R.O.T.O.R.
| R.O.T.O.R. | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Promotional film poster | |
| Directed by | Cullen Blaine |
| Written by | Cullen Blaine Budd Lewis |
| Produced by | Cullen Blaine |
| Starring | Margaret Trigg Richard Gesswein Jayne Smith |
| Cinematography | Glenn Roland |
| Edited by | Doug Bryan |
| Music by | David Adam Newman |
| Distributed by | Imperial Entertainment |
Release dates | October 1987 (Italy) July 28, 1988 (video premiere) |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
R.O.T.O.R. (also known as Blue Steel and R.O.T.O.R.: Police Force) is a 1987 American science fiction action film starring Richard Gesswein, Jayne Smith and Margaret Trigg. The film has been described as a low-budget copy of The Terminator and RoboCop with some elements taken from Judge Dredd.[1]
Plot
A leading scientist in the field of police robotics, Dr. J. Barrett C. Coldyron (Gesswein with voice over by Loren Bivens), whose corrupt boss, Division Commander Earl Buglar (Michael Hunter), orders an experimental police robot prototype – dubbed R.O.T.O.R. (Robotic Officer of the Tactical Operations Research/Reserve Unit). He wants it completed in 60 days so that Senator Donald D. Douglas can take public credit for the project and use it to catapult himself into the White House.
Coldyron 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 (Stan Moore) and his robot Willard. In Coldyron's absence, R.O.T.O.R. is inadvertently activated and put on duty. The robot executes a motorist (James Cole) for speeding and terrorizes his young fiancée, Sonya (Margaret Trigg), who the robot views as an accomplice in her boyfriend's infraction. Upon learning his creation has escaped, Cpt. Coldyron enlists the help of his colleague, Dr. Corrine Steele (Jayne Smith), who designed the unit's combat chassis. Together, Steele and Coldyron track down the rampaging robot and attempt to stop it from killing again.
Cast
- Richard Gesswein as Captain J.B. Coldyron, a scientist who runs the police robotics lab and also manages a ranch. Coldyron's dream of a force of robotic officers is shattered by Earl G. Buglar.
- Jayne Smith as Dr. C.R. Steele, the designer of R.O.T.O.R.'s robotic chassis.
- Carroll Brandon as R.O.T.O.R., the killer robot that is accidentally activated. It is a dangerous machine that is adept at everything from t'ai chi to full field combat. It is built of an unknown alloy, but has one known weakness: loud noises immobilize it.
- Michael Hunter as Earl G. Buglar, Coldyron's commander in the police department. Buglar has been embezzling money from the R.O.T.O.R. project and has promised a corrupt senator, Donald D. Douglas, that the robot will be ready in time for the next election.
- Margaret Trigg as Sonya R. Garren, an innocent girl who is stalked by R.O.T.O.R. after it kills her fiancé for speeding. Sonya spends much of the movie fleeing from R.O.T.O.R. in her blue 1986 Impulse while Coldyron and Steele work to develop a plan for defeating R.O.T.O.R.
- Shawn Brown as Mokie Killion, a hard-bitten sarcastic cop. Mokie does not like cleaning up the messes left behind when Coldyron stops a group of armed shoplifters.
Video release
To date, R.O.T.O.R. is available on VHS and Betamax cassette. It can also be streamed online through a film rental website. Mill Creek Entertainment included it in their Sci-Fi Invasion 50 movie DVD boxed set.[2]
On October 3, 2014, Rifftrax released R.O.T.O.R. as a video-on-demand title with humorous commentary.[3]
In February 2016, the film was released on blu-ray by Shout Factory in a double feature with Millennium.
References
- ^ Weldon, Michael J. The Psychotronic Video Guide. Macmillan. p. 475. ISBN 0-312-13149-6.
- ^ http://www.millcreekent.com/sci-fi-invasion-50-movie-pack.html
- ^ http://www.rifftrax.com/video/rotor