Leonard Rosenman:"RoboCop 2" (1991)-Main Theme

[Biochemitra]

Certainly an uplifting theme, but not quite strong enough to be the main one. This would be more at home as a triumphant epilogue than anything.

[Macca1969]

I was so pissed when I watched RC2 and this theme started to play when Robocop made his first appearance in the movie. There was no fucking reason to change the theme from the first. It helped define Robocop. I'll admit it's got a cool intro but it sort of goes soft from there. It is a guilty pleasure but it just isn't Robocop. Fucking hollywood always messes things up!

[MrOHTEHNOES]

Why do I get the feeling that every policeman is secretly humming this tune as he walks down the road...

[Jman7133]

I was listening this going "this sounds awfully like the overture to Star Trek IV". Low and behold, its the same composer.

[dartdouglas]

a trilha do basil Poledouris é muuuuito melhor

[penti77]

I will be controversial and say that I am happy you uploaded this, but the thing is one of the most ludicrous musical scores ever written. The Robocop vocal call is astonishingly dreadful. Rosenman was a hack and never a popular film composer.

[RogueRotting360]

@penti77 Rosenman was never popular, but he was far from a hack. Sure, Star Trek IV and Robocop 2 are disappointing, but this is the man who composed East of Eden, The Cobweb, Rebel Without a Cause, Fantastic Voyage, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Lord of the Rings, A Man Called Horse and Prophecy. He's up there with Alex North.

[penti77]

@RogueRotting360 I cannot vouch for the majority of scores you have listed (there are a few real duds in there methinks though) but I would never think that he is up the level of an Alex North. I think that might be a personal and controversial view.

[RogueRotting360]

@penti77 If you're talking about the respective films, you could call a few duds (Lord of the Rings, Prophecy, Beneath etc.), but they're fine scores in their own right. I'd agree, he was never as good a composer as North, but he was certainly up there. North and Rosenman were the two trailblazers of modernism in the so called Silver Age. Goldsmith and Williams earnt a lot to them.

[penti77]

@RogueRotting360 Yes, we agree on one thing: North was superb. But I will always recall that chorale drone of "ROBOCOP!" from that sequel and chuckle to myself, its like he deliberately went out to be musically horrendous.

[RogueRotting360]

@penti77 I know what you mean, though minus that chorus, it's still a decent theme. As for the quality of his 80s-90s scores, I think perhaps the onset of frontotemporal dementia might have had something to do with it. Towards the end of their terms, Reagan and Thatcher both started to show signs.

Very sad, but possible.

[penti77]

@RogueRotting360 I hate to say it, but I like you.  You are very astute and humorous.

[IIIJFRIII]

RoboCop was just amazing, RoboCop to was indeed a good good movie, not as good as the 1st one but very good. I watch all of 3 and I dont plan to. If they made a 3rd that was like 1 and 2 and had Peter Willer then that would have been amazing.

[squirilman009]

Robocop 2 is soooooo much better than alot of the modern crap today like Transformers, Iron man etc

[Tony211169]

Leonard Rosenman actually conducted the score of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

[Tryzon]

This sounds a bit like the Holy Grail theme to me. Strange, but awesome.

[alanporic]

I don't think it's bad at all... I must admit I prefer the original - film AND score - but that's no criticism of Robocop 2 at all. It's a good film with a good score :-)

[BALPHAZAR1701]

What's buggin' ya murph!?

...KANE! KANE's Bugging me!

[skoolguardian]

this is one of my favorite movie themes

[Owdene]

BEHAAAAAAVE YOURRRRSELVVVVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Muskateering]

Sounds like a theme tune from the news or some shit.

[Deavi783]

@Muskateering Funny you should say so because television (commercials, news) plays a big part in this film.

[Sabin06]

huh I dont understand why people don't like this theme song, its a step up from the original.

[PanterA1984]

"Cain! Let's step outside!"



[kakov666]

WHERE IS KAIN!?

[PeyserConley]

@ExilLarkdanx I totally agree. This is a masterpiece, perfectly reflecting the tone and atmosphere of the sequel. RoboCop 2 was different from the original in many ways, so it was only suitable for it to have a different theme.

[TANKTREAD]

@ExilLarkdanx A lot of what Rosenman wrote sounds very similar("RoboCop 2", "Lord of The Rings", "Beneath The Planet of Apes", "Battle for The Planet of the Apes", "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", "Prophecy", "Hellfighters", Jurij" & Fantastic Voyage"). His music is an aquired taste. But, he was very awesome! :)

[dessertcoffin04]

1 person doesnt like this it must be Cain

[EEUUNITED]

@dessertcoffin04 XD

[TheReturnofLurker15]

why cant they remake the original theme from RoboCop or keep the OTS just like

Jurassic Park Musics

[ConradProteus]

I liked robocop 1 and 3 , 2 was to exagerated, only my opinion so dont start yealing

[moreorless87]

@ConradProteus I don't think subtley was a great strenght of any of them films, the second had less drama than the first but was still well made, exciting and darkly funny. The third on the other hand was poorly made, dumb and cheesey, ultimately the kind of entertainment the first two were poking fun at.

[ConradProteus]

@moreorless87 Sometimes life needs some cheese

[Blastaar7]

@ConradProteus woah woah woah woah........YOU LIKED ROBOCOP 3??!?!?!?!

[faustrocket565]

I like this theme just fine and why is everyone bitching about theme sequels I'm already annoyed with bitches debating about the batman themes which I both like although I admit Danny Elfman's is better

[starchildro]

and also with Star Trek IV...

but still good music though.

[edcuce]

this is so heroic... when i watched the movie i almost came on my pants... this music playing whilr robocop was getting closer those bastards nuke addicts

[TheConciseStatement]

Piece of shit compared to the original. This is like a bad arcade rail shooter from Namco. The original is like that too, only a really good one.

[Dedokai32]

01:00 love it

[RedCancer]

I like those little violen solos or what not at 1:41. Very Final Fantasy esque.

[PanterA1984]

GREAT theme!

[Blackhawk145]

The funny thing is that if you play the RoboCop Basil Poledouris theme, and then play this one, the two are totally complimentary. This would've made a fantastic secondary theme for RoboCop, but alas Leonard Rosenman chose to do away with the first RoboCop theme entirely. Shame, a fairly good sequel score could've been more than outstanding.

[Jman7133]

I always thought for years how similar the themes of Star Trek IV and RoboCop 2 were. I laughed my ass off when I realized that it was the same composer.

[pro100awesome]

10/10

[ktuluag]

The original theme and movie, is very amazing and very good. Number 2 also is very good, maybe not as well as the original both movie and sound wise, but it's still great. As for the third I have no comment.

[TheWavy87]

We need a Robocop 4. I don't mean a remake either.

[ClipLover357]

@TheWavy87 Yours and my dreams are soon gonna be reality in 2012, so says a certain director

[nerdtalk326]

NUKEEEEEEE!

[Scike]

I loved Leonard Rosenman's scoring of this movie. Reminds me a lot of his music for Star Trek IV.

[Locutorium]

very good!

[Davyleek]

Everybody has their own opinion and mines is that there wont be a better robocop than the 1st , i enjoyed the 2nd but it just slips away from the original

Peter wellers body movement in the 1st is way better than the second and the suit looks realistic but in the 2nd it just looks cheap at certain points

[culturaleyes]

I agree, the 2nd movie was more satirical than the first. The original Robocop was the defining movie, and I think the second one just took it's anti-corporate satirical message a bit further. Though definitely entertaining.

[xMidnightxCowboyx]

I prefer Robocop 2 over the first one but the theme isn't as good as the first.

[xTRIGGER092x]

I hate Robocop 2, but the theme is definitely on par with the score of the first one.

[alucard624]

Good score, very vintage Rosenman. However, I still prefer Poledouris' theme from the first and third film.

[squeekymcghandi667]

Clarence Boddicker IS the shit yes yes,..however,...they didnt turn HIS ass into that massive dominating fucking war machine(Cain) that was knocking robocop around like a little rag fucking doll, HAHAHA, these were some of the first movies in history for me that I actually watched(and rooted for) for the bad guys, pissed me off when he killed Clarence,....fucking piece of robo cop SHIT!!!!.

[Berni0707]

I love RoboCop 2, for me one of the best. The place, the guns, cars, black humor, Cain, everything in that movie was awsome for me.

[Deanboy2007]

Great theme. I thought the movie was great too. Now as good as the first though.

[vividwatch47]

R.I.P. Leonard Rosenman.

[homiex04]

wiLL the new one be in Detroit

[mchan2008]

sounds like a rip-off of the star trek 4 theme (probably because the same guy composed both of them)

[Saviour86]

Then its not exactly a rip-off is it

[DarthSmoke1]

the theme song of ''robocop2'' sounlds like the theme song from ''the last action hero'',you know that one movie arounld played in.

[Moonward]

Robocoooooop!huaha The female choir indeed sucks big time...

Embarassing...

[bloodymeerkat78]

its from 1990 not 1991.

[floresed]

Not only is this my favorite score of the series but it contains the baddest villain: Cain!!

[reds005]

Boddicker rules.

[budd2200]

i love this theme i remember my dad taking me to see this i remember asking him to stay for end credits great heroic score very much like star trek IV.

[SGTBizarro]

0:31 - 0:35 are almost the identical notes from a portion of the Star Trek IV opening theme. Never noticed that before until now :o

Robocop rules btw \o/

[larrypearce2]

Yup. Rosenman ripped and re-ripped himself off many times throughout his career. Funny how Rosenman talked so much shit in interviews about Basil Poledouris's saying it was "silly" when his is way goofier especially when the women chorus sings "ROBOCOP!" I love Basil's original score for the first "Robocop". It 's the right balance between tongue in cheek and dramatic without being satrical.

Rosenman's work is always underwhelming at best.

[floresed]

if you can't appreciate the awesomeness of this theme (Overture), you must be smoking some heavy stuff buddy!. This theme totally rocks!!!

p.s. lay off the drugs

[larrypearce2]

Back at ya. You're on drugs if you think this is good! Musically it goes nowhere- all bombast with no resolution which is typical of ALL Rosenman's work. And as noted above by SGTBizarro 0:31-0:35 are almost directly taken from Star Trek IV's score which in turn were taken from the animated Lord Of The Rings. It's also interesting to note that Rosenman was a very bitter man who sniped his fellow composers often in interviews whenever he could.

Rosenman was the poorman's Jerry Goldsmith.

[Vanska0]

It's his style. Nobody else scored movies like him. He said bad things from other composers, so what. He's not a saint you know. He liked Goldsmith very much and said he was the best composer in the Hollywood.

[larrypearce2]

What a dipshit comment.

[musicalpyramid]

Rosenman was the poorman's Goldsmith? What rubbish! Goldsmith actually thought very highly of Rosenman's work and Rosenman thought very highly of Goldsmith's! Rosenman was very enamoured with Johnn William's work, Bernard Herrmann, Max Steiner. He didn't care for composers with no training and little technical skill however. The Robocop 2 theme is trypical Rosenman - tons and tons of atmosphere and real character. If you think good music needs to 'resolve' you need proper musical training!

[larrypearce2]

Woah! Easy tiger. I just think Rosenman's work sounds goofy as hell. And as for the "good music needs resolution" bit, I only think that good 'film music' needs resolve (in whatever multifarious forms that may take) not "all music" per se as film music accompanies and acsents the story of the moving image. And I don't feel Rosenman's work ever did either of those things- except with "Barry Lyndon" which he just adapted from other composers work. Just an opinion mate:)

[musicalpyramid]

I must work harder on keeping my responses ot things proportional....sorry if i was over the top, I tend to think everyone likes a friendly argument as much as me! As you say, all just opinions, no harm in that, sorry mate :-)

[larrypearce2]

Cool. You should see some of the stuff I've written about "The Dark Knight ". Man! You'd think I'd murdered a box of kittens. Keep up the passion in a dispassionate, apathetic world I say! Interesting to see someone defend Rosenman whom I've felt was a 2nd or 3rd rate composer at best. Maybe I'm wrong. And yes, to be fair, as much as I love Goldsmith, even he had some lousy moments (Irwin Allen's "The Swarm", Michael Chrichton's "Runaway", and we can't forget the underwater epic "Leviathan")

[musicalpyramid]

Funny I always think of Rosenman as 1st rate - oh, not without his flaws for sure, he does over use a number of his musical devices. I think since i saw beneath the planet of the apes i've been prepared ot forgive any repititions because of the moments of brilliance. He could be a genius one film and bored/lazy the next. Then again i'm generally attracted to less mainstream things, so that probably explains part of my affinity for his music!

[RotoPlasmX]

I agree with Larrypearce2 on this one.

[musicalpyramid]

(oh, feel free to lambast the 'dark knight' music!)

[larrypearce2]

Indeed. Two of the most mediocre composers working today (Newton howard, Zimmer) creating an even more colossal snooze fest than "Batman Begins". No easy feat.

[vividwatch47]

You forgot "Leviathan"'s semi companion piece, "Deep Rising"!

[vividwatch47]

It was rumored that Rosenman suggested that Goldsmith use the Blaster Beam (which Rosenman used in his score for "Prophecy") for the score for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"

[RichardKleiner]

The thing was, Basil's take on the score was more about the conflict between man and machine. Rosenman's score was much more romantic and reflected the more heroic side of RoboCop.

I like both.

[floresed]

Finally, someone tells it like it is. They are both awesome scores which signify two different sides of the Robocop character.

Well said man!

[musicalpyramid]

I've heard a few people describe this score as a guilty pleasure - they think that they are somehow meant to dislike it but in truth really enjoy it. If I could preserve just three film scores for the future this would be one of them.

[Marcatolegato]

@musicalpyramid the score lacks in good melody compared to the first - but the instrumentation i what drives the music and if you can enjoy that then you can call ROBO 2 a guilty pleassure.

[jackhammer316]

@musicalpyramid Yeah im in agreement... its a good soundtrack... one of which im proud to say i own... well i own al three of them, the tv series and the prime directives series soundtrack too... robocop 2 has a pretty good soundtrack and i'd save it in my top 3 too

[kenpachi1385]

True. Though not as good as the original it's not as bad as people claim it to be.

To be honest Robocop 2 is my favorite part in the trilogy.

[Grafwichmann]

I agree. It is definitely a very witty movie, but it shouldn't be a surprise that the change in style alienated many viewers.

[Blastaar7]

@kenpachi1385 people didn't like robocop 2?! What was wrong with it? Now...robocop 3 was PURE ASS.

[RaptorJesus720]

@kenpachi1385 Me too.

[illuminatioracle]

@kenpachi1385 yeah. its kinda like ninja turtles 2, they manage to retain the tone of the first movie, just not a good generally, but still watchable.

[VenomShock]

@kenpachi1385 Finally! Another one!

Except I actually feel that Robocop 2 is just sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiightly better.

[sickemdudley01]

A very underappreciated movie theme. Good job!