The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Let's just hope this dosen't have the added sound effects that marred the Rhino releases of the tv series and the Region 2 TF:TM Reconstructed DVD. And let's also hope that Sony wises up and eventually gives us a better release of the tv series than Rhino did.

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SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT USHERS IN A NEW ERA OF TRANSFORMERS-MANIA WITH TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION DVD

Icons OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON Star in Special Edition DVD to Hit Retail Shelves This Holiday Season

New York, New York, May 30, 2006 - When MEGATRON said, “It’s over Prime,” he had it all wrong. This fall, the home entertainment group of SONY BMG Music Entertainment pulls out all the stops for the 20th Anniversary of the pop culture phenomenon and original theatrical release, TRANSFORMERS: The Movie with an explosive special edition DVD.

The new DVD marks the return of the out-of-this world animated big screen bonanza that catapulted the likes of OPTIMUS PRIME, MEGATRON, STARSCREAM, SOUNDWAVE and even the DINOBOTS into pop culture icons. The TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD will be packed with premium features and behind-the-scenes footage developed with input by and for TRANSFORMERS fans across the country.

TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD will tap into the huge, multi-generational TRANSFORMERS fan base. The special edition DVD will power into retail stores across North America in November 2006 -- just in time for the holiday gift giving season.

“The TRANSFORMERS franchise continues to thrive across multiple platforms, and we are excited to celebrate this pop culture phenomenon with a compelling new DVD tribute,” said Jim Wilson, Executive Vice President, General Manager of Home Entertainment for SONY BMG. “By teaming with TRANSFORMERS fans, we have developed an exclusive product with premium content and special features that will be sure to attract fans of all ages.”

The 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD includes never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews, interactive games and collectible packaging. The film features the voice of Orson Welles in his final role, as well as stars Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, John Moschitta, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker. The DVD also features a winning soundtrack featuring the iconic theme "The TRANSFORMERS" performed by Lion, and the popular "The Touch," performed by Stan Bush.

For more information on TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD log onto www.TRANSFORMERSthemovieDVD.com.

To coincide with the special edition DVD release, this fall Hasbro will pay a special tribute to the rich history captured in the saga that is MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE with the TRANSFORMERS Classics line of figures. Available in November 2006, these new figures will feature updated versions of the first generation of TRANSFORMERS (or “G1”), inspired by the look and spirit of the original figures and characters.

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Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

I was kind of surprised by this announcement when I say it posted on the Bits.


Sounds pretty good. It'll be nice to upgrade that Rhino release and finally get a copy of the soundtrack. Can't pass up that great 80s rock!

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Thanks for the update Greg!!

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Now we'll see if Rhino's claims of "there are no surviving widescreen copies of this film" are true. I am a little disheartened at the lack of mention of the aspect ratio in the press release.

If they do this right, I will gladly re-purchase this movie.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Amen to that.

Another question: Will the included soundtrack be a re-release of the one from 1986 or will it include the full score that was available at various Botcons and online?

mike.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

not bought the original version so looking forward to this

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Have the current DVD movie, and can't wait for the new release along with the new live action movie. It's about time.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

All the current DVDs are open matte - if a little cropped on the sides. The UK Re-construction had access to a fully un-matted print but they screwed it up royally

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Having both the original soundtrack album (with all the rock songs), DiCola's music score, and the Protoform Sessions CD, this'll be a double-dip either way for me. But I'm glad that the songs and/or score will be getting a wide release.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

I would hope they have both the matted 1.85:1 theatrical version (16 x 9 enhanced) and the 1.33:1 full frame version, so everyone will be happy.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

As for extras, I hope the focus is actually on G1 and the Movie itself. The Rhino releases of the tv series had mostly inane extras (footage from Botcons and interviews with people involved with the LATER TF shows).

Rhino's TF:TM DVD had a few good extras, but there weren't many.

I also wonder--will this new release come from a theatrical print, or film masters?

Some have speculated that, like Rhino's TF boxsets, their version of TF:TM also includes a few bits of alternate/incomplete animation.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Cool.

I hope they have the G1 toy commercials on there, too.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Wait a second. Don't forget the two people in this world who liked having every shot with a different aspect ratio and rough edges.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

I have the original UK R2 version ( not the re mixed or whatever is was called) and it's a great little disc, with the best cover art of the lot. I would love to see this in Widescreen though, as the R2 is open matte. also, the music video of "the touch" would be nice...

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

I popped in the Rhino DVD the other day, and experimented with different shots, using the "full" function on my TV to simulate what a 16 x 9 widescreen version would look like (by filling the entire screen and cropping off the top and bottom of the image). It looked pretty good.

It also made things very clear: In nearly every shot, the top and bottom of each frame was left devoid of important detail by the animators, so as to faciliate the matting for a 1.85:1 widescreen presentation.

I was kind of surprised to see that my faux-widescreen version looked better, compositionally, than the 1.33:1 open-matte version.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

There are even a few frames where the animators didn't color the cel in all the way toward the bottom of the frame. One such instance occurs when Hot Rod and Kup are underwater, when Hot Rod is turning over the injured Kup. Another is during the scene when the Quintesson ship is landing on the Junkion planet.

So either the animators didn't finish coloring down there because they never intended that part of the cel to be seen, or they just screwed up.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Is this DVD going to have the cursing in place? I remember some time ago, there was talk of some swear words "missing" from one of the DVD versions. Just curious.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

It was in the R2 version, they even had a pretty funny "music video" on the disc featuring it over and over again!

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

double

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

I wonder if this could be that Japanese pre-release trailer thing (that had Ultra Magnus with different colors and Unicron with a slightly different look).

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

In regards to the framing, I just saw a 35mm print of this movie a few weeks ago. The Rhino DVD is definitely opened up a bit, but some shots are clearly cropped on the sides as well. One thing that I did notice on the 35mm print, which was shown in 1.85, was that there were numerous times where the tops of people's heads were cut off, almost to their eyes. I suppose this could have been projectionist error, but it wouldn't surprise me if the movie had been composed with TV viewing just as much in mind as the theatrical release.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Just received a newsletter from the DVD website:





"Thank you for signing up to receive updates for the 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD of Transformers: The Movie.

We are currently looking for “fun facts” about the movie to be included on our DVD and want your help!

If you would like to submit a factoid for consideration, visit http://www.transformersthemoviedvd.com for more information and guidelines.

More updates to come soon!


Thanks,
http://www.transformersthemoviedvd.com"




My guess is that the winning submissions will be used in a pop-up trivia subtitle track.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

The DVD site is now posting one "puzzle piece" a day from the TFTM SE DVD's cover artwork. The whole picture will be revealed on July 21.

To see the bits and pieces of cover art currently up, go to www.transformersthemoviedvd.com and click on "Art Sneak Peek".


Here's the full story:




SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT OFFERS SNEAK PEEK AT NEWLY-COMMISSIONED TRANSFORMING ARTWORK FOR TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION DVD COVER



Image to be Revealed Piece-By-Piece On Website Beginning July 7th



SONY BMG To Discuss Special Edition DVD At Comic-Con July 20th



New York, New York, July 7, 2006 — The home entertainment group of SONY BMG Music Entertainment today announced that beginning July 7th, fans who log on to www.TRANSFORMERSthemovieDVD.com will be able to catch a sneak peek of the limited edition, “transforming” artwork for the upcoming TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD. The DVD is due to hit retail November 7, 2006.



TRANSFORMERS fans are in for a treat as this never-before-seen, specially-commissioned, TRANSFORMERS artwork will begin to appear before their very eyes on the official Web site of the DVD. After the initial piece to the puzzle is revealed online, more pieces from this one-of-a-kind art will be periodically placed on the site, leading up to the unveiling of the first full image from the transforming art at Comic-Con International 2006 on Thursday, July 20th. SONY BMG will also reveal other special features from the DVD at Comic-Con.



TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD features the voice of Orson Welles in his final role, as well as stars Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, John Moschitta, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker. The DVD also features a winning soundtrack featuring the iconic theme "The TRANSFORMERS" performed by Lion, and the popular "The Touch," performed by Stan Bush.



For more information on TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD log onto www.TRANSFORMERStheMovieDVD.com





G4 will be airing footage live from Comic-Con on July 21, so they may show announcments about the DVD!

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

From http://www.usatoday.com/life/2006-07...ractions_x.htm



DVD: 'Transformers'-mania poised to unfold?

Interest in Transformers is about to be, well, transformed into full-fledged mania.

A new DVD, The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition (Sony, due Nov.7), not only celebrates the original 1986 animated film based on the Hasbro toy line, but also gives a sneak look at the Michael Bay-directed Transformers film due next summer (trailer at transformersmovie.com). Executive producer Steven Spielberg also will appear on the DVD.

"They are doing something huge, and certainly we are here to help," says Jim Wilson of Sony BMG Home Entertainment.

The DVD will have remastered full-screen and widescreen editions of the film, which includes Orson Welles' final performance. Extras include commentary, deleted footage and interviews. And there's a viewing mode in which Transformer pop culture references pop up throughout. Plus: Hasbro has an action figure line due in November.

—Mike Snider




I do hope this DVD won't be just a quickie release designed to promote the upcoming live-action film.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Count me in on this one.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

What's different about this one compared to the earlier release? Other than the bonus features? And let's be honest, I loved this movie as a kid, but parts of it haven't aged well at all, namely the cheesy songs and characters like wheelie and blur.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

According to the USA Today article:

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Jeff, that's my selling point, this thing will look beautiful.

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

There have been allegations that the Rhino DVD used a film master that had some alternate and incpmlete animation (not unlike their shoddy DVD sets for the tv series). Perhaps this new DVD will use a surviving theatrical print as the basis for the transfer?

And I'm glad there'll be both full and widescreen versions. With the fullscreen, you get to see more picture info on the top and bottom, but the widescreen preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio.

Having fiddled around with the zoom fuction on my tv, it's very clear that the film was animated with a "matted widescreen" aspect ratio in mind. Nothing important happens on the top or bottom of the screen, and when blown up to fill the full area of a widescreen tv like mine, the composition of the images is much nicer and more cinematic (even if you see less of the picture in a widescreen version).

Re: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) 20th Anniversary DVD

Whatever source they used, I've never seen TF: The Movie look better than on the Rhino DVD. If that sort of quality can be maintained for an accurately-framed anamorphic widescreen version then I'll be a very happy bunny.