R.O.T.O.R.
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| R.O.T.O.R. | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Cullen Blaine |
| Produced by | Cullen Blaine Richard Gesswein Budd Lewis |
| Written by | Cullen Blaine Budd Lewis |
| Starring | Richard Gesswein, Jayne Smith, James Cole |
| Distributed by | Imperial Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | 1989 |
| Running time | 90 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2 |
| IMDb profile | |
R.O.T.O.R. is a 1989 science fiction/action movie starring Richard Gesswein as Coldyron, Jayne Smith as Dr. Steele and Margaret Trigg as Sonya Garrin. The film has come to be regarded by some as a B-movie "cult classic".
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[edit] Plot
The film's conceptual roots can be clearly traced to its predecessors, The Terminator and RoboCop, which Cullen Blaine (director), Budd Lewis (writer) and Richard Gesswein (lead actor) adapted into this low-budget story about a leading scientist in the field of police robotics named Captain/Doctor Barrett Coldyron (played by the virile Gesswein and voiced over heroically by Loren Bivens) whose corrupt boss, Commander Buglar (Michael Hunter) orders an experimental police-robot prototype to be completed within sixty days at the behest of the shady senator Donald D. Douglas, who intends to take public credit for the project and use it to catapult himself into the White House. Coldyron's warns Buglar that the prototype is several years away from completion but is forced to resign and is replaced by his incompetent assistants, Dr. Houghtaling (Clark Moore) and Willard the Comedy Relief Robot. In Coldyron's absence, the robot is inadvertently activated and put on duty, where it proceeds to murder a motorist (James Cole) and terrorize his young fiancee, Sonya (Margaret Trigg) who the robot implicated as an accomplice in her boyfriend's traffic violation. Upon learning his creation has escaped, Cpt. Coldyron enlists the help of his colleague from Houston, Dr. Corrine Steele (Jayne Smith), notable for her muscular physique and white, skunk-like stripe in her hair, who designed the unit's combat chassis. Together, Steele and Coldyron track down the rampaging robot and attempt to stop it from killing again before its too late.
[edit] Cult Status
In recent years the film has enjoyed a surge in popularity and has since gained a modest international cult fan base following multiple screenings of the unedited version on obscure cable channels. Often cited as "one of the best-worst films ever made", it is cherished by B-movie enthusiasts for its humorous combination of poor writing and plot, poor direction and editing, poor acting, and poor special effects. The Internet has been used to spread word of the film and an online petition for a R.O.T.O.R. DVD has even been created, which can be signed at [1].
[edit] Philosophical Implications
Despite its largely (inadvertent) humorous nature, the film presents the viewer with a number of serious ruminations about the nature of law, humanity and the capacity for society to persist without destroying itself. Though most fans enjoy the film purely for its comedic value, others have cultivated a much broader and profound appreciation for this cinematic treasure. Ultimately, the decision is entirely up to the viewer, for as Coldyron himself once said, "We all have plenty of time to figure out what this means to each one of us."
[edit] Trivia
- Most of the film's body actors are voiced over by the staff of [Adam Rourke's Film Studio].
- Writer Budd Lewis makes a brief cameo in the unedited version as a bespectacled, young scientist who summons Coldyron for Buglar following the R.O.T.O.R. presentation. He is not by name addressed in the film itself but is cited as playing "Dr. Langley" in the credits.
- R.O.T.O.R. is played by three actors, Caroll Brandon-Baker (who is the face of ROTOR), Clark Moore (Dr. Houghtaling, etc.) and Brad Overturf (Diner Toughguy #1, Gas station booth attendant, mechanic, etc.)
- Many others involved in various capacities of production also appeared on-screen in various, minor roles (Paul Vela, Douglas Bryan, Jo Brewer, Randy Moore, Corri Lewis, etc.).
- Michael Hunter, who plays Commander Buglar, actually appeared in the original RoboCop as "Peter the Homeowner" ([2]).
- The movie's soundtrack was composed by David Newman, who would later score soundtracks for many notable films including The War of the Roses, The Sandlot, The Mighty Ducks, as well as both Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Some have credited R.O.T.O.R. as being an important stepping stone to Newman's subsequent success while others argue that his work on R.O.T.O.R. was his best ever.
