This July, Rutger Hauer sadly died, someone we can simply say is the greatest Dutch movie actor ever. Floris, Soldier of Orange, The Hitcher: each and every one is a film in which Hauer proved he was on a par with the crème de la crème that Hollywood has to offer. His most iconic role could very well be, however, the one he played in Blade Runner, the sci-fi noir classic created by director Ridley Scott.

Blade Runner is set in the dystopian future of the year of 2019 – yes indeed – when synthetic people called replicants are being used in Earth’s space colonies. Richard Dekker (Harrison Ford) is a detective also known as a ‘Blade Runner’, who is tasked with finding rebel replicants and neutralising them. Dekker is loath to take on his new assignment of tracking down a particularly dangerous group of replicants led by Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer at his very best. In the legendary finale, Hauer gives a monologue in a stellar performance which most actors can only dream of. All the more striking is the fact that it was rewritten by Hauer himself, including a final line which is nothing short of genius and – with Hauer’s passing – one which has also become painfully relevant.