Part man. Part machine. All cop! MGM Home Entertainment finally brings the long-awaited special edition of RoboCop to Region 1 on June 8th. Available exclusively as part of the Robocop Trilogy box set, the seminal sci-fi action film will be released in its unrated extended cut with a brand-new high definition anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 remix. Extras will include a commentary track (with director Paul Verhoeven, producer Jon Davidson, and screenwriter Ed Neumeier), "Flesh And Steel: The Making of RoboCop" new 36-minute documentary, four deleted scenes, a 6 minute film-to-storyboard comparison (with optional commentary by Phil Tippett), two vintage featurettes, a still gallery, trailers and a TV spot. Also included with this set will be film-only reissues of Robocop 2 and Robocop 3, both with new anamorphic widescreen transfers and Dolby 5.1 audio. Retail for the set is $39.96. Robocop 2 and Robocop 3 will be available individually at $14.98 apiece.
Thus, the "Special Edition" of one of the all-time greats is finally coming to the U.S., but one must buy the sequels in order to get it! Thoughts?
Also, does anyone know if this version will have seamless branching between the theatrical/uncut versions?
As far as I know, there are two versions of the film: theatrical release and uncut (which is on the Criterion Collection DVD I already have, and features more violence--specifically in Murphy's death scene).
Which version of the film do y'all prefer?
This message has been edited by GregKirkman on Feb 25, 2004 8:51 PM
other than the documentary the content listed above for the Robocop extras is the same as has been on the Criteron laserdisc and then dvd, so I am not too thrilled by this.
Also, I would expect that within six months of this release Robocop alone will be on dvd.
other than the documentary the content listed above for the Robocop extras is the same as has been on the Criteron laserdisc and then dvd, so I am not too thrilled by this.
Also, I would expect that within six months of this release Robocop alone will be on dvd.
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That's the theory I've heard, too.
But the transfer should be better than the Criterion version, although I believe the R2 version of the SE, at least, had a 1:85 aspect ratio, rather than CC's 1:66.
Still, I'm excited. Documentaries and deleted scenes are always fun. And, as I understand it, the SE audio commentary (recorded in 2001) is different from the Criterion commentary (recorded in 1995).
ROBOCOP is not a trilogy. It is one very good movie that was left open ended. Luckily no one ever tried to follow up on that, so it was not spoiled or damaged or gutted in any way.
If you want to know what ROBOCOP II was going to be like...
February 25 2004, 11:48 PM
....Avatar Press is publishing ROBOCOP II the way that FRANK MILLER wrote it...not the version that ended up on the screen. I've been reading it and it is pretty good so far...Steve Grant is doing the sequential adaption based on Miller's script and notes.
And, the series (9 issues) has ALL NEW Frank Miller art on the covers! Worth the cover charge alone!
It is certainly different than the movie version, that's for sure!
I had this as a gift from my cousins. Sold it later to buy more comic books since I've got the originals on VHS.
The uncut version isn't that different. You see Murphy's arm being blown off and a lot more gore in the ED-209 scene but it's basically the same movie.
The documentary is good to watch with an interesting tidbit being Robocop was designed to look like the male equivalent of the robot from Metropolis whih is obvious when you see him without the helmet.
I still have the Prime Directives miniseries on DVD which is well worth watching.
ROBOCOP is not a trilogy. It is one very good movie that was left open ended. Luckily no one ever tried to follow up on that, so it was not spoiled or damaged or gutted in any way.
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Is this sarcasm, or are you just saying the "sequels" had no negative impact on the quality of the "stand-alone" original? If it's the latter, then I agree.
The uncut version ads nothing but gore and is, therefore, incredibly unnecessary. I've seen it and could not understand why anyone would bother to release it. They should just make a great transfer of the Theatrical version and leave well enough alone. In this particular case anyway.
Sean
P.S.- I also enjoy the Theatrical version of Aliens much more than the Director's Cut.
Sean: agree on ALIEN.
But the best version has to be the SIMONSON cut.
The version set in X-Mansion is not bad either, though the girl was a bit young to play Ripley.
Seriously, though, I have to confess that I prefer the theatrical version of BLADE RUNNER, in great part because the narration gave the movie an extra FILM NOIR feeling. Also, unicorns do NOT rock my boat.
