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Published: 2010-07-11 19:50:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 5756; Favourites: 187; Downloads: 0
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"Murphy, it's you..."Did you know that DA doesn't have a single stamp dedicated to the Robocop franchise — not a single one? This is the first (and, hopefully, not the last)! The original Robocop (1987) blew me away as a child and I have since devoured practically everything on it, from the mediocre sequels to the horrible TV spinoffs to the notorious animated series to the obscure comics and games to the loved fan-films and fan-edits. A remake is planned for 2013 in 3D, ugh! But, to this day, the original 1987 film remains one of my all-time favourite films.
Taking place in the not-so-distant future of a grim, ultra-violent, dystopian Detroit, the giant mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) owns and runs practically every aspect of life, from the government to the military to the domestic. The idealistic Police Officer Alex J. Murphy, in one of the most horrific executions done on film, is killed during his first day of the job and OCP takes his remains to build a mechanical law enforcement prototype unit known as "Robocop" to cut down on the crime and eliminate human error (as the police force is ready to go on strike) in order to construct "Delta City," a domed district reserved for the rich and influential to be built over the Old Detroit slums and push the poor and undesirable out of their sights. As Robocop makes a name for himself around the city, he unexpectedly starts regaining the memories of his lost life and lost humanity, avenging his "death" by bring in the street thugs who killed him to justice, which soon lead him to the capitalistic corporate execs of OCP's boardroom.
The film with a silly name juggles genres, as it's an action film, a sci-fi film, a war film, a horror, a thriller, a crime drama, a tragedy, a social satire, a black comedy, a miracle play, and a morality play, packed with layers of depth, emotions, heart, intelligence, and a bit of camp. It's a social commentary against American culture and values, consumerism and materialism, the rise of right-wing conservatism, Reaganomics, corporate takeovers, militarization of the police force, over-dependency on technology, psychology, religion, existentialism, class conflicts, socio-politics, war, terrorism, Nazism, Vietnam, Cold War, crime, drugs, avarice, greed, and ultra-violence. The film, even by today's standards, has definitely indulged in ultra-violence and has no qualms about showing it; there are still scenes of this film that are still difficult to watch. In fact, although the film was released in theatres with barely an R-rating; VHS released the film in the original uncensored NC-17 edition. Recently, a Director's Cut DVD was released with a few extra seconds that didn't make it into the NC-17 edition. Filmed in my hometown of Dallas, Texas, the production also utilized fantastic practical effects and stunning stop-motion animation — fuck CGI! This was back when films were an art form!
If you haven't seen the first Robocop, watch it! And if you haven't seen it for a long time, watch it again! You won't regret it, my friend!
Clips from the Film:
- Murphy's Death (uncensored)
- ED-209's Glitch (uncensored)
- The Drug Factory Scene
- ED-209 vs. Robocop
- Basil Poledouris' epic theme song for the film
Behind-the-Scenes:
- Making Of, Part I
- Making Of, Part II
- Making Of, Part III
- Peter Weller is Robocop
- RoboSuit and Auto-9 Gun
- Making ED-209
- (Practical) Special Effects
- Villains of Old Detroit, Part I
- Villains of Old Detroit, Part II
(If you are going to post this stamp, please +fav. It would be most appreciated it! To place this on your journal or a shoutboard, if you are a DA subscriber, copy and paste the following code: :thumb170926531:)
Medium - Photoshop, Jasc Animation Shop.
Robocop © MGM/Orion.
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Comments: 129
tranimation-art In reply to ??? [2010-07-29 12:46:49 +0000 UTC]
It's like how I love and adore the first two Terminator and Alien films, and they're perfect as they are together, then they just HAD to make all the other films and spin-offs and RUIN IT! Arggggggggggggh!
I agree. That's the majority of fanfiction that I find. Being a canonist, it's difficult to satisfy my needs. It's difficult to find that 10% of awesome fanfiction out there.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ArtemisLoki In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-29 15:21:52 +0000 UTC]
True. Actually I liked the 4th terminator, but I would have been satisfied with just the first two. Heads up though, they're making a fifth one. Ugh, along with several other sequels to movies I love. God honestly I'm at the piont where I find the only worse thing is an unneccesary sequel, because at least you can ignore remakes. Sequels are another issue on their own.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to ArtemisLoki [2010-07-29 16:18:52 +0000 UTC]
I haven't seen the fourth one yet; I still don't know if I'm ready for it, let alone a fifth one!
Typically, I avoid remakes with a passion, particularly for films I consider perfect. Sequels, I can't help but be suckered in. Majority of the time it fails. Blahhhh.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ArtemisLoki In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-29 16:59:02 +0000 UTC]
If I see sequels, its either becuase it genuinely looks like it has some quality, or by mistake when I'm not aware its a remake.
Sequels are like that. No matter how badly you don't want their to be one, when there is one you basically have to see it cause you just have to know what happens to the characters and storyline. But still I'm so happy when a sequel does good.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to ArtemisLoki [2010-07-29 20:43:54 +0000 UTC]
Agreed. Very few sequels do that. And it's sad.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
nuriaabajo In reply to ??? [2010-07-14 10:05:06 +0000 UTC]
True DA doesn't have a single stamp dedicated to the Robocop´s movie. The movie is not one of my favorite films (I do not love the violence) but I recognize it is a classic film
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to nuriaabajo [2010-07-14 15:47:43 +0000 UTC]
The violence wasn't superfluous to the film. It was necessary and it was done in a over-the-top and very cartoonish way, which horrified you and made you laugh, such as the scene of ED-209's glitch. It malfunctions and someone gets kills, shot sixty times, and then you have a guy go "Somebody wanna call the goddamn paramedic?" What can they do? He would need a body transplant! And that line cut in the rated edition, which made it more brutal than it should have been. It was also a scene that mocked consumerism, as this is machine looks great and fearsome, but it doesn't work. It's like cars. You buy cars that are emotionally pleasing and they don't work or there's severe safety problems. And that's how ED-209 is. It's a brutal way to show it, but it's necessary to show, particularly to set up for Murphy's death.
The film has a very purposely Christ metaphors. Murphy's execution is one of most horrifying scenes on film. It's the crucifixion of Christ and Robocop is his resurrection. The scene where he goes through Murphy's empty home and regains fragments of his old memories, he realizes that he can never go back. Even with the scene where he shoots the baby food jars is symbolic. The film didn't hold back and I respect that.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Anicomicgeek In reply to ??? [2010-07-13 04:02:14 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, the original movie was pretty good and still the best of that entire series. Nice job on the stamp. Keep up the good work.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Anicomicgeek [2010-07-13 19:06:23 +0000 UTC]
The sequels were pretty mediocre, but had it's moments. They aren't, however, at the same level as the first film. The 1987 original film was just awesome with a lot of emotions and heart. My heart breaks whenever he looks into his house and remembers his life as Murphy, which he cannot get back.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
PB-ZeppelinFan In reply to ??? [2010-07-12 04:21:26 +0000 UTC]
It's one of my all time favorite movies.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to PB-ZeppelinFan [2010-07-12 04:59:08 +0000 UTC]
There weren't any stamps dedicated to Robocop, so I made one! Glad it has a fanbase to support it! Wheee!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
athenril-of-kirkwall In reply to ??? [2010-07-12 00:49:17 +0000 UTC]
I absolutely love Robocop. In a entirely platonic way.
Great stamp!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to athenril-of-kirkwall [2010-07-12 04:01:17 +0000 UTC]
I love Robocop, too! Spread the love (in an entirely platonic way, of course)!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
jung-heuchler In reply to ??? [2010-07-11 22:12:22 +0000 UTC]
It was my favourite film when I was a child.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to jung-heuchler [2010-07-12 08:14:16 +0000 UTC]
Same and a favourite film as an adult.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Lady-Rorschach In reply to ??? [2010-07-11 20:44:03 +0000 UTC]
I get this movie and Terminator mixed up so fucking often. I am pathetic! *goes of to drown her sorrows in coffee*
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Lady-Rorschach [2010-07-12 22:51:40 +0000 UTC]
Awwwwwwwwwww...I love both movies and characters. But Robocop is something of its own. No worries.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lady-Rorschach In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-12 23:28:12 +0000 UTC]
I haven't seen Robocop in 15 years...I'll have to watch it again.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Lady-Rorschach [2010-07-12 23:32:57 +0000 UTC]
Here's the full film, the original unrated version, which has 6 seconds of more gore: [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Spikeghost In reply to ??? [2010-07-11 20:11:35 +0000 UTC]
i saw this movie once. I didn't like it that much. But it's a classic. It's surprising there was none about it here. It must feel good to be the first
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Spikeghost [2010-07-11 20:43:53 +0000 UTC]
First off, when you see this movie? Did you see as a child or as an adult? Although kids enjoy this film because it's has robots and explosions, the fact of the matter is that Robocop is an adult film. It's very difficult to find the R-rated version; most editions are the X-rated cut of the film; it's meant for adults.
Yes, the story has a simplicity to it, but there's a layers upon layers of depth to the film. There's this entire background that is a product of the 80s, with the Reagan administration, with right-wing conservatism, Reaganomics, elitism, corporate takeovers, the Cold War, nuclear destruction, technological dependence, the death of humanity, etc. The film took that position two to three steps more to the right and that's Robocop's world. There's all this religious symbolism, moral symbolism, unions, workforce ethics, social reform, organized crime, the fact that criminals can be found in the streets as well as the suits in executive rooms. The tragedy of losing one's identity as well as your life and how do you define yourself. The militarization of the police force was the novel idea at the time and it's everyday thing. You can analyse the film that predict our present-day lives.
Definitely try the film again. There's nothing in this film that superfluous. Everything from the news reports to the commericals to the shows to the characters to the story have all these double and triple and quadruple meanings.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Spikeghost In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-11 20:45:23 +0000 UTC]
Two years ago, i was at my aunt's house and they had it on DVD.
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tranimation-art In reply to Spikeghost [2010-07-12 03:58:01 +0000 UTC]
I'm sad that you didn't like it much. It was a film of its time. But I do recommend watching it with a wide birth. It's a fun movie as well as a smart one.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Spikeghost In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-12 15:46:24 +0000 UTC]
i wouldn't be against rewatching it though, because to be honest i don't remember a lot about the movie. Maybe i would like it better the second time around.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Spikeghost [2010-07-12 23:34:05 +0000 UTC]
Here's the full film. It's the uncut edition, before the MPAA slaughtered it and cropped it; only has six second of extra scene, all of it gore, which would have gotten the film an X-rating: [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Spikeghost In reply to tranimation-art [2010-07-19 01:28:37 +0000 UTC]
OMG lol, i had forgotten Kurthwood Smith was in this XD
awesome. I just started it (i also haven't watched the Human Target episodes you sent me the links too either XD ... yeah i'm really slow sometimes for that kind of stuff)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
tranimation-art In reply to Spikeghost [2010-07-19 19:59:26 +0000 UTC]
Kurtwood Smith's Clarence Boddicker is one of my favourite characters from the film.
Get crackin' on those Human Target episodes.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
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