I remember watching Blade Runner not so very long ago. It was the International DVD version. And I saw the same movie again, but this time the Director's cut. I just pause and wonder - how can the same movie leave such a radically different impression based on the edition of the movie?
The first time I watched it, the movie felt so mind-numbing. As most would agree, the voice-over was like feeding humans intravenously to keep them alive for power. What intrigued me this time though was the way the director crafted the movie. As this wasn't the 'public' release, the director took the liberty to flow with the story and expect the audience to follow through. Also, the movie is presented to a mature audience, one who appreciates cyberpunk, dystopian society and anti-utopianism (which is how future is presented in many of the si-fi movies).
Another absorbing ingredient in this edition was the delicious use of what I call forward-references. These are markers in the movie that are laid down and tell you, 'Now hold that thought, you'll get all your pieces later'. These wonderful references are what make a movie wonderful to watch the second time around - the second pass (sorry, couldn't resist :)
Finally, the remarkable scintillating facet of the movie is using 'suspension of belief' turned around and staring you back at your face. After having watched so many movies riddled with flaws, one has his /her guard down when another story fact happens to be wrong. What if the director intended the flaw to be there? What if the lapse is not a mistake? That definitely makes one sit up and notice.
Have you read "Brave new world" by Aldous Huxley? I think you'll like it.