Blade Runner Opening Analysis

Blade Runner Opening Analysis

The opening sequence of any film should efficiently establish location and underlying themes, whilst hooking an audience from the outset. Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, does so by portraying the affects of human endeavour, and the agenda of the antagonist androids. 

After a scroll of text to supply the audience with some prior contextual knowledge on the Blade Runner universe, the audience is faced with a grim skyline of LA, 2019, dominated by industry. Upon first glance, the city seems fairly modern and minimalistic, albeit significantly darker and smoggier. However, as the camera slowly moves forward into this universe, we can see that the city is practically completely flat, with the exception of foundry chimneys which continuously erupt with flame. These consistent explosions are jarring, though are the only supply of colour within the frame aside from the distant street lights. This bleak, almost wretched extreme-wide shot has connotations of (literally) Hell on Earth, which is the first association with the underlying biblical theme. 

Ridley Scott has intended to involve the audience with this universe right from the opening shot by slowly guiding them closer to the explosions. This presents us with a more three-dimensional world, eliciting a strong sense of space and isolation. Interestingly, the majority of the frame is filled with black and dark green colours, which we have come to associate with pollution and all things toxic; this is significant given the course of events leading up to this moment (nuclear fallout.) However, this use of mise-en-scene is also making a strong statement about society and how humanity are gradually destroying the environment, leading to the severity we are faced with in this film. There is no sunlight nor no greenery, giving a very dystopian look to the city.