The special effects in the movie "Robocop" Bashny.Net

Still, the 1980s were rich in cult films. In our category "Special Effects in the movie" already visited "The Terminator" (first and second part), "Flight of the Navigator", "Evil Dead" and "Back to the Future." Today, it is time to "Robocop" remake which was recently released on the big screens.
However, the current "Robocop" was common, although qualitative, Action. Original as 1987 was primarily masquerading as science fiction film satire. Directed by Paul Verhoeven even without irony called his Cyborg Cop "American Jesus with a gun».
Theological, philosophical and cultural perspective "Robocop" leave avid moviegoers. Today, let us remember how to shoot a cult band, which many contemporaries to the screens considered "children's movies».





The shooting and promotion of the first "Robocop" took about $ 13 million, to date, adjusted for inflation is about $ 26 million - a derisory sum for the modern blockbuster. Memories of the creation of the painting, participants crew remained bleak. All suffered from the heat, worked seven days a week for weeks, while the filmmakers still behind schedule and overspent the budget initially planned. A day after unexpectedly strong explosion gas station in one of the scenes of fire threatened to ban the shooting of the "dangerous" film.



But most of the problems were due to the Robocop costume. But first, the producers felt that they had found the perfect solution in the face of the Executive starring Peter Weller. The actor was very thin, so in a bulky suit should look like a normal person. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, decided not to invite to the next part cyborg, precisely because of "armor", he would have looked too massive.





Even before the appearance of Robocop was completed, Peter Weller spent seven months on your own personal tutor on the plastic. The actor does not want his character was similar to the standard robot with jerky movements, so gave gait future Robocop smooth and even danceable. All "pa" Peter Weller played in the equipment of the players in college football.







To create image Robocop took eight months of work and about a million dollars. Coming up with the image of the cyborg, the developers were inspired by Japanese comics with their broad-shouldered mechanized war machines. First created a clay mock costume in full size (height 180 cm). There were several such models manufactured until it appeared that Robocop, as we saw in the movie.
From the body of Peter Weller made a mold, and then it was cast form for the costume, which consisted of 25 individual elements. The actor was not able to try on "clothes" robot before filming, so the whole team was annoyed when the "armor" were finally ready and the leading man tried to clothe them.



The first costume fitting fiberglass and plastic Peter Weller took 11 hours. All components are literally hanging on it, attached to the body belt system, hidden behind the chest "armor" and attached to the back. "Legs" Robocop stretched as pants in "feet" were hiding quite comfortable shoes, and his hands were gloves of cellular rubber.
Suit to be so heavy and uncomfortable, that the actor could barely walk, and move the torso, neck and hands. In general, it became clear that a planned grace and plasticity of movements of the robot can be forgotten. Filming was suspended for several days, during which for Robocop invented a new model of behavior. Movement had to slow and sharp, there was "calling card" in the form of heavy tread of the robot, the rapid rotation of the body and only then - the head of the robot cop Alex Murphy.



That the actor could somehow move, had to break a few elements of the costume. Soon, however, revealed another serious problem. Since the shooting took place in the summer, on the set was very hot, and being in the form of Robocop Peter Weller and all could lose consciousness. The actor had to constantly drink water, with daily he dropped one and a half kilos. To somehow ease the suffering, he organized under clothing ventilation system with cool air feed tubes.
During filming, it became clear that Robocop is not placed in the patrol car because of the massive legs. In addition, a lot of trouble brought scenes with Alex Murphy without a helmet. On the actor pulled diving cap on his head was attached plastic overlay with simulated "iron" cyborg, and then comes in make-up artists. For these scenes Peter Weller daily stood at six and a half hours grimirovki, then another hour and a half was spent on equipment. He often came to work at three o'clock in the morning, in order to prepare for the morning shoot.



To "armor" Robocop look as much as possible "metallic" and strong, they are rubbed with oil or wax, giving the desired shine. Curiously, the whole day went cinematographers to shoot unpretentious second episode, in which cyborg catches tossed him the keys. The problem was a rubber-gloved hand - the keys are constantly bouncing off it. Only after countless attempts Peter Weller finally managed to grab a bunch of hapless and complete the hardest day of shooting.



Apart from the Robocop filmed his hip holster with built. It was independently operated and managed via cable props with springs and latch. Hand with slips out of her spine also worked separately from the leading actor and controlled assistant.





You might remember the basic robotic opponent Alex Murphy - military model ED-209. Filmmakers can choose one of three possible methods incarnation then the visual effects of the robot on the screen. Firstly, it was the rite someone in a suit. However, it would look too cheap given the fact that the ED-209 was not a cyborg, and a full-fledged machine, reliably play that person would have been difficult.
Second, the variant using digital effects. But while they were so expensive that a sensible implementation of ED-209 would not have had the entire budget of the film. Stayed last journey - by-frame animation.





Polystyrene foam, toothpicks and metal frame with a swivel mechanism was made several miniature models of aggressive robota- "chicken." In action scenes animators in each frame a little bit moved the limb dolls, then gluing all in one large fragment and mount it with the necessary background (for example, with a stage presentation of the robot). Realistic machine-gun fire was achieved with lamps from flashlights attached to the extremities ED-209 translucent pieces of fabric, and, again, time-lapse animation. Was involved in the film and puppet copy Robocop. However, it flashes on the screen for a few seconds - in an episode of the battle with combat "colleague».





In still scenes where by ED-209 is not required to go and destroy, and next to the robot frame wandered actors, using the model of "terminator" in full size. It was made of plywood, plastic and fiberglass. This instance was able to slightly move his hands and head, but more was not able to. By the way, constructive and full-sized miniature ED-209 markedly different from each other, as can be seen in the film.

In the 1980s, many filmmakers are actively working with puppets, and "Robocop" - another proof of that. In addition to the ED-209 is another layout used in the episode in which the vice-president of Omni Consumer Products Dick Jones falls out of the windows of a skyscraper. For this scene was created half-meter puppet actor. She was placed in a cast, and the resulting shape filled rubber - rubber layout was excellent, but it is very long arms.



One of the most powerful moments in the first half of "Robocop" - an episode of the murder of Alex Murphy bandits. First shoot him brush, then nashpigovyvayut lead body, and then waits for police shot in the head. All this is shown in detail in the director's version of the tape, along with cries of the protagonist and a grimace of pain on his face. To process the murder look naturalistic, was made a mechanical doll - a copy of actor Peter Weller. Something similar to the quality of performance can be seen in "Terminator." Distorted face of the police - this layout, which can not be suspected a trick.





One of the most difficult scenes to shoot was the scene in the warehouse where Robocop arrived to restore order. On the way the robot laid a huge amount of firecrackers, which stands for the explosion hit the shot bullet. On playing gangsters actors wore special vests. Front fastened to them packages with red paint Brake force indicators, and the rear was to hook the cable, which the actor pulled back during the "hit" Robocop bullets. Actors, cameramen, acrobats and specialists in visual effects had to fire in sync as a whole. Such episodes hard to take all at once, so they are divided into small individual scenes.







Have done a great job as artists, to give Detroit cinematic view of the city of the future. Basically futuristic architecture created with the help of special layer masks. Almost like in Photoshop, only manually. For example, as the basis for the 80-storey building Omni Consumer Products was chosen Dallas City Hall. That's only in the original structure was only seven floors. Had to finish the remaining floors and a mask layer them on top of the frame to the present building. Similar methods were used in almost all the episodes from the city skyline.







After the "Robocop" Paul Verhoeven came less successful artistically second and third parts. And last week in theaters launched a remake of the original. Here are just a budget it has passed for $ 100 million, and the place of tricks come computer animation.

©