"Robocop" MGM - Region 1- NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2,4

directed by Paul Verhoeven
USA 1987

Called by Ken Russell “the greatest science-fiction film since Metropolis,” controversial director Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop is a special effects-laden cult phenomenon. The film features a resurrected and roboticized hero (Peter Weller) in a new, supercharged cyborg body, struggling to reclaim his memory and avenge his own death. Writtern by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, this film is a grown-up superhero fantasy come to vivid, bloody life.

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Theatrical Release: 17 July 1987 - USA

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DVD Comparison:

MGM (Trilogy)- Region 1- NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL

Big thanks to Ole Kofoed and Enrico for all the Screen Caps!

(MGM - region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	MGM Region 1 - NTSC	Criterion Collection - Spine #23 Region 0 - NTSC	MGM Region 2,4 - PAL
Runtime	1:43:00	1:43:33	1:38:57 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.78:1 Theatrical Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.96 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 Directors Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.59 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Theatrical Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.77 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
MGM
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: MGM
Audio	English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, DUB: French Dolby 2.0, DUB: Spanish Dolby 2.0	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround	English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles	English, Spanish, French, None	None	English, English for the hearing impaired, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Czech, Danish or None.
Features	Release Information: Studio: MGM/UA Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, producer Jon Davison, and screenwriter Edward Neumeier • Flesh and Steel, The Making of RoboCop (36:54) • Shooting RoboCop (8:00) • Making RoboCop (8:02) storyboard and final scene comparison (6:02) • 4 deleted scenes (2:54) theatrical trailer (1:38) • 2 TV Spot (each 0:32) • 2 sneak peeks for MGM titles • Robocop 2 and 3 trailers on their own DVDs DVD Release Date: June 8th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Verhoeven, co-writer Neumeier, Executive producer Davison and Paul Sammon. • Film-to storyboard comparison. • Storyboards. • Illustrated essay on the making of RoboCop. • Theatrical and teaser trailers. • Out of print. DVD Release Date: September 29, 1998 Keep Case Chapters 27	Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Includes theatrical and director's cut. • Commentary by Verhoeven, co-writer Neumeier, Executive producer Davison. • Flesh & Steel - The Making of RoboCop (36:55). • Shooting RoboCop (7:59). • Making RoboCop (8:01). • Deleted scenes. • Trailers for RoboCop 1-3 and TV commercial. • Film-to storyboard comparison. • Photo gallery (Behind the scenes, design, cast, director ect.). DVD Release Date: May 13, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 32

Comments

NEW ADDITION (June 2004): (Trilogy Version) - MGM's new anamorphic DVD is very strong and a candidate for the best version (aspect ratio and overly red skins tones and saturation aside - see below). Excellent sharpness (although Criterion is slightly sharper) and contrast (deep blacks), 5.1 audio, NO PAL speedup, and bountiful Extra features. Shame that it took so long to come to Region 1 and NTSC since the Criterion is Out-of-Print... and also a shame that it can only be purchased in the Trilogy Boxset. Still, for fans, it is the one to buy if you adhere to the theatrical preferred aspect ratio (not directors)! Colors are really different than the Criterion which should still be considered the definitive version.

The Criterion captures are native resolution and the MGM is scaled down from 1016. Not that it matters too much... the MGM, even if anamorphic, has too much saturation for my tastes - this adjusts the colors quite drastically. Notice on capture 3 that the "digital cleaning" have removed not only grain but also some wires and other small items on the MGM! The Criterion has some Edge Enhancement, but it is very minor. Regarding the aspect ratio:

IMdb states the original aspect ratio as:

1.66 : 1 (negative ratio)
1.85 : 1 (intended ratio)

From a post on Home Theatre Forum HERE:
"Well, if I understand correctly, RoboCop was shown theatrically in 1.85:1. 1.66:1 is (director) Paul Verhoeven's preferred Aspect ratio"
So we have included "Original Aspect ratio" for both. I suppose its a matter of taste.

- Gary Tooze

ROBOCOP This is interesting since you have the relatively new anamorphic transfer, making me wonder if that is the one we are getting the new R1 NTSC version. I had written a large article on film sound and music for Film Score Monthly a few months ago, which recently garnished a letter to the editor response where the writer loved my article and went after MGM’s current recycled ROBOCOP (really the Image/Orion DVD of course) for its sound drop-outs. ROBOCOP 2 has a general encoding problem, so this new box is very necessary. I wrote a letter back for potential publication (prior to the new box’s announcement) that all the ROBOCOP DVDs have picture and sound problems. The idea that the Criterion had the original sound, all of which was recycled itself from the problematic 12” LaserDisc, was nuts when we know it was a 70mm 4.1 blow-up Mag Dolby sound film and the first-ever to employ their underrated SR system. As for the ratio, unlike MIDNIGHT COWBOY, Verhoeven was expecting soft-matte and the blow-ups help support the idea of several ratios. MGM actually did MIDNIGHT COWBOY at an inaccurate 1.85 when the Criterion 12” LaserDisc 1.66 was the only correct ratio and is still the definitive video version

Nicholas Sheffo of http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/

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(MGM - region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL - RIGHT)