In the 1980’s, America’s toy companies realized that
syndicated cartoons where perhaps the most effective vehicle for marketing their
wears to kids. Mattel opened to the
floodgates with a Filmation produced series based on its Masters of the Universe toy line.
The joint venture was a resounding success, helping to move Masters of the Universe merchandise out
of toy stores by the truck load. Not to
be outdone, Hasbro had similar plans for a new product that was actually a
hybrid of the Microman and Diaclone toy lines from Japan. It featured robots that transformed into a
variety of vehicles, weapons, and even animals.
There would even be an accompanying Marvel comic in the vein of Hasbro’s
successful G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
line. The formula worked yet again, as
Marvel/Sunbow’s syndicated Transformers
cartoon proved wildly popular. A feature
length animated film was released on August 8th of 1986. It was meant to serve as a bridge between the
shows second and third seasons. The film
unintentionally became a rite of passage for fans, exposing them to the harsh
realities of death and loss.
The Transformers The
Movie takes place in the year 2005. The Decepticons have gained control of
Cybertron, while the Autobots have set up operations on both of its moons. Megatron (Frank Welker) and his minions plan
to infiltrate on Autobot City on earth via a Trojan horse strategy. The Battle results in both sides taking heavy
casualties and being forced to retreat. Meanwhile,
a giant mechanical planet named Unicron (Orson Welles) floats through space,
devouring any planet that crosses its path.
It plots a course for Cybertron as it plans to feast heartily on the
Transformers home world. Autobots,
Decepticons, and humankind alike find themselves embroiled in a battle of
unimaginable scale.
The Transformers: The
Movie boasted a budget and production values that were exponentially better
than any single episode of show. That’s still
not necessarily saying a whole lot, since the Marvel/Sunbow series suffered
from limited animation and inane plots.
The movie had to offer kids something they couldn’t see on a 22 minute
episode. Even the list of voice actors
characterized the film as something much more extravagant than what fans were
used to. It included Eric Idle, Judd
Nelson, Robert Stack, and Leonard Nimoy.
Then there was the Heavy Metal soundtrack that added a bit of gloss to
the pseudo-seriousness of the proceedings.
Despite all of those elements, The
Transformers: The Movie is a rather insular
and xenophobic affair, offering nothing of substance for the uninitiated.
Perhaps the most insurmountable hurdle that director Nelson
Shin and his associates placed in their own path was the films callous
disregard for its target audience’s attachment to the main characters. Iron Hide takes a fusion cannon blast to the
face. Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) is
famously killed during the siege on Autobot city, which takes place well before
the halfway point in the film. Primes
death was even hinted at in the films trailers, telegraphing its nihilistic bend. Then the film committed the ultimate sin of
replacing old characters with new ones that were hardly as engaging or as
visually satisfying. This was done to
usher in a new line of toys, as Hasbro was discontinuing the generation one
lineup.
Despite it’s many flaws, the film does have some engaging
action sequences. As traumatic as Primes
death was, it did pack an emotional wallop that was nonexistent in other
cartoons of the time. Stan Bush’s “The
Touch,” as corny as it is, fits the milieu perfectly, as was Vince Dicola’s
electronic musical score. The film
failed to recoup its budget at the box office.
However, it found new life on home video among kids who he had been
prepared for its violent edge via slightly more “adult” fare like Robotech and Starblazers. The film itself
stands as an interesting time capsule piece. Who would’ve thought that The
Transformers would fair exponentially better as a live action film made many
years after the toys peaked in popularity?
Alas, there are often many bumps in the road to finding the medium that
best suits you. Happy Birthday,
Unicron.
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