The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

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:

Spike originally said "Oh s*** what are we going to do now" in the theatrical release when he and Bumblebee realized that blowing up the moon didn't affect Unicron. "Oh s***" had been put in the theatrical release to guarantee a PG rating as G rated movies could not be played as often during the day as PG, PG-13 or R rated movies back then. The line however had been taken out of every VHS or DVD until the 20th anniversary DVD because no company would release it with the line intact. For the 20th anniversary the producers put it back in.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hot Rod emerges from the Quintesson ship, the ship is colored silver in the matte painting behind him, but in the animated shots before and after this scene, the ship is its normal green color. Also, the symbol on Grimlock's dinosaur mode chest is missing as he exits the ship.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Transformers (2007)

Soundtrack:

Autobot/Decepticon Battle

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.