This is a comparison between the US TV version and the Theatrical version (both included on the UK Blu-ray from Arrow Video)
116 deviations, including * 63 audio-only censorships * 16x alternative material Duration of cut/alternative material: 120.8 sec (= 2:01 min) Paul Verhoeven's legendary RoboCop from 1987 was an constant guest for international censors. The most well-known fact is of course, that the science fiction action movie had to leave some feathers for the American R-rating, in the then worldwide used theatrical version. But the Unrated Director's Cut was also published later and represents today's standard version on home entertainment media. But even in America, the R-rated version wasn't the only version known, because local TV-broadcasts in the course of time became notorious among many fans there. The film is interspersed with sometimes more and sometimes less drastic swear words/insults and because people in America tend to be a bit more sensitive, the rights holders became creative: Several dubbed alternative insults were often quoted in internet discussion later on. Even rough scenes on the sidelines, such as a goon peeing and a encounter with Jones in the toilet, upset the local censors and self-explanatory, the violent peaks were toned-down even further. What's strange and interesting for fans in general is that sometimes you can find exclusive alternative material. In November 2019, Arrow Video released a new Blu-ray in the UK and the USA, which contains a theatrical version, an unrated director's cut and for the first time a US TV version. So we can finally present this special treatment of the genre classic. On top of that, the label also discovered that there were basically several different versions for the US TV version. In a Featurette in the bonus material they have collected deviating passages from two other sources and in the cut report we have also deepened this in the affected scenes. Remark: The TV version runs at different speed, usually slightly accelerated. For the most part, this lies quite exactly between PAL and NTSC respectively Blu-ray, which also explains the runtime difference which is ultimately about 2 minutes shorter than the original version with it's 100 minutes. The TV version has an additional note at the beginning. The Blu-ray shows the following MGM logo i(theatrical version) in the more modern version, which begins with a close-up of the lion's head.
TV version 1 sec longer
Audio censorship 03:13 / 03:16 Sergeant Reed's reaction was re-recorded using the same footage. Theatrical version: "Listen, pal, your client's a scumbag, you're a scumbag, and scumbags see the judge on Monday morning!" TV-version: "Listen, pal, your client's a crumbag, you're a crumbag, and crumbags see the judge on Monday morning!" Remark: The bonus featurette edited for television has a second version of this, where Reed says "sleazebag" instead.
04:07 / 04:11-04:25 The end of the moving camera shot through the shower room was cut off here. The reason was probably because you can see some naked men's butts. Further dialogue during this: Man: "Omni Consumer Products. What a bunch of morons. They're gonna manage this department right into the ground!" Man #2: "Where are you from?" Murphy: "Metro South." Man #2: "Welcome to hell." 13.5 sec
Digital effect 04:10 / 04:28 Astonishingly inconspicuously implemented effect: The woman in the front of the scene was dressed in a top while the rest of the shot was absolutely identical.
The bonus featurette shows a proper alternative take from this point, in which the woman covers her upper body with an protective vest.
Audio censorship 04:16 / 04:34 The last part of the sentence was muted: "We should strike. Fuck 'em!"
Audio censorship 05:36 / 05:57 Reed's comment was re-recorded using the same footage. Theatrical version: "Lewis, come here when you're finished fucking around with your suspect." TV-version: "Lewis, come here when you're finished fooling around with your suspect." Remark: The bonus featurette has a second version of it, where Reed says "playing" instead.
Audio censorship 06:52 / 07:14 The last word of Johnson's sentence is muted: "Probably just to light a fire under Jones' ass." Remark: The bonus featurette has a second version of it, where Johnson says "rib" instead.
Audio censorship 07:02 / 07:24 Bobby's angry comment was re-recorded with the same footage. Theatrical version: "It's a better plan. Fucking Jones!" TV-version: "It's a better plan. Forget Jones!"
Audio censorship 07:13 / 07:36 Jones' comment was re-recorded with the same footage. Theatrical version: "Their union's been bitching ever since we took over." TV-version: "Their union's been ditzing ever since we took over."
Alternative 11:30-11:31 / 12:01 Instead of the first close-up with bloody hits on Kinney, the TV-version shows a shot where Kinney fidgets, but his shirt remains completely white. No time difference
11:33 / 12:03-12:06 Another close-up from the side and Ed-209 also shoots in close-up. Finally Kinney falls onto the model. Remark: The shot of Kinney falling is still included in the alternative version of the bonus material. 3.2 sec
Audio censorship 13:10 / 13:46 Bobby's comment was re-recorded with the same footage. Theatrical version: "Fuck Jones. He fumbled the ball..." TV-version: "Forget Jones. He fumbled the ball..."
Audio censorship 13:22 / 13:59 Bobby's comment was re-recorded with the same footage. Theatrical version: "As soon as some poor schmuck volunteers." TV-version: "As soon as some poor guy volunteers."
Audio censorship 14:19 / 14:57 A "Shit!" from Clarence was muted here.
Audio censorship 14:25 / 15:03 Clarence's comment was re-recorded with the same footage. Theatrical version: "You burned the fucking money!" TV-version: "You burned the freaking money!"
Audio censorship 14:29 / 15:07 Clarence swears at the guy a bit differently. Theatrical version: "You asshole! You stupid, stupid asshole!" TV-version: "You dipstick! You stupid, stupid ass!" Remark: The version from the bonus featurette offers two alternative insults here. The first one is incomprehensible, the second one is "moron".
Audio censorship 14:51 / 15:29 Clarence curses Emil a bit differently. Theatrical version: "Shut the fuck up and do it!" TV-version: "Shut your face up and do it!"
Audio censorship 15:21 / 16:01 Another comment from the van. Theatrical version: "What the fuck?" TV-version: "What the hell?"
Audio censorship 15:49 / 16:29 The injured Bobby whines "Oh, shit, Clarence, my leg!"
17:30 / 18:14-18:15 The shot is a bit longer, you can still see Joe's urine flush at the end. 1,5 sec
Recut 17:32 / 18:17-18:20 One more close-up and Lewis shouts "Freeze!" The latter is inserted as a side shot again in the TV-version, but shortly after that, in the middle of the following. Here a few frames of this side shot are repeated, so that there is hardly any time difference. Remark: The version in the bonus featurette is a little bit more edited at this point. Theatrical version 0,3 sec longer
18:41 / 19:28-19:29 Dougy hits first and Murphy shoots again. Remark: The version in the bonus featurette shows the impact. Instead of Murphy shooting again, the view of Emil moving to the side shortly after, is shown a bit earlier. 1 sec
Audio censorship 19:39 / 20:29 Another comment from Emil. Theatrical version: "Your ass is mine." TV-version: "Your tail is mine."
Audio censorship 20:34 / 21:25 Another comment from Clarence. Theatrical version: "I bet that really pisses you off." TV-version: "I bet that really ticks you off."
Alternative 21:11-21:12 / 22:04-22:05 When Murphy's hand is shot off, the TV-version shows an alternative shot without the bloody details. No time difference
Remark: The version in the bonus featurette shows an alternative recording of Murphy afterwards.
Alternative 21:36-21:41 / 22:30-22:35 When Murphy turns around and is shot by the gang, the TV-version shows two alternative takes. In the theatrical version, however, some blood is still spurting from the stump of his arm. No time difference
Remark: The version in the bonus featurette also lacks the close-up of the shotgun and the additional hits on Murphy in the follow-up camera shot. Even when Lewis joins in (see the following deviations) a few more shots were censored. 21:47 / 22:40-22:42 Before Lewis joins in, Murphy is shot at in additional frontal camera shot. 1.7 sec
21:51 / 22:47-22:48 Another camera shot from behind where the arm stump is visible. 1.3 sec
No censorship, but documented that the scene that plays a few seconds later, show that a) a scene with the arm stump can also be seen in the TV-version b) in Open Matte format there is significantly more picture information at the top and bottom
22:09 / 23:06-23:07 Bloody head shot at Murphy in a short additional shot and the head sags back. 0.6 sec
Alternative 22:52 / 23:51 At the end of the scene, the TV-version fades out briefly when Lewis is shown on the screen and fades back in again when the next scene starts. In the theatrical version it is a normal transition. No time difference 24:23 / 25:25-25:29 Another camera movement over Murphy's bloodied body. 4.5 sec
24:33 / 25:40-25:45 And another shot from a different perspective. 5.5 sec
Remark: According to the version in the bonus featurette, this scene was also censored much more strongly at times. 24:40 / 25:53-25:55 The defibrillators are attached to his upper body and Murphy gets shocked. 2.3 sec
24:50 / 26:05-26:11 Strangely enough, the last part of the dialogues is missing in the off screen above the black screen. - "What's the time?" - "6115." 5.7 sec Audio censorship 25:10 / 26:32 The "Shit!" of the guy with the screwdriver was muted.
Audio censorship 25:35 / 26:58 The "Jesus, Morton!" was cut from the audio track.
Audio censorship 26:30 / 27:54 Bobby comments alternatively. Theatrical version: "You're gonna be a bad motherfucker." TV-version: "You're gonna be a bad mothercrusher."
Audio censorship 27:50 / 29:16 The reaction towards the drunk was newly recorded. Theatrical version: "Shut up, asshole." TV-version: "Shut up, man".
Audio censorship 28:09 / 29:36 Reed complains alternatively. Theatrical version: "This is bullshit." TV-version: "This is garbage."
Audio censorship 28:29 / 29:56 The "What is this shit?" of the prisoner in the background was muted. By the way, that's what the "Yeah, good question" in the TV-version refers to afterwards.
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