Production Robot Jox

author joe haldeman clashed repeatedly director stuart gordon.

director stuart gordon stated initial inspiration robot jox came japanese transformers toy line:

while there have been animated cartoons based on these giant robots, no 1 has ever attempted live-action feature them. struck me natural fantasy big screen–and terrific opportunity take advantage of special effects available today.

when gordon approached producer charles band concept, band said film expensive studio, empire pictures, produce. band changed mind, however, , asked gordon create demo reel of stop motion test footage special effects artist david w. allen. footage impressed film s potential backers, , became film s opening title sequence. budgeted @ $7 million, film expensive film empire pictures had ever produced.

science-fiction author joe haldeman wrote screenplay film , co-wrote story gordon. 2 met when gordon hired film four-part adaptation of haldeman s novel forever war, when funding project cut, gordon instead directed stage adaptation of book, haldeman wrote. 2 years later, gordon asked haldeman work on science fiction adaptation of iliad; idea form basis became robot jox. haldeman claimed , gordon s visions film clashed: former wanted dramatic, serious science fiction film while latter wanted more audience-friendly, special effects-driven action film stereotypical characters , stylized pseudo-science. in one-and-a-half-page outline, gordon inserted other elements plot, including film s cold war-era themes. haldeman wanted title film mechanics, gordon insisted on robojox. according haldeman:

i try change science reasonable; stuart change saturday morning cartoon stuff. tried make believable, reasonable characters, , stuart insist on throwing in clichés , caricatures. annoying because story soldiers, , person around d ever been one.

several times, haldeman feared clash lead him being dropped project, film s producers sided him during pre-production. haldeman wrote gordon later recognized author writing movie adults children can enjoy while gordon had been directing movie children adults can enjoy.

principal photography on film began in rome in january 1987 , ended in april. during filming, producers brought in haldeman work film s principal actors. afterwards, allen began produce film s special effects sequences. ron cobb helped design robots these scenes. allen chose film these sequences @ el mirage lake bed in san bernardino county, california due bright skies , unobstructed panoramic view; however, weather elements delayed filming.

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