Robocop (1987) Appreciation Thread

[dl316bh]

Originally Posted by The Deadman

Robocop 3 is my absolute favorite of the series.

That is the most horrifying sentence you could ever have uttered, even as a troll.

[Andrew NDB]

I do, though, remember getting a little bit weepy eyed when RoboCop zipped in on the rocket pack for the save near the end. As a kid.

[Allio]

So when does this thread revolve into discussion about Mummues alive?

[Spike Spiegel]

Take a gander at this bit of toyetic madness from the late '90s.

[Shark_Blade]

Am I the only one who love the reboot movie?

[ProphetofGanja]

FanTheory Friday: Is RoboCop American Jesus???

[Spike Spiegel]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

Am I the only one who love the reboot movie?

I didn't hate it, but I don't think it could ever live up to the original.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

Am I the only one who love the reboot movie?

I despise it, though maybe not as much as the Total Recall remake. Good Lord, there are movies you can make in PG-13... RoboCop and Total Recall aren't those movies. And that's not even the worst things about these movies.

[ProactiveMan]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Speaking of the actual RoboCop TV show (which is NOT to be confused with RoboCop: Prime Directives, that came later and is actually for adults)... did anyone watch it? It did have an official DVD release like 8 years ago.

It's pretty hard to get into, I only made it about 6 episodes of what is like a 22 episode show. He has a partner that is a digital ghost in the computer, and he sets his gun to deliver "stun" rounds all the time, or otherwise looks for ways to shoot chandeliers on top of the bad guys instead of killing them or wounding them. Remember the guy who got chemically burned in the original movie, then rammed by the car and turned to goo? Well he survived somehow and is a villain in this.

Yeah - I have the DVDs. I like it for what it is, but it's more like MacGyver than Robocop. Very TV, in the pre-Sopranos sense of the word. They toned down the violence a lot, but there is still a lot action in it, and some neat stunts and pyrotechnics. It has all the hallmarks of bland TV shows of its era, like the precocious kid, guest stars, and the self contained, 'reset button' plots, and despite being set in Future Detroit, it's very clearly 90s Canada.

It would be campy if not for Yvette Nipar and the guy who plays the Chief. They're acting like they're in Hill Street Blues while a guy walks around in a fiberglass pickle-suit, and everyone else is hamming it up. It works too - the show never feels completely stupid because those two play it straight.

In some ways The Series is the opposite of Prime Directives. The violence in Robocop the Series is very mild, but it has a lot of action, like car chases and stunts - Prime Directives is graphically violent, but is pretty light on action, in fact if memory serves, they use clips of exploding cars from The Series in the first episode, presumably to add the impression of production value.

Prime Directives feels very small-scale too, like everything happens in a hand-full of locations. I find the tone a bit inconsistent also - it's quite gory and intense at times, and I think they were trying to make the cop-drama somewhat hard-edged, but then it turns into Buffy the Vampire Slayer for fifteen minutes while Robocop battles a bunch of goth chicks wearing vinyl pants, or the villain shows up in a rejected Wrestlemania costume.

I have Prime Directives on DVD too, and I like it for what it is. It was exciting when it came out because Robocop had been conspicuously absent for a while, and they sold it on the back of Robocable, who looked cool as f*** out of context. They didn't really do enough with that character in the final product, but he still looks cool.

[newfan]

I remember Weller joking about the Jesus remarks.

As for the Reboot, I did go off to see it and also bought it but I didn't take to it as much as the original. It is a different story also, yeah cop turned into Robocop but the circumstances. I liked the original design (we're not calling him classic robo now that there has been a reboot are we?) I did like that new guy could run and that the viser lifted up and down but otherwise he was fine how he was. (but the New was ok)

[The Deadman]

Originally Posted by dl316bh

That is the most horrifying sentence you could ever have uttered, even as a troll.

Why? Don't get me wrong, I loved the first one, but the 3rd one, to me, is the favorite. The reboot however can kick rocks, didn't care for that one too much.

[Spike Spiegel]

What's your favorite mock ad from the series?

[Sumac]

I think no-one has mentioned that, but Miller was disappointed with how his screenplay for RoboCop 2 was changed and later made a comic book, based on his unchanged version of story for RoboCop 2.

I haven't read that, but from few panels and reviews I've seen - it's bloodier and there is panel where RoboCop kisses Lewis.

[newfan]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I think no-one has mentioned that, but Miller was disappointed with how his screenplay for RoboCop 2 was changed and later made a comic book, based on his unchanged version of story for RoboCop 2.

I haven't read that, but from few panels and reviews I've seen - it's bloodier and there is panel where RoboCop kisses Lewis.

Yes, I've seen some of it, I think it is 2 and 3 and also I think it was Rea/reigh (can't remember spelling of his name) who died an not Lewis.

Nancy Allen had apparently said she was done when Weller did but she was not happy that they killed off her character off in 3, neither was I. Actually in 2, Kershner wanted to re-cast her because but was told he couldn't, he did re-write a lot of the script when he took over apparently, cutting out some of her parts.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by dl316bh

I very much suspect that's the main reason why properties like Robocop and Rambo got cartoons. Everybody was hoping for something even a fraction as popular as the Star Wars line. After all, that was the biggest toy series in the world for decades and blew everything else out of the water.

The cinema screen was the best way to advertise for children in 1977.

https://www.awn.com/animationworld/d...-optimus-prime