Movie Review: R.O.T.O.R.

R.O.T.O.R. a.k.a R.O.T.O.R. Police Force a.k.a Blue Steel a.k.a Robo Police
Manson International, WestWind Pictures, USA, 1987.

This movie is published as a part of Sci-fi Invasion 50 movie pack box published by Mill Creek Entertainment.

Now this is a movie that puts other cyborg movies in the shade. Forget Terminator and Robocop. Here comes R.O.T.O.R.!

In the future crime is rampant in Dallas. Robotic Officer Tactical Operation Research (R.O.T.O.R.) is created to fight crime as Judge, Jury and Executioner. Justice served, COD(sic). With only a go button and no compassion it soon goes out of control. Paul (Andrew Kasnetz) and his girlfriend are going to spend weekend at the lake. They find an injured couple on the road. The injured man Barrett Coldyron is accused of killing a motorcycle cop. Dr. Coldyron (Richard Gesswein) was the leader of the police robot project that went haywire. 

Dr. Coldyron

Last Thursday Coldyron had just a normal day at the ranch. Coldyron has nice breakfast and drinks Texas coffee with his horse. Then he goes riding and lassoes some tree stumps (!?) Ok, so he is blowing the tree stumps up. "Clearing these stumps for pasture land has always been a chore. In the past I've always used nitro or dynamite. But this new Primacord® explosive lets me practise my rope and at the same time it blows the stumps away." I wonder if the Ensign-Bickford Company was one of the sponsors.

Then Coldyron goes to work in the robot lab. Coldyron's department has developed the robot chassis. Dr. Steele (Jayne Smith) from Houston has developed an unknown alloy, a self-learning metal. The robot can do anything from aerobics to Tai-chi. Commander Buglar (Michael Hunter) is rushing the project. The politicians and Commander have been skimming the funding and given what's left for the project. There are only 60 days to finish the project or else Coldyron gets the blame. "You fire me, and I'll make more noise than two skeletons making love in a tin coffin, brother" blusters Coldyron. Well, fired he is and Houghtaling (Stan Moore) inherits the project. Coldyron vents his anger to security guard Statum (Bill Blair, the most experienced actor of the film with many uncredited roles. He also has the World Record in "Most special effect make-up characters portrayed in a career.")

R.O.T.O.R.

Buglar

Statum

In an torally unnecessary scene Coldyron goes to have dinner with girl friend Penny Gayle (Nanette Kuczek). Houghtaling and Willard the Robot try to save the project. "What do you think this is, some low-budget Sci-Fi flick? I mean, what can possibly happen?" Jiving Indian janitor Shoeboogie (Brad Overturf) manages to short circuit instruments using earphones and comb. R.O.T.O.R. climbs up from his vat and starts his career as motorcycle cop. He demonstrates his strength by walking through auditorium full of plastic chairs. Meanwhile Calderon stops a mini-mart robbery using his trusty Desert Eagle. 

Houghtaling

Willard

Shoeboogie

Meanwhile almost married unhappy couple Sony (Margaret Trigg) and Gregory (James Cole). Greg is speeding and R.O.T.O.R. punishes the offender by shooting him in the forehead. Sony escapes and calls the cops. Killer cyborg chases her (slowly). He has skill to see past events (sensor recall) when he takes his sunglasses off. Coldyron goes to save Sony and damages the motorcycle but he must get help from Dr. Steele who looks like she has just come from the gym. The final battle is coming!

Sony

Dr. Steele

R.O.T.O.R.

The actors went the school of bad acting. The pacing is odd and the music choices in the first half are weird. The dialogue contains such silliness that the makers clearly had their tongues in cheeks. For some reasons the main characters are dubbed by other voice actors. The Mill Creek version seems to be missing some dialogue, at least in scenes where Shoeboogie short circuits the apparatus and in scene with Coldyron and black policeman Mokie (Shawn Brown) after robbery attempt. 

The director Cullen Blaine has worked as a storyboard artist in various cartoon projects such as "Garfield", "Alvin & the Chipmunks" and "Dennis the Menace." He has directed some cartoon episodes but this is Blaine's only live-action direction. Also scriptwriter Budd Lewis worked more as a storyboard artist and he wrote only two screenplays. Just how the duo ended up in this project is a mystery. Needless to say the movie poster looks nothing like the actual film. Wonderfully clumsy film with 1980s cheese, turned into hilarious disaster by director and producer misunderstanding scriptwriter's intention to write a parody film. Not followed by a sequel (although it was promised).

Highly recommended.

Rating: So bad it is good

Starring: Margaret Trigg, Richard Gesswein, Jayne Smith, James Cole, Stan Moore, Nanette Kuczek, Brad Overturf, Shawn Brown, Michael Hunter, Victor Kwasnick, Ron Baker, Diana Hurd, Bill Blair, Bob Lennard, Janiece Stamper, Robert Vicitation, Leo Martinez, Paul Vela, Dallas Monroe, Peggy Baker, Andrew Kasnetz, Lynn Fyock, Karlton Johnson, Gary Stern, Susan Hukill, Phil Thompson, Karl Yznaga, Shirley Hunt, Linda Morris, Ryan West, Mike Hevey, Joe Graham, Mary Jo Simmons, Ken Meeks, Rusty Han, Corri Jones (as Corri Lewis), Budd Lewis, Carroll Brandon Baker, Clark Moore, Wayne Mauler, George Jones, Gigi Green, Quintin Hardtner, Emily Marrero, Loren Bivens, Georganna Barry, Rocky Patterson, Mike Collins, Patrick Montes, Jo Steele, Lawrence Morgan, Stephen C. Kerr, Michael J. Montes 

Director: Cullen Blaine