Roy Batty (Tears in Rain)
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By marandina
- 3277 reads
This is a tribute to Roy Batty played by the late Rutger Hauer from one of my favourite movies - Blade Runner (1982)
https://bladerunner.fandom.com/wiki/Roy_Batty
Stoical, silicon android eyes
of a beholder beholden,
only to what’s real.
Where consciousness ends
and subconscious begins.
In a twilight, insular world,
where synaptic neurons fire,
a debauched Off-world for hire,
in the murky light of Hinterland
at the border of our sanity.
A man tripping, slipping, falling,
an arm outstretched, reaching,
clawing, recalling its prey,
an act of contrition,
amongst many heinous crimes.
Rain falling, pounding, watching,
a desperate, disparate struggle
decided by a nemesis of fate.
A replicant killing machine wandering
through its corridor of existence.
You sought forgiveness,
redemption from your maker.
Science marvels at creation,
oblivious to moral dichotomy
and your light burned.
Twice as bright, half as long,
you burned so very,
very brightly, Roy,
you did see things
people didn’t believe.
Attack ships on fire
off the shoulder of Orion.
C-beams glittered in the dark,
near the Tannhäuser Gate,
all those moments lost in time.
Time to die.
Image free to use at
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bradbury_Building_from_the_i...
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Comments
I have to admit to not
I have to admit to not knowing who Roy Batty was till I looked it up. I've never seen Blade Runner, but reading about Roy Batty, I now have more of an understanding about your poem.
You sum him up well giving the impression of an extreme existance to which he had no control over, which is kind of sad in a way.
You always manage to introduce me to new information in your poems.
Jenny.
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HI Paul
HI Paul
I thoughtt this was very profound. Like Jenny I didn't know the subject, but you certainly painted a picture of him.
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One of my favourite SF
One of my favourite SF characters. Amazing that Rutger Hauer came up with that wonderful speech, probably the best moment in the film. I was a Blade Runner superfan back in the day - I haven't seen it for a while, but I can imagine I would find some parts of it a bit problematic now. Still think that the opening sequence is one of the best things ever.
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This tribute to Rutger Hauer
This tribute to Rutger Hauer’s performance in Blade Runner as the android, Roy Batty, is our Pick of the Day.
Here’s the link to the Tears in the Rain monologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoAzpa1x7jU
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Enjoyed it, P.
Enjoyed it, P.
One of my favourite films. I love 2049 too. Strangely, I was disparaging of 2049 the first time I watched but now I'm bowled over by it.
However, nothing quite beats that opening sequence of the original.
Have you listened to the Vangelis soundtrack? I highly recommend playing it while walking through Piccadily Circus at night in the rain.
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Haven't watched it for ages,
Haven't watched it for ages, and didn't remember it well enough so looked up on Wikipedia - had not realised that Rutger Hauer is responsible for the power and poetry of those lines - the original is cheesy dross, I hope he got huge credit for that.
Your poem immediately sent me to the flashing lights and angular shadows, with only the weather being any sign of nature, and the struggle to eliminate something wonderful. You have done it so well
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Blade Runner was certainly
Blade Runner was certainly better than the book. They tended to be prescient, but shit. Brought up o a diet of Star Trek, this is one of the great monolgues (not in the book). I'm rambling. Great poem.
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Might have to challenge you
Might have to challenge you to a duel, Celticman, for dissing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Pistols at 20 paces.
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Check out A Scanner Darkly.
Check out A Scanner Darkly. That's probably his best, or The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. To be fair, Androids isn't up there with those two.
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His short stories are
His short stories are generally terrifc too. He wrote on speed and went mad at the end but there are some absolute crackers in there.
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Hi,
Hi,
This is a fitting tribute to the man! You have a marvellous way with words. Quite brilliant.
hilary
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Great poem summarising a
Great poem summarising a scene which does seem very moving, after looking at it on your link. I may have seen it before, but had forgotten. This idea of an android with a conscience, and a memory, but nonetheless a job to do, is very powerful! He seems conflicted, but the growing understanding was there.
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Nice poem
Yeah, Bladerunner is also one of my favorite films. And the Roy character is just so well-written and acted. I prefer the movie to Dick's book, actually. I love that last dialogue between Roy and Decker at the end, so powerful and poetic. Great tribute, man. Good writing, as usual. Well deserved cherries.
GGHades502
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