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6 Degrees Entertainment

RoboCop: 4K Ultra HD (Special 2-Disc Edition)
(Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, et al / 2-Disc Blu-ray / R / (1987) 2022 / Arrow Films)

Overview: RoboCop, from Orion Pictures, marked Flesh + Blood director Paul Verhoeven’s Hollywood debut and instantly became an enduring sci-fi/action classic when it landed in theaters in the summer of 1987.

Verhoeven’s peerlessly exciting and kinetic visuals were matched by a sharp script, iconic cast and exceptional special effects by Rob Bottin (The Thing) and Phil Tippett (The Empire Strikes Back).

The film takes place in Detroit in the not-too-distant future. Heroic cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai) is gunned down in the line of duty, only to be resurrected as RoboCop - a cybernetic mix of spare human parts and Motor City steel, and the latest defense against crime designed by the all-powerful OCP Corporation.

As RoboCop’s memories of his former life as Murphy resurface, only his ex-partner (Nancy Allen, Dressed To Kill) stands beside him to fight against the vicious thugs responsible for his death, as well as a nefarious top-level OCP executive orchestrating the chaos from above.

Unsurpassably thrilling, unexpectedly moving and unforgettably hilarious in equal measure, the future of law enforcement is back on Blu-ray in a 4K restoration of the Director’s Cut, packed with hours of brand new bonus features.

Blu-ray Verdict: Detroit is ridden with corruption and crime, ran by a company. Officer Murphy and Officer Lewis go about their daily routines when it all goes horribly wrong during an arrest attempt of the nefarious Clarence Boddicker.

Officer Lewis is compromised and unable to try to help Murphy, leading to Murphy’s violent death. Murphy is reassembled into a cyborg. The experiment is a huge success, until Murphy starts having visions of his past life.

Murphy goes on a mission with Officer Lewis to rid Detroit of all evil and more importantly, get revenge.

Paul Verhoeven made two terrific Sci-Fi films: Total Recall and RoboCop. They simply don’t make them like this anymore. Spare me the so-called remake - which, yes, I gave a shot to - but I had a bad feeling about it from the off and I was proven right!

I mean come on now, we never needed a remake, but they seem to pop up every so many years regardless, I guess. Anyway, back on track and this one was pretty daring for the time it was made, in my humble opinion.

When I was younger, I was absolutely appalled with Murphy’s death. It really upset me to the point where I almost cried. It doesn’t do that these days, although it is still a bit disturbing to watch. I wouldn’t say the script is exactly top-notch as it actually comes across as somewhat cheesy at times, but Verhoeven has such a grasp on the entertainment that it ends up being an unforgettable action ride.

The effects are definitely dated. There is a robot in this movie (Ed-209) that comes across as incredibly corny with how weak it looks. If you’re a fan of violence, dig in! It is time for the signature Verhoeven violence!

We get a cornucopia of bloody gunshot wounds, impaling’s, someone explodes in half when hit by a car, and someone’s arm is shot off. Oh, and we also get a spike in the neck. The acting is solid. Peter Weller is appropriately shy and subtle as Murphy while firing off some great lines as RoboCop.

The man took what could have been a one-dimensional part and made it into his own. I just wish more background on his family was revealed. Those scenes were riveting. I felt Murphy’s pain. Nancy Allen is slightly awkward in her role. She seemed a bit unsure on what to do but she’s still oddly charming. Her chemistry with Weller was great as well.

Ronny Cox is absolutely terrific as a villain and Kurtwood Smith is his match as the other villain. Kurtwood is clearly having a blast in his role. He turns it up a few notches in this one.

Miguel Ferrer is wonderfully slimy in his role and chewed up the scenery. This man can do no wrong in my eyes. Even Ray Wise has a role in this one.

In closing, RoboCop was so influential at one point, a wrestling company known as WCW (World Championship Wrestling) had RoboCop appear on a PPV! It didn’t work out very well, but that doesn’t matter. As far as entertainment is concerned, it doesn’t get much better than this for action movies. This comes highly recommended, especially now that it is on 4K UHD from Arrow Films, of course! This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

4K restoration of the film from the original negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven
New artwork by Paul Shipper
Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray discs with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Six collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)
Double-sided fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork (Limited Edition exclusive)
80-page Limited Edition collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Omar Ahmed, Christopher Griffiths and Henry Blyth, a 1987 Fangoria interview with Rob Bottin and archive materials (some contents exclusive to Limited Edition)

DISC 1: DIRECTOR’S CUT
Commentary by Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for the Theatrical Cut and re-edited in 2014 for the Director’s Cut)
Commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon
Commentary by fans Christopher Griffiths, Gary Smart and Eastwood Allen
The Future of Law Enforcement: Creating RoboCop, interview with co-writer Michael Miner
RoboTalk, conversation between co-writer Ed Neumeier and filmmakers David Birke (writer of Elle) and Nicholas McCarthy (director of The Prodigy)
Truth of Character, interview with star Nancy Allen
Casting Old Detroit, interview with casting director Julie Selzer on how the film’s cast was assembled
Connecting the Shots, interview with second unit director and Verhoeven collaborator Mark Goldblatt
Analog, featurette on the special photographic effects, with interviews with Peter Kuran and Kevin Kutchaver
More Man Than Machine: Composing RoboCop, tribute to composer Basil Poledouris with film music experts Jeff Bond, Lukas Kendall, Daniel Schweiger and Robert Townson
RoboProps, tour of super-fan Julien Dumont’s collection of original props and memorabilia
2012 Q&A with the Filmmakers, panel discussion featuring Verhoeven, Davison, Neumeier, Miner, Allen, star Peter Weller and animator Phil Tippett
RoboCop: Creating A Legend, Villains of Old Detroit, Special Effects: Then & Now, three archive featurettes from 2007 featuring interviews with cast and crew
Paul Verhoeven Easter Egg
Four deleted scenes
The Boardroom: Storyboard with Commentary by Phil Tippett
Director’s Cut Production Footage, raw dailies from the filming of the unrated gore scenes, presented in 4K (SDR)
Theatrical trailers and TV spots
Image galleries

DISC 2: THEATRICAL CUT
Commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for Theatrical cut of the film)
Isolated Score tracks (Composer’s Original Score and Final Theatrical Mix)
Edited-for-television version of the film, featuring alternate dubs, takes and edits of several scenes (95 mins, SD only)
Split screen comparisons between the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut, and the Theatrical Cut and edited-for-TV version
RoboCop: Edited for Television, compilation of alternate scenes from two edited-for-television versions, with outtakes newly transferred in HD.

www.ArrowVideo.com

www.MVDvisual.com





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