‘RoboCop was like the American Jesus’ – Paul Verhoeven on his ultra-violent cult classic
Initially, I rejected the script because it was so different from what I’d been doing in the Netherlands. Later, on set, I was helped enormously by having one of the screenwriters, Ed Neumeier, with me at all times, preventing me from doing stupid stuff. There were so many moments where I could’ve gone wrong. In the script, somebody would say, “Hey brother”, and I would ask, “Who is the brother?”
I originally thought Nancy Allen, who was playing RoboCop’s partner Anne, should have a secret affair with him – which was very Dutch of me. Ed wrote a new draft, but it didn’t work. It felt so un-American. If you look at RoboCop’s costume, there’s not much there in terms of genitals anyway.
We considered casting Arnold Schwarzenegger but thought he’d be too enormous once he got the costume on. We realised we needed to have somebody slim so we could build a really powerful robo-suit. It was important he had a good chin, though – it had to be really pronounced. Of course, acting was important, but I can’t deny Peter Weller’s chin was one of the main reasons he got the part.
On his first day with the suit, Peter went into makeup at 6am and we hoped to shoot around 9am. We finally started shooting at 4pm because he couldn’t walk in it. In the end, we had to halt shooting and work with him for two full days. He basically had to learn how to walk again.
The scene where Peter’s character is executed is extremely violent – like a crucifixion. And what happens after is a kind of resurrection. I started to look at the movie in those terms – and I’m not a Christian. It was one of the reasons I have RoboCop walking over water when he kills Clarence Boddicker, the bad guy,at the end. I felt he was like the American Jesus – whereas Boddicker is evil personified. We even gave Boddicker glasses so he looked a bit like Heinrich Himmler – to indicate that he is ultra-evil.
When RoboCop tells Anne he can feel his family but can’t remember them, it’s beautiful. I think people feel the movie is not only science fiction but something with a certain warmth, too. RoboCop is a victim but he overcomes being victimised.
Nancy Allen, actor
The script said RoboCop and I thought: “Oh my God, they’ve got to change the title – it’s terrible!” So I picked it up, thinking it was going to be garbage, but I couldn’t put it down. It was smart, funny, political and told the hero’s story with heart and soul. There was no doubt in my mind it was going be a really good movie. And the character of Anne called to me. My father was a cop so I knew who those people were, and how important their partner is, because your life can depend on them. I had to do it.
Paul Verhoeven was like a mad genius – and just the right side of crazy. His energy is the energy of the movie. On set, he’d get you worked up. Anne’s bubble-gum habit was in the script. Paul would say: “I want a nice big bubble!” It was a great little detail but chewing gum and blowing bubbles isn’t easy when you have to time it around your lines.
On the first day of acting alongside RoboCop, I spent maybe eight hours waiting in my dressing room. They literally had to put Peter together like a toy. He had such discipline to sit through that – I knew he was in pain and the weather was really hot. They would take his helmet off and pump air down his suit, but I know he really suffered.
I remember thinking: “This is a chance to show something different – Anne has independence and strength.” But even though the film was well received, it did have some blowback for me. I’d had to gain some weight for the role and my hair was cut short. But rather than people in the business saying, “Oh my God, that’s great!”, they were more like, “What happened to her?” It was harder to find roles afterwards. Still, I have had cops come up to me and say: “Good job!” And I once got out of a traffic ticket because an officer recognised me.
Robocop will be screened in selected UK cinemas from 20 May to mark the film’s 35th anniversary.
The execution is like a crucifixion, then there's a resurrection. That's why we have RoboCop walking over water