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Dutch-born film director Paul Verhoeven is the man responsible for cinema classics like Instinct, Total Recall and RoboCop. But, at the grand age of 75 the veteran director isn’t showing signs of slowing down.
With a remake of his Science Fiction classic RoboCop on the horizon, we take a look over his prestigious career.
Verhoeven kicked off his film making career whilst in the Dutch Navy as he began making documentaries for the forces. This was followed by a swift move to television where he was famed for using explicit violence and sexual content along with an overriding hint of satire to highlight social flaws in his films.
In 1973 Verhoeven released the film Turkish Delight – a story of love between an artist and a young woman, starring Rutger Hauer and Monique van de Ven. The film was extremely popular, being seen by over a quarter of the Dutch population and earning the director prestige as the Best Dutch Film of the Century.
Verhoeven’s use of satire often made him a controversial figure in society. With his growing filmography he continued to highlight faults in society using his slightly alternative and unconventional imagination on a willing audience.
In the late 80’s and early 90’s Verhoeven dominated Science Fiction with the release of RoboCop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers. While the director’s futuristic themes entertained his audience, it was Starship Troopers which failed to receive any initial success – which has stunted its potential for a modern day remake.
But, despite a mixed response to some of his films, Verhoven has always been someone who is one step ahead of the game. His sci-fi specialty in particular remains a constant source of inspiration for new directors.
We have already seen a regurgitation of Total Recall by director Len Wiseman in 2012, and a remake of RoboCop set for release this year, starring Joel Kinnaman and directed by Jose Padilha.
His films weren’t always the explosive releases that are being remembered in the remakes, but Verhoeven is what film buffs want from a director – controversial, articulate and complex, on every occasion giving the viewer something to consider.
RoboCop is set for release in cinemas on February 7.