109-1140: Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955 – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film RoboCop . Other film roles include Harbinger in Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Quigley in Blank Check , Eduardo Ruiz in Traffic (2000) and Vice President Rodriguez in Iron Man 3 (2013). Ferrer's notable television roles include FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield on Twin Peaks (1990–1991, 2017), Dr. Garret Macy on Crossing Jordan (2001–2007) and NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles (2012–2017). Ferrer also performed voice acting in animated projects, including Shan Yu in Mulan (1998), Tarakudo on Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005), and Vandal Savage in Young Justice (2010-2012). Ferrer
218-538: A "certain liability ... it sounds like ' Robby the Robot ' or Gobots or something else. It's nothing like that." The campaign began three months before the film's release, when 5,000 adult-oriented and family-friendly trailers were sent to theaters. Orion promotions director Jan Kean said that children and adults responded positively to the RoboCop character. Miguel Ferrer recalled a theater audience laughing derisively at
327-612: A "killer" aesthetic. Davies was influenced by killer whales and a United States Air Force LTV A-7 Corsair II . He approached the design with modern American aesthetics and a corporate-design policy that he believed prioritized looks over functionality, including excessive and impractical components. He did not add eyes, thinking that they would make ED-209 more sympathetic. The fully-articulated fiberglass model took four months to build, cost $ 25,000, stood 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, and weighed 300 to 500 lb (140 to 230 kg). The 100-hour work weeks took their toll and Davies minimized
436-438: A 1990 Edgar Award for his screenplay for the pilot. Once the show got picked up as a series, Sayles directed one of the episodes, and had a cameo appearance in the "Words to Music" episode as a jealous boyfriend who gets into a confrontation with Shannon. The show took a cynical view of the legal system, as Sayles told Entertainment Weekly : "Shannon's a fixer. There are very few clear-cut victories in his life, and one of
545-690: A drummer in the series Sunshine , his first television role. Ferrer was also Mumy's bandmate in Seduction of the Innocent, a band that also consisted of Steve Leialoha , and Max Allan Collins . Sharing a love of comics Ferrer and Mumy co-created Comet Man and Trypto the Acid Dog plus co-wrote the Marvel Graphic Novel The Dreamwalker . Ferrer began his acting career in the early 1980s, making guest appearances on episodic television. He played
654-550: A few thousand dollars for the script rights and $ 25,000 between them for the rewrite. They were entitled to eight percent of the producer profits upon release. Davison's contacts with puppeteers, animators, and practical effects designers were essential to Verhoeven, who had no prior experience with them. The producers discussed changing the Detroit setting, but Neumeier insisted on its importance because of its failing auto industry. The connection between Clarence Boddicker and Dick Jones
763-507: A fiberglass helmet. Moving sections were joined with aluminum and ball bearings. The costume is supported by an internal harness of hooks, allowing for sustained movement during action scenes. Seven costumes were made, including a fireproof version and costumes depicting sustained damage. Reports on their weight vary from 25 to 80 lb (11 to 36 kg). RoboCop's gun, the Auto-9, is a Beretta 93R with an extended barrel and larger grip. It
872-502: A fiberglass skull containing a blood squib and explosive charge. The articulated head was controlled by four puppeteers, and had details of sweat and blood. A fan motor attached to the body made it vibrate, as if shaking in fear. The charge in the skull was connected to the trigger of Smith's gun by wire to synchronize the effect. Emil's melting mutation was inspired by the 1977 science-fiction film The Incredible Melting Man . Bottin designed and constructed Emil's prosthetics, creating
981-456: A foam-latex headpiece and matching gloves that gave the appearance of Emil's skin melting "off his bones like marshmallow sauce". A second piece, depicting further degradation, was applied over the first. Dupuis painted each piece differently to emphasize Emil's advancing degradation. The prosthetics were applied to an articulated dummy to show Emil being struck by Boddicker's car. The head was loosened so it would fly off; by chance, it rolled onto
1090-565: A former welterweight boxer turned enforcer for one of the many loan sharks to whom Jack is in debt. Always striving for self-improvement through vocabulary studies and night school, Wilmer eagerly took on the role of investigator for Shannon when needed. Shannon's skill as an attorney was only matched by his flair as a poker player with an uncanny ability to deal himself a winning hand more often than not. Now Shannon relies on that same talent to work out deals for his clients without having to go to court. Shannon's Deal explored various aspects of
1199-499: A good relationship with his teenaged daughter Neala ( Jenny Lewis ), Shannon found himself starting over with his own small firm in a low-rent Philadelphia building filled with low-rent professionals, including lawyers like ambulance-chaser Lou Gondolf ( Martin Ferrero ). He also found himself going up against his old adversary Todd Spurrier ( Miguel Ferrer ), who had moved to the DA's office to lay
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#17328919497461308-594: A great production designer or a great RoboCop costume – not both. William Sandell was hired. Monte Hellman directed several of the action scenes. RoboCop was filmed primarily on location in Dallas , with additional filming in Las Colinas and Pittsburgh . Verhoeven wanted a filming location which suggested the near future. Detroit was dismissed because it had many low buildings, many brownstones and Victorian -style buildings. Neumeier said that it
1417-574: A major role in the 1987 action film RoboCop as the corporate executive Bob Morton, the young, ambitious executive of Omni Consumer Products' Security Concepts and project leader of the RoboCop program. Ferrer's notable later roles include a sinister biker in Valentino Returns, an overzealous engineer in DeepStar Six (1989), a resourceful vigilante in Revenge (1990), Commander Arvid Harbinger in
1526-535: A more machine-like character), before settling on a sleek aesthetic inspired by the work of Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama . Verhoeven admitted his unrealistic expectations after reading Japanese science-fiction manga ; it took him a while to realize it, which contributed to the costume delay. The scope of the RoboCop costume was unprecedented, with its design and construction exceeding cost and schedule. The costume took six months to build with flexible foam latex, semi-and completely-rigid polyurethane , and
1635-503: A re-release of the 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ($ 7.5 million) and the horror sequel Jaws: The Revenge ($ 7.2 million), both of which were also in their first week of release. RoboCop retained the number-one position in its second weekend with an additional gross of $ 6.3 million, ahead of Snow White ($ 6.05 million) and the debuting comedy Summer School ($ 6 million). It
1744-433: A replacement; because the costume was designed for Weller, however, he was encouraged to mend fences. Mime Moni Yakim helped Weller to develop a slower, more deliberate way of moving. Weller's experience in the costume was worsened by the warm weather, which made him sweat off up to 3 lb (1.4 kg) per day. Verhoeven began taking prescription medication to cope with stress-induced insomnia, and he filmed scenes under
1853-541: A robot bursting into a meeting and killing everyone. Miner described the film as "comic relief for a cynical time" during the presidency of Ronald Reagan , when economist " Milton Friedman and the Chicago Boys ransacked the world, enabled by Reagan and the Central Intelligence Agency . So when you have this cop who works for a corporation that insists 'I own you,' and he still does the right thing—that's
1962-659: A sparkling compound were fired from an air gun at RoboCop to create the effect of ricocheting bullets. Bottin was tasked with designing the RoboCop costume. He researched the Star Wars character C-3PO and its stiff costume, which made movement difficult. Bottin was also influenced by robot designs in Metropolis (1927), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), and several comic-book superheroes. He developed about 50 designs based on feedback from Verhoeven (who pushed for
2071-425: A story about a lawyer who avoids going to court, on a number of other projects before suggesting they work together to create a new TV series. The pilot movie, written by Sayles and aired on NBC on June 4, 1989, introduced an element of film noir that continued throughout the series. This was further enhanced by a haunting jazz score for the pilot by Wynton Marsalis , who also provided the theme music. Sayles received
2180-402: A stretch of land that had been used as a toxic dump by one of those companies as "Shannon Park".) As a consequence, his marriage fell apart and Shannon became a compulsive gambler. Racking up massive debts, Shannon lost his house, his car, and other assets. He was then fired from his position at the firm, following a disastrous confrontation with fellow partner Todd Spurrier. Though he maintained
2289-456: A student video by aspiring director Michael Miner. The pair met and discussed their similar concepts: Neumeier's RoboCop and Miner's robot-themed rock music video . In a 2014 interview, Miner said that he also had an idea called SuperCop . They formed a working partnership and spent about two months discussing the idea and two to three months writing together at night and over weekends, in addition to their regular jobs. Their collaboration
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#17328919497462398-420: A villain was "about a gazillion times more fun than playing the good guys". Jones, he said, has no compassion and is an "evil [son of a bitch]". Miguel Ferrer was unsure if the film would be successful, but was desperate for work and would have accepted any offer. The Old Man was based on MCA Inc. CEO Lew Wasserman , whom Neumeier considered a powerful and intimidating individual. Television host Bixby Snyder
2507-413: Is murdered by a gang of criminals and revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products as the cyborg law enforcer RoboCop . Unaware of his former life, RoboCop executes a campaign against crime while coming to terms with the lingering fragments of his humanity. The film was conceived by Neumeier while working on the set of Blade Runner (1982), and he developed the idea with Miner. Their script
2616-652: Is on the brink of social and financial collapse. Overwhelmed by crime and dwindling resources, the city grants the mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) control of the Detroit Police Department . OCP senior president Dick Jones demonstrates ED-209 , a law-enforcement droid designed to supplant the police. ED-209 malfunctions and brutally kills a volunteer, allowing ambitious junior executive Bob Morton to introduce OCP's chairman ("the Old Man") to his own project: RoboCop . Meanwhile, police officer Alex Murphy
2725-441: Is shot to death by ED-209), and Lee de Broux as cocaine warehouse owner Sal. Mario Machado and Leeza Gibbons play news hosts Casey Wong and Jess Perkins, respectively, and television-show host Bixby Snyder is played by S. D. Nemeth. Angie Bolling and Jason Levine appear as Murphy's wife and son. RoboCop director Paul Verhoeven makes a cameo appearance as a dancing nightclub patron, producer Jon Davison provides
2834-475: Is shown by a stop-motion puppet of Cox, animated by Rocco Gioffre. The limited development time forced Gioffre to use a foam-rubber puppet with an aluminum skeleton instead of a better-quality, articulated version. It was composited against Mark Sullivan's matte painting of the street below. ED-209's murder of OCP executive Mr. Kinney was filmed over three days. Kevin Page's body was covered with 200 squibs, but Verhoeven
2943-491: Is transferred to the Metro West precinct. Murphy and his new partner, Anne Lewis, pursue notorious criminal Clarence Boddicker and his gang: Emil Antonowsky, Leon Nash, Joe Cox, and Steve Minh. The gang ambushes and tortures Murphy until Boddicker fatally shoots him. Morton has Murphy's corpse converted into RoboCop, a heavily armored cyborg with no memory of his former life. RoboCop is programmed with three prime directives: serve
3052-529: The Deep Ellum neighborhood. One explosion was larger than anticipated; actors can be seen moving out of the way, Smith had to remove his coat because it was on fire, and the actors involved received an additional $ 400 in stunt pay. The Shell gas station that explodes was in the Arts District , where local residents unaware of the filming called the fire department. The scene was scripted for flames to modify
3161-550: The off-Broadway production of The Exonerated . In 2004, Ferrer performed as the voice of the Heretic leader in the video game Halo 2 . Ferrer took voice-over roles in the TV series Robot Chicken (2006) and American Dad! (2007). He played Jonas Bledsoe on NBC's Bionic Woman series and in 2009 also starred in another NBC series, Kings , as a military commander of Gath. Ferrer played Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Felix Valdez in
3270-483: The 2011 Lifetime police procedural drama, The Protector . Also, in 2011, he had a multiple-episode guest role on the final season of Desperate Housewives . Signed to a recurring role in NCIS: Los Angeles as Naval Criminal Investigative Service Assistant Director Owen Granger , Ferrer was promoted to a series regular for the fifth season on February 6, 2013. He also appeared in the 2013 film Iron Man 3 as
3379-615: The 41st Grammy Awards , Ferrer was nominated for "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" in Disney 's The Lion King II , "Simba's Pride Read-Along." He was also the protagonist of the American rock band Toto 's music video for the song " I Will Remember ", appearing alongside actor Edward James Olmos . Ferrer again played a medical examiner on the small screen, Dr. Garret Macy , in the television crime/drama series Crossing Jordan (2001–07). In August 2003, Ferrer made his New York stage debut in
Miguel Ferrer - Misplaced Pages Continue
3488-471: The Flex Fighters . RoboCop RoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller , Nancy Allen , Daniel O'Herlihy , Ronny Cox , Kurtwood Smith , and Miguel Ferrer . Set in a crime-ridden Detroit in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who
3597-522: The Media Breaks, but "TJ Lazer" was directed by Neumeier. RoboCop ' s violent content made it difficult to receive an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which restricted the film to viewers over 17 unless accompanied by an adult. It initially received the more-restrictive X rating , limiting the film to those over 17. Although some reports suggest it
3706-831: The OCP Tower during a board meeting, revealing the truth behind Morton's murder. Jones takes the Old Man hostage, but the Old Man fires Jones, nullifying Directive 4. RoboCop shoots Jones, causing him to crash through a window to his death. The Old Man compliments RoboCop's shooting and asks his name. He replies, "Murphy." In addition to the main cast, RoboCop features Paul McCrane as Emil Antonowsky, Ray Wise as Leon Nash, Jesse D. Goins as Joe Cox and Calvin Jung as Steve Minh, members of Boddicker's gang. The cast also includes Robert DoQui as Sergeant Warren Reed, Michael Gregory as Lieutenant Hedgecock, Felton Perry as OCP employee Donald Johnson, Kevin Page as OCP junior executive Mr. Kinney (who
3815-499: The OCP Tower, but Directive 4 is activated: a fail-safe measure to neutralize RoboCop when he acts against an OCP executive. Jones admits his culpability in Morton's death and releases an ED-209 to destroy RoboCop. Although he escapes, RoboCop is attacked by the police force on OCP's order and is badly damaged. He is rescued by Lewis, who brings him to an abandoned steel mill to repair himself. Angered by OCP's underfunding and short-staffing,
3924-528: The OCP boardroom scene in which RoboCop calls himself Murphy, another scene revealed that Lewis was alive in a hospital before showing RoboCop on patrol. The latter scene was thought to lessen the former's triumphant feeling, and was removed. Verhoeven wanted the in-film Media Breaks to abruptly interrupt the narrative and unsettle the viewer. He was influenced by Piet Mondrian 's art, which featured stark black lines separating colored squares. Peter Conn directed many of
4033-555: The RoboCop costume. Verhoeven emphasized violence throughout the film, making it so outlandish that it became comical. Censorship boards believed that it was too extreme and several scenes were shortened or modified to receive an acceptable theatrical rating . RoboCop was a financial success upon its release in July 1987, earning $ 53.4 million. Reviewers praised it as a clever action film with deeper philosophical messages and satire, but were conflicted about its extreme violence. The film
4142-538: The RoboCop costume; it was thought that Schwarzenegger would look like the Michelin Man or the Pillsbury Doughboy . Others were reluctant because their face would be largely concealed by a helmet. Davison said that Weller was the only person who wanted to be in the film. The low salary he commanded was in his favor, as were his good body control from martial-arts training and marathon running and his fan base in
4251-542: The Vice President. Ferrer reprised his role of Albert Rosenfield in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks . On January 19, 2017, Ferrer died at his Santa Monica home from heart failure and complications of throat cancer at the age of 61. At the time of his death, Ferrer was married to producer Lori Weintraub. He had two sons and two stepsons. Miguel O'Hara, the alter ego of the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man 2099 ,
4360-796: The X-rated cut, and audiences laughed less at the R-rated version. According to Verhoeven, people "love seeing violence and horrible things". The film is 103 minutes long. Basil Poledouris composed the film score after working with Verhoeven on Flesh + Blood . The score combines synthesizers and orchestral music, reflecting RoboCop's cyborg nature. The music was performed by the Sinfonia of London . The special-effects team, led by Rob Bottin , included Phil Tippett , Stephan Dupuis , Bart Mixon and Craig Davies . The effects were very violent because Verhoeven believed that that made scenes funnier. He compared
4469-614: The actors, however, but was too engrossed in filming to be sociable. Cox and Allen spoke warmly of Verhoeven. Weller spent his time between filming with the actors who played his enemies (including Smith, Ray Wise and Calvin Jung), who maintained healthy lifestyles that supported Weller in his training for the New York City Marathon . A number of locations in and around Dallas were used in production. An office in Renaissance Tower
Miguel Ferrer - Misplaced Pages Continue
4578-589: The brutality of Murphy's death to the crucifixion of Jesus , an effective way to evoke sympathy for the character. The scene was filmed at an abandoned auto-assembly plant in Long Beach, California , on a raised stage that allowed operators to control the effects from below. To show Murphy being dismantled by gunfire, prosthetic arms were cast in alginate and filled with tubing that could pump artificial blood and compressed air. Weller's left hand, attached to his shoulders by velcro and controlled by three operators,
4687-410: The car's hood. The effect was completed with Emil's liquified body (raw chicken, soup, and gravy) washing over the windscreen. The same dummy stands in for RoboCop when he is crushed by steel beams (painted wood). Verhoeven wanted RoboCop to kill Boddicker by stabbing him in the eye, but it was believed the effort to create the effect would be wasted due to censorship concerns. Dick Jones's fatal fall
4796-783: The comedy Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Lloyd Henreid in the Stephen King miniseries The Stand (1994), and a drug informant in Traffic (2000). He occasionally took on lead parts as well, such as The Harvest and The Night Flier . In the early 1990s, Ferrer appeared on three primetime TV series simultaneously: as D.A. Todd Spurrier in Shannon's Deal (1989–1991), as Cajun cop Beau Jack Bowman in Broken Badges (1990–1991), and as cynical, wittily abrasive FBI forensics specialist Albert Rosenfield in Twin Peaks (1990–91). Ferrer reprised
4905-569: The core of the film." Neumeier and Miner conceived the in-universe news and advertisement "Media Breaks" that appear throughout RoboCop , and a spec script was completed by December 1984. The first draft of the script, RoboCop: The Future of Law Enforcement , was given to industry friends and associates in early 1985. A month later, Neumeier and Miner had two offers: one from Atlantic Releasing and another from director Jonathan Kaplan and producer Jon Davison with Orion Pictures . An experienced producer of exploitation and B films such as
5014-402: The detail of ED-209's feet, since he did not think they would be shown. The model was later used on promotional tours. Davies spent another four months building two 12-inch (30 cm) miniature replicas for stop motion animation. The two small models allowed scenes to be animated and filmed more efficiently, which saved time in completing the 55 shots needed in three months. Tippett was
5123-407: The few he gets is that his clients don't go to court. You can like Shannon, but you can't always come away thinking that [he] did the right thing or [he] won this one." Shannon's Deal was picked up as a regular series after the ratings success of the TV movie. On Friday, April 13, 1990, NBC reaired the movie pilot at 9/8C, and the following Monday at 10/9C, the series officially premiered. Counting
5232-472: The following opening narration given by Jack Shannon in the title sequence: I thought I was a big shot. Big money, big house, big car...I thought I held all the cards. I thought I could pick the winner every time, I thought I could smell it...but the whole thing was built on garbage. I treated my wife badly and I knew it and I didn't stop, and one day she walked. She took my daughter with her. I started gambling big time, crazy stuff, long-shot stuff. I turned into
5341-554: The groundwork for a political career. Though he gained a loyal assistant in Lucy Acosta ( Elizabeth Peña ) when he freed her boyfriend from a wrongful charge, he quickly discovered that practicing law was now a far different venture, as he worked cases involving crime, corruption, and corporate greed from the other side without the vast resources of his old law firm. Shannon gained another unlikely ally in Wilmer Slade ( Richard Edson ),
5450-414: The increasing aggression of American financial services in response to growing Japanese influence and the popularity on Wall Street of The Book of Five Rings , a 17th-century book about how to kill more effectively. Neumeier also believed that Detroit 's declining automobile industry was due to increased bureaucracy. ED-209's malfunction in the OCP boardroom was based on Neumeier's office daydreams about
5559-461: The influence. He often choreographed scenes with the actors before filming. Improvisation was also encouraged, because Verhoeven believed that it could produce interesting results. Smith improvised some of his character's quirks, such as sticking chewing gum to a secretary's desk and spitting blood onto the police-station counter: " 'What if I spat blood on the desk?' ... [Verhoeven] got this little smile on his face, and we did it." Neumeier
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#17328919497465668-451: The kind of man that I'd grown up hating. Making the big bucks and being made a partner wasn't enough to buy that off. I'm just kinda starting from scratch, trying to keep things low pressure. Though he worked hard to attain a high-profile partnership at the prestigious Philadelphia law firm of Coleman and Weiss, John F. "Jack" Shannon grew disillusioned from successfully defending corporations in pollution cases. (He later ruefully referred to
5777-523: The law as Jack took on police and government corruption, union disputes, child custody, the murky underside of creative ownership in the music business, and even the viability of the church as sanctuary for an illegal immigrant. Lucy soon broke up with her boyfriend, and there remained an undercurrent of attraction between Jack and Lucy throughout the series that was never fully realized. Shannon continued to battle his gambling addiction, even as he used his poker skills to help work out his cases. Shannon's Deal
5886-441: The lead ED-209 animator, assisted by Randal M. Dutra and Harry Walton. Tippett conceived ED-209's movement as "unanimal"-like, as if it were about to fall over before catching itself. To complete the character, the droid was given the roar of a leopard. Davison provided a temporary voiceover for ED-209's speaking voice, which was retained in the film. RoboCop contains seven matte effects, mainly painted by Gioffre. Each matte
5995-461: The movie pilot as the first two episodes, the show initially ran a small spring season of eight episodes. NBC changed its timeslot around a few times during this run, but the ratings were not too adversely affected, so a second season was awarded to the show. The series did not return with new episodes until Sunday, March 23, 1991, followed by its permanent move to Tuesdays at 10/9C in the first week of April. The new timeslot, coupled with NBC putting off
6104-428: The nature of humanity, personal identity, corporate greed and corruption, and is seen as a rebuke of the era's Reaganomics policies. Its success created a franchise : the sequels RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993), children's animated series, live-action television shows, video games , comic books , toys, clothing and other merchandise. A remake was released in 2014. In a near-future dystopia , Detroit
6213-542: The new season for many months, caused a massive ratings decline. After the last completed episode of the second season aired on May 21, 1991, Shannon's Deal was cancelled. A total of 14 episodes aired, along with the original television film. Entertainment Weekly gave the show a "B" rating and Ken Tucker wrote, "Right now, Shannon's Deal remains an intriguing show with first-rate acting by Sheridan and Peña, but they could use some behind-the-scenes help". In his review for The New York Times , John J. O'Connor wrote, "For
6322-409: The parody Airplane! (1980), Davison said that he was drawn to the script's satire. He showed Neumeier and Miner films—including Madigan (1968), Dirty Harry (1971), and Mad Max 2 (1981)—to demonstrate the tone he wanted. After Orion greenlit the project, Neumeier and Miner began a second draft. Davison produced the film with his Tobor Pictures company. Neumeier and Miner were paid
6431-554: The police database to identify Emil's associates and review Murphy's police record. He recalls further memories while exploring Murphy's former home, his wife and son having moved away after his death. Elsewhere, Jones gets Boddicker to murder Morton as revenge for Morton's attempt to usurp his position at OCP. RoboCop tracks down Boddicker's gang. After a shootout, RoboCop brutally interrogates Boddicker until he admits to working for Jones. He cannot kill Boddicker as that would violate his prime directives. RoboCop attempts to arrest Jones at
6540-403: The police force goes on strike; Detroit descends into chaos as riots break out throughout the city. Jones frees Boddicker and his remaining gang, arming them with high-powered weaponry to destroy RoboCop. Boddicker's men are quickly eliminated at the steel mill, but Lewis is badly injured; RoboCop, trapped under steel girders, kills Boddicker by stabbing him in the throat. RoboCop confronts Jones at
6649-470: The project at Culver Studios ' Mansion House . Verhoeven wanted to direct it as a serious film; Neumeier gave him comic books to explain the tone they wanted, including 2000 AD with the character Judge Dredd . Neumeier and Miner wrote a third draft based on Verhoeven's requests, working through injuries and late nights; the 92-page revision included a subplot about a romantic affair between Murphy and Lewis. After reading it, Verhoeven admitted that he
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#17328919497466758-597: The public trust, protect the innocent, and uphold the law. A fourth prime directive, Directive 4, is classified. Assigned to Metro West, RoboCop is hailed by the media for his brutally efficient campaign against crime. Lewis suspects that he is Murphy, recognizing the unique way he holsters his gun (a trick Murphy learned to impress his son). After experiencing a nightmare of Murphy's death during maintenance, RoboCop encounters Lewis, who addresses him as Murphy. While on patrol, RoboCop arrests Emil, who recognizes Murphy's mannerisms, which furthers RoboCop's recall. RoboCop then uses
6867-643: The role of Rosenfield in the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Ferrer played a super-villain called "The Weatherman" in the failed 1997 TV pilot , Justice League of America . Later in the same year, he provided the voice for a similar character, the Weather Wizard , in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Speed Demons". In 1999, Ferrer voiced Aquaman in another Superman: Animated episode, "A Fish Story." The same year, at
6976-447: The role, but did not want to be involved with another special effects-laden film or play a "psychopath" after working on Extreme Prejudice (1987). Robert Picardo also auditioned for the role. Ronny Cox had been stereotyped as playing generally nice characters, and said that this left the impression that he could not play more masculine roles. Because of this, Verhoeven cast him as the villainous Dick Jones. Cox said that playing
7085-402: The scene with a polarized lens filter . RoboCop's mechanical recharging chair was designed by John Zabrucky . The OCP boardroom model of Delta City was made under the supervision of art director Gayle Simon. The film's police cars are 1986 Ford Taurus models painted black. The Taurus was chosen because of its futuristic, aerodynamic styling for the vehicle's first production year. The car
7194-467: The science-fiction genre after his performance in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). Verhoeven said he hired him because "his chin was very good". Weller spent months working with mime Moni Yakim, developing a fluid movement style with a stiff ending while wearing an American football uniform to approximate the finished costume. Weller said that working with Verhoeven
7303-443: The second-unit director position in order to direct Deadly Weapon (1989); Orion executive Barbara Boyle suggested Paul Verhoeven—who had been praised for his work on Soldier of Orange (1977) and his first English-language film, Flesh+Blood (1985)—for director. Verhoeven looked at the first page and rejected the script as awful, stalling the project. Boyle sent Verhoeven another copy, suggesting that he pay attention to
7412-427: The shooting schedule, but it denied Weller the month of costume rehearsal he had expected. Weller was frustrated with the costume; it was too cumbersome for him to move as he had practiced, and he spent hours trying to adapt. He struggled to see through the thin helmet visor and interact with (or grab) objects while wearing the gloves. Weller fell out with Verhoeven and was fired, with Lance Henriksen considered as
7521-549: The sign to read "hell"; Davison approved it, but it does not appear in the film. Miner called it a disappointing omission. The nightclub was the former Starck Club. Verhoeven was filmed demonstrating how the clubbers should dance, and used the footage in the film. Other Dallas locations included César Chávez Boulevard , the Reunion Arena and the parking lot of the Crescent . The final battle between RoboCop and Boddicker's gang
7630-510: The subtext. Verhoeven was still uninterested until his wife Martine read it and encouraged him to give it a chance, saying he had missed the "soul" of the story about someone losing his identity. Not fluent in English, Verhoeven said that the satire did not make sense to him; the scene that attracted his attention was RoboCop returning to Murphy's abandoned home and experiencing memories of his former life. Davison, Neumeier and Verhoeven discussed
7739-706: The trailer, which he found disheartening. Models and actors in fiberglass RoboCop costumes made appearances in cities throughout North America. The character appeared at a motor-racing event in Florida, a laser show in Boston, a subway in New York City, and children could take their picture with him at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in Los Angeles. An incomplete version of the unrated film was screened early for critics, which
7848-522: The voice of ED-209, and director John Landis appears in an in-film advertisement. Smith's partner, Joan Pirkle, appears as Dick Jones's secretary. RoboCop was conceived in the early 1980s by Universal Pictures junior story executive and aspiring screenwriter Edward Neumeier . A fan of robot-themed science-fiction films, Star Wars , and action films, Neumeier had developed an interest in mature comic books while researching them for potential adaptation. The 1982 science-fiction film Blade Runner
7957-419: The wrong film reel . The MPAA also objected to a scene of a mutated Emil being disintegrated by Boddicker's car, but Verhoeven, Davison and Orion refused to remove it because it consistently received the biggest laughs during test screenings. Verhoeven made the violence comical and surreal, and believed that the cuts made the scenes appear more (not less) violent. He said that his young children laughed at
8066-696: The younger version of his father's character on Magnum, P.I. in 1981. In 1983, he was given a small part as a waiter in The Man Who Wasn't There . He also had a minor role in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) as the U.S.S. Excelsior first officer. In 1984, he directed the Mark Medoff play “When Ya Coming Back, Red Ryder?” at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida. He had
8175-571: Was a cousin of actor George Clooney and nephew of journalist Nick Clooney . Ferrer was raised in Hollywood and Beverly Hills and attended Beverly Hills High School . As a teenager, his interests tended toward music; he played the drums on Keith Moon 's Two Sides of the Moon . After high school, Ferrer studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse . Ferrer's friend Bill Mumy cast him as
8284-428: Was a modest success. It was the year's fourteenth-highest-grossing film, behind Crocodile Dundee ($ 53.6 million), La Bamba ($ 54.2 million) and Dragnet ($ 57.4 million). Figures are unavailable for the film's performance outside North America. Shannon%27s Deal Shannon's Deal is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from April 16, 1990, until May 21, 1991. The series
8393-420: Was added at Orion's suggestion. Kaplan left to direct Project X (1987), and finding his replacement took six months; many prospects declined because of the film's title. The project was offered to David Cronenberg , Alex Cox , and Monte Hellman ; Hellman joined as second-unit director . Miner asked to direct, but Orion refused to trust a $ 7 million project to an untested director. He declined
8502-546: Was also a union city, making it more expensive to film there. Detroit made a brief appearance in nighttime, stock aerial footage at the beginning of the film. Chicago was dismissed for aesthetic reasons, New York City for high costs, and California because according to Davison, Orion wanted to distance itself from the project. Dallas was chosen over Houston because it has modern buildings and older, less-maintained areas where explosives could be used. The filming schedule in Dallas
8611-421: Was based in part on the experiences of executive producer Stan Rogow as a lawyer in the 1970s. Representing poor people, Rogow never wanted to go to court because he knew he would lose going up against corporate law firms with huge resources. Later getting into the film industry, Rogow met and worked with writer-director John Sayles, who had met with NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff in 1987 and pitched
8720-484: Was born on February 7, 1955, in Santa Monica, California . He was the oldest of five children born to Puerto Rican actor José Ferrer and American singer Rosemary Clooney . Ferrer's siblings were sisters Maria and Monsita, and brothers Gabriel (later the husband of singer Debby Boone ) and actor Rafael. He also had an older half-sister, Letty (Leticia) Ferrer, from his father José's prior marriage to Uta Hagen . Ferrer
8829-448: Was created by John Sayles and executive produced by Stan Rogow . The show centers on a successful Philadelphia corporate lawyer named Jack Shannon ( Jamey Sheridan ), who lost his family and his job to a compulsive gambling habit. The saga of Shannon, who leaves a prestigious law firm after years of becoming unhappy with the legal system and being forced to take his clients to court, and who subsequently opens his own low-rent practice,
8938-420: Was designed to explode in a controllable way so it could be easily put back together for repeat shots. The right arm was jerked away from Weller's body by a monofilament wire . A detailed, articulated replica of Weller's upper body was used to depict Boddicker shooting Murphy through the head. A mold was made of Weller's face using foam latex that was baked to make it rubbery and flesh-like, and placed over
9047-494: Was filmed at a steel mill in Monessen , outside Pittsburgh. Filming ended in late October 1986. An additional $ 600,000 budget increase was approved by Orion for post-production and the music score, raising the budget to $ 13.7 million. Frank J. Urioste was the film's editor. Several pick-up shots were filmed during this phase, including Murphy's death, RoboCop removing his helmet, and shots of his leg holster. After
9156-517: Was filming on the Warner Bros. lot behind Neumeier's office, and he unofficially joined the production to learn about filmmaking. His work there gave him the idea for RoboCop : "I had this vision of a far-distant, Blade Runner –type world where there was an all-mechanical cop coming to a sense of real human intelligence". He spent the next few nights writing a 40-page outline. While researching story submissions for Universal, Neumeier came across
9265-421: Was first explored in the highly rated, two-hour movie pilot, which NBC aired on June 4, 1989, and repeated April 13, 1990, ahead of the series premiere. The series was highly regarded in the industry for its level of writing, complex character development, and witty dramedy elements, but is also remembered for the notable people who worked behind the scenes. The premise of the show was perhaps summed up best by
9374-471: Was his main reason for choosing the role over appearing in King Kong Lives (1986). Stephanie Zimbalist was cast as Murphy's partner Anne Lewis, but dropped out because of contractual obligations to Remington Steele (which had been canceled in 1986, but was revived because of its popularity). Her replacement, Nancy Allen, thought the film's title was terrible but found the script engrossing. Allen
9483-424: Was initially difficult because they did not know each other well, and had to learn how to constructively criticize each other. Neumeier was influenced to kill off his main character early by the psychological horror film Psycho (1960), whose main character was killed early in the film. Inspired by comic books and his experience with corporate culture, Neumeier wanted to satirize 1980s business culture. He noted
9592-400: Was intended to feature a customized interior that would show graphical displays of mug shots, fingerprints, and other related information, but the concept was considered too ambitious. The 6000 SUX driven by Boddicker and others was an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme , modified by Gene Winfield and based on a design by Chip Foose . Two working cars were made with a third, non-functional one that
9701-444: Was known for her long blonde hair, but Verhoeven wanted it cut short so the character was not sexualized. Her hair was cut eight times before the desired look was achieved. Allen undertook police-academy training for her role, and sought advice from her police lieutenant father. Verhoeven encouraged her to act masculine and gain weight, which she accomplished by quitting smoking. Kurtwood Smith auditioned for Boddicker and Jones. He
9810-399: Was known mainly for television work, had not had film success, and saw RoboCop as a B-film with potential. The character was scripted to wear glasses so he would look like Nazi Party member Heinrich Himmler . Smith was unaware of this, and interpreted it as the character having an intelligent and militaristic front to conceal being a "sneering, smirking drug kingpin". Ironside was offered
9919-454: Was made with a sheet of aluminum behind it to create reflective detail. RoboCop's vision was created with hundreds of ink lines on acetate composited over existing footage. Several attempts had to be made to get the line thickness right; at first, the lines were too thick or too thin. Assuming that thermographic photography would be expensive, Kuran replicated thermal vision using actors in body stockings painted with thermal colors and filmed
10028-411: Was modified to fire blank bullets , and vents were cut into the side to allow for multi-directional muzzle flashes with every three-shot burst. To budget for ED-209's development, Tippett developed preliminary sketches and hired Davies to design the full-scale model which was constructed with the help of Paula Lucchesi. Verhoeven wanted ED-209 to look mean, and thought that Davies' early designs lacked
10137-471: Was named after Ferrer by his friend, writer Peter David , who co-created the character. The seventh episode of Young Justice: Outsiders was dedicated to him. Ferrer had voiced the character Vandal Savage in the first two seasons of Young Justice . As a result of his death, David Kaye took over Ferrer's role as Savage as well as his role as Jonathan Rook/Stretch Monster in Stretch Armstrong and
10246-470: Was nine weeks, but it soon became clear that it would take longer. Based on filmed footage, Orion approved the schedule extension and a budget increase to $ 13.1 million. The weather fluctuated during filming; Dallas in summer was often 90 to 115 °F (32 to 46 °C), and the weather in Pittsburgh was frigid. RoboCop's costume was not finished until some time into filming. This did not impact
10355-509: Was nominated for several awards, and won an Academy Award and a number of Saturn Awards . RoboCop has been critically reevaluated since its release, and it has been hailed as one of the best films of the 1980s and one of the greatest science fiction and action films ever made. The film has been praised for its depiction of a robot affected by the loss of humanity, in contrast to the stoic and emotionless robotic characters of that era. RoboCop has continued to be analyzed for its themes such as
10464-544: Was on set throughout filming and occasionally wrote additional scenes, including a New Year's Eve party after seeing some party-hat props and a news story about the Strategic Defense Initiative platform misfiring. Verhoeven found Neumeier's presence invaluable, because they could discuss how to adapt the script or location to make a scene work. Verhoeven gained a reputation for verbal aggression and unsociable behavior on set; Smith said that he never yelled at
10573-547: Was painted on masonite . Gioffre supervised on-site filming to mask the camera where the matte is inserted, and remembered having to crawl out from a five-story-high ledge to get the right shot of the Plaza of the Americas. The burnished steel RoboCop logo was developed using photographic effects that supervisor Peter Kuran based on a black-and-white sketch from Orion. Kuran created a scaled-up matte version and backlit it. A second pass
10682-528: Was predicted to be a sleeper hit . It received positive feedback before release, including a positive industry screening (considered a rarity) and pre-release screenings that demonstrated the studio's confidence in the film. Marketing the film was considered difficult. For the Los Angeles Times , Jack Mathews described RoboCop as a "terrible title for a movie that anyone would expect an adult to enjoy". Orion head of marketing Charles Glenn said it had
10791-458: Was predicted to dominate the theaters but many other films were expected to perform well, including the action adventure Ishtar , the comedies Harry and the Hendersons , Who's That Girl and Spaceballs , the action film Predator and sequels such as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and The Living Daylights , the latest James Bond film. With the musical La Bamba , RoboCop
10900-431: Was purchased in early 1985 by producer Jon Davison on behalf of Orion Pictures . Finding a director proved difficult; Verhoeven dismissed the script twice because he did not understand its satirical content, until he was convinced of its value by his wife. Filming took place between August and October 1986, mainly in Dallas , Texas. Rob Bottin led the special-effects team in creating practical effects , violent gore and
11009-418: Was refused an R-rating eleven times, Verhoeven said that the number was actually eight. The MPAA took issue with several scenes, including Murphy's death and ED-209 shooting an executive. The violent scenes were shortened and Media Breaks were added to help lighten the mood; Verhoeven recalled that one reviewer was confused by their jarring appearance in the film, and complained that the projectionist had used
11118-505: Was released in the United Kingdom without cuts, which the BBFC justified by the comic excess of the violence and the clear line between the hero and villains. RoboCop began a wide North American release on July 17, 1987. During its opening weekend, the film earned $ 8 million from 1,580 theaters—an average of $ 5,068 per theater. It was the weekend's number-one film, ahead of
11227-439: Was the fourth-highest-grossing film in its third weekend with a gross of $ 4.7 million, behind La Bamba ($ 5.2 million) and the debuts of the horror film The Lost Boys ($ 5.2 million) and The Living Daylights ($ 11.1 million). RoboCop never regained the number-one spot, but remained in the top ten for six weeks. By the end of its theatrical run, the film had grossed about $ 53.4 million and
11336-413: Was unconventional for an action film. Glenn reasoned that critics who favored Verhoeven's earlier work would appreciate RoboCop . Feedback was generally positive, providing quotes for promotional material and making it one of the best-reviewed films of the year up to that point. The week before release saw the introduction of television commercials and limited theatrical screenings for the public. The film
11445-498: Was unhappy with the result and brought him back months later to re-shoot it in a studio-built recreation of the board room. Page was again covered in over 200 squibs and plastic bags filled with spaghetti squash and fake blood. Page described intense pain as each squib detonation felt like a punch. In the cocaine-warehouse scene, Boddicker's stuntman was thrown through glass panes rigged with detonating cord to shatter microseconds before he hit. Gelatin capsules filled with sawdust and
11554-579: Was used for the OCP interior of; the company's exterior is Dallas City Hall , modified with matte paintings to appear taller. The OCP elevator was that of the Plaza of the Americas . The Detroit police station's exterior is Crozier Tech High School ; its interior is the Sons of Hermann hall, and city hall is the Dallas Municipal Building . Scenes of Boddicker's gang blowing up storefronts were filmed in
11663-615: Was used when the vehicle exploded. The 6000 SUX commercial features a plasticine dinosaur animated by Don Waller and blocked by Steve Chiodo . Industry experts were optimistic about the theatrical summer of 1987 (June–September). The season focused on genre films—science fiction, horror, and fantasy—that were proven to generate revenue, if not industry respect. Other films—such as Roxanne , Full Metal Jacket and The Untouchables —were targeted at older audiences (over age 25), who had been ignored in recent years by films targeted at teenagers. The action comedy Beverly Hills Cop II
11772-554: Was written as an Americanized, more-extreme version of British comedian Benny Hill . Radio personality Howard Stern was offered an unspecified role, but turned it down because he thought the idea was stupid (although he later praised the finished film). Principal photography began on August 6, 1986, on an $ 11 million budget. Jost Vacano was the cinematographer , after working with Verhoeven on Soldier of Orange . Verhoeven wanted Blade Runner production designer Lawrence G. Paull , but Davison said he could afford either
11881-493: Was wrong and returned to the second draft in search of a comic-book tone. Six to eight months were spent searching for an actor to play Alex Murphy / RoboCop. Arnold Schwarzenegger , Michael Ironside , Rutger Hauer , Tom Berenger , Armand Assante , Keith Carradine and James Remar were considered. Orion favored Schwarzenegger, the star of their recent success The Terminator (1984), but he and other actors were considered too physically imposing to be believable in
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