This is a copy of a letter written by the late great Philip K. Dick. Dick, as everyone should know, was the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, upon which the Blade Runner was loosely based. "Loosely" is the operative word here. While the story is basically the same, the two works are so different in tone that they seem unrelated. This raises the question, until now largely unanswered, "What would Dick have thought of the film?"

Now we know:

(H/t philipkdick.com)

Dick recognized that it was not at all science fiction as he and his cohort were used to, but something new, different, and in many ways better.

With all due respect to Dick, I cannot help but agree. The book is quite good, but the movie is great. While the book has many great ideas, the movie immerses the viewer in a whole new dimension and opened up new realms of possibility for science fiction writers. This is a rare case in which the film is better than the book, and we are all happier for it.

(H/t Galley Cat)