The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nelson Shin

Writer:

Ron Friedman (writer)

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beyond good. Beyond evil. Beyond your wildest imagination.

Plot:

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who is after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Robot | Battle | Transformer | Transforming Robot

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Norman Alden	...	Kranix / Arblus (voice)
Jack Angel	...	Astrotrain (voice)
Michael Bell	...	Prowl / Scrapper / Swoop / Junkion (voice)
Gregg Berger	...	Grimlock (voice)
Susan Blu	...	Arcee (voice)
Arthur Burghardt	...	Devastator (voice)
Corey Burton	...	Spike / Brawn / Shockwave (voice)
Roger C. Carmel	...	Cyclonus / Quintesson Leader (voice)
Victor Caroli	...	Narrator (voice)
Regis Cordic	...	Quintesson Judge (voice)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (voice)
Peter Cullen	...	Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)
Bud Davis	...	Dirge (voice)
Paul Eiding	...	Perceptor (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Inferno (voice) (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Toransufômaa: Za mûbii (Japan)
Transformers the Movie: Apocalypse! Matrix Forever (Japan: English title) (working title)
Transformers: Mokushiroku! Matrix yo eien ni (Japan) (working title)
Transformers: The Movie (USA) (DVD box title)

Runtime:

84 min | Argentina:85 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:PG (Reconstructed Edition) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Québec) | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:PG

Company:

Sunbow Productions

Trivia:

Two other characters were scripted to die in the film as well, but the scenes were not animated. During the attack on Autobot City by Devastator, Ultra Magnus attacks, accompanied by Sideswipe, Tracks and Red Alert, and Red Alert is killed by a cannon blast. Also, towards the end of the movie when Shockwave is frantically calling for the Decepticons to engage Unicron, Unicron's hand was supposed to have been seen crushing Shockwave's citadel. The way the movie was released, after Shockwave calls "Scramble!", Unicron's hand comes down and smashes a good part of the planet's surface, and Shockwave is never seen again.

Goofs:

Factual errors: There are a couple frames where you can see the inside of one of the Lithonian ships being devoured by Unicron. The pilot of the ship appears to be Kranix, even though he apparently screams out Kranix's name, and Kranix appears later in the Quintesson prison.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kranix: Arblus, look! It's Unicron!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Boogie Nights (1997)

Soundtrack:

Hunger

Not just for fans

Well, I agree that the appeal of this movie is mostly to fans, but I was never a big fan of the series, and I loved it. It's definitely not mainstream, but for anyone who can appreciate robots voiced by some big names (even Orson Welles!) thrashing each other with a very cool, hugely 80s soundtrack, this is where it's at. The main plot, although not exactly inspired, is at least compelling. Any of the scenes with Unicron (Welles) or Galvatron (Leonard Nimoy) easily make the movie worth watching, and there are a few scenes that actually have heart. If you don't like 80s cartoon action, stay away. But if you'll always be a Megaman-playing, Ninja-Turtle-watching kid at heart, check it out.