I adore RoboCop. I was ten when it came out and I watched it so often on VHS. I have that movie seared into my brain. As much as the sequels do suck, I kind of dig the second one and the third is cool for the jetpack, but nothing else. The series was awesome and I have my tapes of it somewhere back home. I would snap up a DVD release of those in a heart beat. Personally, I love how over the top the film is in terms of violence, but the series really captures the satire of the world. I also kind of liked the comics they put out in the early 90s too.
Robocop
- Thread starter Newski
- Start date
As I said, I don't find revenge stories entertaining. Lots of villains are driven by revenge (Nero in the new Star Trek movie, for instance, not to mention Khan). So why should I consider a character out for revenge to be a hero? Why should I care about the story if both sides are equally malevolent, indistinguishable in their methods and motives? That's not heroes vs. villains or good triumphing over evil, just the nihilistic law of the jungle. I'm not entertained by that.
I don't want to hate the bad guys, I want to like the good guys. I want it to be a positive experience, not purely a negative one. What I enjoy are stories about people protecting life, not just inflicting death.
The character is called RoboCop. He's a police officer. He's the ultimate police officer. And police officers are supposed to be people who serve and protect. That's what Robo did in the TV series and failed to do in the movie sequels. In the show, he was really a cop. And I liked that.
Verhoeven is on record as saying that his intent was to satirize ultraviolence by taking it to a ludicrous excess. True, the fact that he does the same in all his movies suggests a certain hypocrisy, but that is what he's on record as saying. It's not my opinion or something I'm making up, it's a documented statement of directorial intent.
I will stand by his assessment that that's not what the film was about... Granted, revenge stories have always existed, even in classic mythology. It's a great plot device if used right.
I know the director was satirizing the media, our consumer culture, and corporate greed, but I'm not so sure about the violence. Yeah it was outrageous and over the top, but I think that was used more to show what a crazy and violent place that world had become.
And also because it's just a stylistic thing Verhoeven does with ALL his movies.[/QUOTE]
No, he was satirizing our violent culture as well..... Violence is fun in movies. It's exciting, it comical.... But some movies at the time (Most Notably Rambo, First Blood Part II) seemed to embrace blatant violence and milatarism as a way of life. Robocop the Series had a great bit about this, with a short cartoon selling an instant stomach wound... Hit a button, all the guts fly out... I love that bit....
It's the same sort of Satire as "Troma's War" but since it's not from Troma, it's a lot better put together.
Actually I think Robo did do paperwork on occasion in the series, but he did it electronically by uploading his reports. I can't recall any scenes of him testifying against a suspect in court, though. The one courtroom scene I can recall was in "Prime Suspect," an early episode based on a comic-book miniseries, in which Robo was framed for a murder and there was a hearing to determine whether he should be deactivated.
Well, It's good to know that we all agree that the sequels were shit. I have faith in humanity again. 
As for the series, with all the talk of it, I'm actually interested in finding and watching it. I honestly find it hard to believe that Eden could be as great as Murphy in the role, but who knows?
As for the series, with all the talk of it, I'm actually interested in finding and watching it. I honestly find it hard to believe that Eden could be as great as Murphy in the role, but who knows?
Well, It's good to know that we all agree that the sequels were shit. I have faith in humanity again.
As for the series, with all the talk of it, I'm actually interested in finding and watching it. I honestly find it hard to believe that Eden could be as great as Murphy in the role, but who knows?
There are plenty of less than legit places to view it online, and pretty high quality too. I've been hoping for a DVD release.
One Episode was released on VHS (not even the Pilot) and a small collection on Laserdisc... In Japan. Much of the series is left wing propaganda (of course, Verhoeven referred to the movie as "Facism for Liberals anyway, so I don't quite understand why the politics would bother a fan of the film), but done in a way where if you don't agree, you still get a good laugh.
Chris Eden is not a match for Weller, but definitely much better Robert Burke. The only complaint I have about Eden is he doesn't have the Chin for that part.......
Well, It's good to know that we all agree that the sequels were shit. I have faith in humanity again.
As for the series, with all the talk of it, I'm actually interested in finding and watching it. I honestly find it hard to believe that Eden could be as great as Murphy in the role, but who knows?
There are plenty of less than legit places to view it online, and pretty high quality too. I've been hoping for a DVD release.
One Episode was released on VHS (not even the Pilot) and a small collection on Laserdisc... In Japan. Much of the series is left wing propaganda (of course, Verhoeven referred to the movie as "Facism for Liberals anyway, so I don't quite understand why the politics would bother a fan of the film), but done in a way where if you don't agree, you still get a good laugh.
Chris Eden is not a match for Weller, but definitely much better Robert Burke. The only complaint I have about Eden is he doesn't have the Chin for that part.......
Well Verhoeven and one the film's writers (the one begin with N) are both staunchly left wing so that's a definte influence on the film (was reading the wiki entry tonight while watching the film on Space).
And funnily enough Space showed a version that had some of the things usually cut (Murphy's arm being blown off, the splut of blood when Boddecker gets the point).
Well, It's good to know that we all agree that the sequels were shit. I have faith in humanity again.
As for the series, with all the talk of it, I'm actually interested in finding and watching it. I honestly find it hard to believe that Eden could be as great as Murphy in the role, but who knows?
There are plenty of less than legit places to view it online, and pretty high quality too. I've been hoping for a DVD release.
One Episode was released on VHS (not even the Pilot) and a small collection on Laserdisc... In Japan. Much of the series is left wing propaganda (of course, Verhoeven referred to the movie as "Facism for Liberals anyway, so I don't quite understand why the politics would bother a fan of the film), but done in a way where if you don't agree, you still get a good laugh.
Chris Eden is not a match for Weller, but definitely much better Robert Burke. The only complaint I have about Eden is he doesn't have the Chin for that part.......
Well Verhoeven and one the film's writers (the one begin with N) are both staunchly left wing so that's a definte influence on the film (was reading the wiki entry tonight while watching the film on Space).
And funnily enough Space showed a version that had some of the things usually cut (Murphy's arm being blown off, the splut of blood when Boddecker gets the point).
What's great about this movie is, unlike other movies that have a definite point of view, you can just ignore them... Unlike "300" where it's just jammed in your face.
Similar threads
