20 Things You Somehow Missed In Blade Runner

6. Animal Instincts

Blade Runner
Warner Bros.

An interesting motif in Blade Runner is how the film seemingly assigns animal traits and metaphors to each of the replicants we see on-screen.

Firstly, the analogy of the tortoise used in his Voight-Kampff Test quite neatly surmises Leon's character. Then when we're introduced to Rachael, the question of whether or not she's real is also asked of the Owl. Zhora is the easy one, as the snake is literally a part of her act. Pris initially conceals herself in the backstreet garbage before later wearing heavy black and white makeup, both reminiscent of a raccoon. While finally Roy howls like a wolf during the closing scenes.

Anyone after a Deckard theory here need look no further than the unicorn.

In this post: 
Blade Runner
 
First Posted On: 
Managing Editor
Managing Editor

WhatCulture's Managing Editor and Chief Reporter | Previously seen in Vice, Esquire, FourFourTwo, Sabotage Times, Loaded, The Set Pieces, and Mundial Magazine