Press Release Shout Factory Press Release: Transformers The Movie (1986) (4k UHD Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Colin Jacobson]

I only know one adult that went in blind never having watched a minute of the cartoon. Big mistake on his part as he hated every minute. A big fan of the series as a kid there was was just so much going on I even had a hard time keeping up. Second time was much better. I'm not going to argue the fact that this was a 90 minute commercial designed to kill off the old toys, and introduce a massive wave of newer ( and cheaper produced) action figures. It was, but it was also pretty bold in the approach.

I went in with exposure to the Michael Bay movies and a general prior knowledge of the franchise, but I'd never seen the cartoons.

Thought it was a mess and a long commercial for toys!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

THE TOUCH and DARE are two of my all time favourite songs. In fact, the soundtrack was the VERY FIRST thing I ever bought from Amazon.

 

[TravisR]

John C. Reilly dancing in the sound booth will always be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

"You think the bass is taking away from the vocals?"

 

[Bryan^H]

I went in with exposure to the Michael Bay movies and a general prior knowledge of the franchise, but I'd never seen the cartoons.

Thought it was a mess and a long commercial for toys!

I'd hate to think what I would think of it not being 12 and seeing it on the big screen at the time, and loving the cartoon series.

I just remember being very disappointed that some major characters were killed off. But my friend chilled me out, and got a bunch of the new toys for his birthday, so all was nearly forgotten later, and I was bought into the new Transformers storylines, and figures.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I'd hate to think what I would think of it not being 12 and seeing it on the big screen at the time, and loving the cartoon series.

I just remember being very disappointed that some major characters were killed off. But my friend chilled me out, and got a bunch of the new toys for his birthday, so all was nearly forgotten later, and I was bought into the new Transformers storylines, and figures.

Just like Hasbro wanted!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

John C. Reilly dancing in the sound booth will always be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

"You think the bass is taking away from the vocals?"

I saw "Boogie Nights" back in 1997 but I didn't know "The Touch" was from "Transformers" until I saw the Blu-ray in 2016.

At first I was like "why does this song sound familiar?" and then eventually the light bulb went off!

 

[JoshZ]

I went in with exposure to the Michael Bay movies and a general prior knowledge of the franchise, but I'd never seen the cartoons.

Thought it was a mess and a long commercial for toys!

It is a mess, on every narrative and artistic level. It is a long commerical for toys.

My enduring love for it cannot be rationalized.

 

[Jason_V]

It is a mess, on every narrative and artistic level. It is a long commerical for toys.

My enduring love for it cannot be rationalized.

Same! Transformers weren’t my toy of choice in the 80s and this movie is a thinly veiled shill for new toys, but dang it...I’ve owned every version on home video and the soundtracks. Of course I’m getting the 4k version. And sing along to all the songs and enjoy the crap out of it!

 

[JoshZ]

Same! Transformers weren’t my toy of choice in the 80s and this movie is a thinly veiled shill for new toys, but dang it...I’ve owned every version on home video and the soundtracks. Of course I’m getting the 4k version. And sing along to all the songs and enjoy the crap out of it!

I'll be damned if my heart doesn't swell both times "The Touch" blares on the soundtrack - both at the beginning and its reprise at the end.

And yes, I thought its use in Boogie Nights was hilarious.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It is a mess, on every narrative and artistic level. It is a long commerical for toys.

My enduring love for it cannot be rationalized.

Same! Transformers weren’t my toy of choice in the 80s and this movie is a thinly veiled shill for new toys, but dang it...I’ve owned every version on home video and the soundtracks. Of course I’m getting the 4k version. And sing along to all the songs and enjoy the crap out of it!

I feel so relieved that you 2 accept it's an awful movie even though you love it.

I feared a major argument with people who claimed it was cinematic genius and their childhood affection was irrelevant!

 

[Jason_V]

I feel so relieved that you 2 accept it's an awful movie even though you love it.

I feared a major argument with people who claimed it was cinematic genius and their childhood affection was irrelevant!

I think we all have those things we know, on an intellectual level, aren’t good...but we enjoy them anyway. I’m adult enough to acknowledge shortcomings.

 

[JoshZ]

I can't imagine what I'd think of the movie if I'd first seen it as an adult. Probably something akin to how I look at Power Rangers with total bafflement. But that show clearly hit with its target audience at the time it was released in much the same way the Transformers cartoon hit with my generation.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I think we all have those things we know, on an intellectual level, aren’t good...but we enjoy them anyway. I’m adult enough to acknowledge shortcomings.

There's certainly a nostalgia factor that plays a big role!

I tend to be pretty hard on movies I loved as a kid that actually suck, though - I curse my youthful stupidity!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I can't imagine what I'd think of the movie if I'd first seen it as an adult. Probably something akin to how I look at Power Rangers with total bafflement. But that show clearly hit with its target audience at the time it was released in much the same way the Transformers cartoon hit with my generation.

I wasn't baffled when I watched the movie - other than my attempts to figure out why people liked the film beyond nostalgia, that is.

I knew the movie had a decent fan base, and that made me think it might actually be good on its own merits.

Ironically, I'd probably enjoy it more a second time because I'd have zero expectations!

 

[JoshZ]

I wasn't baffled when I watched the movie - other than my attempts to figure out why people liked the film beyond nostalgia, that is.

I knew the movie had a decent fan base, and that made me think it might actually be good on its own merits.

Oh, it's pure nostalgia now. The cheeseball soundtrack is great fun, but can only be listened to ironically. I love the corniness of the "distant future" year of 2005, where all humans wear monogrammed jumpsuits and the kids ride rocket-powered hoverboards.

When I was 12, though, having watched the TV cartoon every day after school for a couple years, the death of Optimus Prime hit like a sledgehammer.

 

[Konstantinos]

Has anyne got this?
Does it include both the widescreen and fullscreen versions?

 

[JoshZ]

Has anyne got this?
Does it include both the widescreen and fullscreen versions?

Street date is August 3rd. Advance reviews state that both aspect ratio transfers are included. However, only the 1.85:1 transfer is 4K HDR. The 4:3 transfer is 1080p SDR.