Blade Runner opening sequence - circa 1975

I was brought up in the industrial North East of England, Middlesbrough to be precise.

I remember many times on the 163 Bus to Redcar, going past the ICI Wilton complex, filled with awe and wonder at the spectacular industrial landscape through the bus window.

Occasionally I would be treated to a giant flare from one of the oil cracking towers which for a few seconds, turned night into day for miles around.

Now, 42 years later I find out that Ridley Scott was also spellbound by this same view of ICI Wilton. He commented:

ICI Wilton (Between Middlesbrough and Redcar)

“There’s a walk from Redcar … I’d cross a bridge at night, and walk above the steel works. So that’s probably where the opening of Blade Runner comes from. It always seemed to be rather gloomy and raining, and I’d just think “God, this is beautiful.” You can find beauty in everything, and so I think I found the beauty in that darkness.”

ICI Wilton (Between Middlesbrough and Redcar)

I've seen Blade Runner several time and for some reason never made a connection between the view out of that bus window 42 years ago and the opening sequence to Blade Runner.

Now that I see the pictures side by side, I'm having a face-palm moment.

Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner Opening Sequence (YouTube Clip) 

I suspect Ridley Scott may have met one of my girlfriends from that area when I was just a teenager. She may have inspired him to write "Alien".