Blade runner being one of my all time favourite films of all time - (one of those that if I happen to catch a glimpse of means I have to watch it all YET AGAIN) I was keen to read all of this. It's interesting to see the take that others have on things especailly when they differ so much from one's own.
Blade runner being one of my all time favourite films of all time - (one of those that if I happen to catch a glimpse of means I have to watch it all YET AGAIN) I was keen to read all of this. It's interesting to see the take that others have on things especailly when they differ so much from one's own.
I have never seen this scene as rape. I have always seen it as a struggle between Rachael's torment and Deckard's torment - both coming from different places.
Rachael is tormented by the burgeoning realisation of what she is or may be - she is filling with sorrow that her life is not her own, that she is not real. But at the same time, she is attracted to Deckard, to his human-ness. She is at the same time scared of Deckard because she knows what he is and that it is his job to kill replicants. She is confused by human feelings now that she knows she is not human. She wonders how she can feel this, how she can live out these feelings when she is not human. She is apprehensive as to what may happen if she gives way to these feelings. But most of all she is a sad child - she has only a few years of lived experience, and so she is a child, who has lost everything. Physical desire is new to her - she has plopped out of a vat, perhaps only weeks or months beforehand.
Deckard is tormented because he is attracted to Rachael (but of course) He knows it is his job to kill her. He is sorrowful about that and full of pity for her, because of what he knows she is: as you quote "how can it not know what it is?" This inspires an empathic sadness in him. Despite knowing what she is, knowing what she has lost and seeing her evident torment, he is overcome with empathic sorrow for her plight. He expresses this with the forceful passionate embrace - he wants her to feel humanity, to experience the joy, the release of physical desire and giving in to those human drives and urges - it is quintessentially human - physical union. He wants for her to feel that she is wanted by a human - he has no concept yet that he is a replicant (in my opinion, he is certainly a replicant - cue unicorn origami, dream sequence argument - I rest my case) -
I know this could perhaps be seen as the classic male chauvinist line "What she needs is a good seeing to." but in a way I think this is what the scene is about at a much more profound level.
I do not think Deckard is disgusted or hateful in this scene - he wants her, as a man, but he wants her to feel human, to feel that she is wanted, to feel safe with him, to know the closeness of
sex. It is forceful but it is not violent. The feelings are forcefully shown, not violently meted out.
I believe that if rape was the message, then Scott would have made the scene more explicitly a rape scene. There would have been anger; more evident disgust, self loathing, resistance, but to me I see more sorrow and tenderness than anything violent.
How could I not join in to the discussion - I am going to have to upgrade Thaddeus - I feel I peaked too soon with some of my subscribing - and I don’t have money to burn on nice, when there is brilliance.
Blade runner being one of my all time favourite films of all time - (one of those that if I happen to catch a glimpse of means I have to watch it all YET AGAIN) I was keen to read all of this. It's interesting to see the take that others have on things especailly when they differ so much from one's own.
I have never seen this scene as rape. I have always seen it as a struggle between Rachael's torment and Deckard's torment - both coming from different places.
Rachael is tormented by the burgeoning realisation of what she is or may be - she is filling with sorrow that her life is not her own, that she is not real. But at the same time, she is attracted to Deckard, to his human-ness. She is at the same time scared of Deckard because she knows what he is and that it is his job to kill replicants. She is confused by human feelings now that she knows she is not human. She wonders how she can feel this, how she can live out these feelings when she is not human. She is apprehensive as to what may happen if she gives way to these feelings. But most of all she is a sad child - she has only a few years of lived experience, and so she is a child, who has lost everything. Physical desire is new to her - she has plopped out of a vat, perhaps only weeks or months beforehand.
Deckard is tormented because he is attracted to Rachael (but of course) He knows it is his job to kill her. He is sorrowful about that and full of pity for her, because of what he knows she is: as you quote "how can it not know what it is?" This inspires an empathic sadness in him. Despite knowing what she is, knowing what she has lost and seeing her evident torment, he is overcome with empathic sorrow for her plight. He expresses this with the forceful passionate embrace - he wants her to feel humanity, to experience the joy, the release of physical desire and giving in to those human drives and urges - it is quintessentially human - physical union. He wants for her to feel that she is wanted by a human - he has no concept yet that he is a replicant (in my opinion, he is certainly a replicant - cue unicorn origami, dream sequence argument - I rest my case) -
I know this could perhaps be seen as the classic male chauvinist line "What she needs is a good seeing to." but in a way I think this is what the scene is about at a much more profound level.
I do not think Deckard is disgusted or hateful in this scene - he wants her, as a man, but he wants her to feel human, to feel that she is wanted, to feel safe with him, to know the closeness of
sex. It is forceful but it is not violent. The feelings are forcefully shown, not violently meted out.
I believe that if rape was the message, then Scott would have made the scene more explicitly a rape scene. There would have been anger; more evident disgust, self loathing, resistance, but to me I see more sorrow and tenderness than anything violent.
Wonderful breakdown! Love it. No notes.
How could I not join in to the discussion - I am going to have to upgrade Thaddeus - I feel I peaked too soon with some of my subscribing - and I don’t have money to burn on nice, when there is brilliance.
Thank you!