Extras :
The unrated widescreen director's cut including "excessively violent" shots
cut for the censor, Audio commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, co-writer
Edward Neumeier, executive producer Jon Davison, and Robocop "expert" Paul M.
Sammon, Film-to-storyboard comparison, Storyboards, An illustrated essay on
the making of Robocop, Theatrical and teaser trailers, RSDL dual-layer edition
"The greatest science-fiction film since Metropolis"
claims ruddy-faced Brit director Ken Russell on the slipcase. For once
the former enfant terrible ain't talking silly: if you like sci-fi hard-edged,
exciting and shot-through with pitch-black comedy, 'Robocop' certainly
delivers the goods. Beneath the exoskeleton of a Hollywood blockbuster, Dutch
director Paul Verhoeven has concealed a very funny satire on private
enterprise and the corporate menace..
The time is the future. Downtown Detroit is a third-world nightmare. The
demoralised police force is run by OCP, who watch the city from high-tech
ivory towers. Unfortunately for the former car-producing capital, the
corporation is secretly aiming to downsize the boys in blue.
When the prototype policerobot ED-209 massacres an OCP Vice-President during a
boardroom demonstration (an embarrassed executive calls this a "glitch")
ambitious corporate sleaze Bob Morton (Miguel Ferrer - excellent) steps in to
offer an alternative in cost-concious policing. Meanwhile, downtown, newly
transferred cop Murphy (Peter Weller) is shot to a pulp by a sadistic drug
lord.
Morton's scientists use Murphy's remains as the guts of a
half-man/half-machine RoboCop - a mechanised resurrection we watch from
Murphy's point of view (hilariously, at one point, they switch him on during
a drunken Christmas party). But RoboCop's humanity has not been erased, and
his supercharged metal body sets about struggling to reclaim his memory and
avenge his own murder - even if it leads him to the very top of the
corporation that created him.
Robocop is a stunning urban satire, an ultra-violent bloodbath that mixes
comedy and real intelligence, and a definite candidate for repeat viewing.
The picture is in non-anamorphic 1.66:1 and shows occasional grain.
The sound is presented in Dolby Surround taken from the original 35-mm 2-track
magnetic master. It is unexceptional which is a shame as this is the kind of
action film that would benefit from the fruits of what many are calling "the
digital revolution." However, helicopter noises are good, and at one point a
hubcap rolls into the back speakers.
Extras :
Chapters :
27 Chapters over 103 minutes for the film.
Languages/Subtitles :
This American disc is aimed squarely at the thirty per cent of the world that
speak English. There are some that say it is the first world language since
Latin. Not bad going for what was once an obscure dialect of German brought
over by our bearded Teutonic ancestors.
And there's more... :
The chief extra in this film is the "excessively violent" cut which was even
snipped on theatrical release in America.
Watch OCP Vice-President Kinney getting blown apart by the ED-209 robot
for a full thirty seconds. Watch Peter Weller first losing his hand and then
his entire arm to small arms fire. Watch the top of his head getting blown
off. Then feel slightly queasy but thrilled that most people in the UK have
only seen the sanitised version.
Next up, the commentary track is something of a curate's egg. It's mainly
about special effects and what a philistine the censor was, but there are
interesting moments for "art"-lovers; Verhoeven spends a full five minutes
expanding upon his theme of mixed locker rooms in the future (later famously
revisited in "Starship Troopers.") Writer Ed Neumeier also
places the film in the context of America in 1987 - Reagan is still in power -
preaching his gospel of privatisation and free enterprise.
The storyboard sections follow the theme of special effects and how they were
achieved, as does the exhaustive "illustrated essay" - where text is mixed
with the occasional still or video image.
The theatrical trailers are both in 4:3 but of an adequate, clear quality.
Criterion has given us a lot of information here, although not enough about
the extraordinary themes the film deals with.
Menu :
Animated menu showing actor Peter Weller twiddling his guns.
Overall, a sizzling Sci-Fi film on a solid disc. "Your move, creep!"
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B
37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Jan 2011: Intel Quad Core Dell XPS 8100, i7 CPU 860 @ 2.80Ghz, 8Gb RAM, nVidia GeForce GTS 240, Windows 7
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
