20 Things You Didn't Know About Blade Runner
7. It Was One Of The Earliest Examples Of A Director's Cut...
After the studios' wrestling of creative control from Ridley Scott and the film's initial lukewarm response, Blade Runner languished until 1989, when sound preservationist Michael Arick stumbled upon Ridley Scott's original 70mm workprint, long thought to be lost. This print was screened at a classic film festival later that year, though as no one had actually watched it yet, audiences were surprised to find that it was an entirely different version to Blade Runner's theatrical release.
Further screenings were ordered, resulting in sell outs and a much more enthusiastic response to the film than its initial release in 1982. This led Warner Bros. to have the film screened at cinemas in 15 different US cities, now advertised as the Director's Cut.