuts, Including the Ultra-Rare 'Workprint' Version, Available Along with Hours of Extra Content Including Over 45 Minutes of Deleted Scenes & "Dangerous Days," the Comprehensive New Feature-Length Doc

Ultimate Collector's Edition, in Unique Limited 'Deckard Briefcase,'
also Available in HD DVD & Blu-ray Disc

San Diego, July 26, 2007 - The one that started it all. Sir Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford, is one of the most important science-fiction movies of the 20th Century -- the film with immeasurable influence on society for its futuristic depiction of a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world, a film perhaps more powerful and relevant today than when it was made. The film, in fact, has appeared on more 'Top Five' sci-fi lists than any other film.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, director Ridley Scott (Alien, Hannibal and a three-time Oscar® nominee, Best Director, for Gladiator, Thelma & Louise and Black Hawk Down) has gone back into post production to create the long-awaited definitive new version, which Warner Home Video will unveil on DVD December 18th in the U.S. Blade Runner: The Final Cut, spectacularly restored and remastered from original elements and scanned at 4K resolution, will contain never-before-seen added/extended scenes, added lines, new and improved special effects, director and filmmaker commentary, an all-new 5.1 Dolby® Digital audio track and more.

A showcase theatrical run is also being planned for New York and Los Angeles October 5.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut will be included in three stunning DVD editions: a Two-Disc Special Edition (at $20.97 SRP), a Four-Disc Collector's Edition ($34.99 SRP) and the Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition ($78.92 SRP) in Collectible "Deckard Briefcase" packaging.

Simultaneous HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions (each $TBD) of the "Deckard Briefcase" will also be released in numbered, limited quantities. HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc 5-Disc Digi Packs with collectible slipcase (each $TBD) will include all of the UCE content. Order due date for all editions is November 13.

Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young and Daryl Hannah are among some 80 stars, filmmakers and others who participate in the extensive bonus features. Among the bonus material highlights is Dangerous Days - a brand new, three-and-a-half-hour documentary by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika, with an extensive look into every aspect of the film: its literary genesis, its challenging production and its controversial legacy. The definitive documentary to accompany the definitive film version.

Additionally, two of the collections (4- & 5-Disc) will include an entire disc with hours of enhanced content containing featurettes and galleries devoted to over 45 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes recently discovered in deep storage and approved by Ridley Scott, visual effects as well as background on author Philip K. Dick, script development, abandoned sequences, conceptual design, overall impact of the film and how it lead to the birth of cyberpunk. Trailers, TV spots and promotional featurettes will also be included.

Among some of the fascinating factoids talked about in the special features:

- Notable actual locations were used to reflect 2019 Los Angeles, such as Union Station, 2nd Street tunnel and the Bradbury building.

- The top of Police Headquarters is actually part of the Mothership from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

- In the last scene, Rutger Hauer made the jump between buildings himself.

- In the fight scene between Daryl Hannah and Harrison Ford, Hannah pulled Ford's nose so hard that his nose actually bled afterwards.

- Holding a dove, and letting it fly away, in the last scene was never in the script, but rather Rutger Hauer's idea when filming the scene.

- Dangerous Days was originally the name of the script.

Said Sir Ridley Scott: "The Final Cut is the product of a process that began in early 2000 and continued off and on through seven years of intense research and meticulous restoration, technical challenges, amazing discoveries and new possibilities. I can now wholeheartedly say that Blade Runner: The Final Cut is my definitive director's cut of the film."

Jeff Baker, Warner Home Video Senior VP and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog and Domestic Sales, says: "25 years ago the critics said Blade Runner was ahead of its time and today it's still ahead of its time. This is clearly Ridley's signature film and we're delighted to offer these great editions to the Blade Runner fans who've been so patient, despite besieging us with thousands of annual requests in recent years for new DVDs. A number of people have told me that at the start of DVD, Blade Runner was absolutely the first title they wanted -- so much so that they purchased it even before their first DVD player! We think they'll agree that the new cut and the new editions are worth waiting for."

DETAILS OF BLADE RUNNER EDITIONS


BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT SPECIAL EDITION (2-DISC)



Disc One
RIDLEY SCOTT'S ALL-NEW "FINAL CUT" VERSION OF THE FILM

Restored and remastered with added & extended scenes, added lines, new and cleaner special effects and all new 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. Also includes:

- Commentary by Ridley Scott

- Commentary by Executive Producer/ Co-Screenwriter Hampton Fancher and Co-Screenwriter David Peoples; Producer Michael Deely and production executive Katherine Haber

- Commentaries by visual futurist Syd Mead; production designer Lawrence G. Paull, art director David L. Snyder and special photographic effects supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer

Disc Two
DOCUMENTARY - DANGEROUS DAYS: MAKING BLADE RUNNER

A feature-length authoritative documentary revealing all the elements that shaped this hugely influential cinema landmark. Cast, crew, critics and colleagues give a behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at the film -- from its literary roots and inception through casting, production, visuals and special effects to its controversial legacy and place in Hollywood history.


BLADE RUNNER: COLLECTOR'S EDITION (4-DISC)



The Four-Disc Collector's Edition includes everything from the 2-Disc Special Edition plus three additional versions of the film, as well as an "Enhancement Archive" bonus disc of enhanced content that includes 90 minutes of deleted footage and rare or never-before-seen items in featurettes and galleries that cover the film's amazing history, production teams, special effects, impact on society, promotional trailers, TV spots, and much more.

Disc Three
1982 THEATRICAL VERSION

This is the version that introduced U.S. movie-going audiences to a revolutionary film with a new and excitingly provocative vision of the near-future. It contains Deckard/Harrison Ford's character narration and has Deckard and Rachel's (Sean Young) "happy ending" escape scene.

1982 INTERNATIONAL VERSION

Also used on U.S. home video, laserdisc and cable releases up to 1992. This version is not rated, and contains some extended action scenes in contrast to the Theatrical Version.

1992 DIRECTOR'S CUT

The Director's Cut omits Deckard's voiceover narration and removes the "happy ending" finale. It adds the famously-controversial "unicorn" sequence, a vision that Deckard has which suggests that he, too, may be a replicant.

Disc Four
BONUS DISC - "Enhancement Archive"

- Featurette The Electric Dreamer: Remembering Philip K. Dick
- Featurette Sacrificial Sheep: The Novel vs. The Film
- Philip K. Dick: The Blade Runner Interviews (Audio)
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Cover Gallery (Images)
- The Art of Blade Runner (Image Galleries)
- Featurette Signs of the Times: Graphic Design
- Featurette Fashion Forward: Wardrobe & Styling
- Screen Tests: Rachel & Pris
- Featurette The Light That Burns: Remembering Jordan Cronenweth
- Unit Photography Gallery
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes
- 1982 Promotional Featurettes
- Trailers & TV Spots
- Featurette Promoting Dystopia: Rendering the Poster Art
- Marketing & Merchandise Gallery (Images)
- Featurette Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard
- Featurette Nexus Generation: Fans & Filmmakers


BLADE RUNNER: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION (5-DISC)



The 5-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition includes everything from the previously described 4-Disc Edition, plus the ultra-rare, near-legendary WORKPRINT version of the film, newly remastered. The Ultimate Collector's Edition will be presented in a unique 5-disc digi-package with handle which is a stylish version of Rick Deckard's own briefcase, in addition each briefcase will be individually numbered and in limited supply. Included is a lenticular motion film clip from the original feature, miniature origami unicorn figurine, miniature replica spinner car, collector's photographs as well as a signed personal letter from Sir Ridley Scott.

Disc Five
WORKPRINT VERSION

This rare version of the film is considered by some to be the most radically different of all the Blade Runner cuts. It includes an altered opening scene, no Deckard narration until the final scenes, no "unicorn" sequence, no Deckard/Rachel "happy ending," altered lines between Batty (Rutger Hauer) and his creator Tyrell (Joe Turkell), alternate music and much more.

Also includes:

- Commentary by Paul M. Sammon, author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner
- Featurette All Our Variant Futures: From Workprint to Final Cut


About Blade Runner

Blade Runner made its first appearance in U.S. theaters on June 25, 1982, dazzling audiences with its stylish, brooding look into the future. From its intelligent, provocative story line to its stunning camera work and state-of-the art special effects, the film opened the door to a new view of tomorrow in addition to prefiguring important concerns of the 21st century, such as globalization, urban decay, global warming, over-population and genetic engineering.

Set in a multi-ethnic, overcrowded, high-tech city of the future, Blade Runner was also a benchmark in costume and production design and helped spawn a new genre/lifestyle -- neo-noir cyberpunk which has flourished in today's mainstream society and is reflected in all facets of entertainment, design and fashion trends. Most recognizable is the current trend of the Harajuku district in Japan, recently popularized by Gwen Stefani.

In Blade Runner, genetically manufactured beings called "replicants" are built to do dangerous and degrading work on Earth's "Off-World colonies." Physically identical to adult humans, yet much more powerful, a group of replicants hides in Los Angeles after a bloody mutiny.

Heading the all-star cast, many in career-expanding roles, is Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a special police "blade runner" assigned to hunt down and kill the escapees. Also starring are Sean Young as Rachel, Deckard's replicant lover; Edward James Olmos as Gaff, a mysterious fellow policeman; Daryl Hannah as Pris and Joanna Cassidy as Zhora, two beautiful yet murderous replicants; and Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty, the replicant leader who challenges Deckard's ideas of what it is to be human.

Blade Runner was adapted from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by acclaimed science-fiction author Philip K. Dick. Hollywood has since discovered this eclectic author in full force, and some of the films adapted from Dick's works include Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, Next, and Total Recall, among others, grossing millions of dollars worldwide. But it was Blade Runner that started it all. The film was nominated for 2 Academy Awards® -- for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects. Oscar®- winning composer Vangelis created the musical score.

The multiple "Top Ten" lists Blade Runner has consistently placed high on are: #1 on Wired Magazine's list, and the English Scientists/Guardian Science List made it the #1 sci-fi film of all time based on surveys with 60 scientists. It is #3 on Entertainment Weekly's "best sci-fi movies and TV shows of the past 25 years," and is also #3 on SFX Magazine's list. Blade Runner makes the top ten on the Internet Movie Database's (IMDB) list, beating out such films as Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Frankenstein, King Kong, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.


Marketing Campaign

Blade Runner: The Final Cut Special Editions will be supported by a large-scale national media campaign that will cross over TV, print, online and viral platforms. Promotional tie-ins include a partnership with Random House and a special book version of the film with DVD mentions and artwork; and a promotion with Xbox 360 LIVE available for owners of the HD DVD version of Blade Runner, plus other promotions and partners to be announce soon.


BLADE RUNNER 25th ANNIVERSARY
Street Date: December 18, 2007
Order Due Date: November 13, 2007
Rated "R" - Widescreen 16x9, Color

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT SPECIAL EDITION (2-DISC)
$20.97 SRP
Catalog # 114482
Packaging: Double Amaray
Feature Run Time: 117:30

BLADE RUNNER: COLLECTOR'S EDITION (4-DISC)
$34.99 SRP
Catalog # 114483
Packaging: 4-Disc Digi-Pak w/ Custom Slipcase
Feature Run Time: 117:30

BLADE RUNNER: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION (5-DISC)
Limited Numbered Edition in "Deckard Briefcase" w/Collectible Memorabilia
$78.92 SRP
Catalog # 114484
Feature Run Time: 117:30

BLADE RUNNER: COMPLETE COLLECTOR'S EDITION HD (5-DISC)
$TBD
HD Catalog #118573
Packaging: Digi-Pak with Collectible Slipcase

BLADE RUNNER: COMPLETE COLLECTOR'S EDITION BD (5-DISC)
$TBD
BD Catalog #118574
Packaging: Digi-Pak with Collectible Slipcase

BLADE RUNNER: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION HD-DVD (5-DISC)
Limited Numbered Edition in "Deckard Briefcase" w/Collectible Memorabilia
$TBD
HD Catalog #118571

BLADE RUNNER: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION BLU-RAY DISC (5-DISC)
Limited Numbered Edition in "Deckard Briefcase" w/Collectible Memorabilia
$TBD
BD Catalog #118572


Note: All enhanced content, DVD pricing, and marketing plans listed above are subject to change

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

Jerry Perenchio and Bud Yorkin present A Michael Deeley - Ridley Scott Production: Harrison Ford in "Blade Runner," starring Rutger Hauer, Sean Young and Edward James Olmos. The screenplay is by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples and the executive producers are Brian Kelly and Hampton Fancher. Visual effects are by Doug Trumbull; the director of photography is Jordan Cronenweth; and the associate producer is Ivor Powell. The original music is composed by Vangelis. "Blade Runner" is produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Ridley Scott. The film is a Ladd Company release in association with Sir Run Run Shaw. Distributed by Warner Bros. A Time Warner Entertainment Company.