TODAY'S NUGGET: Robocop (1987) - Suspense Scene Built by "Hand Offs"

[Quick Summary: When an injured human cop involuntarily becomes the first half-human, half-robotic cop, he discovers his origins in the corruption of the city.]

BAD NEWS: I did not worry about the protagonist much. Why worry?

I had to wait until about half-way into the script until Robocop's memories of being human begin to surface.

GOOD NEWS:  The action is suspenseful, which every big budget action film needs.

I particularly liked how the writers directed the flow of action and built suspense with each "hand off" in the scene below."*

Note the direct and clean flow of action:

ex. "EXT. GAS STATION

...ROBO: Dead or alive, pal. Either way you're coming with me.

EMIL

has heard these words before. He stares at Robo, staggered by nightmare deja vu.

EMIL: Y-you?

It's all too much. He opens with the MAC-10 and dives or cover behind the gas pumps.  Bullets bounces off Robo's armor and shred the gas pumps. One severs the feed hose and gas sprays out under high pressure.  [Emil --> bullets --> gas pump --> hose --> gas]

THE ATTENDANT

can't believe what he's seeing. Pink gas washes the glass window of the booth. He grabs his books and runs away as fast as he can. [Gas over windows]

EMIL

fires, advancing to his bike. Fountains erupt from gas pumps as he riddles them with bullets. Gas seethes across the pavement, lapping at his shoes.  He panics. [Emil --> bullets --> fountains --> gas to his shoes]

ROBOVISION

Command Graphic: TARGETING.  Behind the ruptured pumps, Emil jumps on his bike, and jams it into gear. The bike slips and broadies on the fuel slicked tarmac. And now we're moving very quickly, racing toward  [Robovision --> Emil slipping on gas]

THE CIGARETTE

It smolders on the ground. Tiny fingers of gasoline race to meet it.  [Cigarette meets gasoline]

EMIL

is terrified. The bike inches foreward as the rear wheel spins furiously, spraying gas. The bike hits dry ground and leaps away. Emil holds on for his life. [Emil spinning wheels]

ROBO

steps on the cigarette just before the gas reaches it. Gas floods the pavement around his feet.  Suddenly,  [Robo puts out cigarette --> gas gushes]

THE SHELL STATION

explodes. Robo is engulfed in flames and Emil, leaning low on the bike, races ahead of the fireball. [Explosion --> Emil escapes on bike]

IN THE FIRE

blackened mechanical legs step through the burning rubble.  [Robo escapes]

ROBOVISION

Command Graphic: TARGETING. Vectors lock on the escaping Emil as we clear the fire, raise our blazing arm and fire.  [Robovision targets Emil's bike]

EMIL'S MOTORCYCLE

flips violently. Emil goes flying."  [Bike flips]

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I liked this scene because Robocop was vulnerable and had to work around it.  For much of the story, he is rather invincible and it got boring.

Robocop (1987)(4th draft w/revisions, 6/10/86)
by Edward Neumeier & Michael Miner

*Hand off = In track and field, a relay baton is handed off from team member to team member.