Interesting reading an extract from movie producer Michael Deeley's memoir from a couple of years back about his search for an actor to play Blade Runner lead Rick Deckard.

Of course, Harrison Ford eventually won the role in the film directed by Ridley Scott that has become a sci-fi classic ahead of its time.

The movie, released in 1982 but set in 2019, sees Deckard tracking down a band of killer replicants, biologically-enhanced androids.



According to Deeley, first-choice for Deckard was actually Dustin Hoffman, and he, Scott and the actor had discussed the script at great length.

"Dustin was intrigued - sufficiently so that Ridley Scott and I flew to New York to meet with him,'' Deeley wrote.

"Dustin was too intelligent to think he could play Deckard, the man of action, as written. He asked for suggestions as to how the script could be adapted to suit him physically ...




"This time, Deckard was to be a mean and embittered little man, dissatisfied, selfish and dangerous. Ridley and I figured that although this character sounded seriously unattractive, the nature of his enemies would make him comparatively sympathetic."

Deeley goes on to write that he had gotten frustrated with the on-going discussions with Hoffman and his demands.

"We needed a real leading man, and they are hard to obtain at short notice. So Ridley and I put our heads together and came up with what proved to be a lucky thought ...," Deeley wrote.

I think we all owe him a big thanks for coming to his senses.