Blade Runner

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 12th grade April 2001

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The Question of Satisfying the Requirements of the canonical Art In the beginning of his "The New Eve"� essay, Desser claims the similarity of the new science fiction film of Ridley Scott, Blade Runner, to Milton's Paradise Lost, and Shelley's Frankenstein, two undoubtedly classical works according to his definition. His definition of artwork worthy to be a part of a "canon"� requires that the work is serious, philosophical, and important (53). Taking this as the initial assumption of the author and the fact that the two works satisfy this definition proves to us by comparison that Blade Runner should be included into the canon, if any work of cinema can be. The method of his proof of the worthiness of this piece includes the comparison with the works mentioned above as the ones already accepted as classics. According to Desser. The continuous emphasis of the traditional themes depicted in the movie, as well as mentioning the fact that even classical art is originally destined for public entertainment creates the base for acceptance of the Blade Runner into the list of canonized works.

The greatest part of Desser's essay is devoted to the analysis of Blade Runner and the two works aforementioned and influence of these two works on Blade Runner. He analyzes the iteration of the themes of Genesis in Paradise Lost and observes their invocation in Blade Runner. Desser compares the characters of Blade Runner to classical characters like the Devil, God, Adam and Eve and the setting to Hell and Heaven. He compares the city, future Los Angeles, to heaven or hell. He compares Batty (a leader of replacing in Blade Runner) to Satan, the monster, the Adam and even Eve. These as well as many other comparisons between the characters prove the author's...