back to article Blade Runner 2049: Back to the Future – the movies that showed us what's to come

Blade Runner 2049, the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's immeasurably influential vision of tomorrow, was released this week. And while the sci part of the sci-fi equation may be questionable in Scott's 1982 original, the production design felt so right to audiences that it has overshadowed almost every future-set movie …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Johnny Mnemonic...

    Human-brain interfaces ?

    1. Haku

      Re: Johnny Mnemonic...

      That's just a step away from Tron, download yourself into a computer and live forever, but the downside might be someone hijacks the computer you're in and forces you to mine bitcoin...

      1. Ian Michael Gumby
        Boffin

        Re: Johnny Mnemonic...

        The problem with all of these stories/movies is that their futuristic views are actually based on conceptual technologies that could evolve from existing or emerging tech. Its not just the embedded silicon, but the use of EEG to pull back the data. Or the use of reading EMF noise from machines to see what is going on.

        You have to read the book and skip the movie. Gibson was pretty prophetic in his visions. As to Tron, its more pure fantasy, ala Lawnmower Man which would be a better example.

        I'm amazed that the author skipped over Gibson's Virtual Light. (Ok, its not a movie... yet)

        Or the Anime "Eden of the East" when looking at the power of the social network.

        1. Philip Lewis

          Re: Johnny Mnemonic...

          Loved virtual Light - mirror contact lenses and paper pushbikes :D

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Robocop...

    Brain-controlled artificial limbs...

    1. John G Imrie

      Re: Robocop...

      Go back further to the $6M man.

      Steve Austin, a man barely alive ...

      1. DubyaG

        Re: Robocop...

        For the corporation angle, you can go back to Rollerball (1975). First time I ever heard Bach's Toccata and Fugue.

      2. Desidero

        Re: Robocop...

        You mean Chuck Yeager, the guy who fell out of the sky with his head on fire?

        https://euclidsbridge.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/chuck-yeagers-insane-nf-104-crash-or-holy-shit-this-guys-hardcore/

  3. King Jack
    Holmes

    I don't know anyone who was waiting for a sequel to Blade Runner. This nonsense of making films into series needs to die. That is why films today are shite. They are no more than elongated TV episodes.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      So 35 years between two "episodes" is a series?

      Wow....just wow.

      1. King Jack
        Facepalm

        Wow....just wow

        Yes. the second film continues from the first. The passage of time makes no difference. Hollywood, rather than make something new dig into past films and make sequels. I'm not talking about re-makes but sequels where the next film in the series gets progressively worse and mangles the story. Films used to be stand alone works of art, complete in themselves. Now films are made with sequels in mind.

        If this new Blade Runner is any good, (or rakes in a lot of cash) they'll make a 3rd and even a 4th. Every series starts with the first one.

        1. Gotno iShit Wantno iShit

          Re: Wow....just wow

          If this new Blade Runner is any good, (or rakes in a lot of cash) they'll make a 3rd and even a 4th. Every series starts with the first one.

          So long as they allow 35 years before the next and again before the 4th for a really worthwhile script & treatment to properly mature I don't see a problem with that. And yes, I realise that means there's a good chance I won't see 3 and bugger all chance I'll see 4. Again, I don't see a problem with that.

      2. Midnight

        So 35 years between two "episodes" is a series?

        Only if you are George R. R. Martin.

        1. Stevie
          Pint

          Only if you are George R. R. Martin.

          eBeer for Midnight.

    2. Ian Michael Gumby

      Hates are going to hate.

      Look,

      You may not like the movie or the story line.

      But I can tell you that there are people waiting to see this movie.

      The original is a tough movie to follow and there's a lot of unanswered questions about the 'universe' and story line.

      I agree that there's a lot of crap being made. But that's more about the numbers than a lack of creativity. The issue is that a remake / sequel has a built in audience. That if the movie was made right, you can guarantee a certain minimum return. Net new movie / plot would have more risk.

      Just something to think about.

    3. phuzz Silver badge
      Thumb Down

      Yes, there are many shitty followups to good movies, but if the reviews are anything to go by you should probably pick a different example to complain about.

      Of course, in some ways this makes it worse, because Holywood will think "hey, the remake of Blade Runner did really well, what other classic films can we dig up and ruinresurrect?"

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    We will all die. It's just a matter of when.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    The Machine / Chappie...

    True self-learning AI ?

    1. macjules

      Re: The Machine / Chappie...

      + 1 for The Machine mention.

      1. Simon Harris
        Unhappy

        Re: The Machine / Chappie...

        The Machine - pity it seems to have disappeared from Netflix

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The Machine / Chappie...

      "True self-learning AI ?"

      I was a bit surprised that there wasn't an entry for self-aware AI on the list.

      The first unequivocally self-aware/sentient AI that I can think of was HAL 9000, in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

      Whilst the plot of Metropolis revolved around a robot that could seemingly pass for human, the robot itself did not appear to be self-aware, self-motivated or even have its own character; it just did its master's bidding.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    The 6th Day...

    Human cloning ?

    1. Haku

      Re: The 6th Day...

      No, nacho flavoured bananas!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The 6th Day...

      and on the 8th day the machines just got upset.

      Ask your dads kids.....

      1. BebopWeBop

        Re: The 6th Day...

        A great album at least

  7. EddieD

    Favourite?

    Can you have a favourite dystopia?

    All far too different, and I'd have trouble choosing one. I liked the first robocop as it touched on matters of identity and memory, I enjoyed Blade runner as it touched on the idea of memory and identity, but from a completely different angle.

    I think I prefer both of the above over e.g. Star Trek, as they are set, in the words of "Max Headroom" "20 minutes into the future" and address issues in a society not far removed from our own.

    They're all good fun though.

    1. Long John Brass

      Re: Favourite?

      +1 for the Max Headroom mention

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Slight correction.

    Total Recall | Three boobies.

    You could also add

    Barbarella | 1968 | 4100's | Sex Machines.

    1. hammarbtyp

      You forgot Woody Allen's Sleeper

  9. Anonymous Coward/2.0
    WTF?

    The Culture

    Errm, "Iain M Banks' relentlessly uplifting Culture books"

    Relentlessly uplifting? Were we reading the same stories? Although the Culture is nominally a utopian future surely the books largely concentrate on the negative aspects of this society. As quite often the main protagonists of the stories end up dead or badly damaged I'd hardly call them uplifting...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The Culture

      Possible play on words? "Uplifting" sometimes refers to getting a society/culture/creature in Sci-fi and Aliens giving them super advanced tech.

      1. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

        Re: The Culture

        "Uplifting" sometimes refers to getting a society/culture/creature in Sci-fi

        As in the David Brin series of the same name. Well worth reading..

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplift_Universe

    2. Anonymous Blowhard

      Re: The Culture

      "the main protagonists of the stories end up dead or badly damaged"

      That's down to Special Circumstances...

  10. wolfetone Silver badge

    Cherry 2000 - the need for all sex robots to be waterproof.

    1. Alan Brown Silver badge

      "the need for all sex robots to be waterproof."

      A topic also covered by Frank Zappa. in Joe's Garage.

  11. Simon Harris

    Fahrenheit 451 (the 1966 Truffaut version) does quite well on predictions.

    Dumbing down of society.

    Live broadcasts of police chases - after seeing the one in the film when they're trying to capture Guy Montag, the next time I saw one was when OJ Simpson was captured.

    Fake news (in connection with the police chase).

    Robot dogs - I can't remember if it's in the film, but when I read the book recently, I imagined the robot dog that the firemen used to be somewhat like the one from Boston Dynamics.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fahrenheit 451 (the 1966 Truffaut version) does quite well on predictions.

      On the wall TV flat screens. Moronic daytime TV programmes.

      1. Stevie

        Re: Fahrenheit 451 (the 1966 Truffaut version) does quite well on predictions.

        Moronic daytime TV programs that were *fake* interactive.

        Brilliant concept.

  12. Haku

    V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

    Human population under the thumb of oppressive overbearing regimes.

    Oh, sorry, you wanted films predicting the future not the present.

    1. hplasm
      Big Brother

      Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

      Brazil.

      When is that set, in the scheme of things...

      1. John 104

        Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

        @Brazil

        Or 13 Monkeys

    2. wolfetone Silver badge

      Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

      Currently in a discussion with someone on the internet about these black boxes that are used by insurance companies. The idea being they make your insurance cheaper.

      I point out that if someone follows your every move, then they're a stalker and they get put in to prison. But if it saves you a few quid, they give money to insurance companies willingly to do the same.

      Someone then says "I'm not paranoid enough to care". And that's a shocking reflection on society. Take all of your freedom and your privacy for the sake of a few quid. Then again, it's Facebook, so you're giving some of it away for free anyway.

      1. Haku

        Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

        I've seen various basic tests of how much people are willing to give up for the sake of a bit of money, and you're right it's scary how much greed can override rationality in almost everyone, and how large corporations are exploiting this.

        The perfect example is free search engines and free social media websites - if you're not the customer you're the product.

      2. phuzz Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

        One thing's for sure about those black boxes, if you get a work vehicle with one fitted just after you pass your test, don't do 110mph on the M4 then act surprised when you lose your license, and job.

        (Allegedly true story from a friend of a friend)

        1. MJI Silver badge

          Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

          Insurance black box

          Daughters boyfriend had issues after following me on a motorway at 80.

          He didn't realise the effect it would have.

    3. Chris G

      Re: V for Vendetta, 1984 etc.

      2022 is just around the corner, the year Soylent Green is set in. Plenty of time to get to that scenario, not necessarily, the overwhelming greenhouse effect just yet but the authorities attitude to the great unwashed is beginning to show through some of the more worn spots in society.

      Biscuit, anyone?

  13. John Hawkins
    Mushroom

    Mad Max

    The vehicles! The clothes!

    1. Simon Harris

      Re: Mad Max

      But which one?

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Mad Max

      Mad Max isn't SciFi is it? I thought it was just a documentary about Australia?

      1. WolfFan Silver badge

        Re: Mad Max

        Mad Max isn't SciFi is it? I thought it was just a documentary about Australia?

        Not nearly enough venomous animals and plants for that. And the local humans are much too polite, gentle, calm, and reserved, and drive with far to much consideration for fellow road users. (Anyone who doubts this has not seen Sydney traffic on a weekday morning. It's not quite Mexico City or (shudder) Paris, but it's definitely well past Los Angeles.)

        1. Stevie

          Re: Mad Max

          "Not nearly enough venomous animals and plants for that."

          You aren't paying attention! The animals have all been killed off by whatever it is that has left the world in such a crappy state. Does *everything* have to be stated upfront by a character to be understood?

          These fine documentaries stand as a monument to Aussie can-do-ism and poor lane discipline.

  14. Eponymous Cowherd
    Go

    Spaceballs

    Title says it all.

    1. Haku

      Re: Spaceballs

      Thumbs up because of one specific line in that film:

      Out of order? Fuck! Even in the future nothing works!

  15. Cynical Observer
    Facepalm

    Demolition Man

    ..for confirmation that using biometrics as passwords is a truly stupid eye-dea

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Demolition Man

      And it predicted the end of toilet paper.

      Although I've cut myself on the sharp edges of those bloody seashells so often that I'm going back to paper again...

      1. LaeMing
        Go

        Re: Demolition Man

        Sounds like I ain't Spartacus doesn't know how to use the 3 seashells!

  16. Haku

    Total Recall, Red Planet, The Martian, Mission to Mars, The Last Days on Mars, Escape from Mars

    Can you see where I'm going with this?

    Someone's going to be the first human to die on that planet, and it might happen within our present lifetime.

    1. Steve Kerr
      Coat

      Re: Total Recall, Red Planet, The Martian, Mission to Mars, The Last Days on Mars, Escape from Mars

      I see a new reality TV show.......

      The Kardashians on Mars, The Kardashians in space, just anywhere but here!

    2. SkippyBing

      Re: Total Recall, Red Planet, The Martian, Mission to Mars, The Last Days on Mars, Escape from Mars

      'Someone's going to be the first human to die on that planet'

      Typical human centric viewpoint, you don't say a thing when those poor innocent robots are sent there to die. But no, I'm sure some of your best friends are robots so how could you possibly be robotist.

      1. Haku

        Re: Total Recall, Red Planet, The Martian, Mission to Mars, The Last Days on Mars, Escape from Mars

        Marvin? Is that you?

        1. LaeMing

          Re: Total Recall, Red Planet, The Martian, Mission to Mars, The Last Days on Mars, Escape from Mars

          Mars is already populated - entirely by robots, in fact.

  17. alban1964

    A.I.

    At the end of A.I., intelligent machines have replaced us.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A.I.

      Depending on whom you use as a measure of intelligence? Not too hard.

      1. Real Ale is Best

        Re: A.I.

        Depending on whom you use as a measure of intelligence? Not too hard.

        Yes, all you need is a mind that is programmed to say "What?" and "Where's the tea?".

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Gattaca - 1997 - soon - eugenics

    1. IsJustabloke
      Thumb Up

      Gattaca

      Fantastic movie that watched by accident and have never been more pleased at a mistake.

      1. Nerdbot

        Re: Gattaca

        And that we will forget about discriminating against gender/race and cut right to genetic discrimination with your class and social status determined by your DNA

  19. PaulyV

    Demolition Man

    The Three Seashells

  20. Alister

    Autonomous vehicles

    You attribute the prediction of autonomous vehicles to I,Robot in 2004, but Johnny Cab was in Total Recall in 1990, and there were autonomous vehicles in Demolition Man in 1993 as well

    1. Dave Schofield

      Re: Autonomous vehicles

      They were in Judge Dredd comic in the late 70s, probably earlier sources too.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Autonomous vehicles

        IIRC UK Daily Mirror newspaper - probably late 1950s "Garth" cartoon strip. Alternative future where Germany had won the war. Anti-machine culture had produced biological "machines" - including driverless cars.

    2. Simon Harris

      Re: Autonomous vehicles

      Don't forget Knight Rider (TV since 1982) - although I suppose the autonomous vehicles were very limited edition in that, so not exactly ubiquitous - were there ever more than 2?

      Not sure if we can include Herbie (films since 1968) - autonomous, but the autonomy doesn't really seem to be created from technology.

      The Fifth Element (1997) also had an autopilot mode in the cars - and not just ordinary cars, but flying cars.

      1. VinceH

        Re: Autonomous vehicles

        See also: Christine (1983). Although that's technically a horror film, rather than science fiction.

        1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: Autonomous vehicles

          Herbie, NFT

    3. Nerdbot

      Re: Autonomous vehicles

      Also Solaris in '72, also includes a videophone if I recall.

  21. Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse

    Edge of Tomorrow

    Tom Cruise... dead... oh, err.. and Emily Blunt.

    Exoskeletons and guns. Lots of guns.

    1. WolfFan Silver badge

      Re: Edge of Tomorrow

      Tom Cruise... dead...

      I think that you mean 'Tom Cruise, dead, lots and lots and lots of times.' My fav TC film, because HE DIES LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF TIMES. Kill him again, Emily.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sod a flying car, where's my bloody multi-pass?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      keep your bloody multi-pass, where is my LeeLoo!

    2. Simon Harris
      Windows

      Multi-pass?

      By the time I see a flying car, I'll probably be ready for my OAP bus-pass!

  23. Simon Harris

    "the movies that showed us what's to come"

    Sleeper - The Orgasmatron.

    Barbarella - The Excessive Machine.

    1. Fading
      Thumb Up

      Re: "the movies that showed us what's to come"

      Damn it, I was going to use Woody Allen's Sleeper for he pun.

      Ok back on track - Demon Seed - Alexa + IOT

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "the movies that showed us what's to come"

      That would have to be 'Idiocracy', just look round if you want proof.

      For those that haven't seen the film read the book, 'The Marching Morons' by C M Kornbluth.

    3. Charlie Clark Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: "the movies that showed us what's to come"

      That's why I smoke and only eat hamburgers…

  24. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge

    Metropolis

    I recall Fritz Lang gave us a lot more than videophones. From nutjob scientist, through life-like autonomous robot, flying personal transport to multi-level multi-lane freeways.

    The drudgery of the despondent proletariat 'bashing buttons' all day long for the benefit of the fat-cat elite and populist uprising seems rather apt.

  25. Ironclad

    Rollerball

    Rollerball conjured a world run by mega corporations long before The Running Man

    The teams were sponsored and rutherlessly run by them, sport as advertising ? I would say we're pretty much there.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Rollerball

      I love Rollerball. I remember seeing it (or at least some of it) when I was way too young to understand the meaning, and thinking that riding round on motorbikes giving people on roller-skates a ride looked an awful lot of fun.

      So me and my brother re-enacted it the following day. That is we took turns to wear the roller-skates or be the one pulling on the bike (Raleigh Chopper since you ask) - not that we ruthlessly slaughtered our rivals for profits and the entertainment of baying crowds.

      If you pedal really hard, then quickly turn the bike at the last minute before the skater lets go, of the hoop on the back of the seat you can get a fair turn of speed on the skates. And it's a lot easier to pedal with some extra resistance on the bike than to get up to those kind of speeds on skates alone.

      I liked the film for different reasons when seeing it as an adult. The Running Man is also mostly great.

      And my favourite bit of Robocop was the TV adverts. "Nuke 'em! The game for all the family to play."

      It's funny to be an adult in the 21st Century. Living at the time predicted by so much of the scifi I read as a teenager - and to notice how much it got wrong.

      Almost everything under-estimated the ubiquity of computers and overdid the speed of progress in space tech.

  26. PaulR79

    Blade Runner = Syndicate Wars for me

    I always loved the atmosphere of Blade Runner and the world it helped create in my mind. Syndicate Wars gave me a massive dose of what I had imagined for this world. I wonder if I'm alone in pairing the two together in such a way. The disappointing FPS version is something I try to forget happened since it changed the feel by making it feel too generic.

  27. lglethal Silver badge
    Joke

    If we're including Computer games - can i add Xcom (or X-Com) for when we end up getting invaded by Aliens...

  28. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    Typos

    Article needs proof-reading.

    1. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge

      Re: Typos

      Most these days do. Perhaps, in the future, someone will invent some sort of tool or machine which could check spelling and grammar for authors?

      1. Ken Hagan Gold badge

        Re: Typos

        Wee all ready has won to cheque spelling, butt its crap.

  29. Erix

    Good 'ole Phil

    It's worth noting that out of the listed titles four (Blade Runner, Terminator, Total Recall and Minority Report) are based on or inspired by Philip K. Dick's stories. Then there was alo Paycheck and Ajustment Bureau but perhaps we aren't quite ready yet for those predictions to come true.

    1. Alister

      Re: Good 'ole Phil

      I can't find any evidence to support your claim that Terminator was based on a Philip K Dick story?

      I agree that the others were, however.

      1. Erix

        Re: Good 'ole Phil

        "Second Variety". No direct attribution and different plot of course and that's why I said "inspired by". It's only my subjective opinion but does the idea of robots building other sophisticated robots, indistinguishable from humans, designed to infiltrate and kill sound kind of familiar?

        1. Simon Harris

          Re: Good 'ole Phil

          Second Variety became Screamers (1995)

          Another one, lesser known I suspect, based on a P K Dick story is Impostor (2001).

    2. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Re: Good 'ole Phil

      The Terminator was arguably stolen from Harlan Ellison's “Soldier Out of Time” and "Demon with a Glass Hand." Whether that's actually true, Ellison was able to sue Cameron's studio and receive a modest settlement.

  30. graeme leggett Silver badge

    Giant Flying Wings in list

    I'll suggest that they were logical extension of what was happening in the 1920s

    See for instance Junkers G.38

  31. matchbx
    Facepalm

    Forgot the Batteries

    The Matrix - Humans as Batteries.

  32. Antron Argaiv Silver badge
    Happy

    2001: A Space Odyssey

    My all time favourite.

    (especially the trademarks of companies long departed)

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The future is:- Middlesborough

    ... with a Vangelis soundtrack that will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

    Don't forget to fit in a visit the transporter bridge if you decide to go on a sight seeing trip to see the chemical plant at Wilton.

  34. PipV
    Trollface

    Galaxy Quest

    Never Giving up and Never Surrendering ...

    1. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Galaxy Quest

      Don't forget avenging, by Grabthar's hammer...

  35. Hairy Spod
    Megaphone

    2001

    cough 2001

    Go away watch that and tell me he isnt reading an i pad at breakfast

    How can you not list 2001 for so many other things too

  36. hammarbtyp

    The problem I always had with Star Trek was that they always underestimated the speed of computer development. In the original it consisted of flashing lights and a primitive user interface, even in the next gen when they has a sentient android, the computers were seemingly based Windows 11.

    They also missed the idea of smart weapons. A photon torpedo basically fired into one direction and hoped it hit, no basic homing ability at all.

    1. WolfFan Silver badge

      They also missed the idea of smart weapons. A photon torpedo basically fired into one direction and hoped it hit, no basic homing ability at all.

      not quite right. In Star Trek VI they had photon torps home on the Bird of Prey with the advanced cloak which could fire when cloaked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA9fFzRd7VM There were a few other examples. Now, the quantum torpedoes used by, for example, Defiant, those were unguided.

  37. Mark #255
    Thumb Up

    Terminator Genisys

    I chanced on Terminator Genisys recently on Netflix (other streaming movie services are available) and was pleasantly surprised by it - it didn't take itself too seriously, and there was a reasonable attempt to address all the "going back in time to kill X" paradoxes.

    And (obligatory reference to The Fine Article) it did rather pointedly wag a disapproving finger at the ongoing attempts to slurpunify our online presence.

  38. Stevie

    Bah!

    Seconds.

    To find out why, watch it (but don't Wiki it or you'll ruin the experience; it's a mood piece as much as anything).

  39. barbara.hudson

    Post-racial vision? Hardly.

    "Trek creator Gene Roddenberry summed up his post-racial vision" doesn't make sense if several hundred years from now we still have the vast majority of the population in his future earth looking decidedly white, with some black, asian, etc. representation, when white folks are already a (fast shrinking) minority of the world's population.

    Then again, while TV viewers accepted the first televised inter-racial kiss (Kirk / Uhuru) back in the '60s, a future where the majority, including the majority of those in positions of power, are not white is still unthinkable in western media, never mind 50 years ago.

    The problem with stories of the future is we're still not very good at imagining it because we can't even see the present clearly, never mind understand it.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      Re: Post-racial vision? Hardly.

      a future where the majority, including the majority of those in positions of power, are not white is still unthinkable in western media

      Gee, I dunno. Have you ever been to meeting in "Asia" or any country in the "Middle East" (including The One, which, as I may remind people, are not White when it is convenient).

  40. John 104

    @ROLLERBALL

    Also the original Deathrace 2000

    Back to the Future II 1989 2015 Hoverboard

    Seriously? An electric skateboard with the wheels turned sideways does not HOVER! unless you consider that split second before you hit the deck after you loose your balance as hovering? But, really, that seems more like falling with the very slim chance of missing the ground entirely.

  41. Chemical Bob

    Repo! The Genetic Opera

    No bankruptcy protection, everyone is ill and in spite of that life is a musical.

    Oh, and Alexa Vega...

  42. NIck Hunn

    The Year of the Sex Olympics

    Don't forget the Beeb's TV drama "The Year of the Sex Olympics" back n 1968. That got most things right about reality TV, as well as providing the style guide for The Hunger Games.

  43. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    " [...] why does Deckard need the slow and unwieldy Voight-Kampff machine to spot a skin-job when replicants can pluck eggs from boiling water and have trademarks built into their skin cells?"

    False positives? Because the tests you suggest would amount to torture when performed on an actual human. And hopefully, in the future we won't do that anymore.

    "Skin jobs". That's what Bryant called Replicants. In history books he's the kind of cop who used to call black men "niggers".

  44. hugo tyson
    FAIL

    Video Conferencing

    Star Trek has videoconferencing that actually works properly. Still beyond our grasp....

    1. tfewster
      Thumb Up

      Re: Video Conferencing

      And Universal Translators. And voice recognition (so why would you need a helmsman etc?).

      And logic solving feuds that have lasted generations. But that part's just make-believe.

  45. Philip Lewis

    A few references

    OK. Went the "full Monty" and saw it in iMax 3D. Rather awesome.

    A great "Max Headroom" reference, and what was more astounding to me was the whole "Forbydelsens Element" thing going. If you haven't seen this film, then it's worth a look - a very dark, wet and dystopian future. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Element_of_Crime

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