Just wanted to say thanks for the continued support, especially with content thin on the ground lately. I moved house and then have been very sick for a couple of weeks. I'll be getting back on things now. Cheers.

The first Robocop is a goddamn piece of art, and it still holds up to analysis

The original works on so many different levels: as a thrilling neo-western, as a smart satire on corporatism/media, as a thoughtful Sci-fi story on the nature of humanity and the soul. And Peter Weller's performance is so underrated. He adds so much subtle nuance to the character that really makes him feel human even as a cyborg.

9:40 (Nitpick: shooting Robocop in the jaw wouldn't affect him unless it's with a high caliber, because his skull is pure metal. The face is grafted on top of it and is purely cosmetic. Until he regains his memory of Alex Murphy, he makes no special effort to protect his face. Afterwards, he can be seen raising his arm to his mouth to protect it during the shootout at OCP.)

RC1 - Masterpiece RC2 - Damn Great Film RC3 - That Jet Pack was cool... RCR - Human hand WTF?!

Robocop 2 is probably the only numbered sequel that uses its title in the movie. Not only that, but as a major plot point.

Why do they keep giving these prototype cop robots live ammunition during the demonstrations for executives?

You could NOT have this kind of satire at ANY other time than the '80's. Absolutely perfect!

Even the name "Murphy" sounds like it's straight from a western

RoboCop 2 and Predator 2 are among my favorite movies, despite being terrible. Their vision of the future is just so fantastically dark. The Jamaican voodoo street gang in Predator 2 is one of the greatest/stupidest ideas ever put to film.

13:47 A great example of Verhoeven irony: "Nice shooting, son. What's your name?" "Murphy." A triumph of the character's humanity, immediately stomped on by the ROBOCOP title.

I never thought the jaw of Robocop was vulnerable. They keep the human look to help interact with the public. But especially the original, Peter Wellers face looks stretched. The scenes of Alex Murphy shows a very this, angular face and jawline. Robocops face is obviously larger. I always assumed OCP skinned Murphys face and stretched it over a titanium skull. Remember when Bob Morton argued against saving the left arm in the original? "I thought we agreed on total body prosthesis, now loose the arm."

Short answer: They got worse Long answer: I regret to inform whoever reading this comment that the movie series known as RoboCop has become gradually less enjoyable overall in each installment

As a Detroiter, I can attest that we do in fact have a mega conglomerate running our police department. Also personally, my little league team was arrested by a cyborg.

"They'll fix you..they fix everything.." love that quote.

I think and feel that Robocop 2 is the series saying "What have I become?" There was a Robocop Saturday Morning cartoon around the same time as this movie. And when Robocop electrocuted himself to reset himself, the series was saying "I am going to be an Adult R rated movie again."

The first movie has such a great assemblage of villainy - Kurtwood Smith, Dan O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Ray Wise, Miguel Ferrer. Another great video, thanks!

Robocop (1987) is one of those classic movies that is near perfect. Also, it's a near documentary on 2018 Detroit.

robocop 1987: its got the greatest/nastiest bad guy ever seen in a film ( clarence) , murphy has the most shocking death scene in ANY movie still to this day , even though it was trimmed down a bit (they blow his entire arm off too).that was a whole new level of violence to me as a 9yo and i was well used to watching horror movies. as soon as the movie was over i was so scarred by it that i had to instantly watch it again. its a true action masterpiece every bit as good as terminator 1 and 2 , probably better actually.

The scene that thugs shoot Murphy into pieces still haunts me! My parents were so stupid that they allowed me watch the original robocop movie at the age of 7!

Basil Poledouris' music for Conan is Legendary. It matters so much to the movie that it wouldn't have become what it was without it. Period.

It's one of my favorite films and never thought of Robocop as a Western, until you pointed it out. Well done.

the original is a true classic. I remember watching it when i was 9 and being blown away by the basic story and violence (damn that toxic waste scene is seared into my brain, as is the stop motion ed-209). But each time a re-watched when i was older I appreciated more the black humour and social commentary. Terrific film.

The "boot up sequence" is one of my favorite movie or tv moments of all time.

God damn, I need to rewatch 1 and 2. They're perfect movies. Also, I haven't stopped calling the movies "Rob O'cop: An Irish Policeman" after John Stewart made that joke interviewing Joel Kinnaman in '13.

Paul Verhoeven was a master of satirical “schlock”. I loved Robocop as a kid purely on its surface level, but as an adult it’s clear that there’s more going on, it works perfectly on a few levels. He’s made some duds, but I think Paul Verhoeven is finally getting some of the recognition he deserves. Also, Peter Weller is a super underrated actor. He’s pretty versatile and should have been a bigger star, in my opinion. I’ve heard he’s a university professor now...

Rewatching Robocop in college, that "stay out of trouble" line made us laugh so hard.

Robocop one is still the best. I still watch and enjoy it today. The others were a waste of film.

this movie was filmed in Dallas tx. i thought it was funny when i first watched this movie set in futuristic Detroit and see the skyline of the city a few miles away from me.

You have always demonstrated a broad knowledge of various subjects. In this video, you took that a step higher by truly understanding what makes a good police officer, "Nuance and humanity." 95% of policing is talking to people. The RoboCop program would never work for day to day policing, but he'd be great for being the first officer to go through the door on a warrant or dealing with a barricaded gunman. Very nice to see that there are people who understand the true nature of police work, cheers!

First one was a masterpiece, second one was pretty good, rest were trash, that's how they changed...

I will defend the first Robocop movie all the way to my grave, as being one of the greatest sci-fi / action hero movies of all time. You’re move, creep!

Of course Sony was behind the Robocop remake, of course they were.

Robocop is too unrealistic for me to enjoy. I just can't imagine Detroit being such a nice place as portrait in the movie.

RoboCop is one of my favorite movies. It is so savage and fearless. The humor is dark and cynical. The action is ruthless. The theme song is incredible - it really adds a depth and atmosphere to the movie. I enjoy it more today than when I was young. And damn, the RoboCop suit was friggin SICK!

Ive only really thought of the first film, it ends perfectly with Murphy remembering who he is and continuing to fight crime. Doesnt need a sequel.

The 90's were very much a time when kids watched R movies. I grew up in the 90's and I still have my Robocop action figure.

Even the look of Robocop 2014 didn't look right. It looked like a human in a Nanosuit from Crysis, not a half human half machine cyborg.

you have to admit though, it is a bit creepy how many nails this film hit right on the head way back in the 80s, i mean a shit load of little seemingly meaningless details in the movie that became literal reality not that that long ago. from the city going bankrupt, to crime taking over to the point of a corporation taking power over the mayor, to the talks of hiring private contractors as the peace keepers of the city.

It's funny. The scripts and stories that Paul Verhoeven initially throw away, but then pick up again, end up being the best of his films. It happened with Robocop. And it happened with Starship troopers. The films he stayed committed to from the start, were usually pretty bland and mediocre. Paul Verhoeven should go with the scripts and books that disgust him initially.

This is the format I subbed for.

The original trailers for Robocop used the Terminator theme. Robocop's face/jaw are not "exposed." It's not Murphy's face you see but a synthetic likeness of it. According to the OG movies and their novelisations, OCP use very little of Murphy to make Robocop. I remember being hugely disappointed by Robocop 3 as a child. Even back then, the greenscreen was Superman IV bad and flying Robocop would have always looked silly even with better greenscreen/CGI. Robocop is a great example of a franchise that fell prey to Muppetisation.

The original Robocop was definitely one of my all time favourites. This added to my appreciation of it with a good critical reading and very good commentary. Bing! Subscribed. More!

I saw the original robocop when I was far too young to see it, but it's my favorite robocop film.

Can you fly Bobby?

Peter Weller said that they developed RoboCop's classic walking and movements because he is to be a golem. I don't think it's supposed to be literal but the sort of mindset for the actor.

DUDES THEY JUST MADE HIM A DLC CHARACTER IN MORTAL KOMBAT 11!🤘 GO! ROBO!

the first one was sooooo good; even with the dated effects it still holds up INCREDIBLY well

This seems like a recurring matter: a movie makes a somewhat big success and then big studio executives come and turn it into a franchise with sequels and merchandise and the following films lose the spirit from the original one. And it's been happening with a lot of movies released in the 80's.

Robocop 2014 should have been called "Drone"

Robocop 1 and Terminator 2 will always be the greatest cyborg sci-fi robot movies ever made. They set a standard inspiration for every other movie to follow.

I remember watching this in the theater. And what affected me the most is when RoboCop came in, and the way they had the sound set, and with each step, the theater shook.

There were also the magnificently awful live-action TV shows - a weekly series made around '94, followed by the "Prime Directives" miniseries in 2000. If I recall correctly both were Canadian productions, so as a Canadian, I wholeheartedly apologize on behalf of my country.

I read somewhere that Verhoeven's wife is what convinced him to give the script another look.

I laughed when you said “At the end of Robocop 3, he says this” and the Ad immediately plays and it was Raid Shadow Legends

I love the whole 80s technology going on forever look (Robocop, Aliens) is such a look that's timeless and dated at the same time. Big monitors and big computers from the future

I think one of the biggest slap to the face with the remake was the line "I wouldn't buy that for a dollar". It only makes sense in the context of the older films, which means the character must have seen the older films, yet it doesn't take place in a universe where those films existed. It was just a hamfisted way of referencing the original film in one of those ways the major studios do nowadays, so that people will make youtube videos going over the "easter eggs". It's not an easter egg, it's a copout trying to capitalize on the nostalgia of the original in the worst kind of way. An easter egg would have been to have every product visible in a store with the price tag "$1". But even with all of that, I kinda like the new RoboCop (oh yes, one of the big differences that sets the titles apart... a capital C). It has its issues, so many of them, but it's still a fun flick to watch. It is the senseless violence of the first film without any of its thoughtprovoking elements.

Welp, they are making a new RoboCop movie, but the good news is that they chose Neill Blomkamp to direct, and he's confirmed it will be rated R, which gives me hopes for it

An element I think that was REALLY missed in 2014 was that Robocop was also an allegory about the human spirit Especially with all the Jesus imagery Murphy's humanity overcomes robocop's program, overcomes OCP's corruption, it even overcomes death. Robocop isn't a sad depressing film, it's about how you can literally torture a man. Mutilate him beyond recognition. But you cannot kill his innate sense of humanity. And that spirit will triumph over everything.

"Miscast and underused." Like the Woody Allen line, "The restaurant's food was terrible. And, in such small portions."

Funny enough it (the original) is set in Detroit but shot almost completely in Dallas, Texas (Reunion tower at 2:15)

I love how he's self aware of the damn lava lamp, putting it in the intro >.

In Germany was also a "Robocop 4" movie for rental. Edited with scenes from the TV series (which was not shown on tv) and only those segments were dubbed,

How have I only just discovered this channel?? Your breakdown is really insightful and engaging. Thank you!

I've always felt the second movie feels like a tv series condensed into a movie with all it's different plot threads that are given short shrift which really needed an episode each to develop. I actually think the third movie has a lot of potential had it not been toned down and had it ditched the kiddie sidekick. The remake however is utterly pointless and souless.

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me" - Alex Murphy/RoboCop. That line is more than enough to scare criminals shitless!.

This was such a well thought out and entertaining video. I found myself giggling out loud in parts. Subscribed. Keep up the great work.

My dad was a huge fan of westerns, and he loved Robocop. He took me to the theater to see it.

I always refer to the 2014 remake as "Alexcop." Aside from Samuel L. Jackson's character, I don't recall anyone calling the protagonist "Robocop" even once.

I miss the days where a movie making a profit of $60 million is considered a success. And in this era of endless safe reboots, is it really a shock that robocop turned out bad? People are always quick to blame the director or screenwriter, but I tend to default to thinking its the studio. Your video basically pointed out that's what happened here. And we've seen countless other movies from known risk takers that have come out dry, predictable and boring. We later learn its because producers and studio executives were choking them with so many notes, they never had the ability to do anything creative. From The Hobbit to Star Wars to Jurassic World. And I get it. These people are shelling out $100 million to make a movie. So they want to cut as much risk as possible. But here's an idea. Reduce the budget and take some risks. You know...like the first Robocop did. Here's a good start. Don't hire huge expensive actors that take up 50% of the budget.

I grew up with Robocop, Saw the film as a kid, I remember renting it on VHS in the early '90s, Loving the film for the action and being scared the violence, but overall as years went by saw the movie for what it is was. Robocop 2 come along and again loved it but it lacked something the original had but it was still a fun movie, they increased the violence but it still had the same elements as the first. Now, this is where I got disappointed. Robocop 3 was released, I remember watching this and thinking why as Robocop got a stupid multi-weapon attachment, silly names like splatter punks, the script was crap and the tone down in the violence and satire and rehashing the story was cheap cash in on the name. I do give Robert John Burke credit for manage to perform in the suit, other than Peter Weller (which the suit was made for) he actually managed to get the robocop movements even though the suit didn't fit him. Robocop was never meant to be made for TV but they tried in 1994 and wow how bad was that, I saw the pilot and thought oh yeah it's written by the original movie writers so maybe the story might be it's saving grace, Being this was the mid 90's this was going to be rubbish and wow was I right, the actor they got to play murphy was awful, the voice didn't fit. But I watched the pilot and how bad did they ruined the character, yet again a cheap cash-in for the name. Now the next attempt at a TV mini-series which was extremely low budget was Robocop prime directives in 2001. They got an actor who was a midget, He didn't in fit the suit, at times you saw the chin guard didn't even fit him and he walked like Frankenstein! oh yeah, they made Robocable, They switched the tone to be more violent but again miss the point of the first movie. The 2014 movie, I gave high hopes for but I felt let down by it, the film came across like a typical Hollywood superhero movie, the suit looked like a generic superhero costume, the fact he knew who he was, in the original movie he lost his family and they moved on with there lives and that fueled his need for revenge. But in this one, the family was present but felt misplaced. I get they wanted to go in a different direction to the first one but the essences of Robocop was about regaining who he was, the scene where he was shown he was just a hand, lung and head would have been too much for anyone to deal with and actually Robocop 2 dealt with that when they tried to build cyborgs who couldn't cope and they went berserk. .

In the 3rd movie he says "you can call me robocop" is him accepting his robot half just as he regained his human half in the 1st.. It is a significant change from making machines seem like a tool for evil instead of just a tool that can be good or evil depending on the User.. in this case Murphy

Great video. The first robocop is an all time classic, definitely in my top 10 movies ever.

6:40 you don't think Pouledaris' score mattered in Conan the Barbarian?? Wat? That score is as much an embodiment of Conan as the Robocop score is of Robocop.

I do feel that Robocop 3 does have one great scene, the hold-up in the donut shop. "What's it like being a rocket scientist?"

18:38 "Chhh Pounder" Okay THAT one got me lol

Robocop was too far fetched. Not only were there store fronts unboarded but they were opened after dark. Cyborgs i can believe but sometimes movie makers take it too far.

Everytime I watch these videos, I want to believe that you are an eldritch being imbued with cinematic knowledge but you are trapped in the lava lamp, so you create an astral projection into the physical world to share your knowledge with us. Exaggerations aside, this is an interesting video discussing the films and Im glad to have experienced it!

As someone who hasn’t watched 2 and 3, think the ending line in the 3rd movie is pretty genius. The first movie is about the fight to get his humanity, and by the third movie, Robocop has accepted his humanity AND his robotic form. His friends call him Murphy, but you can call him Robocop”, is him moving on. He’s stuck as Robocop forever, that doesnt mean Murphy is gone forever. He’s like a super hero, Murphy by day, Super Cop Robocop by night.

OCP is DARPA. Original Robocop is a eulogy to transhumanism. It would be interesting to see the scores swapped for Robocop and Starship toopers, to see how the aesthetics are affected. Or put 'Cop in a western haha.

It's hard to ignore the massive Judge Dredd influence on the Robocop character, lines etc.

I think the first movie posses another question of "are we turning into androids and are we being programed by corporation"? That is the whole point of the advertisements and the questionable news on the military(are they using news to program us towards more war).

A great review of the greatest thing to happen to man=kind. As a man who treasures these films I must say that you were pretty much saying all the things that I was thinking. I love the first, I like the second, the third was okay, and the remake doesn't exist. I don't know how you got that footage for something that doesn't exist. Great work man, great work.

Good review mate. Spot on. Gona watch 80's Robocop now :D

One of the things I found distractingly bad about the RoboCop remake was how it seemed like they would introduce the central theme of the movie and then immediately resolve it. At least half a dozen times I thought "Oh, that is what they are going to make this movie about; no wait, they just tied that up" The net result is that it ended up being a poorly made stupid action movie that wasn't very entertaining. If it at least says something it could have been enjoyable, but it didn't.

I always thought robocop was originally a toy, that ended up adapted into animated series and movie(s). I only found the movie by accident when going through my dad's ripped VHS collection an even then it didn't click that such gory movie was probably not an adaptation for a toy but the actual source material... My brain just kind of accepted that movie as "the 80's / early 90's" :-D

Your choice of music over the end credits has made me love Robocop all over again:)

Came across your channel by accident, watched a few vids and you got a sub. Enjoying your content and your "not in your face" style of presenting. It's refreshing on here.

Serve the public trust, Protect the innocent, Uphold the law.

The most ironic is how Robocop 2 changed for Robocop 3... on the second he fights against control, to be himself, to not conform for "the man"... on the 3rd, he is a kid friendly movie... total letdown :(

Really interesting and enjoyable video here Georg. As a movie fan, but one who usually misses the deeper context I really like your work, I just subscribed and intend to watch more of your work, keep it up.

Paul's picking back up of the script of the story is mainly due to his wife. When he threw it away she read it and noticed the resurrection theme in it. She spoke with him about it and convinced him to give it a second glance. This is also why Paul refused to cut the scene in which Robocop goes back to his old home. While others thought it killed the pacing and took away from the action Paul recognized it as important to show that Murphy was beginning to, in essence, come back to life.

Blomkamp doing the new film set as a sequel to the first Robocop sounds so gooood

Always love your smartass humor in these

A great breakdown on a representation of the 80s and the genre. Well done!

That KRS switch up was 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 (My submission is The Clash "Police and Thieves")

I think that KRS One is a pretty good choice. :D

If anybody is interested in any of the concepts around humanity raised in the Robocop movies, I would highly suggest the Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita manga. It's based around a cyborg with only a human brain (among other things that I won't mention for 'spoiler' reasons if anybody does plan to read it), a lot of the concepts in Robocop being touched upon with a lot more detail. Plus, it's generally just a good often overlooked gem.

R.C.3 DOES feel like a "simplified rip-off." When I first saw it, I was under the presumption that Cinemax had bought the franchise (from an Orion, facing bankruptcy), and produced the third film as a direct to video, and cable, presentation. I made this assesmrent based on the casting, dialogue, and production value alone...

The music of ROBOCOP 1 is really underrated. As a asian kid living in Asia, not speaking one bit of english back then, the music itself sounded revenge to me. I know it as I sang it as I went back and try to knocked out my bullies. I knew it was fire. And i knew where the movie is going. Robocop going to kill them all. I got beaten up pretty badly but in my mind, in my memory, with the robocop song as my background, i was victorious. I also thought the end of Robocop 3 really ties it all up. He is Murphy by whom he knows personally, but for everybody else, they better respect him. Because he is fkin ROBOCOP. ROBOCOP 2014 simply doesnt work because he is now just a man in a suit. He is nowhere robotic. He litrrally looks like a man wearing a helmet, versus the old suit where we can see the brains are connecting.