to achieve something new that would influence many
other filmmakers once public opinion caught up
with it. It was also the first major adaptation of a
story by Philip K. Dick, who died just before the film
was released. Dick’s stories, once “discovered” by
Hollywood, would become the basis for many tele-
vision and film adaptations, includingTotal Recall
(1990),Screamers(1995),Impostor(2002),Minority
Report(2002),Paycheck(2003), andA Scanner Darkly
(2006).
Subsequent Events By 1992, Scott had enough
clout in Hollywood to revisitBlade Runner, eliding
the film’s voice-over narration and restoring some
deleted footage to bring the film closer to his origi-
nal vision. This “director’s cut” of the film was re-
leased in theaters and later on VHS videotape and
digital video disc (DVD), and it represented one of
the first “director’s cuts” of any major studio film.
Further Reading
Brooker, Will, ed.The “Blade Runner” Experience: The
Legacy of a Science Fiction Classic. New York: Wall-
flower, 2005.
Bukatman, Scott.“Blade Runner.”London: British
Film Institute, 1997.
Kerman, Judith, ed.Retrofitting “Blade Runner.”
Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State Uni-
versity Popular Press, 1991.
Sammon, Paul.Future Noir: The Making of “Blade Run-
ner.”New York: HarperCollins, 1996.
Joseph Francavilla
See also Cyberpunk literature; Film in the United
States; Ford, Harrison; Hannah, Daryl; Home video
rentals; Science-fiction films; Special effects; Van-
gelis.
Blondie
Identification American New Wave musical group
Date Initially active 1975-1982; reunited 1997
Blondie’s groundbreaking eclectic style increased the group’s
worldwide popularity. Several hit singles achieved legendar y
status, and singer Debbie Harr y’s glamorous image influ-
enced the musical scene during the 1980’s and beyond.
Blondie released two original albums during the
1980’s,Autoamerican(1980), the group’s third plati-
num hit, andThe Hunter(1982). The New Wave
group also released two compilations,The Best of
Blondie(1981) andOnce More into the Bleach(1988).
Originally formed in 1975, Blondie was famous for
its successful mix of glam rock, power pop, punk,
and disco. Blondie’s lineup in the new decade in-
cluded vocalist Debbie Harry, guitarists Chris Stein
and Frank Infante, keyboardist Jimmy Destri, drum-
mer Clem Burke, and bassist Nigel Harrison.
The music of the group’s last 1970’s album,Eat to
the Beat(1979), had seemed uneven to many listen-
ers, although the album was still certified platinum,
selling more than one million copies by 1980. It in-
cluded the remarkable single “Dreaming,” as well as
Blondie’s third number-one hit in the United King-
dom, “Atomic.” In 1980, the group also released its
greatest hit and the number-one single of the year,
“Call Me,” originally written as the theme for the
filmAmerican Gigolo(1980). A collaboration pairing
Harry’s lyrics with music by Italian songwriter and
producer Giorgio Moroder, “Call Me” was an early118 Blondie The Eighties in America
Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry in 1980.(Hulton Archive/
Getty Images)