RoboCop

*“RobotCop”, “RowboatCop”, and “Robert Cop” all redirect here.*

**RoboCop** is episode 143 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Podship Casters miniseries covering the Hollywood years of Paul Verhoeven. Posted January 14, 2018.

## Summary

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> Griffin and David discuss dystopian action satire, 1987’s *RoboCop*. But is old Detroit a cancer and the cancer is crime? Was this film a deconstruction of the American hero mythology? Is it true that Verhoeven initially read half a page of the script and threw in the trash only to have his wife retrieve it and encourage him to give it a second chance? Together they examine the construction and evolution of the RoboCop costume, breaking squib records, 1987’s Academy award winners and many other tangents.
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At last, Griffin gets his opportunity to talk for a whole episode about The Great American Movie, one of his very favorites of all time: *RoboCop*.

And, oh, the 148 minutes' worth of detail... Griffin watched the movie twice in 24 hours, plus the director's commentary, so nearly every production tidbit, every scene, every line, is covered here in detail. So many big takes!

"It examines the mortal sins of our being"

"RoboCop is the American Jesus"

"This is the best final line in the history of cinema"

Look at this cast of amazing character actors: Ronny Cox, Ray Wise, Miguel Ferrer, Robert DoQui, Kurtwood Smith, Paul McCrane... man oh man. Which one was most deserving of a Best Supporting Actor nomination? Again, in a movie called *RoboCop*??? (Because it can't be said often enough.)

To say nothing about Peter Weller. How did his own slight physical build end up perfectly suited for this role? Who did he turn to for help when he first put on the costume and could barely move while in the suit? How did his acting performance dovetail with the cultural satire that Verhoeven is enthralled by? And what does Ben's S.O. Molly Gaebe think about Officer Anne Lewis' line in the climax of this movie - tune in to the "TARS Talk"-style insert segment, "Lewis Viewis..."

How much of a jerk was kid-Griffin about this movie to his mom, and how did she end up turning it around with a lovely aikido parenting maneuver?

Can Griffin win a Saturn Award this year by maneuvering into a certain category? It's not category fraud!!!

What about the cultural legacy of this movie - "RoboCop" the cartoon? RoboMunk, the "Alvin & The Chipmunks" parody? Obscenely expensive RoboCop toys, in a Merchandise Spotlight? How many 80's kids might have gotten scarred by a movie that set a record for number of squibs used on one actor? Tune in to find out!

Always remember.... "It's like their friendship is the only pure thing left in this world."

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Sort of new Ben nickname: **The Voice Of Reason**
* Benny On The Record: on Jack Nicholson
* The best time of day to record a Blank Check episode: after dark
* "Why does anyone listen to these?" --David, incredulously
* 2018: The Year of the Peen
* Box office game: Weekend of July 17, 1987

### Sponsors

* First Griffin leaves the room for a moment while the mechanized **Robert Cop** stops in to ask for help in hiring a TA for his Italian Renaissance art history business. And my goodness, the foley work! Anyway, David tells him about the job-posting service ZipRecruiter. Free for listeners to try, ziprecruiter.com/blank.
* Later David is happy to plug the audio adventure podcast ***Cerberus Rex*** in part because it's not like other sponsors - it's a piece of art, an endeavor of creativity, and it draws from many inspirations including several featured in the past on Blank Check! And on top of that, it was created by a Blankie. Ben is also fully on board at the mentions of the full score, sound effects, and professional mixing. Available at sci-fi.com.

## Quotes

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> | Griffin: |  Okay, so how does this movie start? The way all good movies start, with giant letters that say RoboCop.
> | David: |  That's how Citizen Kane starts, right? RoboCop!
> | Griffin: |  The best way to start a movie.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. RoboCop. Audioboom. Retrieved on May 21, 2022.