Blade Runner Quotations

For the game, see Blade Runner (video game)

Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, original screenplay written by Hampton Fancher, based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, rewritten by David Peoples and released in 1982.

Deckard

Tell him I'm eating.
I was quit when I came in here. I'm twice as quit now.
Replicants are like any other machine. They're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem.
I'm Deckard. Blade Runner. Two sixty three-fifty four. I'm filed and monitored.
I don't get it, Tyrell. How can it not know what it is?
Memories, you're talking about memories.
[Revealing to Rachael that she is a replicant] You ever tell anyone that? Your mother, Tyrell? They're implants. Those aren't your memories, they're somebody else's. They're Tyrell's niece's. OK, bad joke, I'm sorry... No, really, I made a bad joke. Go home, you're not a Replicant... (sigh) you wanna drink? I'll get you a drink.
I've had people walk out on me before, but not when I was being so charming.
One more question. You're watching a stage play. A banquet is in progress. The guests are enjoying an appetizer of raw oysters. The entree consists of boiled dog.... [The question on the Voight-Kampf test that Rachel "fails" when she shows a lack of empathy].

Voiceovers

These were expunged from the Director's Cut version. It has been said that both Scott and Ford were unhappy with the dialogue, as it was forced by the studio and was written by another scriptwriter (Roland Kibbee) not associated with the project. They can still be found in International editions, and all were spoken unenthusiastically by Harrison Ford.

"They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer."
"Sushi. "Cold Fish!" That's what my ex-wife used to call me."
"The charmer's name was Gaff, I'd seen him around. Bryant must have upped him to the Blade Runner unit. That gibberish he talked was city speak, gutter talk. A mishmash of Japanese, Spanish, German, what have you. I didn't really need a translator, I knew the lingo, every good cop did. But I wasn't going to make it easier for him."
"'Skin jobs'. That's what Bryant called Replicants. In history books he's the kind of cop who used to call black men 'niggers'."
"I'd quit because I'd had a belly full of killing. But then I'd rather be a killer than a victim, and that's exactly what Bryant's threat about 'little people' meant. So I hooked in once more thinking if I couldn't take it I'd split later. I didn't have to worry about Gaff. He was brown nosing for a promotion, so he didn't want me around anyway."
"Tyrell really did a job on Rachael. Right down to a snapshot of a mother she never had... a daughter she never was. Replicants weren't supposed to have feelings... neither were blade runners. What the hell was happening to me? Leon's pictures had to be as phony as Rachael's. I didn't know why a Replicant would collect photos. Maybe they were like Rachael... they needed memories."
"I don't know such stuff, I just do eyes."
"The report would be routine retirement of a Replicant. Which didn't make me feel any better about shooting a woman in the back. There it was again... feeling in myself... for her... for Rachael."
"I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life... anybody's life... my life. All he'd wanted was the same answers the rest of us want. Where do I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do is sit there and watch him die."
"Gaff had been there, and let her live. Four years, he figured. He was wrong. Tyrell had told me Rachael was special: no termination date. I didn’t know how long we had together... who does?"

Bryant

Don't be an asshole, Deckard. I've got four skin-jobs walking the streets.
He can breathe OK as long as nobody unplugs him.
Stop right where you are! You know the score, pal! If you're not a cop, you're 'little people'.'
Christ, Deckard, you look almost as bad as that skin-job you left lying in the street!
Talk about beauty and the beast--she's both.
The only way you can hurt him is to kill him.

Eldon Tyrell

Milk and cookies kept you awake, eh, Sebastian?
The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. And you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.
Commerce is our goal here at Tyrell. 'More human than human' is our motto.

Rachael

Have you ever retired a human by mistake?
Is this testing whether I'm a Replicant or a lesbian, Mr. Deckard?
I'm not in the business. I am the business.
You know that Voigt-Kampf test of yours? Did you ever take that test yourself?

Leon

Painful to live in fear, isn't it?
Nothing is worse than having an itch you can never scratch.
Wake up! Time to die!
My mother? Let me tell you about my mother.

Roy Batty

Fiery the angels fell; deep thunder rolled around their shores; burning with the fires of Orc.
- This is a deliberate misquote of William Blake's America: A Prophecy "Fiery the angels rose, and as they rose deep thunder roll'd. Around their shores: indignant burning with the fires of Orc."
Chew, if only you could see what I've seen with your eyes!
It's not an easy thing to meet your maker.
I want more life, father.
- [Some argue that the line above is in fact "I want more life, fucker." It was delivered this way on purpose, so that either version could be heard.]
I've done questionable things.
Can the maker repair what he makes?
Proud of yourself, little man?
Not very sporting to fire on an unarmed opponent. I thought you were supposed to be good. Aren't you the... 'good' man?
C'mon Deckard, show me... what you're made of... [pulls Deckard's hand through the wall and removes his gun]... This is for Zora [breaks finger] and this is for Pris [breaks another] You gotta shoot straight! [Deckard shoots and misses] Straight doesn't seem good enough!"
You better get it up. Or I'm gonna have to kill ya.
[after Deckard beats him across the head with a lead pipe] Good! That's the spirit!
[following Deckard after being beaten with a lead pipe] That...hurt. That was irrational. Not to mention, unsportsman-like. Ha ha ha. [pause] Where are you going?
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
[grabbing Deckard's hand as he is about to fall] Kinship!
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost in time, like tears...in rain. Time to die. [Last words]

Taffey Lewis

Louie, the man is dry. Give him one on the house.
Blow.
All the time, pal.

Others

Gaff: You've done a man's job, sir! I guess you're through, huh?

Gaff: It's too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?

Holden: Now tell me, in single words, only the good things that come into your mind when you think about your mother?"

PA Voice: A new life awaits you in the Off-World colonies. The chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure!

Holden: The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs, trying to turn itself over but it can't. Not without your help. But you're not helping.

Hannibal Chew: I do eyes. Just - just eyes. Just genetic design. Just eyes. You Nexus, huh? I design your eyes."

Hannibal Chew: You not come here! Illegal!

J.F. Sebastian: They're my friends. I make them.

J.F. Sebastian: There's some of me in you.

Pris: Then we're stupid, and we'll die.

Pris: I think, Sebastian, therefore I am.

Zhora: Are you for real?

Dialogue

Holden: Now tell me, in single words, only the good things that come into your mind when you think about...your mother?

Leon Kowalski: My mother?

Holden: Yes.

[Leon leans forward, speaking in a soft, angry tone]

Leon Kowalski: Let me tell you about my mother! [shoots Holden]

Rachael: Do you like our owl?

Deckard: It's artificial?

Rachael: Of course it is.

Deckard: Must be expensive.

Rachael: Very. I'm Rachel.

Deckard: Deckard.

Rachael: It seems you feel our work is not of benefit to the public.

Deckard: Replicants are like any other machine: they're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem.

Rachael: May I ask you a personal question?

Deckard: Sure.

Rachael: Have you ever retired a human by mistake?

Deckard: No.

Rachael: But in your position that is a risk...

Tyrell: [Offscreen]Is this to be an empathy test?

[Tyrell appears at the other end of the room, walks towards the two]

Tyrell: Capillary dilation of the so-called blush response...fluctuation of the pupil...involuntary dilation of the iris.

Deckard: We call it Voight-Kampf for short.

Rachael: Mr. Deckard, Dr. Elden Tyrell.

Tyrell: Demonstrate it. I want to see it work.

Deckard: Where's the subject?

Tyrell: I want to see it work on a person. I want to see a negative before I provide you with a positive.

Deckard: What's that going to prove?

Tyrell: [Smiling] Indulge me.

Deckard: On you?

Tyrell: [Nods at Rachael] Try her.

Deckard: Taffey.

Taffey Lewis: [in a gruff voice] Yeah?

Deckard: [shows Lewis his Police ID] I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Taffey Lewis: [half-whispered to a woman sitting next to him] Blow.

[Woman gets up from the stool and leaves]

Deckard: You ever buy snakes from the Egyptian, Taffey?

Taffey Lewis: [sarcasticly] All the time, pal.

Deckard: [shows Taffey the photo] You ever see this girl, huh?

Taffey Lewis: Never seen her. Buzz off.

Deckard: Your licenses in order, pal?

Taffey Lewis: [suddenly changing his demeanor, he speaks to the bartender] Hey, Louie. The man is dry. Give him one on the house, okay? [smiles at Deckard] See?

Tyrell: I'm surprised you didn't come here sooner.

Roy: It's not an easy thing to meet your maker.

Tyrell: What can he do for you?

Roy: Can the maker repair what he makes?

Tyrell: Would you like to be modified?

Roy: I had in mind something a little more radical.

Tyrell: What seems to be the problem?

Roy: Death.

Tyrell: Death. Well, I'm afraid that's a little out of my jurisdiction, you...

Roy: I want more life, fucker (father).

Tyrell: The facts of life: To make an alteration in the evolvement of an organic life system is fatal. A coding sequence cannot be revised once its been established.

Roy: Why not?

Tyrell: Because by the second day of incubation, any cells that have undergone reversion mutations give rise to revertant colonies like rats leaving a sinking ship; then the ship sinks.

Roy: What about EMS recombination?

Tyrell: We've already tried it. Ethyl methane sulfonate is an alkylating agent and a potent mutagen. It created a virus so lethal the subject was dead before he left the table.

Roy: Then a repressor protein that blocks the operating cells.

Tyrell: Wouldn't obstruct replication, but it does give rise to an error in replication so that the newly formed DNA strand carries a mutation and you've got a virus again. But this - all of this is academic. You were made as well as we could make you.

Roy: But not to last.

Tyrell: The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned so very very brightly, Roy. Look at you. You're the prodigal son. You're quite a prize!

Roy: I've done questionable things.

Tyrell: Also extraordinary things. Revel in your time!

Roy: Nothing the god of biomechanics wouldn't let you into heaven for.

Batty: Yes! [smiles] Questions... Morphology? Longevity? Incept dates?

Chew: Don't know, I don't know such stuff. I just do eyes, juh, juh... just eyes... just genetic design, just eyes. You Nexus, huh? I design your eyes.

Batty: Chew, if only you could see what I have seen with your eyes.

Police Officer in a Spinner: This sector's closed to ground traffic. What are you doing here?

Deckard: I'm working. What are you doing?

Police Officer in a Spinner: Arresting you. That's what I'm doing.

Deckard: I'm Deckard. Blade Runner. Two sixty three-fifty four. I'm filed and monitored

Police Officer in a Spinner: Hold on. Checking. [pause] Okay, checked and cleared. Have a better one.

Roy: [taunting Deckard with a counting rhyme] Six! Seven! Go to Hell or go to Heaven!

[Deckard beats Roy on the side of the head with a lead pipe]

Roy: Good! That's the spirit!

Cast

Harrison Ford - Rick Deckard
Rutger Hauer - Roy Batty
Sean Young - Rachael
Edward James Olmos - Gaff
M. Emmet Walsh - Bryant
Daryl Hannah - Pris
William Sanderson - J.F. Sebastian
Brion James - Leon
Joe Turkel - Tyrell
Joanna Cassidy - Zhora
James Hong - Hannibal Chew
Morgan Paull - Holden
Kevin Thompson - Bear
John Edward Allen - Kaiser
Hy Pyke - Taffey Lewis