RoboCop

 (1987)

RoboCop Blu-ray features bad video and audio in this still mediocre Blu-ray release
In the not-too-distant future, a newly transfered Detroit police officer is remade into an indestructible cybernetic cop after being dismembered by a gang of thugs in an abandoned warehouse. Reborn as RoboCop he is programmed to serve and protect the citizens of Detroit and eliminate the rampant crime in the city streets so that a massive city-wide reconstruction project can get under way. But once he has completed his task, he sets his sights on the corruption inside Security Concepts - the corporation that created him.

For more about RoboCop and the RoboCop Blu-ray release, see the RoboCop Blu-ray Review

Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Dan O'Herlihy, Miguel Ferrer
Director: Paul Verhoeven (I)

» See full cast & crew

RoboCop Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Sir Terrence, November 7, 2007

Watching Robocop brought back many memories of the 80's. I was a young twenty one year old just beginning film school when Robocop was released. I remember the religious right screaming about the gratuitous violence in it, and the pleas from congress for Hollywood to curb violence in motion pictures. I saw beyond the violence. I saw corporate exploitation of labor, corporate greed, and also the influence of Marvel comics, and specifically Judge Dredd



Robocop is set in futuristic Detroit where crime has gone amok. Having fallen into financial ruin, the city contracted its police services to a corporate giant, OCP, out of desperation. OCP's tactic is to raze and rebuild the city, and eradicate crime in Detroit an effort to change the image of the city. OCP decides to use droids (ED-209) which is the brainchild of OCP Vice President Dick Jones (Ronny Cox)) as a replacement to human police officers to squelch the tsunami of crime. ED-209's disastrous debut results in the death of one of the junior officers on the Board. Another executive Bob Morton (Miguel Ferrer) steps in and offers another alternative to ED-209.

Robocop's genesis begins when Officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is assigned to the dangerous Metro West precinct. On a routine call, a violent gang lead by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) mortally wounds Murphy. Attempts to revive him in the emergency room fail. Morton's team obtains the body, and proceeds to build a human cyborg from its remains. "Robocop" is then released on the streets and stops crime in its tracks.

RoboCop Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

This Orion Picture production is presented in a 1:85:1 aspect ratio in 1080p. The picture quality is a mixed bag: some scenes look reasonably sharp, and others are marred by excessive film grain. Despite the amount of grain, this is the best I have seen Robocop look in all of its renditions: the 20th anniversary DVD, the Trilogy set issued by MGM, or the excellent laserdisc released by Criterion. The transfer itself is quite sharp. I was able to detect objects not previously seen on the DVD or laserdisc releases, like the detail in Robocop's uniform and headgear. Colors are reasonably saturated, and skin tones ranged from natural, to a little on the pink-reddish side. Blood is vividly red, but occasionally colors became subdued. Some scenes appear too dark obstructing shadow detail, and occasionally blacks look a little muddy. The graininess previously mentioned is most objectionable in dark colors, and could appear more like digital noise than grain. In spite of its flaws, this is the definitive Robocop in terms of picture quality.

RoboCop Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

The audio is presented in Dts HD MA lossless, but the original stems are the weakness of this soundtrack. The surrounds are not particularly prominent, however there is the occasional split channel effect that is quite effective. Overall the audio is band limited as compared to the mixes of current, but none the less quite pleasing for an 80's mix. My RTA's show no output below 40hz in the LFE or mains, and not much output above 15khz as well. The sound is occasionally peaky, especially in the dialog that makes it sound a bit unnatural. Gunshots and explosions sound just a bit anemic, lacking body and weight. The score by Basil Poledouris wraps pleasantly into the surrounds creating an enveloping quality. Overall the score fares better than the dialog and sound effects. This is a decent, but not great mix. Also included is an English 4.0 soundtrack, French and Spanish 5.1 soundtrack.

RoboCop Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

The only extras offered are a high definition trailer of Robocop, and previews of The Bulletproof Monk, To Live and Die in LA, and the Usual Suspects in HD.

RoboCop Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

I really enjoyed watching Robocop. While the violence was gratuitus, there was a point to it all. I found the picture quality fairly good, and could easily look past the warts and enjoy the movie. While the sound was band limited, it still bought me into the movie. If you have enjoyed Robocop in the past, you will love this present incarnation.

Amazon's Blu-ray Deals of the Week affect both MGM's RoboCop Trilogy package as well as Twentieth Century Fox's first two Modern Family season sets. Through this week, Amazon is offering the trilogy for 73% off its SRP of $59.99 and the two Modern Family editions ...

Amazon's current Blu-ray Boxed Set of the Week is for the Robocop Trilogy, which can now be had for $25.00 (58% off, or a little over $8 per movie). Note that parts 2 and 3 of this trilogy are only available on this three-movie set, while Robocop had been released ...

Early retailer information indicates that MGM Home Entertainment will release Robocop Trilogy on Blu-ray on October 5. No information regarding technical specifications or special features is known at the moment, nor has it been disclosed whether the trilogy will ...

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