Hello, CineTV. This will be my first post in the community. I just saw the previous contest about Favorite Movie from the 1980's and I was a day past the deadline. But I'm going to write it anyway since I love the topic.
When I think about movies from the 80s, there are a few that immediately comes to mind. But one that really stuck out to me was Robocop.
source
The plot of Robocop goes like this, a cop who received near-fatal injuries in the line of duty has undergone an experimental program that turned him into a cyborg police with three primary directives: Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, and uphold the law.
And if my memories serve me right, my first viewing of Robocop was when I was four. I remember my parents renting a VHS copy of it so we could watch it at home. Robocop became so popular that it had multiple reruns on various television stations. Looking back, I am surprised at how violent the original movie was. I guess they had to tone it down in the succeeding movies given that it was heavily marketed towards kids later on. Robocop also had toy lines, an animated show, and a live-action TV series.
Two Things That Scared Me
You'd think Robocop's violence and gore would disturb me but I guess I just brushed it off since I didn't fully comprehend those scenes. But ED-209 was a different story.
source
ED was a giant robot meant to be the new face of law enforcement. It was huge and had a menacingly deep robotic voice. I remember seeing it for the first time and thought to myself how could Robocop defeat such a monster? And the way it walks, the stop-motion movements, also added a sense of weirdness that creeped me out as a kid.
source
Then there's the helmet removal scene. This one really stuck with me. There's genuine shock seeing what was behind the face plate. I wouldn't say it's outright scary but I felt really weird about it. Having Robocop walk around without the helmet is so different from when it's on. There's also a sense of pity and awe at how vulnerable Robocop is at this point since he was supposed to be an indestructible soldier.
Robocop To Me As An Adult
As an adult, there are many things that you would realize when rewatching Robocop like the negative effects of capitalism and human greed. The filmmakers could have done away with the excessive gore. I guess they wanted to have an additional impact and it sure does deliver. The story is also very straightforward and not too complicated. And sometimes that's all we need, to be entertained without the mental gymnastics. Watching a supercop rampage through criminals sure makes for a fun and entertaining movie night.
As far as the film setting, and this may be part nostalgia, but the unique 80s setting appeals to me. You can immediately tell if the movie is from the 80s just from a scene or two and I love every moment of it. The practical effects, the supposedly futuristic technology, it's all good. I couldn't rate Robocop since I would be extremely biased but it's definitely one of the movies I can't wait to show my kids, but not when they're four, maybe a little later in life.
⭐️⭐️Calling All Filipino Splinterlands Players⭐️⭐️
Come join the TEAMPH community and let's help each other in this great Splinterlands journey. Together we thrive, kapamilya!
Join TEAMPH Discord Here.source