In Ridley Scott's 1982 film "Blade Runner", a strong element of oppressive slavery permeates the entire film. The inhabitants of Earth, set in 2019, have evolved a human-like species they call "Replicants". These creations are primarily used for manual labor and are considered inferior to Earth's human population. In this analysis, I will show the similarities between discrimination in the civil rights era and the replicants created by this futuristic society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay According to IMBD.com, they refer to replicants as follows: “Primarily used as manual laborers in 'off-world' space colonies. Due to their advanced nature and violent behavior, replicants were banned from Earth” (paragraph one). During the 1960s, during which this dramatic film was written, our nation was experiencing unrest regarding the rights of African Americans. There are distinct similarities between this film and the time period in which it was written. As shown in the film, the replicants were primarily used as manual laborers working on the construction of this "off-world" colony. This is precisely the stereotype that our country's African-American population was trying to escape. They were trying harder than ever to gain their rights as Americans and establish an acceptable level of equality for their race. As part of their movement, protests became a popular way to express their opinions and they sometimes became violent. The replicants were revealed to be violent in nature and were subsequently banned from land. African Americans of the time feared that if they did not receive true constitutional equality, they would never be considered true Americans. Like outcasts from the land, newly freed African Americans feared their past treatment and wanted to establish a new identity for their race and for equal, responsible Americans. Rick Deckard is a police officer called to eradicate replicants. He says this in one of his earlier quotes: “Replicants are like any other machine, they are either an advantage or a danger. If they are an advantage, that's not my problem. As you can see, Rick Deckard is a disgruntled police officer and has no respect or appreciation for the replicant race, especially due to their violent behavior and recent criminal acts. He considers them machines and explains that if they are beneficial, he has no problem with them. In comparison to the events of the time, African Americans are unfortunately trying to erase the exact same image of their social identity. Previously, African Americans were largely enslaved and are now working to reform their place in society. Seeing replicants as an advantage or a danger is a very polarized way of expressing one's opinion towards replicants. Deckard is an officer of the law and his civic duty is to uphold law and order. The Replicant's recent bout of criminal violence has caused him to view this group of creatures as either compliant or on his kill list. Much like police officers' opinions of African Americans at the time, they were either docile and kept their place in society or they were protesters and deserved to be punished. This common view of police officers in the 1960s is mainly due to the rise of disorder and civil unrest..