The live-action Transformers movie is happening. Michael Bay directing, Senor Spielbergo producing. Spielbergo wants a movie about "a boy and his car" and there's also my fear he'll pull an E.T. redux and change Megatron so that instead of a gun, he transforms into a walkie talkie.
If this movie isn't set in the 1980's, it won't make much sense. Soundwave is a cassette deck. Modernized, what would he transform into, an iPod?
That article pissed me off: Transformers: The Movie is "little loved"? I love that movie a lot.
I read that Megatron is a tank, and Soundwave's a helicopter these days. Allegedly because while robots from another planet coming to Earth to fight with other robots is completely plausible, the shape-shifting requires TOO much suspension of disbelief.
The REAL reason, of course, is that Hasbro can't sell a toy gun, and no kid going to see this movie is going to have any idea what a boombox is.
"It's the four pillars of the male heterosexual psyche. We like naked women, stockings, lesbians, and Sean Connery best as James Bond because that is what being a [man] is." -Jack Davenport, Coupling
Originally posted by BattlezoneI read that Megatron is a tank, and Soundwave's a helicopter these days. Allegedly because while robots from another planet coming to Earth to fight with other robots is completely plausible, the shape-shifting requires TOO much suspension of disbelief.
The REAL reason, of course, is that Hasbro can't sell a toy gun, and no kid going to see this movie is going to have any idea what a boombox is.
Maybe there's something to be said about all of us getting up-in-arms about the commercialization and/or modifications of a cartoon whose sole purpose throughout its entire run was to sell a line of Hasbro toys, regardless of childhood nostalgia.
Nobody take offense to that, I've been guilty of it as well.
Originally posted by The Vile1I just hope Arcee isn't in the Autobots line-up as was reported online not too long ago .
From reports of what the writers said, they are going to be focusing a lot on the human characters.
Anyway, the best Transformers series ever was Beast Wars and you know what? NO HUMANS! It was just the Maximals and the Predacons and it was fine.
All the newer series where we meet the humans first suck...Armada being a prime example.
Yeah, but without human characters you wouldn't have Spike saying "Oh shit!" in the (original) movie, which pretty much blew my 12-year-old mind back in '86.
I'll jump on the bandwagon and say that I, too, loved the Transformers movie. In fact, I also loved the made for TV sequel, even though it really sucked and most of the voices from the movie didn't appear in it.
I have to ask, who are they catering to? If they're catering to a newer crowd, they can make all the cahnges they want. Howeverm, if the studio is making this movie to pay homage to what was all awesome about TF, they should keep it in the 80s. Same vehicles, same characters, everything.
Hey, here's a good idea: why not put the transformation from Orion Pax to Optimus Prime into a movie? I'm still seeking those episodes on video or online.
I play chicken with the train, play chicken with the train train, uh-huh uh-huh!
Funny note, at the Chicago Comic Con a little while back (WAS it Chicago, or a Wizard Con, I can't remember now...) They unveiled two huge posters, one of the Autobot symbol and one of the Decepticon symbol; but the best part was a HUGE statue of classic 'Convoy' Optimus Prime. If they're using this series, it'll be a slap to the face NOT to use the 'classic' Megatron.
I rather liked the Galvatron version, myself, probably because TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE was so good.
...I also liked the G.I.Joe movie too, so I'm probably just a crazy person.
You're not crazy. The G.I. Joe move RULES! C'mon...it's got Nemesis Enforcer!! Sergeant Slaughter! Sure, Don Johnson's character is kind of dumb (He's just Flint light).
As for a Transformers movie...eh. I just can't imagine how it's going to translate to live action. Still, if they do Starscream right, I'll mark out like a dork regardless.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffIsn't the dude dead who did the voice of Starscream/Cobra Commander?
Yes, Chris Latta http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490383/, the voice of Gung Ho, Cobra Commander, Starscreem, Wheeljack, D'Compose, C. Montgomery Burns, and Moe Szyslak died in 1994.
"You want to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?" --Toby, West Wing
Originally posted by ShotGunShepI didn't know that Transformers the Movie was so popular. I too own the VHS.
Right before I scrolled down I thought to myself, I hope they have the same voice for Starscream. Sad to hear.
They can't change the sound effect for transforming, they just can't!
They better do the soundtrack well. I bet I'm the only one who actually purchased the soundtrack(6 years ago I think). Wait, should I admit that???
*Sigh* Count me in on owning the soundtrack, too. But I got the casette about a year after the movie came out. And I own the DVD.
This was *the* movie for my young, impressionable mind. I loved Transformers and watched them every day. Plus, the toys kicked ass - not this cheap-ass plastic stuff of today, but nice solid metallic parts!
I'll also echo the love for the G.I. Joe movie, too. But Transformers was MUCH cooler.
"Lita holds a Stone Cold Steve Austin home pregnancy test. What will the Bottom Line say? “Hell Yeah” or “Eh-EH”?" - Raw Satire, 6/15/04 (Apparantly ours said "Hell Yeah", 03/08/05)
Originally posted by whatever*Sigh* Count me in on owning the soundtrack, too. But I got the casette about a year after the movie came out. And I own the DVD.
This was *the* movie for my young, impressionable mind. I loved Transformers and watched them every day. Plus, the toys kicked ass - not this cheap-ass plastic stuff of today, but nice solid metallic parts!
I'll also echo the love for the G.I. Joe movie, too. But Transformers was MUCH cooler.
I've got the cassette and picked up the DVD when it came out to replace my VHS which was then gifted to my (then) 2-yr old nephew. Uncle Chris is making it a point to convince Bryce that there is no toy other than Transformers... He's finally old enough to start getting some of my duplicates now that he'll be 5 in a month.
For that matter, somewhere in my VHS piles I've got the movie taped from TV with a video of The Touch at the end with Stan Bush playing a guitar that shoots lasers... :-)
The most recent toys are a mixed bag. Unicron from TF:Armada is quite the toy as was the combined Omega Prime/God Convoy from Robots in Disguise/TF 2000. I'm much more picky about what I buy these days rather than aiming for the whole line. There are some really nice looking pieces in the new set that should be hitting stores soon. Nicest thing with the toys from 2000 to now are that most use ball joints so the posability goes way up and if too much pressure is used, they pop out rather than damage the toy permanently.
Anyway, as for the movie, I'm amped. I wouldn't so much mind Megatron getting a slight re-tool. The War Within comics showed a Megatron design that in robot mode looked very much like G1, but transformed into a tank. Soundwave could still be a boombox, they're not THAT extinct. The downside is if he's not a cassette player, then Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy and the rest really have nothing to transform into.
Oh, and not to be picky, but Beast Wars did have humans. Prehistoric ones, for sure, but the little fleshies were in there. Caused poor Waspinator no end of hassle there towards the end...
Originally posted by HairRaiserThe most recent toys are a mixed bag. Unicron from TF:Armada is quite the toy as was the combined Omega Prime/God Convoy from Robots in Disguise/TF 2000. I'm much more picky about what I buy these days rather than aiming for the whole line.
Most of the newer toys have been kinda boring, but I was at Walmart and found an ALPHA QUINTESSON! Here's a link to a pic of it... http://www.transformers.com/objects/products/pl/product_id.15387/dn/print.cfm ...but it only has three heads, I thought they had four heads? (/geek mode!) Also, Have you seen the anniversary edition of Optimus Prime that looks and transforms EXACTLY like the cartoon version? It's like $60.00 though and I can't see paying THAT much for a toy I'm gonna rip open.
Actually, I believe that the Quintessons have five heads; the big mini-series in the cartoon immediately following the movie was "The Five Faces of Darkness" or something like that.
The Optimus Prime collectors edition is just beyond awesome, too, and comes complete with a little Matrix in his chest cavity and a mini-Megatron rifle. He, along with my TF Armada Unicron and my vehicle and lion Voltrons will make a splendid top shelf once I get around to buying a bookcase for my apartment!
PS I've owned the movie thrice (once when it came out in 86, once around 1996 when it was rereleased on VHS by Rhino, and once on DVD) and the soundtrack twice (original vinyl and repurchased in 2005 when I learned Amazon.com had it on CD).
As the ultimate TF geek I'm quietly still a bit fearful of this new live-action movie. It can never live up to the imagination and memories of the generation it's really targeting.
"Remember, it's not a lie if *you* believe it." - George Costanza
Originally posted by CerebusMost of the newer toys have been kinda boring, but I was at Walmart and found an ALPHA QUINTESSON! Here's a link to a pic of it... http://www.transformers.com/objects/products/pl/product_id.15387/dn/print.cfm ...but it only has three heads, I thought they had four heads? (/geek mode!) Also, Have you seen the anniversary edition of Optimus Prime that looks and transforms EXACTLY like the cartoon version? It's like $60.00 though and I can't see paying THAT much for a toy I'm gonna rip open.
I've seen Alpha Q, but hadn't picked him up. I've got the Japanese version of anniversary Prime and yesterday was able to find the 3rd party trailer that was produced for the toy by JustToys. It doesn't transform, but it looks tremendous and can hold the Alternators/Binaltech vehicles since they're on the same scale. Until I get a new bookshelf, it's not coming out of the box.
Also, if you find the anniversary Prime for $60, get it. Mine's out and I had picked up one for my best friend for Christmas last year and he's got his displayed too. It's not a toy, per se, because the transformation is pretty complicated and it's really more like a collector's grade posable model.
Listen, it was Valentine's Day, and this is one of the things we ended up doing, and UGH. Beautiful Creatures review with SPOILERS (backofthehead.com) Full of stuff so banal, it was actually left out of Twilight.