Finally! This is the news we’ve long been waiting for; the BR:SE DVD (as it has been referred to by the fans). Reuters reported on May 30th that “Blade Runner,” one of the first movies to appear on DVD in 1997, is being restored and remastered for a brief reissue in September. The DVD, featuring the 1992 “director’s cut,” will be deleted after four months, and replaced by a 25th anniversary “final cut,” which Warner Home Video is billing as Scott’s “definitive new version” of the film.
Reuters also write: After a limited theatrical release, the newly spruced-up “Runner” will be released in a multidisc special edition DVD that also will include the original theatrical cut, the expanded international theatrical cut and the 1992 director’s cut. More specifics about the DVDs are to be released by Warner later on.
The director’s cut first came out on DVD before optimal formatting standards had been established, said Doug Pratt, editor of the DVD-LaserDisc Newsletter. “Shortly afterwards, it went into moratorium. The early adopters who bought the title have long since wished to see it upgraded, while other fans, who came into DVDs later on, have been unable to find it at all. It is the only ‘big’ sci-fi spectacle currently unavailable on DVD,” Pratt said.
BRI’s comment: This will be a monumental product release longly awaited in suspense by the Blade Runner community. I couldn’t agree more on the statement by Mr. Pratt in the paragraph above. To further illustrate the grand anticipation by the community for this release make sure you read BRmovie.com’s excellent tracking of everything that has been uttered and speculated upon during the last five years.
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There has been some confusion about when BR:SE will be available. This article from SciFi.com should provide some insight. The important part of the article is quoted below:
The restored “director’s cut” will debut on home video in September and will remain on sale for only four months, after which time it will be placed on moratorium. Blade Runner: Final Cut will arrive in 2007 for a limited 25th-anniversary theatrical run, followed by a special-edition DVD with the three previous versions offered as alternate viewing. Besides the original theatrical version and director’s cut, the expanded international theatrical cut will be included. The set will also contain additional bonus materials.