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Escapes is a documentary feature film from 2017 that recounts the exhilarating life story of Hampton Fancher, who is best known as the co-writer of Blade Runner, one of the most iconic science fiction films in history. The film is an intimate, personal, and poetic glimpse into a life that has been defined by its unpredictable twists and turns.

Directed by Michael Almereyda, Escapes is an unconventional biography that mixes archival footage, reenactments, and candid interviews with Fancher himself, as well as family members, friends, and colleagues. The film eschews the usual chronological narrative of a biopic and instead hopscotches through Fancher's life, jumping from moment to moment in a dreamlike fashion. The effect is both disorienting and mesmerizing, as the film dispenses with the traditional trappings of a documentary and instead invites the viewer to share in Fancher's memories, fantasies, and regrets.

The film begins with a burst of energy and whimsy, as Fancher recounts his early life growing up in East Texas. We learn that Fancher's father was a bootlegger and a gambler who instilled in young Hampton a sense of restlessness and rebellion. Fancher soon abandons school and hitchhikes his way to New York City, where he rubs shoulders with the Beat Generation and falls under the spell of the theater. He begins to get small parts in off-Broadway plays and tries his hand at writing.

It's not long before Fancher heads west to Hollywood, where he believes he can make it big as an actor. However, his dreams are immediately dashed when he realizes that he doesn't have the necessary looks or talent. He resorts to odd jobs and hobnobbing with Hollywood insiders, including a bizarre encounter with the legendary director Howard Hawks, who takes a liking to Fancher but also takes advantage of him.

Fancher's fortunes change when he lands a role in the hit TV show Bonanza, which leads to more opportunities in film and television. However, Fancher is still restless and dissatisfied, feeling like he's a cog in the Hollywood machine. It's during this time that he meets and befriends the legendary author Philip K. Dick, who becomes a mentor and collaborator. Fancher and Dick work on several projects together, including Blade Runner, which becomes a defining moment in Fancher's career.

The film delves into the making of Blade Runner, offering fascinating insights into Fancher's creative process and the fraught production of the film. We see how Fancher worked closely with director Ridley Scott and his co-writer David Peoples to adapt Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? into a visually stunning and thematically rich film. Fancher also talks about his relationships with the cast, including Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, and how the film's reception affected his life.

The film then circles back to Fancher's earlier life and explores his romantic relationships, including a marriage to the actress Sue Lyon and his long-term partnership with the singer Teri Garr. We also learn about Fancher's creative endeavors outside of film, including poetry and painting, and his ongoing struggle with addiction.

Ultimately, Escapes is a celebration of a life lived on one's own terms, with all the attendant ups and downs. Fancher is a larger-than-life figure who has led a remarkable life, and the film captures his spirit in all its vitality, humor, and sadness. It's a film that defies easy categorization or expectation, but one that rewards the viewer who is willing to let go and follow Fancher's lead.

Escapes is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 72.