7. Rutger Hauer Added His Own Lines To The Famous "Sea Beams" Speech
The basic premise for Blade Runner outlined at the beginning of the film, in which the titular runners track down rogue Replicants to "retire" them, could so easily have devolved into a generic and predictable action movie featuring goodies and baddies. That it completely transcends this set up and delivers instead a thoughtful examination of the nature of identity and humanity is one of the key reasons why the film's popularity has endured for so long. The essence of this dynamic is captured in the closing moments of the film, as Deckard finally comes face to face with Replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) in a large abandoned building. What could have been a violent showdown and nothing more is transformed completely by Batty's closing speech. Having shown mercy on Deckard and pulled him from the edge of the building, the following speech imbues Batty's character with a degree of humanity rarely seen in humans. Hauer humbly added a few lines of his own and added the finishing touches to what was already great dialogue: All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die." It's one of the greatest moments in cinema history, and we owe it all to Hauer's improvisation.
