Transformers The Movie is 40
It’s unbelievable that it’s been 40 years since the great robot cull, otherwise known as “Transformers : The Movie”. To celebrate, it’s back in the cinema.
Set 20 years after the TV series (so, 20 years ago from now, joining the likes of Blade Runner and Akira in being sci fi now set in the past), it’s the final battle between the Autobots and Decepticons (always far cooler, they had more planes). The Decepticons finally control the Transformers home planet of Cybertron. The Autobots look to stage a desperate counteroffensive, and it is here this that the blood (or energon?) letting occurs. In the meantime, while the Transformers are hacking each other to pieces a vast robotic-planet-devouring-being with the voice of Orson Welles, is making its way across the galaxy toward Earth, seeking to destroy the only thing that can destroy it : the Autobot’s matrix of leadership, currently held by Optimus Prime.
Transformers were a huge success by 1986, and like all big name toys got their own film. Thing is, Hasbro had some new Transformers they wanted to sell, and there was no room for the old guys, Ironhide, Prowl, Jazz, et al. And Optimus Prime………
Watership Down (ask your parents) had nothing on the slaughter that we witnessed on the silver screen – a very brutal way of clearing the decks of older characters for the fresh new ones, ready for Christmas. The feelings of all the young fans of Prime and the others were cast aside in the interests of refreshing the IP, leaving thousands of Transformers fans traumatised.
It’s got quite the voice cast. Starring the now sadly deceased Peter Cullen - THE voice of Optimus Prime, Eric Idle, Orson Welles in his last role as the world consuming Unicron and Leonard Nimoy as Galvatron, (more spoilers) the rejuvenated Megatron.
Sure enough, it does the job of introducing almost a whole new cast that carries over into the TV series. Out with the old and in with the new, like a new Decepticon leader, and new autoboots, Arcee, Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus and Kup.
But it’s a remarkable change in tone after the reasonably hammy and “no one dies” vibe of the Saturday morning cartoon. I’ve never got over seeing the fleeting sight of a deceased Wheeljack, or Prime fading to grey on an operating table after his final battle with Megatron (who didn’t get off lightly either).
Once you have got over the shock of seeing your favourite transforming robots destroyed on screen, it’s not a bad film. It’s quite a daring thing to do to kill your golden geese, and clearly Hasbro underestimated how invested Transformers fans were in the characters.
Reportedly, there was a huge backlash. Prime was eventually brought back in the animated TV Series, but by then the damage was done. The film was poorly received and heavily criticised, with stories of families walking out of showings. It has been re-evaluated over the past few years and has become a cult film.
It hasn’t harmed it that much, considering Transformers continue to flourish, with a hit comic from Image comics and a long running series of films, not to mention the toys themselves.
Why not celebrate it with collectables and games from the Game Collection and TGC Collectables?
Star Trek at 60
The other anniversary this week is of the broadcast of the first episode of Star Trek. It’s 60 years since the franchise began with “Man Trap” with Kirk, Spock Uhuru and co, boldly went where no man had gone before.
The original series was remarkable for many reasons. It had a multi racial crew in the 60s, was anti war, progressively liberal and it featured the first on screen inter racial kiss (Kirk, of course) and addressed contemporary political issues in sci fi allegory. It was woke, before woke was a thing. It only got made because highly influential American comedian and TV institution Lucille Ball, brought her influence to bear. It attracted high profile writers, such as Harlan Ellison and introduced any number of high concepts to sitting rooms.
Remarkably, the loss making series only ran for 4 years. But syndicated around the world, It developed a cult following, with the first convention being held in 1972. An animated series followed, then after the sci fi boom post “Star Wars”, Star Trek : The Motion Picture was released in 1979, which saw a revitalisation of the franchise that seemingly hasn’t paused since, spawning at least 10 different series set in the same universe, not to mention sequels to the motion picture and two other film series.
Star Trek remains refreshing in its positive outlook. That humanity isn’t necessarily doomed (a la every post apocalyptic film you’ve ever seen) and that there is hope in the future, that instead of an AI dominated existence, there is the possibility of a technological utopia, where the human race is united. In a good, non oppressive, way.
Anyway, TGC Collectables have Magic The Gathering Star Trek Cards up for preorder. Check them out here.
