Ridley Scott confirms that Deckard is a Replicant

in the book, deckard is not a replicant, he's have a wife and a electric sheep

"to subtly hint to deckard that he knows he's a replicant, as another factor in controlling him?"

--Sorry, that doesn't make much sense to me. I think the more one tries to explain things in the film that are not explained or even shown one tends toward rationalizations. I think its best to stick with what's on the screen because, after all, that's the movie.

something just occurred to me too!

perhaps the reason it isn't critically important that deckard be subject to the voight-kampf machine is that because he doesn't actually know he's a replicant, and he's employed by a human run agency that keeps tabs on him. what if the reason Gaff would bother with the abstract unicorn dream (vis-a-vis our discussion above) is to subtly hint to deckard that he knows he's a replicant, as another factor in controlling him? I'm rewatching it tonight.

oh I see what you're saying now. well, it's not implausible that he did program the dream to happen at a certain time, although I'd have to rewatch blade runner (again) to catch any references made to the timing of implanted dreams.

"he's a replicant but doesn't know"

--Something else just occurred to me. If Deckard's a replicant, then the Voight-Kampf machine wouldn't work on him. He must be superior to the others to beat them, and his cover must not be blown (cover as a replicant & his ability to not be identified as a bladerunner unless he does it himself).

So, if having a replicant on Earth is outlawed because it's too dangerous, why have a replicant on Earth who you're incapable of controlling or identifying?

"he would know he had that dream already because his dreams and memories are implanted"
--Implanted I understand. Triggered? That's a little more complicated. I mean he'd have to be either programmed to have that specific dream at a certain time or he'd have to be monitored/downloaded for anyone to know that he actually experienced that dream. So Gaff knowing about the dream is fringe at best (why bother a cop with an abstract programmed dream that means nothing?), knowing he had it is another.

obviously the point is that he's a replicant but doesn't know he's a replicant...

it's possible that I just don't understand what you're asking me, but isn't that self explanatory? he would know he had that dream already because his dreams and memories are implanted. if gaff had something to do with the creation of deckard, then he would be aware of the dreams/memories, and therefore he would know about the unicorn dream.

i'm not sure about the shakes thing though, that's interesting

I believe Deckard IS a replicant and that it's not been made all that obvious because Scott wanted the film to have this intriguing legacy by leaving it open to interpretation. It's a great plot twist. Maybe Michael Deeley or whoever Scott has to answer to, didn't want Deckard to be a replicant. Harrison definitely didn't. A compromise has been made by the looks of it. But Deckard DOES have that golden glow in his eyes in the scene where he tells Rachael he won't go after her...

"golden glow in his eyes"

--We all do, just like dogs and cats. It's light reflecting in the eye. If you recall the interviews, that was an accident on set and wasn't discovered until dailies. So it means nothing.

And personally I never noticed it until it was mentioned in this new DVD release.