Warner Home Entertainment, out now

 

Los Angeles, November 2019 and LAPD’s ‘Blade Runner’ Detective Rick Deckard is tasked with tracking down murderous rogue replicants.

The Film Vault is a premium range celebrating some of Warner’s greatest films in new packaging and with extra paraphernalia. Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic is an obvious fan favourite choice to open the range, released here in 3,000 numbered units.

The discs in this set are the same as those in the previous 2017 two-disc release for The Final Cut, which is Scott’s 2007 25th-anniversary version. The 4K UHD is a beautiful HDR transfer with Dolby ATMOS audio, a brief intro by Scott, the trailer and three commentaries – Scott, writers/producers and crew. The BluRay is HD and 5.1 audio, but with the same commentaries and trailer.

What you’re really paying for, and this is what will convince the die-hard fans to double-dip, is the packaging and new collectibles. The clamshell outer case with magnetic clasp has new artwork from Vice Press, revealed with the removal of the printed slipcover. Inside the box is a crystal display plaque etched with the movie logo and the set’s number (between 1 and 3,000). A cardboard folder houses a folded, A3 Spinner vehicle blueprint and 8 large-format glossy art cards with concept drawings, poster artwork and movie trivia, and the discs are housed in CD-style digi-packaging.

Is it worth upgrading your existing 4K? That’s a tricky one, and depends on how much you want to immerse yourself in the movie away from the discs. Experience has shown me that the many releases of the movie have all become collectors’ pieces, ultimately commanding high prices at later dates.

Verdict: A beautiful package, designed to showcase a quality film with some premium trimmings. The movie was already a masterpiece, and now it shines brighter for its 40th birthday. 10/10

Nick Joy

Click here to order from Amazon.co.uk