The film is set in a dystopian near future, in Detroit, Michigan. Violent crime is out of control, and the city is in financial ruin. The city contracts the megacorporationOmni Consumer Products (OCP) to fund and operate the police department, in effect privatizing it. OCP is not interested in rebuilding "Old Detroit" but with replacing it with a utopic and modern city called "Delta City". Before this large construction project can begin, OCP wishes to end crime in the city, and creates RoboCop.
Plot
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Set in the near future, the film opens with the broadcast of a short television news program called “Media Break”. The report explains that social conditions are worsening in the city of Detroit. Drug abuse is growing rapidly, the numbers of impoverished and unemployed people increases daily, and violent crime has nearly overwhelmed the Detroit police force, which has recently been taken over by a large, multinational corporation, OCP. There are also rumblings of a potential strike by the police, who feel they are being mistreated by OCP. They are also angry about the brutal murders of several of their comrades, masterminded by a well-known crime boss, Clarence Boddicker.
At a meeting of OCP executives, Dick Jones, Senior Vice President, introduces a new law enforcement droid, ED-209. During the demonstration, ED-209’s programming fails and it brutally kills one of the executives. Seizing upon Jones’ failure, a young, opportunistic executive, Bob Morton, convinces the head of OCP that his own project, “RoboCop”, will be a more effective and less dangerous alternative. The “Old Man” gives Morton his blessing. Dick Jones is infuriated at Morton for going over his head.
Alex J. Murphy, a dedicated cop and family man, begins his new assignment in the Metro West precinct, a particularly violent section of "Old Detroit." Murphy is partnered with Ann Lewis, a tough, experienced veteran officer. On their first assignment, they engage in a gunbattle with Boddicker’s gang, who have just robbed a bank. Tracking them to an abandoned factory, Murphy and Lewis proceed inside without backup. Lewis is temporarily incapacitated and Murphy is viciously gunned down by Boddicker and his gang. Murphy later dies in an emergency room.
Morton’s team goes ahead with its project of building a cyborg from Murphy’s corpse. Murphy, selected as a "prime candidate" for the project, is rebuilt as Robocop. Programmed to follow a set of four Prime Directives, RoboCop deals with criminals using extreme methods (his programming seems to disregard Miranda rights, though he does make use of them later in the film). The project is a success and Morton is made a vice president of OCP.
RoboCop begins to experience dreams that recall his previous life. After meeting Lewis in a hallway where she tells him his real name, the cyborg apprehends one of Boddicker’s gang, Emil, who recognizes him. He accesses the main police computer and finds out that Murphy was murdered and that Boddicker is the prime suspect. In the meantime, Bob Morton is celebrating his promotion with two prostitutes when Boddicker appears. After chasing the girls out, Boddicker shoots Bob's legs, rendering him unable to walk, and he plays a recorded message from Dick Jones, who taunts Bob about going over his boss' head. Boddicker leaves a live grenade on the coffee table and exits the condo. The grenade goes off as Bob struggles toward it, killing him.
RoboCop tracks Boddicker to a cocaine factory. The factory workers open fire and are all killed. RoboCop reads Boddicker his Miranda rights while throwing him through several plate glass windows. He is about to kill him when the criminal reveals that he is working for Dick Jones and reminds RoboCop that he is a police officer, not a mindless killer. RoboCop arrests him instead.
RoboCop goes immediately to Dick Jones’ office at OCP headquarters with the intention of arresting him for "aiding and abetting a known felon." As he tries to arrest Jones, his system threatens to shut down. Jones reveals that the previously classified Directive Four states that it is illegal to arrest any senior executive of OCP and any attempt results in the disabling of RoboCop’s operating system. Jones also reveals that he had Bob Morton murdered because of the success of the RoboCop project and orders ED-209 to destroy RoboCop. A battle ensues and RoboCop escapes (mainly because of 209's inability to walk down stairs). He is met in the parking garage by a large police unit, who opens fire, attempting to destroy the cyborg. Lewis arrives and takes her old partner to an old factory (the same one where he was murdered). RoboCop removes his helmet and sees the face of Murphy. He asks about Murphy’s wife and son and Lewis informs him that they started a new life after the funeral.
Dick Jones frees Boddicker and provides him with weapons and a tracking device to find RoboCop and destroy him. Boddicker gathers his old gang and they track their quarry to the factory. RoboCop, aided by Lewis, kills them all. He travels to OCP headquarters to deal with Jones and interrupts a high-level meeting where Jones is promoting the use of ED-209. Murphy reveals to the board that Jones had Morton murdered, having recorded Jones’ earlier confession. Jones grabs a gun, takes the Old Man hostage, demands a helicopter, and threatens to kill the Old Man if anyone tries to stop him. The Old Man fires Jones on the spot. Murphy, no longer having to abide by Directive Four, politely says, "Thank you," then shoots Jones, causing him to fall out the window to his death. The Old Man comments, "Nice shooting, son. What's your name?" to which RoboCop replies, "Murphy."
RoboCop is programmed to follow four prime directives (the first three are comparable to Asimov'sLaws of Robotics):
"Serve the public trust"
"Protect the innocent"
"Uphold the law"
"Classified" (see below)
The fourth directive, which he was programmed to be unaware of unless it became relevant, rendered him physically incapable of placing any senior OCP employee under arrest ("Any attempt to arrest a senior OCP officer results in shutdown"). In the first movie, it made him unable to act against corrupt Vice-President Richard "Dick" Jones until Jones was fired by the chairman of OCP.
Weapons
AUTO-9 -
Ammo Type: 9mm;
Clip Size: 50 Rounds;
Fire Rate: 600 Rounds/minute;
In essence the weapon used is a modifed Beretta 93R. This is RoboCop's primary weapon. It is "holstered" in his right thigh.
COBRA ASSAULT CANNON -
The "Cobra gun" that is used in RoboCop1 is based on the Barrett M82A1A Sniper rifle. The Cobra gun used in RoboCop2 is different from the one in RoboCop 1. RoboCop 2 uses a Pauza P-50 rifle caliber .50 BMG. The most obvious difference is the front of the rifle and the handle which RoboCop carries the rifle with.
RoboCop explores larger themes regarding the media and human nature in addition to being a big budget action film.
In the Criterion Edition DVD commentary track, executive producer Jon Davison and writer Edward Neumeier both point to the decay of American industry from the 1970s through the early 1980s. The abandoned Rust Belt-style factories that RoboCop and Clarence Boddicker's gang use as hideouts demonstrate this theme. Massive unemployment is prevalent, being reported frequently on the news, as is poverty and the crime that results from economic hardship.
The concept of dehumanization is also represented in the title character. Murphy is killed in the line of duty and rebuilt as a cold, mechanized, and violent being. Although he later seems to regain some of his humanity, his ruthlessness in dealing with criminals is quite outside the boundaries of reasonable use of force employed by the police. His methods are, however, amazingly effective against the criminal elements of the city, with the movie depicting crime decreasing dramatically where RoboCop is operating.
In contrast to the theme of dehumanization is the theme of regaining one's humanity. Although Murphy has become "RoboCop", during the last sequence of the movie we find that despite being a product of OCP, his basic core of individuality has not been lost. The president of OCP says, "Nice shooting son, what's your name?" Murphy declares, "Murphy." It is now clear that he is no longer just a programmed and manufactured amalgam of flesh and robotics, but a human being.
Another theme is the sense of justice finally being brought to vicious and remorseless criminals. The criminals mercilessly execute Murphy as well as many other cops and innocent citizens and are involved in drug trafficking, murder, and prostitution. A key point is that lawyers, probably controlled by ruthless corporate executives, are able to release criminals within hours or days despite the severity and number of crimes they were charged with. This shows the inability of the judicial system to effectively contend with criminals, and the only way for the citizens of Detroit to be truly safe is when Murphy "deals" with them.
Cast
Peter Weller as Alex J. Murphy/RoboCop. While Rutger Hauer and Michael Ironside were both considered for the role, Weller was chosen for his small frame, which allowed him to fit into the RoboCop costume without adding too much bulk.[citation needed]
Nancy Allen as Officer Ann Lewis. Cast as Murphy's and later RoboCop's partner, Allen was instructed to cut her hair in order to remove any kind of sexual tension between her and RoboCop.[citation needed]
Ronny Cox as Dick Jones. Vice president of OCP, creator of the ED-209 project, and the main villain. Also adds the "classified" fourth directive to RoboCop's programming.
Kurtwood Smith as Clarence Boddicker. Career criminal leader hired by Dick Jones to worsen the crime in "Old Detroit", to justify the use of ED-209. Jones also sends him to kill RoboCop.
Miguel Ferrer as Bob Morton. A young OCP executive and creator of the RoboCop project.
Dan O'Herlihy as The Old Man. Never referred to by name in the film, he is the CEO of OCP.
Robert DoQui as Sergeant Warren Reed. The commanding officer in the film, he reprised the role in the sequels.
Felton Perry as Johnson. An executive at OCP, he reprised the role in the sequels.
Paul McCrane as Emil Antonowsky. One of Clarence Boddicker's thugs, he is the first to encounter RoboCop after they fatally wound Murphy.
Jesse D. Goins as Joe Cox. Another of Boddicker's thugs, characterized by his laugh.
Ray Wise as Leon Nash. Another of Boddicker's gang, the second to encounter RoboCop.
In several articles and interviews previously published and also on the DVD commentary to the film (in the scene where Murphy is tortured by Boddicker and a later scene in the film when Robocop confronts one of his original killers with the line "I'm not here to arrest you anymore"), Paul Verhoeven revealed that, despite not being a Christian, he was mostly inspired to make the film about a good cop getting killed and returning from the dead as a much stronger superhero come to judge those that killed him and/or commit heinous crimes, because of the script's many deliberate parallels with the Bible and the crucifixion story of Jesus Christ. Verhoeven had made the movie De Vierde Man four years earlier, which relies heavily on Christian symbolism.
Another source of inspiration for the title character, pointed out in the Criterion Edition DVD commentary track, is the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. In the scene where RoboCop stops the convenience store robbery, there is an Iron Man comic in the magazine rack, which can be seen right before the criminal arrives at the checkout counter.
RoboCop was directed by Paul Verhoeven. This was his second American movie (Verhoeven is Dutch); however, when he first glanced through the script, he threw it away in disgust. Afterwards, his wife read the script more thoroughly and convinced Paul that the plot had more substance than he originally assumed.
The writers accidentally were stuck at an airplane terminal with a high ranking movie executive for several hours and it is there that they told the movie executive their idea, and set into motion the chain of events which eventually became RoboCop the movie. [citation needed]
The film was originally given an X rating by the MPAA in 1987. After Verhoeven deleted some blood and gore from the first boardroom scene, Murphy's execution (where his entire right arm is severed by a shotgun blast and a final overhead shot of Murphy's bloody corpse), and the final battle with Clarence Boddicker, it was re-evaluated and given an R rating. The original version was included on the Criterion Collection laserdisc and DVD of the film (both now out of print), as well as the 2005 trilogy box set version.
The oddball TV show with its catchphrase "I'd buy that for a dollar!" seen throughout the movie is called It's Not My Problem. This is not shown in the movie, but is rather revealed by script writer Ed Neumeier on the commentaries track of the RoboCop Trilogy DVD release.
"Barbara", secretary of OCP executive Dick Jones, is played by Joan Pirkle, real-life wife of Kurtwood Smith.
Many of the urban settings of the movie were filmed in downtown Dallas, Texas, due to the futuristic appearances of the buildings. Dallas City Hall (combined with some matte paintings) was used as the exterior for the fictional OCP Headquarters.
When filming in Dallas during the summer of 1986, Peter Weller was losing three pounds a day due to sweat loss while wearing the RoboCop suit in 100+ degree temperatures. Peter's personal assistant, Todd Trotter, was responsible for keeping Peter cool in between takes with electric fans and, when available, large ducts connected to free-standing air conditioning units. The suit later had a fan built into it. [citation needed]
Todd Trotter was also responsible for Peter Weller's Sony Walkman, which played a single audio cassette known as "RoboMusic". Peter Weller listened to "RoboMusic" in between takes to help him stay in character. The actual content of "RoboMusic" is known only to Peter Weller and Todd Trotter, but many fans speculate that the cassette was filled with sounds of machinery, computer noises and other machine-themed sound effects. [citation needed]File:6000SUX.jpg6000 SUX adversement.
The Ford Taurus was used as police cars in the movie due to their then-futuristic design. Additionally, the main competitor of the Ford Taurus at the time was the Pontiac 6000, which is parodied by its movie counterpart, the "6000 SUX". [citation needed]
The 6000 SUX itself was based on a 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass with extensive bodywork. Commercials advertise the SUX as "an American tradition" with a fuel efficiency of 8.2 miles per gallon. In early production, it was to be powered by jet turbines. The exhaust of the turbine is still visible above the rear license plate of Clarence Boddicker's SUX in chase scenes.
Although cameras are now forbidden to be taken there, a lot of the movie (including the final battle scene) was filmed on Zug Island, which is a man-made industrial island now used primarily for car manufacturing.
In the original script, RoboCop killed Boddicker by bludgeoning his head in with his metallic fist. When Paul Verhoeven was set to shoot the scene, he wanted to have RoboCop stab Boddicker right in the eyeball with his interface spike, but realized the censors would not allow it. Verhoeven then contemplated having RoboCop shove his interface all the way through Boddicker's chin, jaw and mouth, but again realized that the censors would not allow it. Verhoeven then settled for having RoboCop stab Boddicker in the throat.
In one version of the script, the black thug Joe, arguably the most sadistic of Boddicker's thugs, is killed after RoboCop sent him falling onto an iron pole at the junkyard, where Joe was then torn apart by dogs. Instead, the finished film shows Joe simply being shot down by RoboCop.
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In the ninth episode of Sailor Moon (episode #6-en), about 18 minutes into the episode, Sailor Mercury's computer screen shows the first three prime directives.
On Eureka Seven, there is a scene for the end of act 1 and beginning of act 2. This parodies the boot-up sequence.
An episode of Beavis and Butt-head has Beavis & Butt-head watching a RoboCop clone called Iron Justice. Beavis is nearly killed when he attempts RoboCop's signature stunt of crashing through a wall.
The term RoboCop has become a description of rough justice on various crime. In England, Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon is often nicknamed "RoboCop" due to his controversial policy against crime.
RoboCop appeared during the World Championship Wrestling Capital Combat pay-per-view in 1990, where he saved Sting who was trapped in a cage.
The prime directives were mimicked in the strategy section of the now out-of-print GMR magazine.
In the popular webseries Red vs. Blue there is a shot from the point of view of the character of Lopez, a Spanish robot, where four directives are displayed as RoboCop's are:
Liverpool FC and England striker Peter Crouch's bizarre robotic dancing-style celebration has been dubbed the RoboKop by the English media, after the famous 'Kop' stand of the Anfield football stadium.
The Flemish comic Suske en Wiske had an issue that spoofed RoboCop. This issue was named Robotkop, which translates to robothead.
In one point of the movie Indian in the Cupboard the main character tests the cupboard by bringing amongst others: a dinosaur, Darth Vader, and RoboCop who says "Halt!"
In the Introversion PC game Uplink, the player can hack into a company named "OCP," whose computers hold only the four RoboCop directives (the fourth is still listed as "Classified."
In The Critic, RoboCop is parodied as Roboclapper.
In Starcraft, the Protoss Dragoon unit repeats the ED robots dialogue in the board meeting in which the board member is killed, verbatim.
