I know it's only a film, but...

After the last posting about Bladerunner, I went out and bought a DVD of the

asking what the other one was).

IMO, Scott decided Deckard was a replicant part way through filming and
scissored in the unicorn dream scene and a few others towards the end of the
filming process. I still claim that the screenplay started out with Deckard
human.

So, back to my BIMB (Deckard shouldn't be a replicant). Clearly the technology
allows very fine control over the phenotype that the manipulated genotype leads
to - many examples show this, particularly the menagerie. But just as clearly,
in this film there are limits. The replicant's clocks can't be reset, and the
gene tech's genetic disease can't be cured. Clearly the smooth umblemished
perfection of Rachel is entirely possible. How would the process produce a
rather lived in Deckard (complete with chin scar) in the weeks or months that
was available?

Roy and Leon have had four hard years to pick up any wear and tear. Pris and
Zohra seemed pretty umblemished anyway.

Secondly, if Deckard had already been made, why send in the idiot (who must have
been human - he was too inept to have been made) to test the new Tyrell
employees and get shot by Leon? Unless the process takes hours, not days or
months and Deckard was made AFTER the inept bladerunner was shot.

Thirdly, and back to the 'agreement' in the last post that if Deckard could pick
up that Rachel was a replicant, he should be able to decide he was a replicant,
I think one of the scissored in scenes has Rachel asking Deckard if he had taken
the test. But that cuts both ways - firstly suggesting that Deckard may be a
replicant, but it should also get Deckard himself thinking that he might be.

Lastly, think about the rooftop scene with Roy Batty (how did I forget that
name?). The scene's purpose is to show that Roy is physically, intellectually,
experientially and morally superior. To what? Another replicant? Unless Deckard
is human, that scene is pointless. Pity about the heavy symbolism of the white
dove flying off as Roy dies.

And I forgot Roy only broke fingers for Pris and Zohra. I guess because Rachel
shot Leon.

On a related point, the JEO character (did he ever have a name?) says at the end
of Rachel 'Pity she won't live - but then who of us does?' (repeated on
voiceover in case we missed it). This is enough for me to conclude Rachel
DOESN'T have a sell by date, but has a gene cut that will allow her to grow old
and die like a human.

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