I really enjoyed the human/replicant testing, page 2 (4/pdf), Leon, and page 24 (27/pdf), Rachael. The nuances of the questions and answers, trying to discern appropriate human vs replicant responses, were interesting. And this bit was great, felt momentous, a wakeup of sorts for Deckard: RACHAEL May I ask a personal question? DECKARD Go ahead. RACHAEL Have you ever retired a human by mistake? Deckard blinks... hesitates before answering the question. DECKARD No. Other dialogue that jumped out, achingly beautiful, because the words are true, Batty's good bye: BATTY I've seen things... (long pause) seen things you little people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion bright as magnesium... I rode on the back decks of a blinker and watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. (pause) all those moments... they'll be gone.

I know this is a forum about screenwriting, but Rutger Hauer's on set revision of Roy Batty's farewell speech, which created a piece of classic movie dialogue, is a masterly example of the value of cutting and revision: Batty: I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.

Excellent use of 'hard-boiled noir' dialogue, especially in Deckard's first few scenes. This not only establishes his character, but gives us a context in which to view him: he's this story's Phillip Marlowe, the tough but decent guy who brings things to light (including, possibly, his own true nature).

Memorable lines - Been quoting them all week :-) things like "and you have burned so very very brightly, Roy". Came to this late, been traveling, tired, night night.

I really like Rachel's dialogue during her VK test: "I wouldn't accept it, also I'd report the person who gave it to me to the police." So stilted and weird, and in the film Sean Young just does such a great job delivering these lines. It's a cool way to show the author's idea about how the future will be but also makes you wonder what the heck this test is where people just blurt out answers when there are no real questions. The entire film is just dripping in noir. I think it makes for a good backdrop to for the heavier themes of religion and humanity. One of the more traditional noir lines is Bryant's: "You know the score, pal. When you're not a cop, you're little people." The entire conversation was such a typical noir scene, maybe even a weak scene. But I feel like Deckard's implanted memories programmed him to respond to this sort of dialogue - that Bryant needed to deliver lines like these in order to get Deckard to take the job. Makes me wonder if Holden was a replicant, too.

Gabe, let me riff off you by spotlighting the questions in the VK tests: Turtles in a desert, calfskin wallets, a little boy with a butterfly collection and a "killing jar," watching TV and a wasp is "crawling on your writs," a full-page photo of a nude girl, raw oysters and boiled dog. I guess it's meant to be like a verbal Rorschach test. Interesting that most of them have a setting, then introduce an animal or insect (except the nude girl). What could that mean? Or is it meaningless? All adds to the enigmatic feel of the story universe.

I think actor in charge of final fitting is a lovely thing. Sidney Lumet did readings before planning further, so he could see how the actors brought it to life.

I don't think it's meaningless. When I first heard it I thought that it meant the men involved in the investigation of locating replicants know exactly what to look for: an emotional response. And they are ominous enough to ask weird questions that are psychologically probing. To me it adds to the paranoia mood or atmosphere that the film gives off by means of different morif's (ie eyes, the idea that you're being watched etc...)

I don't mean meaningless in the sense that the questions have no meaning for the questioners, but rather that the substance of the questions themselves appear to have no meaning, seemingly random. And yes, absolutely they add considerably to the atmosphere of the movie, especially since the first set are in the opening scene, essentially framing the rest of the movie.