Star Wars: 10 Obscure Movie Secrets That Took Years To Discover
5. How Did The Millennium Falcon End Up In Blade Runner?
Blade Runner changed the game when it came to special effects. CGI was still in its infancy when Ridley Scott made his 1982 cinematic exploration of a dystopian future, and therefore relied heavily on the use of practical effects. The film really is one of the most sophisticated and creative examples of in-camera trickery. Combining matte paintings with live action footage, and highly detailed scale models, Scott was able to create an aesthetic that became the gold standard for dystopian sci fi.
Scott famously went over budget making this movie, and was forced to skimp wherever possible. The special effects department were forced to get highly creative, which often meant taking props and models from other movies, and utilising them to create a futuristic LA. As well as using several models from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), the props guys also raided the Star Wars set.
When Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007) shed light on the fascinating process of movie making, it was revealed a model of the Millennium Flacon wound up being altered to resemble a futuristic building. All they did was turn it front side up, add a bunch of extra antennas, and then shoved it into the background of a shot.