RoboCop (1987)

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Edward Neumeier (written by) &
Michael Miner (written by)

Release Date:

17 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Part man. Part machine. All cop. The future of law enforcement.

Plot:

In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.

Plot Keywords:

Robocop | Gang | Memory | Cyborg | Police

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Peter Weller	...	Officer Alex J. Murphy / RoboCop
Nancy Allen	...	Officer Anne Lewis
Dan O'Herlihy	...	The Old Man (as Daniel O'Herlihy)
Ronny Cox	...	Richard 'Dick' Jones
Kurtwood Smith	...	Clarence J. Boddicker
Miguel Ferrer	...	Robert Morton
Robert DoQui	...	Sergeant Warren Reed
Ray Wise	...	Leon C. Nash
Felton Perry	...	Johnson
Paul McCrane	...	Emil M. Antonowsky
Jesse D. Goins	...	Joe P. Cox (as Jesse Goins)
Del Zamora	...	Kaplan
Calvin Jung	...	Steve Minh
Rick Lieberman	...	Walker
Lee de Broux	...	Sal (as Lee DeBroux)

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:78 min (cut version) | Norway:98 min (cut version) | USA:103 min (unrated director's cut) | Finland:91 min (heavily cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | Germany:18 (re-release) (JK/SPIO) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (cut) (video premiere) | Australia:R | Italy:T | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (video rating) (1989) | Finland:(Banned) (1987) | Germany:16 (cut version) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:18A (Ontario) (re-rating) (2004) | USA:R (certificate #28646) (edited for re-rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1988) | Spain:13 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (also director's cut) (2002) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:18SG | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 (DVD rating) | India:A | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (video rating) (1987) | Iceland:16 (Director's Cut) (video release) | UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M (theatrical rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 (cut) | Ireland:18 (director's cut) | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M (TV rating) | New Zealand:R18 (theatrical rating) (director's cut) | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Singapore:M18 (director's cut) (uncut version) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Building One, Studios at Las Colinas - 6301 North O'Connor Road, Irving, Texas, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

While filming the Discotech sequence, Peter Weller only wore the top section of the Robo suit. Weller recalls, on the 20 Anniversary DVD Documentary, "Filming The Legend", that walking down the Discotech's stairs was still incredibly difficult and nerve wracking.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Murphy is being rolled into the OR and after being intubated, close-ups show no tube in his mouth, whereas wider shots show the tube medically taped to his cheek.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Slimey Lawyer: Attempted murder? It's not like he killed someone. This is a clear violation of my client's civil rights.
Bail Bondsman: Make it aggravated assault and I can make bail in cash, now.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in James Pond II: Codename Robocod (1992) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Show Me Your Spine

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me."

In the ultra-violent Detroit of the near future, nice-guy cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is savagely executed by mean, brutal thugs. His body is used then to create a cyborg (part man, part machine) that is intended to be the ultimate law enforcement officer. The only problem is, he still retains his human memories and becomes consumed with striking back at the men who killed him.

I call this the ultimate in visceral entertainment. Although it's not necessarily a stupid movie, you don't have to think about it, you can just enjoy it. It feels rather cathartic for me to watch such a repellent variety of worthless scum get their just desserts. It's hard-hitting, intense, and incredibly violent. It's also slick, well cast, and well acted. I like it right down to the music score by Basil Poledouris (I can still hear that theme in my head).

And veteran effects master Rob Bottin did a great job of supervising the creation and design of RoboCop. The appearance is impressive (and I'm sure it must have a real pain for star Weller, getting in and out of that costume).

But don't forget the stop-motion animation contribution by Phil Tippett. 'ED-209' is a good creation, too.

A must for fans of macho science-fiction/action thrillers.

8/10