RoboCop (1987)

In a dystopic and crime-ridden Detroit, a terminally-wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Edward Neumeier, Michael Miner

Stars:

Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Weller	...	Officer Alex J. Murphy / RoboCop
Nancy Allen	...	Officer Anne Lewis
Dan O'Herlihy	...	The Old Man (as Daniel O'Herlihy)
Ronny Cox	...	Dick Jones
Kurtwood Smith	...	Clarence J. Boddicker
Miguel Ferrer	...	Bob Morton
Robert DoQui	...	Sergeant Warren Reed
Ray Wise	...	Leon C. Nash
Felton Perry	...	Johnson
Paul McCrane	...	Emil M. Antonowsky
Jesse D. Goins	...	Joe P. Cox (as Jesse Goins)
Del Zamora	...	Kaplan
Calvin Jung	...	Steve Minh
Rick Lieberman	...	Walker
Lee de Broux	...	Sal (as Lee DeBroux)

Storyline

Detroit - in the future - is crime-ridden, and run by a massive company. The company have developed a huge crime-fighting robot, which unfortunately develops a rather dangerous glitch. The company sees a way to get back in favour with the public when a cop called Alex Murphy is killed by a street gang. Murphy's body is reconstructed within a steel shell and named Robocop. The Robocop is very successful against criminals, and becomes a target of supervillian Boddicker.

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Plot Keywords:

robocop | gang | cyborg | future | partner | 

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Taglines:

Part man. Part machine. All cop. The future of law enforcement.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ilektronika Jasusa

Filming Locations:

Building One, Studios at Las Colinas - 6301 North O'Connor Road, Irving, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$53,424,681 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 78 min (cut) 98 min (cut) 103 min (unrated director's cut) 91 min (heavily cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) DTS (special edition)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stephanie Zimbalist was originally cast as Lewis, but had to give up the part when she was called back to film more episodes of Remington Steele. Nancy Allen was then cast and Paul Verhoeven had her cut her hair shorter and shorter several times until it was short enough, as Verhoeven wanted to desexualize the character.

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Goofs

When Murphy and Lewis are chasing the Boddicker gang in the van, Boddicker has Bobby thrown onto the police car, after which Lewis spins out, turns around and pursues again. Yet, when they catch up to Boddicker and his gang at the steel mill, they have already arrived, taken out the cash, and are dispersed only a few seconds later.

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Quotes

[after blowing Murphy's hand off]
Clarence: Well give the man a hand!

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Crazy Credits

The title "ROBOCOP" reverse zoptic effects through the middle "O". The title turns into television white noise and zoptics forward, then cuts to the television station.

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Connections

Spoofed in Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Show Me Your Spine"
Music by P.T.P.

User Reviews

Brutal but satisfying

Detroit is under siege by a corrupt CEO in the police department...also by rapists, robbers, and the group of thugs who murdered Officer Murphy. Murphy (flawlessly played by Peter Weller) was a family man with a big heart whose body is eventually 'saved' by tech-geniuses, transforming him into a robot-cop (with a big heart, natch). The violence in the film is incredibly brutal in the manner of "Death Wish", yet it can almost be overlooked--even deemed necessary--in the context of the plot. Weller exudes sensitivity (not easy to do under that coat of armor), and he's matched very well by Ronny Cox (delightfully sinister and sniveling) and spunky Nancy Allen (in her best performance). A bleak vision of the future, though one which offers hope underneath its chestplate of destruction. Followed by "RoboCop 2" in 1990, "RoboCop 3" in 1993, and a television series in 1994. ***1/2 from ****