It's not an easy thing to meet your maker.

October 20, 2006 12:42 PM

Bladerunner theatrical release: did he or didn't he? Gorey details and

When I saw Bladerunner in the theatre, lo these many years ago, I swear that Roy Batty gouges Dr. Tyrell's eyes out while crushing his skull. A friend of mine is certain he saw the same thing. Every copy I've owned since just has the skull-crushing though. Did we imagine it?

posted by lekvar to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

No you didn't imagine it. There was a short VHS release with the footage included. The following 'Director's Cut' and DVD releases do not include this.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:49 PM on October 20, 2006

Best answer: Search for "thumbs" here.
posted by GeekAnimator at 12:51 PM on October 20, 2006

The European theatrical release (also available on Criterion Laserdisc) is 117 minutes long and more explicit/violent than the original American version, with a few additions/differences from the US release.

Batty kills Tyrell by pushing his thumbs in his eyes, which bleed copiously.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 12:51 PM on October 20, 2006

You are not mistaken. The European theatrical release featured a longer version of this scene, in which Batty gouges Tyrell's eyes out (IMDB reference).

BTW, this is part of a much larger theme regarding eyes that plays throughout the film.
posted by googly at 12:53 PM on October 20, 2006

I can't remember but I think that you probably did see this:

"This is the film's final eye imagery: Tyrell's eyes being gouged out by the insightful Roy."

"Here, Roy Batty puts
an end to Tyrell by pushing in his eyes."
posted by john m at 12:54 PM on October 20, 2006

Response by poster: Yay Meafilter! GeekAnimator gets the mark, but I think we're all winners here. Well, all of us except Tyrell.
posted by lekvar at 1:03 PM on October 20, 2006

Yeah, and he says "I want more life, fucker" and not "I want more life, father."
posted by porpoise at 1:04 PM on October 20, 2006

the father/fucker quote was meant to be vague and not black/white, as is pretty much the rest of the movie
posted by bonesy at 2:38 PM on October 20, 2006

Definitely yes. I remember writing a paper comparing eye-gouging in Lear & Blade Runner for a Shakespeare class.
posted by juv3nal at 2:39 PM on October 20, 2006

To clarify, the version of Blade Runner that is currently available (the "director's cut") is different from the original theatrical and video releases. The eye-gouging shot is in the original, but not in the DC.
posted by neckro23 at 3:32 PM on October 20, 2006

We might as well get to the serious question: Is Deckard a replicant?
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 12:35 AM on October 21, 2006

At the end of this Channel 4 documentary, TheOnlyCoolTim, Ridley Scott answers your question directly. (ROT-13'd for your non-spoiler pleasure).

Gur vagreivrjre, Znex Xrezbqr, nfxf gur dhrfgvba naq Fpbgg rkcbhaqf ba gur fvtavsvpnapr bs gur gjb 'Havpbea' frdhraprf; gur bar jurer Qrpxneq qernzf bs gur Havpbea, gura yngre svaqf gur zbqry bhgfvqr gur nccnegzrag.

Xrezbqr : 'Juvpu zrnaf?'

Fpbgg : '... gung ur'f n ercyvpnag.'
posted by punilux at 4:32 AM on October 21, 2006