• AN OPTICAL ILLUSION

[Bwood]

Harrison knows of course, but I would guess that this detail is so insignificant that he has long forgotten it..

[andy]

This is all fun no matter what the conclusions are, or if there are still answers yet. It is like being a detective or archaeologist. As much as I would like to always be right, it is very cool to see us all work together to find the truth, and maybe some new mysteries.

Andy

[andy]

Here is the photo I had issues with loading earlier for everyone to enjoy. Not sure why it wouldn't load before, but I was blurry eyed when I tried last time.



Andy

[Futurepig]

There is always the possibility that the thing sticking up from his hand is not part of the original scenery at all but a scratch on the photo or some other accident added after the picture was taken...
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[joberg]

I don't think Harry would've forgotten that pic and the taking of the pic.
This is a method actor, and as such, this is the type to get his costume from wardrobe (weeks in advance if possible) and make it his own by wearing it, folding it and getting a good feel of his character that way.

So, I'm sure that he remembers

[andy]

[Bwood]

[andy]

We are all just speculating, and that is a good way to start to try and test out theories, and is all good, but jumping to conclusions can send us down the wrong trail and start mixing assumption with facts, and keep us from looking in other corners that we need to.

I know for a fact that memory is not all that powerful unless you have a photographic one. Most of our memories are memories of our recollections of our memories, and at a certain age most of the unimportant stuff is long gone unless it is connected to a strong emotion. It is a fascinating scientific study, and I love reading about, as well as it's connection to this films themes.

Who knows what happened on the day of filming this, or if it was it was even taken seriously since it really was only a background prop. I suspect it may have been at one time a more important part of the film, but got cut. This is just my suspicion though. Still all the memories of those there are probably suspect to some degree, unless it was a day something significant happened like someone dying, getting injured, or hooking up. ...perhaps they might know more about the identity about the woman. Today this shoot probably never would have happened for the cost of a prop, but may have been done in photoshop instead. Though this in a way helps bolster the idea that it was a more important part of the film at one time, we still need more evidence, and I seriously doubt it was anything they would have spent too much time or money on.

We have very few facts and lot of ideas that fall on a scale of probability. There are a few on this board that are experienced in this industry, but none of us are them. Let us speculate away on what the details are, but not assume we have a clue what was going on in the heads of the crew/actors until we can actually talk to them. In the mean time lets keep digging up the solid stuff, like better shots of this photo to get as much as we can from it. The one thing I have really learned from this hobby is that it is easy to come up with ideas as it is to dream, but once you start trying to dig up the real info, and put it all through good critical thinking scrutiny, a lot of it falls apart quickly. I take the detective work here seriously as a type of mental exercise and if I get lazy about it, I have to be honest with myself and others with that fact. Otherwise all the info here becomes almost useless.

In other words, who wants to get in touch with Harrison?

Andy

[Bwood]

Now's your chance, while he's recuperating...

[joberg]

He's walking now (plaster is off and special crutch is off too).
Now, as we know, and hearing the stories around this board and others from pros working in the business, each actor is a different animal than another in their way of working to get a character "right".
Some want the Director to explain everything to them, some will not.
Same with costumes and props...depends on the Director, the actor, etc.

While they may try to "imitate" the costume's feel (as mentioned by Andy) some had the opportunity to actually be in their costumes previous to principal photography (although a somewhat rare occurrence, but nonetheless possible).

What I suggest, is that next time Harry is at a Con, someone prints this pic and make it sign and see if he remembers...

[Bwood]

An excellent idea, joberg.

[joberg]

Thanks Bwood

[Replicant 13]

All -

Thanks for all your responses thus far. I truly had not even hoped for so much input! Especially on such a seemingly insignificant detail on a rather obscure prop.

I agree with much of what has been offered up here. Although Harrison might be one of very few who might recall just what transpired, I think his attitude is clear - it was only a movie, and one he seems to prefer to dismiss.

Details of a background prop, such as a photo that was probably quickly staged for a insignificant element would be forgotten by most. Like that pic of Rachel with her mom, the facts behind this photo may soon be lost as those involved age and memories fade. Of those people involved - the actress portraying "Iran" Deckard or the one chosen as Rachel's mom might be the people to ask, since that may well be their only involvement in what is now considered a classic film. If we knew their names, they might be the ones to contact . . .

And understandably, Ridley himself seems to have difficulty with past details, as witnessed in some of the conflicting comments within the interviews on the DVD/Blu Ray sets.

WHO'S SCRUFFY-LOOKING?
Although Joberg's approach might be worth a shot, as to wardrobe, I must agree with Andy here. Although Harrison seems to like being involved in the details, that probably applies more to character and less to wardrobe - and this was not Indiana's hat and jacket here (or even the Deckard trench coat). After all, it does seem Ford was rather "shut out" of BR, with Ridley's obsessions focused on the film rather than the actors.

The ill-fitting appearance of Harrison's pants and shirt seems obvious testimony to a quickly-staged shoot involving a relationship only touched upon in the movie. Yes, it WAS the early 80's, and such background wardrobe considerations were probably not as important, but this was also before the advent of VHS tape, so any scrutiny of such details was out of reach, foiled by limited viewing.

Although we are all familiar now with the multitude of props that populated Ridley's film, back then I doubt much thought was given to the details within a background photo becoming a studied and valued element in a troubled movie that went through so many script changes, beginning to end. It was the photos that featured in close-up that mattered most.

Lastly, in the absence of any more revealing information, I must now agree with Futurepig. After spending WAY too much time studying various frame grabs of this photo prop, there appears to be more than one significant scratch/hair/blemish on this photo - perhaps something caught between the glass and the photo in a hastily-assembled framing? In particular there seems to be noticeable "artifacts" in the shaded area behind the Deckards.

That said, it still appears that whatever is above Deckard's left wrist is within the photo.

But then I saw Ridley's face in a cumulus cloud the other day, so . . .



As always, Have A Better One! - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[joberg]

All valid points Rep13. I remember a story (Bladezone if I'm not mistaken) that recall the buying of one of Harrison Ford's BR shirt by one of the fan of the movie.
According to the article, Ford became excited and talkative with said fan at the moment the shirt was presented to him. (I think there's a pic somewhere of Harry and the buyer). I think that we tend to dismiss easily what the actors/directors remembered of the movie and its particulars.
Each actor is different and it's true that, at the end, it's just a movie...but that can be said about a lot of things in this life

[joberg]

Ooops...double post