Check out our gallery of the 2021 Golden Globe nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life
In a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city government to privatize the police force. To test their crime-eradicating cyborgs, the company leads street cop Alex Murphy into an armed confrontation with crime lord Boddicker so they can use his body to support their untested RoboCop prototype. But when RoboCop learns of the company's nefarious plans, he turns on his masters.Written by
Jwelch5742
During filming, director Paul Verhoeven caused considerable tension on the set with his notoriously short temper. Cast members Kurtwood Smith and Ronny Cox were eyewitnesses to some of the director's rantings and ravings, which wasn't helped by Peter Weller hating his Robocop costume due to lack of comfort. In his biography, Verhoeven admitted that his temper was more or less an accepted thing during his Dutch career, as no one would take it personal. However, he quickly learned during his first American movie that this approach had the exact opposite effect in the USA, so he had to learn how to reign in his temper over time, and, at one time, had to apologize to his entire crew. See more »
Goofs
When we first meet Joe, he has a beard. The second time we see him (the drugs bust scene) he has shaved it. But the third time (when Clarence and his men are hunting down RoboCop) he is fully bearded again, after a period of just a day or two. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
News Crew:
This is Media Break. You give us 3 minutes, and we'll give you the world.
Casey Wong:
Good morning. I'm Casey Wong, with Jess Perkins. Top story: Pretoria. The threat of nuclear confrontation in South Africa escalated today when the ruling white military government of that besieged city-state unveiled a French-made neutron bomb and affirmed its willingness to use the 3 megaton device as the city's last line of defense.
Jesse Perkins:
And the President's first press conference from the Star Wars orbiting peace ...
See more »
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. See more »
Alternate Versions
The TV Version aired on Comet TV in October 2017 is the same TV Version that was sometimes aired on WGN and on FOX. The difference is COMET omitted certain additional alternate scenes such as the less graphic but still graphic kills in the shoot out at the drug factory scene, but they left in the alternate dialog sequence in the OCP restroom between Bob and the other employee. See more »
When I look at the modern day West, and the 2008 financial crisis, I often see parallels with images from RoboCop: protests, mind-numbing commercials, crime as the result of huge poverty, profit as the main goal of life, no matter at what (or whose) expense. There is not one OCP today, but dozens of OCPs, huge modern mega-corporations that influence every aspect of the society and drain it of its wealth. Just like in RoboCop, the middle class is almost gone and we only have the poor and the rich.
RoboCop started out as a pure B-movie, but unlike Cyborg (1989) or The Six Million Dolar Man (1974), it kept its relevance, satire and sharpness precisely because it is so close to today that it hurts. Even as a kid, I somehow got that one of the messages of the film was how the power was slowly shifting from the government to the OCP. Let's be fair, though, Verhoeven sometimes directs a scene in a heavy, clumsy manner, and some cheap ideas slightly reduce my enjoyment whenever I re-watch this. Overall, this is still a strong film, and I stand behind what I say. Kurtwood Smith is one of the most fiendish villains of the 80s, and one of the most unorthodox ones, too, with those glasses, but we must also mention Peter Weller who is often overlooked under that armor, yet his stoic presence tells us everything we need to know. His Murphy is a character designed by the corporations, a being that is a product, not a being anymore. The way he finds his humanity, nonetheless, is still powerful. He defies the system, he defies the cold exploitation - and he becomes worthy to become recognized. And the ED-something-something robot is still cool as ever, too.
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When I look at the modern day West, and the 2008 financial crisis, I often see parallels with images from RoboCop: protests, mind-numbing commercials, crime as the result of huge poverty, profit as the main goal of life, no matter at what (or whose) expense. There is not one OCP today, but dozens of OCPs, huge modern mega-corporations that influence every aspect of the society and drain it of its wealth. Just like in RoboCop, the middle class is almost gone and we only have the poor and the rich.
RoboCop started out as a pure B-movie, but unlike Cyborg (1989) or The Six Million Dolar Man (1974), it kept its relevance, satire and sharpness precisely because it is so close to today that it hurts. Even as a kid, I somehow got that one of the messages of the film was how the power was slowly shifting from the government to the OCP. Let's be fair, though, Verhoeven sometimes directs a scene in a heavy, clumsy manner, and some cheap ideas slightly reduce my enjoyment whenever I re-watch this. Overall, this is still a strong film, and I stand behind what I say. Kurtwood Smith is one of the most fiendish villains of the 80s, and one of the most unorthodox ones, too, with those glasses, but we must also mention Peter Weller who is often overlooked under that armor, yet his stoic presence tells us everything we need to know. His Murphy is a character designed by the corporations, a being that is a product, not a being anymore. The way he finds his humanity, nonetheless, is still powerful. He defies the system, he defies the cold exploitation - and he becomes worthy to become recognized. And the ED-something-something robot is still cool as ever, too.