RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop review.
RoboDoc packs everything you could ever want to know about the making of RoboCop into a four-part series. It leaves no stone unturned throughout an impressively entertaining documentary.
New reviews will not contain spoilers.
Episodes begin streaming August 29 exclusively on Screambox
RoboDoc: The Creation of Robocop
Directed by Chris Griffiths and Eastwood Allen
Starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Paul Verhoeven, Ray Wise, Kurtwood Smith, Tom Noonan, Paul McCrane and Ronny Cox
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop Review
Screambox is wise to release episodes of RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop a week apart. Each part is so full of information that binge watching them could make your head spin. That’s something I wanted to point out before you read this review. Because it is being reviewed by someone who binge watched all four episodes. This was not my intention. RoboDoc, on top of being informative to a ridiculous degree, is incredibly entertaining. The kind of engrossing that makes you look at the clock by your bedside and reason out that you can hit play on just one more. In the field of film documentaries, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop is a stunning achievement.
As a fun exercise before watching the first episode of RoboDoc, write down any questions you would like to see answered about the 1987 classic RoboCop. Or…any aspect of film production you’d like to hear a hands-on account about altogether. By the time the final credits roll on the fourth and final episode…I will be stunned if you haven’t heard a story told by the most authoritative voice on the subject. When I tell you that RoboDoc covers every aspect of the film…I mean it. From multiple angles.
Anyone involved in the making of RoboCop who could be interviewed has been. When the documentary focuses on something…it pulls from an incredible wealth of talking heads to present a full account. Is there a scene in RoboCop that you’ve always wanted to know more about? You’re going to hear from the actors in it, the guys who wrote it, the director, the sound and special effects department…anyone who had a hand in creating cinematic magic. You’ll find out how they did it, why it was done, and how they feel about it.
Let me be clear…this docu-series isn’t about the entire world of RoboCop. Sequels are discussed so briefly that it amounts to an acknowledgement of their existence. Appearances in other media get the same treatment. They are footnotes. This is the story of RoboCop. The entire story. Told by the people who created it.
We recently saw the team behind RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop deliver the excellent Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story. They’ve completely outdone themselves this time around. Even if you have never seen (or don’t like) RoboCop…you need to watch this series. If you’ve ever cared at all about film production or any aspect of storytelling…you’ll find so much to enjoy in RoboDoc’s firsthand accounts.
RoboDoc Episode 1
Episode 1 (arriving August 29) begins by discussing the concept behind RoboCop. We learn how Blade Runner and The Terminator factored into the idea behind, and green light for, what would become a classic. Writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner are on hand to discuss the writing process. Director Paul Verhoeven walks us through being hired and pre-production…including how he ended up taking a job he didn’t think fit him and had a stupid title. The people behind the special effects discuss the creation of the suit and all the troubles therein. Legendary stop-motion animation artist Phil Tippett details the creation of the menacing ED 209. Everything from location scouting to filming techniques to the use of a then record number of squibs gets time to shine.
Casting gets some spotlight…with a look at the number of actors considered before they found the man inside the machine. Of course, plenty of actors appear to discuss their parts in detail. Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, and Ronny Cox dominate discussion in the first episode. They discuss their process, what they hoped to do with their roles and what they thought of the production. We also get to hear about how Remington Steele struck again in the casting process.
RoboDoc Episode 2
Episode 2 (arriving September 5) quickly introduces us to the fun rogue’s gallery in Robocop. Kurtwood Smith, Ray Wise and the entire gang share wild stories from the set. They had a blast filming this movie. More fun, it would seem, than most of the crew. Verhoeven is painted as a mad genius. Actors love the space he allows them to explore the characters. Everyone else was counting down the days until they were done with him. The actors instead had to contend with Weller’s demeanor as he tried to navigate a tough shoot on a hot set in a tough suit.
An extensive discussion of Murphy’s death scene takes place in episode 2. Each department gets time to talk about their part in creating these classic moments. We learn how they arrived at the way they revealed the finished RoboCop to the audience. The visual and sound design of weapons in the film. The overall sound design takes the forefront for a time in this episode. Even the iconic “I’d buy that for a dollar” line is covered in detail.
RoboDoc Episode 3
Episode 3 (arriving September 12) dives into memorable scenes like the mayor hostage situation, gas station explosion and iconic “Bitches leave” moment. These individual scene spotlights are a real highlight of RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop. Hearing about them from the writers, director, actors, and effects team gives you every piece of information you could ask for. There’s a lot of stories shared from the set…stuff you can’t get anywhere else…delivered right from the horses’ mouths. Episode 3 is where the score of the film gets time to shine as well.
RoboDoc Episode 4
Episode 4 (arriving September 19) features an in-depth discussion of the third act of RoboCop. More scene specific discussions and effects work talk. The melting man sequence and helmetless RoboCop get full respect here. There’s also a discussion of how RoboCop’s voice is changed as Murphy becomes more human. It’s all fascinating, well-rounded, and entertaining to listen to. Post-production caps off the series, beginning with talk about the battle with the MPAA (including differences between the theatrical and director’s cuts). The release of the film is covered along with reactions to it and a brief overview of what came next for the character. We even get to see an unused ending containing a fourth media break that was clipped from the movie.
I don’t know what else to say…you need to watch this docu-series. Even if RoboCop isn’t your thing…RoboDoc will be. The legacy of the film is touched on throughout the series…RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop becomes an instant part of that legacy. If you already love the film…this is even more than you could have every hoped for.
Scare Value
If you love RoboCop this is as big of a no-brainer as could be. RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop blends a wide range of information into an effortlessly watchable documentary. Everyone you could possibly want to hear from (aside from those we’ve lost…who still get a say in archival footage) is represented. If you love movies…you’ll love the amount of behind-the-scenes discussion on what goes into producing a classic. If you love this movie…it’s an absolute dream.
4.5/5
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop Link
Streaming exclusively on Screambox beginning August 29
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