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Destroy All Podcasts DX Episode 75 - Transformers: The Movie

Comments

20 comments posted
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Yes, the main problem with this movie is that the first 15-25 minutes are easily the best part.

Still, I've re-watched it a few times and own the recent DVD, which is a lot more than I can say about the "new" movie.

PS: I didn't cry when Optimus died, but I did get quite emotional back in the day. No use hiding it.

wielder's picture
Posted by wielder on 2 November, 2008 - 21:22
Nothing's going to stand in our way.

Not tonight.

GogDog's picture
Posted by GogDog on 2 November, 2008 - 23:30
You can win if you DARE!

I love the music to this movie. And yes, Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way is secretly the best song in the entire movie. Much better than The Touch.

I also really like Vince DiCola's compositions, but since they're all, well...COMPOSITES of one another, it's hard to name one specific track that I like, although Escape (Galvatron's attack on Autobot City) is probably my favorite. There are some themes that weave in and out throughout the film. There's the Autobot theme, which you hear quite prominently as Hot Rod is putting Kup back together, but it pops up in in various other scenes throughout the movie.

I have the two-disc set from Bot Con 97, so I've heard all of these tracks at length outside of the movie. Yes, I admit I'm a dork.

http://www.dasiencomic.com/

117ufcbetting's picture
Posted by 117ufcbetting on 4 November, 2008 - 08:15
Nobody summons Megatron

This is one of the few movies I can remember seeing when I was a kid. The beginning with all that killing had me mesmerized. I’d never seen anything like it before the smoke billowing out of Prowls mount, Megatron blowing up Ironhide at point blank range, Starscream shooting he’s own foot off, like a hyena… Incredible! I still get chills watching Prime transform & rollout as ‘The Touch’ beings to play as he goes off to kick some ass, he got a great send off. Then the fight between Megatron & Prime brought me back to Arrival from Cybertron, but this time it was graphically brutal in its execution. All that was missing was Primes energy axe.

I though Magnus was a very weak leader, the first thing he did when he was corned was to try and use the Matrix, it’s the equivalent of hitting the nuke button at the first sign of trouble. Also the bit with the Sweeps drawn & quarrying, I think that was in the comic book version of the movie, as I know I’ve seen it somewhere.

The music is what makes this movie, it fits perfectly. All the tunes are awesome rock classics. Speaking of which am I the only one that was seriously disturbed listening to The Touch in Boogie Nights? It’s just so wrong.

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this to be true." - James Branch Cabell 1926.

Wizartar's picture
Posted by Wizartar on 4 November, 2008 - 08:54
I thought all the rock tracks fit the scenes.

Both of the fight scenes on Quintessa really fit well with those rock tracks. The one with the Sharkticons was pretty cool--some nice animation bits there (remember when Hot Rod punches all the one Shark's teeth out?)

I've heard that the "Japanese version" had some extra stuff, mostly in the "transform Autobot city" sequence. Is this true?

*****

I agree that this movie is, really, everything that we liked about Transformers, all in one single package.

RobotBastard's picture
Posted by RobotBastard on 4 November, 2008 - 13:05
I've heard that the

>I've heard that the "Japanese version" had some extra stuff, mostly in the "transform Autobot city" sequence. Is this true?

Only in the ORIGINAL trailer do you see that.

Oh and what you guys were saying about Ultra Magnus getting ripped apart. That was on the storyboard.

I read somewhere that they wanted to have Megatron slice Brawn in half and Ironhide (or maybe Prowl) getting melted.

VZMK2's picture
Posted by VZMK2 on 4 November, 2008 - 14:05
TORANSUFOMU!

In the Transformers fan commentary (which is one the anniversary disc), they read from several pages of the script to fill in some of the gaps, explain some of the glitches, and whatnot. For example, Prime was supposed to be attacked by one of the conehead planes during his dialogue with Megatron, which is why he appears to be standing back up.

Yeah, the shuttle sequence was supposed to be significantly more gruesome, particularly with the deaths of Ratchet and Ironhide, being fused together.

And yes, Magnus was to be drawn and quartered in the script. The reason it's in the comic book adaptation is because they were working from the first draft of the script. (This is also why the comic book version refers to Autobot City as Fortress Maximus.) There's at least some evidence that part of the draw-and-quarter scene went into production, and they talk about it on the commentary. It's particularly evident in Robert Stack's performance and the way the Sweeps were animated.

The only "extra" content you get from the Japanese version of Transformers of the movie is all of the hammed-up adlibbing on the part of the actors. Scenes with no dialogue at all are now filled with chatter. For example, as Prime barrels through the city, every Decepticon he hits makes some sort of outburst. But the most annoying scene in which this occurs is Prime's death. There's a reason that there's no sound in the latter half of the scene, but this was totally lost on the Japanese. There are gasps as Prime's body goes dark, and they make sure to have Daniel bawl like a baby, even though kids his age don't really do that.

Although, that isn't quite as annoying as having every single character shout "TRANSFORRRRM!" every time they change. Seriously, why are they doing that? Goddamn, I hate the Japanese version of the movie. Anyone who tells me that it's superior to the American version needs to be pushed down a flight of stairs. You can die in a fire.

Heck, I have serious problems with the Japanese version of the Transformers franchise as a whole. The only one that was actually done somewhat well was Masterforce, although they couldn't resist having whiny kids in the show, either.

~Neil

http://www.dasiencomic.com/

117ufcbetting's picture
Posted by 117ufcbetting on 14 November, 2008 - 10:27
Good thing I wasn't on this podcast.

It's a good thing I wasn't on this podcast, or I would've spent the whole time talking about how this movie is a very awkward puberty metaphor and relating my tale of meeting the writer of the movie. Also I would have complained about the super crappy music. Did you know the buttrock was all intended for other movies with the exception of the theme? The Touch was supposed to be in a Rocky movie but was rejected.

-Jeremy

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 5 November, 2008 - 13:40
I think Andrew cut out some

I think Andrew cut out some of my complaining about the music. :)

GogDog's picture
Posted by GogDog on 5 November, 2008 - 19:17
I wouldn't have mind

I wouldn't have mind listening to your take on the film. I hate to admit I haven't seen the film besides a few clips in my lifetime, at the time the film came out, I might've been burned out of the whole Transformers thing and moved on to something else. I can watch it now or later on home video and probably would think it was a pretty good film besides not having the same childhood memories you guys would have of it yourselves.

Chris@StudioToledo's picture
Posted by Chris@StudioToledo on 13 November, 2008 - 02:43
The Circuit of Life

Actually, Jeremy, what I've pointed out numerous times is that Transformers The Movie has more or less the same plot as The Lion King.

And you're kind of wrong on the music. It wasn't just the main theme. Dare was also written specifically for the movie by Vince DiCola. In fact, Stan Bush wasn't even supposed to be the original singer of that song. True, all of the other songs were written for other movies, but that's not THAT unusual.

By the way, The Touch was originally written for Cobra, not Rocky. The connection with Rocky actually comes from the score composer, Vince DiCola, having previously worked on Rocky IV.

~Neil

http://www.dasiencomic.com/

117ufcbetting's picture
Posted by 117ufcbetting on 14 November, 2008 - 10:58
Wait--you're both

Wait--you're both right!

(regarding the plot, that is)

Tale of puberty...Lion King...hell, even Star Wars (A New Hope)...these are all permutations of monomyth, as explained by Joseph Campbell and others. Anthropologists, mythologists, and other cross-cultural historians have noted the existence of this type of story being told throughout history by numerous different cultures. And not via cultural diffusion--these instances were completely separate from one another. Fascinating stuff.

Now back to robots bashing each other's brains in!

--
Sanjeev

Sanjeev's picture
Posted by Sanjeev on 14 November, 2008 - 11:48
I really like this soundtrack.

Do any of the DVD releases have a soundtrack-only feature? This might be one of the only movies where I'd use it. This movie is basically one long Transformers AMV.

RobotBastard's picture
Posted by RobotBastard on 5 November, 2008 - 18:24
The complete score

There's a Japanese version of the soundtrack that pretty much gives you ALL of the music from the movie. It's two-disc and the cover has the black-and-white picture of Hot Rod and Unicron that you see at the top of the page.

~Neil

http://www.dasiencomic.com/

117ufcbetting's picture
Posted by 117ufcbetting on 14 November, 2008 - 11:02
My research is seriously leading me aray these days...

No- I still haven't seen TF:TM yet; I don't wanna hear about it. (I wanna watch the first two seasons of the show first... whenever that happens.) That being said...

What is the name of, who wrote, produced, & performed the theme song during the opening credits? Someone gave me a copy of the song [to use in one of my CDX videos], but I don't know the basics of it [to credit the proper people].
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 10 November, 2009 - 05:02
For Real?

"No- I still haven't seen TF:TM yet; I don't wanna hear about it. (I wanna watch the first two seasons of the show first... whenever that happens.) That being said...

What is the name of, who wrote, produced, & performed the theme song during the opening credits? Someone gave me a copy of the song [to use in one of my CDX videos], but I don't know the basics of it [to credit the proper people]."

Woah EVA... for real? Seriously? If that's the case for you then you better stay away from this podcast if you don't wanna be spoiled.

Also, if you want to find out the information of the theme song in advance; won't that jeopardize your experience in seeing the 1st 2 seasons of the G1 TF + The REAL Movie?

I mean c'mon ... the specific answers to your specific questions might be hazardous to your enthusiasm.

My advice to you is get the Shout! Factory DVD collection, then THE MOVIE on DVD.

-R78

Rodimus78's picture
Posted by Rodimus78 on 10 November, 2009 - 05:22
I repeat: I have not seen

I repeat: I have not seen TF:TM yet. And I have not yet heard the above podcast.

(I simply figured this was as good a place as any to ask my question since it was relevant, and would get the- um... 'proper' attention fastest. Turns out I was right, R78...)

Dude- I don't follow the pop music crowd that closely, so I seriously doubt anything I hear about who wrote it, sang it, produced it, and what it's properly titled will hurt me that badly. ;P

...

(*scratches head, confused*)

Why do I have to keep saying this-? I found out about Transformers after G1 had ended, and G2 was well underway. (Never being a comic book fan, I didn't know wabout that either until much later.) Beast Wars was my first exposure and what turned me into a Trans-fan. And I completely missed RiD and the Unicron Trilogy because they were on cable [which we didn't have at the time].
Feel sorry for me if you are compelled to do so, but that's how it happened for me.
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 10 November, 2009 - 05:37
Music

If you are talking about the theme song to the 1986 Transformers the Movie, the hair metal version of the Transformers theme, that's performed by Lion and was written by Anne Bryant and Ford Kinder.

If you are asking about the theme song to the podcast, I wrote it and my band Violence Mars performed it.

-Jeremy

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 10 November, 2009 - 11:21
The hair metal ver. of the

The hair metal ver. of the theme, yes.

Thank you!
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 10 November, 2009 - 13:39
NP

No problem!

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 10 November, 2009 - 13:57