And . . . Cut!

When Ridley Scott's prescient Blade Runner was released in American theaters in 1982, the struggle over control of its final cut was already legendary. The studio didn't know what to make of Scott's preferred version, finding it dark, confusing and terrifyingly uncommercial. The studio won and tacked on a voice-over and a quick happy ending. The theatrical release was compromised, and Scott's complete directorial vision would have to wait 25 years to be seen by the public. Last year, Scott re-edited the film, inserting additional footage and improving on his previous director's cut, released in 1992. The profound and poetic film, in any of its incarnations, remains one of the classic American pictures of the 20th century.
Mon., June 30, 8 p.m.; Fri., July 4, 10:15 p.m.; Sun., July 6, 6 p.m.; Wed., July 9, 8 p.m., 2008