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Blade Runner 2049 - The Lifespan Cut (Completed Fan Fix)

I like the idea of it, but you can still see suffering on her face, and this doesn't necessarily match what Wallace is saying at that time.  Same with the part where the camera goes up her body;  the words don't really match what we're seeing.  

Wallace is also talking very fast, which might not fit his character as the deep thinker and reclusive genius who likely doesn't have a lot of interaction with people.

That said, I like the idea to cut out the disturbing slaughter, and you're right that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for him to say they don't have enough replicants and then go and kill her.  On the other hand, he might just be venting about the fact that he can't get them to reproduce as Tyrell could i.e. "No matter what I do, it's not enough.  So one more loss isn't going to make much difference . . ."

All the same, the original scene is not a fun scene to watch on the screen.  I like your attempt at moving the dialogue around, but perhaps some more of it can be cut out so it doesn't all sound rushed.  Also, maybe cut the part where she appears to be in pain, as you are no longer showing the cut.



In any event, I like where this is going and may try my hand at this as well :)
 
Thank you, these are interesting points; just keep in mind that faster interactions between the characters was my aim in this fanedit, so it's entirely intentional. I'm not looking to supersede the original film - if people prefer the more meditated slower dialogue then the Lifespan Cut will probably not appeal.

It was my thought in this specific scene that Wallace isn't an interesting enough villain to justify his ramblings, so I wanted him to say what he needed to say to move the plot along as efficiently as possible. I concede that the dialogue doesn't exactly match what we are seeing in the camera pan, but does it really have to? His dialogue right here in the original cut is considerably worse: "We make angels in the service of civilization. Yes there were bad angels once, I make good angels now". He sounds as if he's off his tits on drugs! I don't really think Wallace came across a deep-thinking genius in the original movie - in my view he was a poorly written character who I've set out to minimalise as much as possible.

The suffering on the replicant's face is unfortunate but there is little room to manoeuvre here. You could probably rejig the scene so Wallace doesn't touch her face, but the dialogue "I cannot breed them, so help me I have tried" is vital, and has to go somewhere. I was hoping that it would be enough for the viewer to assume the replicant is in an uncomfortable position: newborn, confused, completely naked, cold, being examined like cattle - her expression of anguish could easily be attributed to these things. It's only because we know she is in actual pain in the original cut that this is a potential problem.

Thanks for your comments, enjoying the discussion!
 
I think at first her face is okay there, but then she really starts to gasp;  it's at that point where there's the greater mismatch.  But as you say, it is arguably possible to keep it as you have it.

Also, I did not mean to suggest that Wallace says anything profound, but as a weird eccentric, he may well have a more stifled form of speech as in the original cut.  Again, it's possible to keep things as you have them, but for some this will come as more abrupt.  Like you said though, for some this will mean an improvement, and for others this will not quite feel right for them.


I do like your cut at the end, which I forgot to mention before.  Makes it feel more intense.  

I personally do like the part about the angels as well and did find that it made sense for me;  since they can't rebel or commit wrongdoing on their own accord, they are basically like perfect angels.  Whereas the replicants of the past still had free will and could commit murder and other crimes.  So for me, that part didn't sound crazy or drug-enduced.  

On one hand, Wallace is a hero and philanthropist.  He's trying to do the right thing by saving humanity from famine and providing a sufficient work force.  So, in a sense, he has a God complex (he did save humanity after all), and therefore views his creations as angels.  But of course, most/all of those who get into a position of too much power tend to become corrupt, such that in Wallace's case he's willing to snuff out any possible threat to his profits and business, even resorting to murder.

But anyway, that's where I saw the whole God complex / angel lines coming from.  Later on, Wallace talks about God opening Rachel's womb, which I found a startling coincidence as there are in fact these exact lines in the Old Testament, and what happened in the movie is fairly similar.  Whether you view a work like the Bible as mythology or truth, I find it helps to give a movie a more classic feel to have these references.  But of course, only if they truly fit and aren't forced.
 
Great job with editing that birth scene. Very clever cuts and it all works perfectly IMO.

Bad Wardrobe said:
The suffering on the replicant's face is unfortunate but there is little room to manoeuvre here.
Click to expand...

Again that worked fine for me. She was just born 20-seconds earlier and dropped from a height on to the floor. I think now it reads as shivering and confusion.
 
Sometimes on initial viewing, I find myself comparing it too much to the original and my thinking tends to lean more, "It's not supposed to be this way because it's not like that in the original."  To that extent, I end up viewing my own edits over and over to check that it still holds up.  

So on viewing it again, the pacing of the dialogue seems just fine!  In some ways, I prefer Wallace's normal pace of speech that you have here vs. his more spaced-apart one in the theatrical cut.  

Your version here obviously also helps to speed through the scene, and this was one of the slower parts. 


Uncomfortable situation or not, the "gasp" part still jumps out to me as out of place, but of course I'm just one opinion of many!
 
If the provided examples are anything to go on, this looks like an edit upon which much thought and effort has been expended. Looking forward to viewing the complete edit.
 
Thanks for all your continued interest! I've got a few more examples for you (as usual, the demo clips are compressed and not the same quality as the final version):

-- Example # 1: The Furnace Scene.

Ah, the furnace scene. This was perhaps the first moment in the cinema where I began to truly question the pacing of Blade Runner 2049. I understand it's designed to build tension, but the lingering camerawork and slo-mo Ryan Gosling is something even Zak Snyder might consider to be over the top! This was a scene I felt compelled to trim, if only for the sake of future viewings.



-- Example # 2: K talks to the Prostitute.

Only subtle changes here but a good representation of how numerous minor trims can make a big difference over the course of a long movie. This also includes a colour regrade, which seems to have proven a bit divisive. 



-- Example # 3: The Memory Maker, Vangelis.

Again, only a subtle change but a nice one, I think. In the scene where K first meets the Memory Maker, there a strange emptiness to the scene, in my opinion. In The Lifespan Cut I've added the track "One More Kiss, Dear" from the original 1982 Blade Runner soundtrack. I think it gives the scene some warmth and a nostalgic feel, which works well in a scene about creating memories.



I wouldn't want to spoil the initial viewing of the Lifespan Cut, so this is probably the last batch of clips I'll release unless anyone has any specific requests for a scene. As always, please don't hesitate to send me a PM if you'd like a download link for the film.

Cheers!
 
Thanks for your patience, Bad Wardrobe. The editing in this version is excellent. Smart trims have been made throughout to achieve the edit's goal. This is approved!



I thought the rescoring was delightful. The use of Vangelis (without overdoing it) in key moments was very well done. This is my favorite part of the edit. Personally, this edit achieves its goal very well, but I just don't care for the goal. I prefer my Blade Runner to be ponderous with time for everything to soak in, especially the sumptuous visuals. I think there are definitely shots that could be shortened but I do not prefer it done this way across the board. Conversations and actions feel rushed (this is not a technical flaw, just in comparison to the original which I love). The color correction was a mixed bag for me. Most of the time, it was subtle and I found it to be an improvement. However, I did not enjoy it in the Las Vegas section of the movie. It looks too washed out and I much prefer the original look. Again, that's just a preference and you could certainly make the argument that it should look washed out because it's irradiated. To each their own. Great job, Bad Wardrobe, a very impressive first effort.
 
I am late to the party, but I wanted to say how much I loved this edit. It's incredible how the flow of the film remains intact and barely altered with so much removed. 
In fact, this would be my go to version, if not for the color grading. I have to chime in to the chorus of those who thought it was too much of a good thing.
There's one change that might be worth reconsidering though: Wallace killing the newborn replicant. That scene is actually quite vital. It shows that Wallace only masquerades as a businessman (which ties in with the prequel short film), while his real ambition is  much bigger. He speaks about conquering the stars, restoring Eden. He essentially wants to be god.
His total disregard for the life of his replicant shows that he doesn't care about profit.
It also foreshadows what he will do to the Rachel clone.
And finally, it's an important part of Luv's character arc. She cries when he kills the newborn replicant. She cries when she kills the coroner. She no longer cries, when she fatally stabs K.
She evolves to disregard life, which mirror's K's evolution to value life.
 
Thanks for your comments Amok, some solid points there!

Guys, is there anything more I need to do to get this added to the IFDB now that it's been approved?
 
Bad Wardrobe said:
Thanks for your comments Amok, some solid points there!

Guys, is there anything more I need to do to get this added to the IFDB now that it's been approved?
Click to expand...

I'm on this - forgot to send the submission form to you when I approved it, sorry!
 
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