How the First Robot Fighting Movie Ruined a Company and Reinvented Sci-Fi
By Drew Dietsch | Published
We live in an age where a giant robot movie doesn't seem that special. Thanks to over a decade of Transformers movies and beyond Pacific RimThe novelty of finding a giant robot movie that takes itself seriously is lost on modern audiences. But there was a time when fans of giant robots had to make do with cartoons and cartoons only.
Thankfully, a man came along and changed all that with a giant robot movie that would end up being the last release of the film empire. This director deserves more credit than he gets today for paving the way for giant robot cinema.
Stuart Gordon's Robot Jox
Director Stuart Gordon, best known for his adaptation of HP Lovecraft Do the animation again again From Beyondhe was a fan of the same popular cartoon series Transformers and the influential anime Macross. He was always looking for someone to make a giant robot movie. So, when no one else stepped up to the plate, he set his sights Robot Joxa story about a different future where the conflicts between the two remaining great nations are resolved through robot wars.
Gordon collaborated with sci-fi writer Joe Haldemanwho had won a Hugo Award for his novel Eternal War. The novel is a science fiction based on Haldeman's experiences while deployed in Vietnam. This will end up being one of the first things that will lead to Robot Jox's many problems in the end.
Haldeman and Gordon would dictate the tone of the story, with Gordon leaning towards the humorous and sweet, while Haldeman wanted to explore some of the darker and more complex aspects of the idea. They knew they had to meet somewhere in the middle, but that wasn't where audiences wanted to have a giant robot movie. We'll come back to that later.
Robot Jox Destroyed Empire Pictures
More importantly in the big picture Robot Jox is the story of Empire Pictures, a low-budget genre studio from longtime producer Charles Band. Empire Pictures released tons of sci-fi and horror classics in the 1980s, including The Ghoulieswho made our list of creatures of the 1980s include gems.
At that time Robot Jox cameras rolling in 1986, Empire Pictures was at the end of its rope. In fact, they put all their remaining eggs in the middle Robot Jox basket, and ended up being the last film produced under the Empire Pictures banner.
Even then, the finished film had to be sold to another distributor to get things off the ground, and the film wasn't released in full until 1990. Rarely does a long road to the screen help a movie.
Robot Jox's Influence on Disney's Honey, I Shred the Kids
Another factor that added to the post-production stress was Stuart Gordon having to run to one studio to finish the set Robot Jox together in editing and another studio led by none other than Mickey Mouse. When he found out Robot Jox ready, Gordon was in the development phase of The Teenie Weenies (yes, that was actually the title), a Disney family comedy about shrinking children. Yes, Stuart Gordon was one of the early story developers behind what was to come Honey, I'm Shrinking the Children.
This was not a good time for Gordon. It was his first time working with a major Hollywood studio, and he had no patience for all the Disney bullies.
Gordon said he bled during a business meeting because of the stress he was under business idiom used in art. It got so bad that Gordon left Honey, I'm Shrinking the Children before it rolled out the cameras, and he didn't feel he could face any major studio again.
He remained an independent filmmaker throughout his career. Doing so didn't make Stuart Gordon a household name, but it did mean he had to prioritize creativity in his work, resulting in a diverse and compelling film.
It's called RoboJox, Not Robot Jox
So that whole business goes on for a while RoboJox he is also on his plate. yes, RoboJox was the original title of the film, but in the time it took to put the film together, RoboCop was released in movie theaters, and the distributor felt the need to change the title so it wouldn't seem connected.
Poor Stuart just couldn't catch a break, could he? He even liked to tell people to “T” in Robot Jox silent and still secretly called the film RoboJox and after all is done.
What's Good About Robot Jox
Well, let's look at some things Robo- I mean, Robot Jox he actually agreed. As legendary designer Ron Cobb, sci-fi fans instantly recognize him as one of the key Alien designers. Cobb's overall design of two large integrated robots gives the entire production a high level.
It doesn't hurt that the mainstay behind Empire Pictures, David Allen, lends his staging talents to the big fights. Even though we only get booked robot battles, it's forgivable if the results are so exciting. Anyway, anyone looking for more Robot Jox Robot Jox has valid criticisms about the film.
While it's certainly on a B-movie budget, the sci-fi world of Robot Jox it tells you a lot about the kind of civilization society is now like after a devastating nuclear war.
Gordon even took advantage of a real ad campaign in Rome encouraging women to get pregnant. That seems strange The Handmaid's Tale prop, and Gordon realized it would lend to the world Robot Jox a seemingly larger thematic field.
Although Gordon wanted the film to be fun, he also wanted to take it seriously. He and his team conducted research by spending time at an Air Force base to nail down certain military discourses and practices.
Gordon quotes The Right Stuffa brilliant film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's epic history of the US space program, as his biggest cinematic influence for what he wanted to do with the movie. That commitment to the faith of the film itself is inclusive Robot Jox with a lot of fun.
There's a Tone Problem, Whose Movie Is This?
However, remember that whole issue of warring tones in the story because of the differences between Gordon and Haldeman takes up the story? Robot Jox I can't settle on the right kind of rhythm for what the audience expects from the movie called Robot Jox. The opening mini-credits sequence, which was the first thing shot in the movie, looks fun but sets up a darker experience than parents and kids want from a giant robot flick.
An incident to motivate the Robot Jox the story is the death of an innocent crowd during a robot fight. It's a major conflict for the movie's hero, Achilles, but it also sounds like a potential turn-off for parents who brought their kids to see a live-action cartoon.
There are other shiny spots in between Robot Jox, as Michael Alldredge as the ultimate American stereotype Tex Conway, whom Gordon says was directly inspired by Ronald Reagan. It's a bad but good acting episode, but the movie's performance is that of Danny Kamekona as Dr. Matsumoto. To see someone give such weight to a sad role in a film like Robot Jox always worth highlighting.
Robot Jox Fails And Becomes A Massive Flop
Sadly, no actor or ad campaign can save it Robot Jox at the box office. Opening in 16th place on the budget, Gordon's claims were $6.5 million, Robot Jox he earned no more than $1 million.
Because of the long time I came to the screen during the completion of Empire Pictures, it was dead in the water. Although it eventually found its audience on home video, it would take many years before the film established itself as a cult film.
Stuart Gordon Made Robot Jox For The Right Reasons
Stuart Gordon did not make it Robot Jox simply capitalizing on a trend or exploiting an audience that is looking for some escapism. Stuart Gordon did Robot Jox because he wanted to see a giant robot movie live as a fan. He loved type and the imagination it brought to stories.
Failure of Robot Jox it ended up being a dark thing compared to Gordon in Hollywood, but history is the only judge of truth. Stuart Gordon is now a respected figure in genre film circles.
In addition to his acceptance of the horror film community, sci-fi aficionados have found pleasure in Gordon's films such as Space truck driversa simple adventure in the skin of Robot Joxand must-sees The castle. Seriously, Fortress gets some off-the-wall anime influence, and it goes well RoboCop a movie that has nothing to do with it RoboCop. Think about what prisons are like RoboCop they are the same and they are The castle.
Stuart Gordon died in 2020 at the age of 72, however Robot Jox may have been a failure at first, Gordon's legacy has given the film new life and even new fans. From the silly to the profound, Robot Jox it offers something you can find to enjoy.
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