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Detroit Bronzes Giant RoboCop Statue
BangStyle ^ | May 17, 2013 | Danny De Maio

Posted on 07/11/2013 11:08:55 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

Whoever thought a film that was rated “X” would inspire a city so much that it would feel the need to build a statue in its honor? As much as I’m a fan of the original Robocop (and am eagerly awaiting the upcoming reboot), I never in a million years would have believed that things would get so dire in Detroit that the city would go to a fictional character for hope. Needless to say, this is what has happened in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.

Two years ago there was a grassroots initiative to have Detroit mayor Dave Bing fund a bronze statue of the pop culture icon, but the city wouldn’t fund it. However, through a Kickstarter campaign (I feel like this thing is growing in popularity by the week) the funding for the $60,000 statue came through and now the project has come to fruition. Two years of planning, constructing, scanning, and fabrication has finally led to the nearly finished project that will sit in the city of Detroit.

In case you’re not aware of the controversy that the first Robocop film conjured up, allow me to give you the cliff notes. When the first cut was sent to the MPAA for a rating, the violence was so over the top that it was slapped with a firm “X” rating (this is before the NC-17 that we have now). Today, you can buy the unrated version of the film, but anyone that has seen the “R” rated version of the film knows how gory it is. We’re talking close-ups of blown-off hands, bullet-riddled bodies, and a toxic liquid spill that produces some disturbing results, even if it does happen to one of the villains.

At 10-feet tall, the massive RoboCop statue is about to be bronzed before finding its resting place by 2014 in a city that is in need of some hope. Despite my surprise, I think this is awesome and hopefully it is a way to begin turning a once-great city back to prosperity.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment; Outdoors; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: robocop
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To: Pilsner
Toho

21 posted on 07/11/2013 11:29:35 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("...Someone handed the keys to the Forum to the OPC and its sympathizers...")
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To: Alex Murphy

What does the “unrated” version have that the theatrical release doesn’t?


22 posted on 07/11/2013 11:35:32 AM PDT by montag813 (NO AMNESTY * ENFORCE THE LAW * http://StandWithArizona.com)
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To: montag813
What does the “unrated” version have that the theatrical release doesn’t?

Longer, gorier deaths.

23 posted on 07/11/2013 11:38:26 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("...Someone handed the keys to the Forum to the OPC and its sympathizers...")
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To: Alex Murphy
There is actually some beautiful sculpture in Detroit.

Spirit of Detroit is just one example.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

The Joe Louis Monument is pretty decent as "modern art" goes.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

The underground railroad monument is pretty cool.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

The civil war sailors and soldiers monument is great too.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Lots of great sports statues in Detroit too. Ty Cobb, Bobby Orr, Ernie Harwell.
24 posted on 07/11/2013 11:47:15 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Alex Murphy

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/3128312320/h40909135/


25 posted on 07/11/2013 11:48:58 AM PDT by V_TWIN
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To: Alex Murphy
I saw the R rated version when it first came out. I like a good “shoot-em-up” but this movie was disturbing. They introduce you to the main character, get you to like him, then they slowly and graphically mutilate him. Nauseating.
26 posted on 07/11/2013 11:53:18 AM PDT by BO Stinkss ( I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees)
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To: BO Stinkss
The fact that Red Farmer does the mutilating makes it even more disturbing.

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27 posted on 07/11/2013 11:56:23 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Mr. Jeeves

Pride in the fact that the movie accurately depicted what Detroit would be come.


28 posted on 07/11/2013 11:58:40 AM PDT by KSCITYBOY
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To: KSCITYBOY

—— Pride in the fact that the movie accurately depicted what Detroit would be come. ——

Woooowwww..... This could become The Statue of Irony.


29 posted on 07/11/2013 12:03:02 PM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
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To: cripplecreek
Old dude had some of the best lines in the movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o97uNzbBfis

30 posted on 07/11/2013 12:07:42 PM PDT by Orangedog (An optimist is someone who tells you to 'cheer up' when things are going his way)
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To: Alex Murphy

There are a number of pretty impressive monuments in Central Park in NYC.One of these days I’m gonna take a couple of hours and look at all of them at some length.


31 posted on 07/11/2013 12:13:45 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (The Civil Servants Are No Longer Servants...Or Civil.)
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To: Gay State Conservative
I'm not a fan of cities but I do love good statues.

32 posted on 07/11/2013 1:10:05 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek

Clarence was one of the nastiest villains in the history of cinema...


33 posted on 07/11/2013 1:19:52 PM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: Alex Murphy

Robocop was rated X?

I did not know that.


34 posted on 07/11/2013 1:24:07 PM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos...)
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To: Mr. K

like Japanese pervy anime they must have edited it heavily.

I do not think it was made in Detroit BTW


35 posted on 07/11/2013 1:30:41 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: cripplecreek
I'm not a fan of cities but I do love good statues.

I'm a suburban kinda guy myself but,if you've never been there,I can assure you that NYC is a city unlike any other on earth...regardless of what you might think of the residents.I can also assure you that Central Park is unlike any public park *I've* ever seen.and the statues seen there are interesting to say the least...and at least some of them are truly historic.

36 posted on 07/11/2013 1:36:43 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (The Civil Servants Are No Longer Servants...Or Civil.)
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To: Alex Murphy

"I'll Buy that for a Dollar!"

37 posted on 07/11/2013 1:41:35 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: cripplecreek
I was trying to find a link for where the spirit of Detroit footprints were found going to the Naked Lady Statue (I think for Gas), but my google searches failed to find it.

Too bad, it was funny.

From my feeble memory. One morning there were painted footprints for the Spirit of Detroit statue (Man) to a the Gas Lady (naked woman) just across the street (I think Woodward). No one was was ever charged but understand a bunch of students helped the police clean it up.

Wow, that is way to do a prank, and the correct non response from the city.

38 posted on 07/12/2013 8:27:54 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Held my nose to vote.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?
Wow, that is way to do a prank, and the correct non response from the city.

Agreed, police responses should be proportional to the threat. Personally I think the Detroit riot of 67 could have been prevented if police had ignored the party in the blind pig for that one night and taken it up with the owner the next day. That's not to blame the police, as I recall the owner admitted that he was at least partially responsible because he incited the growing crowd and threw the first bottle.
39 posted on 07/12/2013 8:59:27 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek
While I know nothing of the Blind Pig, I think I have to disagree with you.

I was in Cincinnati in 67, my dad was CDR of AFEES there. I remember the riots happening and going through the city seeing signs in windows saying “Soul Brother”, I had to ask my parents what that meant as I was only 12.

These riots happened around the country, it was more that just a one place incident.

40 posted on 07/12/2013 9:11:29 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Held my nose to vote.)
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