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Subject: RoboCop
Today being Peter Weller (RoboCop) and Nancy Allen's (Officer Anne Lewis) birthday, I thought it'd be fun to get your thoughts on the original RoboCop movie. The second one was campy and the third was just ridiculous (although it was pretty cool to see RoboCop fly and launch smart bombs).
I felt that the first one was great in terms of character development, as the human part of Officer Murphy tried to surface but could not because of the OCP programming. In the end he was able to come to terms with his former identity and his role as RoboCop. I never miss a chance to see RoboCop when it comes on USA or one of the Turner stations.
What do you think? :)
Subject: Re: RoboCop
When I saw RoboCop in the cinema for the first time I was absolutely blown away by it. When I tell people that it's one of my favourite films of all time they usually give me very strange looks and say "No, really, tell me about your favourite films....". When I volunteer "Mad Max 2" or "The Terminator" they usually give up. Fact is that all these films DO have real character development.
It was, of course, totally over the top and like a live-action cartoon but that was the objective wasn't it? The bad guys were just soooooo bad, the anticipation and realisation of their come uppance was great. Especially that guy who was the wimpy gay one in "Fame" getting melted by acid then sort of 'popped' by Nancy Allen in an armoured car.
I was similarly disappointed in the follow-ups, the third one without Peter Weller was just lame.
By the way, I do appreciate other genres of film other than science fiction :).
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Sorry to draw from the subject of this thread, Robocop, because I enjoyed it (not so much Robo 2), but if you can enlighten us (me) about your interpretation/critique of Mad Max 2, (possibly my fave of all time) would very much appreciate it!
Quoting:
When I saw RoboCop in the cinema for the first time I was absolutely blown away by it. When I tell people that it's one of my favourite films of all time they usually give me very strange looks and say "No, really, tell me about your favourite films....". When I volunteer "Mad Max 2" or "The Terminator" they usually give up. Fact is that all these films DO have real character development.
It was, of course, totally over the top and like a live-action cartoon but that was the objective wasn't it? The bad guys were just soooooo bad, the anticipation and realisation of their come uppance was great. Especially that guy who was the wimpy gay one in "Fame" getting melted by acid then sort of 'popped' by Nancy Allen in an armoured car.
I was similarly disappointed in the follow-ups, the third one without Peter Weller was just lame.
By the way, I do appreciate other genres of film other than science fiction :).
End Quote
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Well we would be going completely off the RoboCop thread if I were to give you my "critique" of Mad Max 2, plus you'd quickly realise why I'm not a professional film critic by trade. I find it hard to explain what I love about this film but I'll give you some short highlights.
I enjoy the narration voiceover at the start and the end ("My life fades, the memory dims...I remember a time of chaos"). I find the language used here eerily classical, like a Greek myth. It lends a credibility to the whole story.
I think the post-punk styling of the costumes is great, Wez and The Humungous just look excellent as bad dudes.
The various relationships between Max, his dog, the Gyro Captain, the Warrior Woman, Pappagalo etc are all well structured through the film. George Miller deserves credit here as director, he didn't let this story descend into a one dimensional smash-it-up car chase movie.
The stunts - just brilliant. I always enjoy that scene where the guy on the motorbike crashes and then does a double somersault over the wreckage.
Some humour as well - the scene where Papagallo is relaying messages about the state of the truck via two other people across the camp.
I was 18 in 1981 when I first saw this film, at college in London. I saw it on a massive cinema screen, The Empire Leicester Square, and I left the theatre breathless and buzzing with excitement. It's never quite the same seeing it on a small TV screen but I always enjoy watching it anyway.
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Y'know, I've never seen the Mad Max movies :( I heard they were making a Mad Max 4 though, that might encourage me to watch the original trilogy :)
Subject: Re: RoboCop
RoboCop thoughts are still welcome, but don't feel you can't talk about other stuff here ;D
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Quoting:
Y'know, I've never seen the Mad Max movies End Quote
Trust me Rice Cube, if you enjoyed RoboCop I am 100% confident you will enjoy Mad Max 2.
OK, end of Mad Max discussion, back to RoboCop....
Subject: Re: RoboCop
The guy who plays Red Forman on That 70s Show was in Robocop right?
I love the part in the flick after Robocop beats the snot out of him and brings him into the station, and Red just spits blood on the desk and says "Just give me my phone call".
Mad Max kicks butt.
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Thanks for the laughs and the great Mad Max summary. As for Robocop, I liked how he had a monotone, but the tone went up a notch if he started getting ticked off. do you remember any of his lines?
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Quoting:
Thanks for the laughs and the great Mad Max summary. As for Robocop, I liked how he had a monotone, but the tone went up a notch if he started getting ticked off. do you remember any of his lines?
End Quote
"Dead or alive, you're coming with me."
and something like:
"Give up, or there will be...trouble."
Kinda Shatneresque ;D
Subject: Re: RoboCop
"Your move, creep"
or how about:
(TV Reporter): "Robo, any message for the kids watching?"
(RoboCop): "......Stay Out Of Trouble".
(it was on UK TV late last night. And yes, I watched it again).
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Hahaha..!! I had forgotten how many good one-liners there were in that movie. :D I don't think Dirty Harry had as many. :)
I thought the commercial adverts were funny in a dark way. Like the one about the sunscreen with an SPF factor of a million, use it or you'll die from skin cancer, then it's followed up with the fine print at the bottom of the screen saying that continued useage could cause side effects! :)
Or the "2000 SUX" car... I still think there's a hidden piece of humour in that.
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Dirty Harry..."being this is a 44 magnum, the largest handgun ever made, and one shot could blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question, do I feel lucky...well do ya , punk?" the bad dude, "te tell me, I gots ta know..."
the 44 magnum, "CLICK!"
me - "LOL"
Quoting:
Hahaha..!! I had forgotten how many good one-liners there were in that movie. :D I don't think Dirty Harry had as many. :)
I thought the commercial adverts were funny in a dark way. Like the one about the sunscreen with an SPF factor of a million, use it or you'll die from skin cancer, then it's followed up with the fine print at the bottom of the screen saying that continued useage could cause side effects! :)
Or the "2000 SUX" car... I still think there's a hidden piece of humour in that.
End Quote
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Quoting:
I thought the commercial adverts were funny in a dark way. Like the one about the sunscreen with an SPF factor of a million, use it or you'll die from skin cancer, then it's followed up with the fine print at the bottom of the screen saying that continued useage could cause side effects! :)
Or the "2000 SUX" car... I still think there's a hidden piece of humour in that.
End Quote
I concur. These throwaway TV bits were a great part of the movie. Paul Verhoeven (the director) also used them in "Starship Troopers" to good effect.
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Dredging this topic up from page 5, no less, but I had to add something to this thread....
I watched the Clint Eastwood film "High Plains Drifter" the other night. I've seen it many times before but, maybe because of reading this thread recently, I just realised that Robocop is basically exactly the same film! Has anyone else noticed this? Am I coming to this realisation embarrassingly late? Here's the evidence...
HPD: lawman is killed by evil gang in the pay of "the company"
RoboCop: lawman is killed by evil gang in the pay of "the company"
HPD: lawman is "reincarnated" as an anonymous and seemingly indestructible avenger
RoboCop: ditto
HPD: forces of evil sort of recongnise the avenger but can't quite put their finger on where they know him from...
RoboCop: ditto
HPD: lawman's former associates sort of recognise him by (wait for it) trademark spinning of gun on finger before returning it to holster!
RoboCop: ditto - I'm convinced that this signature in RoboCop is a direct credit to its blatant plagiarism from High Plains Drifter.
HPD: lawman returns to scene of the crime and wastes all the baddies
RoboCop: ditto
HPD: lawman also wastes the evil representatives of "the company"
RoboCop: ditto
any comments?
Subject: Re: RoboCop
I saw one of the RoboCop films ages ago. As i remember, it was cheesey but not too cheesey and some bits were a laugh. Cool theme tune though.
Subject: Re: RoboCop
Quoting:
When I volunteer "Mad Max 2"
End Quote
Again, i can't remember too well but i think it's safe to say Mad Max was superior to all American action films :P
Subject: Re: RoboCop
I'm not sure about "Robocop" being a pastiche of "High Plains Drifter", but the similarities aren't that surprising. They're both just revenge films, based on fables as old as time. You could find similar plots in Shakespeare. Nevertheless, astute observation! I think Vorhoeven's sometimes not-so-subtle society commentary gets lost in the details in some of his films, but there's plenty of it in Robocop. There's entire contexts in there about law enforcement, corruption and social breakdown.
As for "Mad Max 2"... not much social comment there, but one of the best films ever. :)
Subject: Re: RoboCop
I think Mad Max II had a lot of social comment, for example, the underlying metaphor of the flick was the war between the two subcultures, hippies vs. the punks.
Quoting:
As for "Mad Max 2"... not much social comment there, but one of the best films ever. :)
End Quote