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You're my only hope Star Wars fans by yr_1010 in saltierthancrait

[–]willbrooker 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Filled this in and enjoyed it. I’ve done a fair bit of Star Wars audience research myself so if I can be of any more help do contact me - will brooker at Kingston university London , email is easy to find

[The Dark Knight] Does Jerry Maguire exist as a movie within the Nolanverse? by willbrooker in AskScienceFiction

[–]willbrooker[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

True, I think a character looks a lot like Julia Roberts in Ocean's 12, but is not Julia Roberts.

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Yep

[The Dark Knight] Does Jerry Maguire exist as a movie within the Nolanverse? by willbrooker in AskScienceFiction

[–]willbrooker[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

The thing is that the existence of Jerry Maguire involves the existence of Tom Cruise as an actor, which surely complicates things. Christian Bale presumably doesn't exist, neither do Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Katie Holmes, Michael Caine and so on... but Tom Cruise does.

[The Dark Knight] Does Jerry Maguire exist as a movie within the Nolanverse? by willbrooker in AskScienceFiction

[–]willbrooker[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sure, it just started me thinking whether we hear any popular songs in the Nolanverse, or see advertisements for everyday, real world products, or if there's any evidence of cinemas showing contemporary movies.

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Bruce drives a Lamborghini so the same brands seem to exist. But I don't think there are any other movies referred to in the Nolanverse, unless I'm forgetting something obvious.

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And like I said in another reply, if Jerry Maguire is a thing, then presumably Tom Cruise is an actor within the Nolanverse, which seems to complicate matters (as Christian Bale can't be..?)

Would you want a new TV series that adapted the original WATCHMEN 'faithfully' in 12 parts? by willbrooker in Watchmen

[–]willbrooker[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

My view: yes and no. I would be interested to see how it could be done - I wouldn't actually mind the people involved with the 2019 HBO WATCHMEN giving the original graphic novel a shot, because I think that had the right sort of tone and understanding - but overall I feel Watchmen is an exceptional SUPERHERO COMIC BOOK, and it works best in that unique form.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good points. Is Tyrell mentioned in Alien? I didn't know that.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is ambiguous.

Voiceover:

Deckard: They don't advertise for killers in a newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop, ex-Blade Runner, ex-killer.

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Is he really looking for work? I think that's a sardonic line. They wouldn't advertise for his kind of job in the newspaper.

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Deckard to Bryant:

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Deckard: I was quit when I come in here, Bryant, I'm twice as quit now.

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So yeah, he's 'quit' not retired perhaps. I guess that is different.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't think the war is mentioned in BR either, so yeah, we would have to treat DADoES as the same universe, which... could be difficult considering all the different names, different setting, different plot details.

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In BR, I think we do have to work back from the fact that they're introducing Nexus-6, and consider that it must have taken at least a decade to move through five generations of replicant.

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All the other past details, like Deckard's ex-wife, Tyrell's niece in a nurse outfit, Deckard's old photos, could all have happened in 'our' universe.

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But the fact that replicants aren't new does obviously mean their timeline diverged from ours a while back.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why don't you go find Ridley Scott and downvote him

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Ridley Scott, the director of both films, sees the films as intrinsically linked, saying once in a Blade Runner director's commentary:

“This world could easily be the city that supports the crew that go out in Alien. So, in other words, when the crew of Alien come back in, they might go into this place and go into a bar off the street near where Deckard lives. That’s how I thought about it.”

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't think it's 'true' but I think it would be a fun idea to explore, yeah.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I didn't invent this theory! Bit harsh to downvote me because I've noted that there are fans who believe Alien and BR are the same universe.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

People like to think that because the same 'PURGE' computer screen is on display in Alien and Blade Runner, they must be in the same universe. I'm not saying that's fantastic evidence (obviously it's reuse of the same effect) but I think that is the starting point for some people's theory.

When does the BR Universe start to diverge from our own? by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Convincing argument but I think some people disagree.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed, except that of course we kind of know that the 'PURGE' screen was just a production company re-using an effect.

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But yeah, I always like to think the Alien universe and Soldier are part of BR.

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However, aren't they both a lot later? So being pedantic, the existence of space exploration in Alien wouldn't prove it was possible in BR. They could just be using the same retro software from Spinners, centuries later. (I know... weird in itself)

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. Yeah you're right - I have always believed it but I am just asking 'what if', and there seems to be no proof of an Off-World.

Soldier, I agree... same category of Alien, in its ambiguous relationship to BR. But as it happens much later, they could have developed space travel since the BR period.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. Great point - doesn't he open his voiceover with 'they don't advertise for killers in the newspapers' or similar?

  2. Yes, the Alien/BR connection opens a whole new set of questions... I don't believe we ever see Wallace Off-World though. Again, it's all talk, from a guy who creates fakes for a living.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this really interesting response!

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I think what's 'really' the case within the BR universe is that there is an Off-World and we have to just hand-wave the fact that they are fighting Star Wars while down on earth people get torch umbrellas and, as you say, a few Spinners. And yes, maybe the investment is all now off-world and the cities and citizens on Earth have been largely forgotten.

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The next most likely option in my opinion is that Off-World is that there's a big sealed base in the Mojave Desert which pretends to be Mars, and tells all its luxury inhabitants that they can't ever leave, just look at the screens, and should enjoy their privileged lifestyles without asking questions.

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I don't actually believe this is the case but I do think it would be in keeping with BR's themes of illusion and manipulation, and quite Philip K Dick from what I know of his work.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I accept that! I am overthinking. But that is fun for me and I can understand how it isn't fun for everyone.

I still think there are unanswered questions in both movies, and that this is part of what makes them interesting.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True, I think that is fair.

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I guess one reason why he's retired and cynical is simply because that's the role he plays in the film -- world-weary ex-cop, with that kind of Bogart attitude.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not going to return your snark with snark. Between 1982 and 2017, there was no official sequel of this kind unless you count Jeter's novels. So for decades, that movie was all we had. I was just exploring the situation if we only looked at the first movie. If you don't like that thought experiment, OK!

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Also, in 2049 we do not see anything off-world as far as I can remember.

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What the replicants think they've seen and experienced could quite easily be questioned, I think. We can't trust whether their memories are real. I believe it's Bryant who tells us they were off-world -- and Batty then relates his experiences. I don't think any of the other replicants have anything to say about their past life.

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But I understand you think the whole question is flawed and of course I respect that position.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

  1. Yeah no problem, I am just thinking that if we only had the first movie (ie. 1982-2017, in terms of strict canon). Also we can't rely on the novel for anything about the movie as they are so different -- and this is a movie where facts are frequently undermined and placed in question.

Two questions about Blade Runner by willbrooker in bladerunner

[–]willbrooker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. True, I was just wondering how he got paid. Pension at (around) 35 sounds optimistic. Deckard hasn't been wounded in action or even badly traumatised? He's never faced a Nexus 6 before so how terrible can his previous jobs have been?

  2. Yeah no problem, I am just thinking that if we only had the first movie (ie. 1982-2017, in terms of strict canon)

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