So gang, this week it's going to be Glenn and Becca spotlighting a TRUE 80s classic (and a movie that, let's be honest about this, has brought a lot of us together) -Transformers the Movie! There may also be talk of comic adaptations, and Transformers comic talk in general!
What we want to know is: what are YOUR memories of Transformers the Movie, and indeed, the season that came after it! Do you remember the Marvel comic adaptation? Do you remember the Marvel Transformers comics in general, and what do you think of the work Marvel UK did that linked directly with the movie (that the US comics largely ignored)?
Answers down below please!
I ****ing adore this film. I've probably brought more versions of it than anything outside of the original Star Wars trilogy. For a glorified kids ad that sweeps away almost two full seasons of characters in it's opening act, including it's two leads, it shows a surprisingly deft hand, and added a lot of texture to the G1 universe. It's impressively dark for a kids cartoon, with a steep bodycount of characters that we'd become attached to over the years, their deaths shown in fairly graphic terms.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's not counting the big one, the first death of Optimus Prime. No wonder Hasbro got cold feet and had to make some hasty edits to the (equally nuts) GIJoe: The Movie to keep Duke alive.
Interestingly though I saw the film after reading Hasbro's adaptation in the spiffy special Marvel UK put out, and after the fantastic Target: 2006 had blown readers minds in the UK comic. I think it's fair to say that Simon Furmans epic run on the UK strip, and then taking over the US title for the back half of it's run, is a prime reason why Transformers still has such an enduring fanbase to this day. With a crack team of up & coming artists Furman crafted a continuity wholly separate from the US ongoing that was utterly compelling. Also, Grimlock.
But back to Transformers The Movie. You can't talk about it without discussing the fantastic soundtrack. It's like distilled 80's POWER Rock in a way only Topgun could equal. Stan Bush, Weird Al and Co. just filled it with utter gold. The Touch, Instruments of Destruction, Dare, Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way, Dare To Be Stupid, all on regular rotation in most of my iPhone playlists and perfectly matched to their scenes in the film.
Damn. Now I'm gonna have to dig a copy out to watch....