Robocop [Blu-ray] [1987]

Fantastic edition of Robocop with incredible extra features. Highly recommend for any fans of 80s action and sci-fi

RoboCop stands the test of time. It was a mega-hit in the 80s. I grew up having seen this film multiple times, but I had not seen it in years. Then, a couple of years ago, I watched it on Blu-ray. I was mesmerized. I had forgotten so much about the film. A few key scenes stuck with me, of course, but I felt as though I were seeing much of it for the first time. The slow reveal of RoboCop just wouldn't be handled that way today, IMO. The build-up was great. Peter Weller did an amazing job and the special effects team did some amazing work that holds up today. Sure, ED-209 is brought to life using stop-motion, but in this Arrow release, it looks less jarring to me than it did on that original Blu-ray. Speaking of Arrow, they have done an amazing job on the RoboCop transfer. I understand that this was mastered from a 4K scan of the film. So, one can imagine that a 4K UHD release is coming in the future. Despite this being a 1080p Blu-ray in SDR, it just looks amazing. The detail from the 4K scan is definitely there. There is a fine layer of film grain and I felt like I was sitting in the movie theater watching a beautifully projected film image. It's absolutely beautiful. There are two discs and you get the theatrical and the director's cut, as well as the TV cut. There are also tons of extras. And the packaging is excellent, as well. Plus, there is a booklet with set photos and short essays on RoboCop's difficult journey to the big and small screens. The Steelbook is beautiful with the original poster art on the front. This is the first Arrow release to be added to my collection and I can see why the company's releases are so revered. The quality is outstanding.

Finally, is all I can say. Yes, Robocop has been on Blu Ray for close to ten years at this point, but the first release was a huge letdown. Muddy visuals, good audio but no extras was pretty much a slap to the face of the fans even though the exact same time there was a superior release on DVD(!) with a commentary, documentaries, a mix of old and new featurettes and the theatrical and unrated cuts across 2 discs. Well, this release rights all the wrongs with all those extras plus some new extras, great audio and a terrific 4K remaster which is grainy (Hey, it was shot on film and in the 80's when it was shot so don't go in wanting something in line of The Avengers: Age of Ultron or anything) but detailed and just plain awesome. The audio is also outstanding with the 5.1 DTS-HD being amazing while losing the lossy 4.0 surround option from the original Blu Ray being the only downside. The extras are all carried over from the trilogy DVD box set and the 2007 2-disc edition with the exception of a trailer and a photo gallery plus a new Q&A lasting nearly 45 minutes. The commentary is a must listen to with director Paul Verhoeven, co-writer Ed Neumeier and producer Jon Davison delivering some laughs, production details, origins of the film and so on. The documentaries and featurettes are also quite good with some touching upon production, special effects, making of the suit, and more. There are also some brief deleted scenes, a trailer and a tv spot. The biggest and only new feature is the Q&A which does talk about some material already covered, but the other interviews are worth a listen. In fact, the only gripes I have, and very minor at that, is the lack of the other trailer and photo gallery being left out, along with the original audio track and the biggest being the lack of the theatrical cut being the biggest omissions. Still, its very cheap to get and is a must own of all fans Robocop!

Honestly, I can't even begin to give enough praise for this movie. It's really one of the best satires of the 80s. The release itself is even better. The unrated footage looks better that it ever has before, though, it is still of lesser quality than the rest of the movie. And the bonus features? Wow. Sure, some things are missing from the previous Blu-ray, but you don't miss any of it given the plethora of material and everything that's covered in the new extras. If you're a fan or RoboCop, buy this edition while you can!

There have been several releases of Paul Verhoeven’s classic since it first debuted in 1987: from the edgy theatrical release, to the all too tame TV edit, to the beautifully violent Director’s Cut. Add to this, the several formats it’s been released on: VHS, laser disc, dvd, blu ray, and digital. The most recent blu ray release and even trilogy set was a very good release, providing both the theatrical and director’s cuts with improved picture quality and sound, not to mention a plethora of special features. But about a year ago, Shout Factory released new blu ray editions of RoboCop 2&3 that put the RoboCop release to shame! After months and months of waiting, I’m so glad to share that THIS is the ultimate release of RoboCop!!! True, this is not a 4K Upgrade, but this set contains everything a true RoboCop-fan can want: hours of exclusive extras, all 3 cuts of the movie across 2 discs, gorgeous packaging and original art, posters, collector cards, and stickers included, as well as a behind the scenes book on the making of the film! If you’re at all on the fence of picking this up because you already own a copy, this is WELL WORTH the expense to upgrade. This is a must-own!!

If there were any justice in the world Robocop would be on AFI's top 100 every year. I had been holding out hope for quite awhile that criterion would release a comprehensive blu-ray when someone suggested I look into Arrow. This Arrow release is exactly what I've been waiting for. Beautiful transfers of both the theatrical and director's cut 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven. And tons of supplemental material. I've since purchased the Arrow blu-rays of Re-Animator and Basket Case and am equally impressed with Arrow's presentation of both.

I now own both the regular and now steelbook version of Arrow Video’s release of RoboCop. All the discs and special features are the exact same, but this set obviously sports a different cover and doesn’t include all the same physical bits the regular version does (mini production book, posters, etc...) If you don’t own the Arrow release and can only afford one of them, I’d say get the regular release for all the other bits that come with it and the new original artwork for the cover. If you can afford both and love the film, the steelbook is well worth grabbing too!

So this is the third edition of "Robocop" I own. Great movie, of course, the other editions are great too. The Criterion release introduced fans to the uncensored cur. Added some cool behind the scenes features. The last studio Blu-ray kept the unrated cut but sourced from a 4k transfer. This new Arrow release is tops! Steelbook for one. Secondly, three great versions of the film: Unrated, uncensored cur from the last release (from same transfer), the theatrical cut, and the tv cut. Comparisons between versions, commentaries, and much, much more. Fans get this!