MGM studios issued a press release a few days ago with all kinds of happy, excited comments about their exciting new strategy that will be “re-establishing MGM as a major Hollywood studio.”
Hey, I’m all for more competition and seeing one studio try to raise the bar to beat another… but at the end of the press release was the following nugget:
“MGM will enter its new phase of evolution by focusing on its major movie franchises highlighted by JAMES BOND and PINK PANTHER sequels, THE HOBBIT, THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR 2, THE OUTER LIMITS, ROBOCOP, DEATH WISH and FAME, among others.”
Now maybe I’m just in a snarky mood, because I’m as much of a fan of certain franchises as everyone else - but it seems to me there are certain movies that you just leave alone.
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Sure, I know everyone is clamoring for a sequel to that awesome Pink Panther movie that starred Steve Martin and Beyonce Knowles (um, sarcasm there in case you missed it), and what we also really need is another Fame movie…
I don’t even really have a problem with a sequel to The Thomas Crowne Affair - I really enjoyed the remake that starred Pierce Brosnan and if they could recapture the “cool” of that movie I’d be up for another one. Then there’s Death Wish, which is rumored to star Sylvester Stallone which I think could turn out great with his involvement.
But listen up: They should NOT do another Robocop.
The first one, released back in 1987 was a hard-R, funny, ultra-violent masterpiece full of social commentary. Oh, I’m sure it didn’t mean to be all that, but in the end that’s what it turned out to be. I can’t repeat most of the great quotes from the movie here, but one of the most memorable involved Peter Weller as Robocop coming upon a woman he just saved from being raped:
Rape Victim: Oh God, I was so scared! Thank you!
RoboCop (in a robotic, deadpan monotone): Madame, you have suffered an emotional shock. I will notify a rape crisis center.
That was his way of comforting a victim in shock.
Each subsequent version, whether it was a sequel or a TV show, was weaker than what came before it. And to top that off, although I wouldn’t bet my life on it, I sure as heck would bet a ten spot that they’ll try to release a remake (since I doubt they would do a sequel at this point) as a PG-13 instead of R. Got to attract the kiddies to the fun, bloodless violence don’t you know.
MGM, please just leave that one alone, would ya please?
Source: AICN
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16 Comments
Sequels and remakes are such a fundamentally horrible idea. I guess in theory it works, but in practice it’s always just a lazy re-hashing of the original moneymaker made in desperate hope that people will rely entirely on name recognition.
Vic,
I know this is off topic, but since we’ve exchanged thoughts on this movie in the past, I think you might find the following interesting:
http://goneelsewhere.wordpress.com/2007/08/12/m-night-shyamalans-the-happening-script-review/#comment-19825
How bout some original ideas. Holly crap MGM…!?
Redoing RoboCop as a reboot would be a waste of time. They could never capture the essence of the first 2 films. (And this would be bad for OCP!) Boy Howdy.
That’s right the first 2 films. The second Robo was just as kick ass as the first one!!!
Fame, Hobbit, Thomas Crown, Pink Panther,,,,,,, Who Cares!
They can never capture the humor of the Original Panther films, why. Even try?
Death Wish sheeesh. Just watch the Punisher. The Death Wish films I allways thought were over the top in terms of violence even for there times…
Well the first Robocop movie was pure kickass and super R rated.
The scene where murphy is killed by clarence is super gore. Atleast it was the most gory scene dat time.
Robocop 2 was scripted by Frank Miller, But the directors and writers completely rehashed the script.
If ur wanna c how the org. story was supposed to be, then get ur hands on the Robocop graphic novel by Frank Miller.
Mebe a continuation after Robocop 2 would be OK.
But a total reboot… Plz dont mess with our memories of how things were..
I couldnt just see anyone else replace Peter Weller
Robo 2 was great. You could see alot of Sin City in that film when you watch it again.
That RoboCop Kane version was kick ass looking.
That film had some great quotes.
^
Drop your weapon or there could be trouble.
Behave yourselves!
This could be bad for OCP.
Were only Human…
This era will be the era of the remakes with an occasional accidental original. sigh.
It’s disappointing for all the money that “Hollywood” makes, that all they can pump out are repeats.
With the special affects these days, I’m guessing we’ll see Robocop: Reboot.
I’d rather see Robocop than Fame though, that’s for sure. Robocop meets some of my requirements for a movie: gunfire and bloodshed….
Bruce you would rather see Robocop reboot than a Fame reboot?
Is someone holding a gun to your head?
MGM can go bankrupt for all I care…!
Keep making crap and I will stay home… I can allways pop in my RoboCop dvds.
Screw your remakes MGM….!
790 - Shhhh. Don’t tick ‘him’ off!!!
“The second Robo was just as kick ass as the first one!!!”
word bro.
One thing I liked about 2 was the last battle with the two Robocops. The stop-motion (which has sadly become a lost art IMO) was so choppy and fantastic. And then the movie ends right after the battle, no epilogue, nothing. Robocop smashes the brain on the pavement and gets up “we’re only human” and credits. I loved it, why can’t they make movies like that anymore?
I remember when the 3rd (I mean turd) was released. I was only like 15 but even then I knew it was gonna be crap becuase the rating dropped to PG13.
How old is Weller now? all they need is his chin and voice, the rest would be CGI anyway. I can imagine it…
Right on Panda.
Were only human, then BAM.
Directed by Frank Miller.
The Kane Robo was one of the coolest looking combat robots I’ve ever seen!
Screw the boot but if they do they should just take off after Murphy Machine has been retired.
Even then they’ll never capture the flavor of the first 2 films. NEVER!
One of my favorite Robo2 quotes, when the cops get off the picket line and jump in their cars, tearin down the street, there’s the old guys on the corner
“where are they going’?”
“they gonna kick somebody A$$!”
I’m a passionate sci-fi/comic movie fan. Movies we see now are so enriched by the VFX our technology can offer. Yet, I hate that we cannot find a new theme. Hollywood resigns to sequels and re-hashes. Where is the next great space opera?! The last one I watched was ‘Firefly’ and ‘Star Strek’ (name any series, any episode, I don’t care), yet they were cancelled. Sure, they made Serenity and the Star Trek series to compensate and shore up stories, but where is the next original idea.
Movie today are like the myths told around campfires thousands of years ago. Are we repeating myths or creating our own? I would hope both.
There’s alot of cool sci-fi scripts out there that have the right stuff to become great films and tv shows. However alot of them get rejected because somewhere down the line of production greenlighting it meets up with an exec that for whatever reason hates it.
Take Les Moonves (CEO for CBS) for example he hates science fiction. He’s publically come out and said he rejects sci-fi shows…
He’s just one example there’s lots of turds like him in Hollywood.
Wingnut check out the show LEXX I think you’ll like it.
I was just asking a few weeks back about now being the right time to bring Robo-Cop back to the big screen!
Glad to hear that this might happen.
20 years ago there was not a lot of superhero movies going down,so when Robo-Cop appeared with it’s adult approach to dark-violent-comic-book style i thought it was great.
With iron-man about to be a summer blockbuster and all the other’s going strong, i think it only fair R-C gets a well deserved return.Mabey Frank Miller could return to help.
Yes,bring the 1st metal-head back ASAP!!
Ah Graham… You confuse me with your “first metal head” statement.
Iron Man came about in March of 1963.
Robocop came about in 1987?
Or are you referring to something else and it’s way too early in the morning for me to even be typing?
Movie Metal-Head mate.Go back to sleep!
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