Catching ‘tears in the rain’: Blade Runner and the Archiving of Memory and Identity

Michael K. Organ, et al.

Intro

• Blade Runner presents the ultimate archival dilemma: to preserve or ‘retire’ (dispose of) a sentient record
• Dystopian view of the future
• Blurred line between human and humanoid
• Archivist in the modern era… technological innovation, limitations and inherent fragility of electronic records, consideration of what is worth saving, and issues of identity
• These films reinforce the importance of the archival record and the archivist
• Desktop and digital technologies enable the transformation of archival items into digital files
• Virtual reality provides the same opportunity for historical environments and objects
• Replicant revolt sought to destroy all identifying records
• Memories define the archival mission in areas of preservation, disposal and access