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still not finished top 10 bands/artists and its been over a year i think lol. Have ya missed me?
Member since:11.12.2003
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I've had the double bill of Robocop 1 & 2 on video since before I was 10 and I seriously doubt there's a person on this planet that has watched either of the film's more than my good self. I pretty much know the script off by heart I've seen it that many times, for me it just doesn't get much better than this even know so imagine what it was like when I was an ickle boy, seeing all that gore and robot's was my equivilent to blue smartie's. I watched it at least once a day after school for a good few years. Had a huge Robocop poster on my wall (wish I knew where it went!) Usually you don't like the same things when you get older, like when you find your old music collection and find Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do' single on vinyl....Sad but true....
I thought I would share my childhood with you so you could get an idea of how gripping this film is for all ages, even watched it with my gran once, don't think it was her cup of tea though to say the least. Made me laugh! So enough of my rambling's and onto the masterpiece that is Robocop.
STORY:
The film starts off by giving us a bit of background on everything basically, as you would expect really. Find out pretty quickly that the lifespan of a cop in Detroit is about the same as a reality show contestants showbiz career. Everything is corrupt and theres an evil company behind everything, oh and that drug's are the central to everything, a bit of a running theme with Robocop although this time it's cocaine rather than the fictional nuke.
In strolls
the hot shot cop from a nice part of town who's ready to rock. We quickly find out that Alex J. Muphy is a good family man and take's care of business with his gun. A well adjusted, good person with morals, the kinda guy everyone like's, obviously not long till he bites the bullet. He get's paired up with Anne Lewis at the start of the film, the macho female type of veteran cop who can handle herself. Sadly this pairing doesn't last long, at least with Murphy as a normal guy.
They go for a drive, go get some coffee and doughnuts as all good cops do then they get a report of a bank robbery through the radio and off they go. Here come's the villain of the story, or at least the villains puppet. Clarence Boddicker, sadly Bobby burns the money and then gets shot in the leg, one of my favourite parts of the film, "Can You Fly Bobby?" Booooooosh! out the back of the van and onto Murphy and Lewis' Windscreen, so the bank robbers get away with their burnt loot and Muprhy and Co. follow them to the old steel mill. Ok, theres two of us and a van load of them, we better split up so they can kill us easier! Pretty stupid but we don't mind, it's all in good fun. So they split up and Murph quickly find's himself with more holes than the script of sunset beach.
The rest is history, Murphy finds himself as Robocop, his memory allegedly wiped but the film would be boring if there wasn't some emotional turmoil tearing the main character apart.
Many theme's are dealt with in this film, It's a black comedy, an action film and a drama all rolled into the one gorey package.
The advert's which seem to be a trademark of Verhoeven's add comedy and gives the film it's satirical outlook on the future and the American way of life.
If you've not seen the film yet then shame on you but I won't spoil the rest for you, just make sure you see it soon as long as you've got a strong stomach.
ACTING:
The acting from most of the main character's is pretty good on the whole. Peter Weller is tremendous as Robocop, Nancy Allen plays a good side-kick role. Dan O'Herlihy does well as the 'Old Man' of OCP, a good convincing performance from him. Ronny Cox is on form as always as Dick Jone's, the real bad guy of the film, he even get's treated to the best death. He suits the head bad guy role with his sometimes fierce and always gritty performaces, notable in Verhoeven's 'Total Recall'. Verhoeven must have been an fan of Cox's acting too. Kurtwood Smith is superb in his role of Clarence Boddicker. Evil, emotional at times, always convincing and perfect for the role, he's been good in any film i've seen him in. Robocop is maybe Miguel Ferrer's best performance, not saying he is a bad actor but he's not always the most convincing and sometimes can over dramatise slightly. He wasn't in the film that long but still managed to make an impact. Robert DoQui is the classic Sergeant Warren Reed and maybe the longest running of the characters in the 3 film's. He just fit's the role perfectly, commanding respect through his officers he rock's! To be fair there isn't really many other notable performance's from the cast except everyone's favourite Freddie Hice as Bobby, it was obvious he was never gonna fly!
So the cast is good, well suited and deliver the film well, certainly do it justice.
SPECIAL EFFECTS:
For it's time Robocop must've been quite groundbreaking. Gunfire and explosions going on all over the shop, Robot's dueling in office's, blood and gut's getting sprayed liberally everywhere and all very real and believable. Impressive indeed.
DIRECTOR:
The Dutch Director, Paul Verhoeven, launched his career after Robocop, no doubt about that. Can't say I've heard of a single film he directed before it but has a few treat's up his sleeve in the years following such as the equally classic 'Total Recall', "Basic Instinct' being another famous one, 'Showgirls' I'm sure he would rather forget, the action packed 'Starship Troopers' & the very disappointing 'Hollow Man'.
His film's are usually always thought provoking and very fresh, he directs Robocop in maybe not new directions but give's a new take on theme's. Always keeping the tone of the film and making the most out of the script.
Robocop wouldn't have been the same with a different director, I couldn't ask for a better job, he earned his wage in this epic.
SOUNDTRACK:
Suprisingly the soundtrack is pretty good, not sure why it's suprising but just don't expect it with this type of action film. It fit's in and helps create the mood and tone in the scenes, add's depth and atmosphere to the whole production and give's it the perfect finishing touch. Often overlooked the soundtrack can often be key to a film and the soundtrack to Robocop ties the whole package together.
CONCLUSION:
What else is there to say but watch it, never dull, always entertaining and never predictable, Robocop takes violence to new levels but not just for the sake of it. A fairly decent story line keeps things interesting but when the plot get's weak the guns come out to play. Some of the actor's are at there career best in this film so worth checking out just for that.
...and remember....
'Stay Out Of Trouble"
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When it arrived on the big screen in 1987, Paul Verhoeven'sRoboCopwas like a high-voltage ... more
jolt of electricity, blending satire, thrills, and abundant violence with such energized gusto that audiences couldn't help feeling stunned and amazed. The movie ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
When it arrived on the big screen in 1987, Paul Verhoeven'sRoboCopwas like a high-voltage ... more
jolt of electricity, blending satire, thrills, and abundant violence with such energized gusto that audiences couldn't help feeling stunned and amazed. The movie ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
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wave is sweeping across America. In Old Detroit the situation is so bad a private corporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) has assumed control of the police fo...
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EnglishPatient 22.01.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Robocop (DVD)
Advantages: A classic - touching, shocking, funny, - a different kind of action movie. Disadvantages: A bit too violent for some - and lots of swearing.
DanClegg 07.02.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Robocop (DVD)
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Mar 16th, 2004
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