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Robocop Movie Comparison Essay

“Looking at films differently”

1. Introduction a. Comparing and contrasting Robocop(1987) and Robocop(2014) b. Thesis statement: These movies were filmed at two very distanced times in our society yet they still are an accurate reflection of our geopolitical atmosphere

II. These films are very much the same a. Both films interpret on how law enforcement are perceived 1. Cities and countries around the world in turmoil 2. Politicians and criminals control both the crime and politics in both films b. Both films show how corporate interests use political and economic power to control their interests not caring about the outcome or the human collateral 1. Using technology to help meet the demands a local and global policing crisis 2. Using humans as guinea pigs to further their financial goals

III. These films are very much different a. The original film focuses its energy on displaying excess violence and drug usage. 1. Open use of drugs. Excessive vulgarity towards women and sex. 2. Extremely graphic and somewhat disturbing. b. The reboot emphasizes how important the technology is and usage of that technology with all its accessories 1. this film shows you how the protagonist family is directly involved in the transformation process with him 2. the use of advanced weaponry and cutting edge equipment are very prevalent

IV. Are they the same? a. shows how a corporation purchases a corrupt police department then exploits its employees and their families 1. Keeps family out of the loop during the metamorphosis of the main character(original) 2.shows how the family of the main character makes an effort to subvert the corporate bureaucracy and make contact with the protagonist(reboot) b.Both films show how the corporation is defeated in the end by its own creation. 1.in the original the corporate thug that instigates all of the chaos is killed in a board meeting by the hero 2. in the reboot, the same corporate thug is shot on a roof by his creation

V. Conclusion a. Politics and corporate interests manipulating policy 1. Both corporate entities in both films subvert policy and law to accomplish goals 2. Criminal elements take advantage of corporate subversion b. is film industry really a reflection of our society 1. two of the same films showing different political atmospheres George Semidey Jr. Dr. Robert C. Schachel Eng. 1101-C June 7th 2016 “Looking at films differently” Let’s compare the Robocop filmed in 1987 directed by Paul Verhoeven and the Robocop filmed in 2004 directed by Jose Padilha and how these films are similar but different. Both films illustration the life, death and transformation of Alex ). Murphy a police officer assigned to the inner city of Detroit. Volunteering for an experimental program designed to use the remains of slain police to build animatronic law enforcement droids.

Stationed in the worst police district in Detroit, our protagonist has to struggle with the question if he is still in fact a man or a machine? In doing so he is faced with the fact that the corporation the created him is out to have him destroyed. These movies were filmed at two very distanced times in our society yet they still are an accurate reflection of our geopolitical atmosphere. These films help us to see how the movie business uses the pulse of pop culture and politics to convey the same story in a very different way. Both being set in the Midwest of the United States. Each film has its own take on the locale and global geopolitical atmosphere. Which allow the viewer to get a concise look at what is happening in the world created by the directors.

Thiers is a tale of technology saving lives. Advancements in robotics and biological engineering assistance in the rescue and subsequent transformation of the main characters. A blessing that quickly becomes a curse the central character begins to struggle with the understanding of his consciousness and what he has become. The director of the reimagining is praised for “successfully portrayed a dystopian city where corrupt police, politicians and how the media controls everything in a kind of power triangle (Lambie 14).” An unexpected achievement considering the original was a wellreceived cult classic which the reboot was not.

This reboot attempt falls short in several ways. To start there is a noticeable difference in the amount of drugs and excess violence that displayed in both films. The original is a satirical look at our society in the late nineteen eighties. A time in America where drugs and violence were a very vocal part of everyday reality. Copious amounts of cocaine being snorted off prostitutes augmented breast. Extremely graphic gun fights meshed with very close-up angles showing the bloody damage. Whereas the remake barely has any drug use at all. Still plenty of shooting and violence, however, the amount is non-existent in comparison to its predecessor and for good reason; “for the reboot, Padilha dialed-back the violence – relying on implied bodily harm to secure a PG-13 rating.

Plenty of drug lords and murderers are still shot, Padilha simply opted to avoid showing the subsequent blood and guts.” (Kendrick 13) The similarities amongst these two films far outweigh the differences. The only real change is how the information is chosen to be presented. But the information itself is fundamentally the same. A maniacal and greedy corporation looking to increase its profits. Using the unsuspecting “good guy” as a guinea pig for these experiments. His family is told they would be allowed access to their recently deceased loved one.

Meanwhile all along this evil entity never really intended to satisfy the prearranged terms, to receiving access to the deceased officer’s body to begin the experiments. It is still very much a tale of romance, action and personal struggle. With catch phrases from the original piece to keep the overall aesthetic of the films in line. What both pictures help us to see is that technology does play a huge part in how we process information concerning the geopolitical climate that affects how films are written. Considering the newer film shows how we gravitate towards films that are technologically driven as oppose to the original film that was more focused on violence and drugs.

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