Syd Mead, Visionary 'Blade Runner' Artist and Futurist, Dies at 86

sandbagger writes: Visual artist and futurist Syd Mead, who helped shape the look of influential sci-fi films including "Blade Runner," "Tron," "Aliens" and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," died Monday of complications from lymphoma in Pasadena, Calif. He was 86. Mead was set to receive the Art Directors Guild's William Cameron Menzies Award during the Guild's 24th Annual awards in February for his contributions on "Aliens," "Blade Runner" and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."

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[garyisabusyguy]

TLDR: poster is a raging asshole on multiple platforms, then can't get back into those platforms... *wah*wah*

Just watched Blade Runner again

[Dan East]

I just watched Blade Runner again a couple days ago, and was (as usual) marveling at how amazing the visuals are in that film. I had to google the release date because it's hard to believe such as amazing looking movie was made back in 1982.

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[Nidi62]

I just watched Blade Runner again a couple days ago, and was (as usual) marveling at how amazing the visuals are in that film. I had to google the release date because it's hard to believe such as amazing looking movie was made back in 1982.

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

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[Dan East]

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

I grew up in the 80s, and we watched a TON of movies (HBO, VHS, all that). But somehow I never ended up watching Blade Runner back in the day. It was just within the last few years that I finally watched it. Movies these days, especially ones in the sci-fi / action genre, do not take their time like Blade Runner does. It is a slow build throughout, giving the viewer time to take in the depth and nuance of that world.

The thing that's probably not aged the best in that film is the music, which is very synth-

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[Nidi62]

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

I grew up in the 80s, and we watched a TON of movies (HBO, VHS, all that). But somehow I never ended up watching Blade Runner back in the day. It was just within the last few years that I finally watched it. Movies these days, especially ones in the sci-fi / action genre, do not take their time like Blade Runner does. It is a slow build throughout, giving the viewer time to take in the depth and nuance of that world.

The thing that's probably not aged the best in that film is the music, which is very synth-heavy and does have that late 70s, early 80s kinda vibe to it.

I have no issue with deep, slowly developing movies. I think it's more that I've never been one for noir-type films and I simply didn't like the aesthetic of the film (lighting, set design, etc while artsy and impressive, weren't really my style).

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[notdecnet]

I would have to disagree, it was very original back in 1982, if you think it's too much of early 80s, maybe it's because the music has been endlessly imitated since, especially on cheapo scifi, straight to video flicks of the period. Bad special effects + synth-heavy music equals the future.

The myth and majesty of Vangelis’ timeless Blade Runner soundtrack [thevinylfactory.com]

Re:Just watched Blade Runner again

[DThorne]

I don't think it's an unusual position, I know a number of people that I would describe as scifi fans that couldn't connect with the movie. I saw it upon release - I distinctly remember coming out of the theatre and the general reaction was one of being dipped into this completely new and fully realized world and along with that was this bizarre story questioning the definition of sentience. Again, in context of when it was released, we just had a feeling we had seen something completely new and were slightly speechless. When it came to story it was reflective and fascinating - Rutger Hauer really stood out and Ford was so different than his previous roles(I remember reviews called him "Elvis Costello in the future") - but it was slow and odd. I recall almost every scene in the movie and the things that stick are the photo enhancement sequence, the "don't walk...don't walk...cross now...cross now" while Deckard is chasing Zhora, Batty howling at the moon as we cross dissolve from craning down that beautiful building...I mean, the overall design is astounding. Mead was amazing.

I actually prefer the Final Cut, a rarity for me since the initial burn of a movie into my cortex seems to stick, but I admit when I watched it I was thinking "I love this movie but I can see how many wouldn't."

Re:Just watched Blade Runner again

[garyisabusyguy]

I went to see the movie with my Dad, I was likely 19

My Dad was a big fan of "Cowboy Western, shoot'em up" films, and I wanted to introduce him to science fiction

He was quiet leaving the theater, then on the drive home said, "The good guys were really the bad guys, eh?"

So yeah, good movie that could make an impact on people who aren't sci-fi fans

I have also fallen asleep watching it at home, so yeah it takes a little effort to get engaged with the story

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[thomst]

DThorne reminisced:

I saw it upon release - I distinctly remember coming out of the theatre and the general reaction was one of being dipped into this completely new and fully realized world and along with that was this bizarre story questioning the definition of sentience. Again, in context of when it was released, we just had a feeling we had seen something completely new and were slightly speechless.

I saw the movie at the Grand Lake Cinema in Oakland, the night it premiered. I remember being astonished that it was relegated to the upstairs "auditorium" - that once had been merely the theater's freakin' balcony - because the main auditorium was still playing ET (and it was still pulling in big crowds).

(FWIW, the Grand Lake is one of the few movie theaters in modern America that can boast boast an auditorium that can seat 1,200 patrons in front of a single screen - and, on Fridays and

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[quonset]

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

That's okay. You haven't seen anything yet until I tell you I could never get into The Princess Bride. Sure, some of the scenes are interesting, but on the whole, it did nothing for me.

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[zugmeister]

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

I want to mod you +1 brave saying that here. Do you ever have trouble walking?

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[ShoulderOfOrion]

I know I'll get destroyed here for saying this, but I just never could get into Blade Runner.

I only ever liked the International theatrical release (voice-over narration) cut myself. Probably because that's the first version I saw (on VHS) a long time ago.

Loved those movies

[Arthur Vandelay]

I loved the visuals and the premise. And a common thread of all quiet movies with a sense of being alone even when others are around

With McQuarrie gone, Probert is left

[sandbagger]

Ralph_McQuarrie died a few years ago in 2012. His work was also so defining for how we thought the future would look like. He was an aviation technical artist who fell into Hollywood and worked on Star Wars. It's amazing how much people like him, Mead and Andrew Probert changed our ideas about two the world might look. Probert's 72 and when he goes an era will have passed.

Syd Mead's work really had an impact.

He also worked on a video game

[NotSoHeavyD3]

Syd Mead's Terraforming. No idea if it was any good.(Damn, on PriceCharting it's worth over $800.)

His work was done

[samwichse]

With the unveiling of the Cybertruck, his vision of a dystopian future was complete and now he can rest.

Cybertruck

[GPS Pilot]

I would just like to know whether Mr. Mead got a chance to give his opinion on Cybertruck before he passed.

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[samwichse]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/a... [google.com]

Yep

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[GPS Pilot]

You should be modded +5.

Deepest sympathies

[sgt_doom]

Mr. Mead, as few realize today, had an enormous effect on almost all aspects of modern design --- so many of what we view and seen in vehicles on the streets of the world are from his designs. A tremendously talented and creative individual who contributed much, so very much to civilization.