 First edition cover |
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| Author | William S. Burroughs based upon The Bladerunner by Alan E. Nourse |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction novella |
| Publisher | Blue Wind Press |
| Publication date | 1979 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-912652-46-2 |
Blade Runner (a movie) is a science fiction novella by Beat Generation author William S. Burroughs, first published in 1979. The novella began as a story treatment for a proposed film adaptation of The Bladerunner, a novel by Alan E. Nourse. (Some sources erroneously describe Burroughs' work as a screenplay.) A later edition published in the 1980s changed the formatting of the title to Blade Runner, a movie. No film eventuated; however, the title Blade Runner was later bought for use in the 1982 Ridley Scott science fiction film, Blade Runner. Burroughs' treatment is set in early 21st century and involves mutated viruses and what the back cover of the 1990 edition describes as "a medical-care apocalypse". The term "blade runner" referred to a smuggler of medical supplies, e.g. scalpels.
