The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.

Director:

Nelson Shin

Writer:

Ron Friedman

Stars:

Orson Welles, Robert Stack, Leonard Nimoy

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Norman Alden	...	Kranix (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) (as Rege Cordic)
Peter Cullen	...	Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (voice)
Bud Davis	...	Dirge (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Inferno (voice) (scenes deleted)
Paul Eiding	...	Perceptor (voice)

Storyline

This theatrical movie based on the television series (which was also based on a popular multiform robot toyline) did not go over very well at the box office. The movie takes place in 2005, twenty years after the television series, and chronicles the efforts of the heroic Autobots to defend their homeworld Cybertron from the evil Decepticons. Both factions are seething with anger, and that hatred has blinded them to a hideous menace headed their way. That hideous menace is the colossal planet known as Unicron, who has been ready to consume anything that stands in its way. The only thing that can stop Unicron is the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, which is possessed by the Autobots and which the Decepticons, through Unicron's orders, plan to take away from them.

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Plot Keywords:

optimus prime character | megatron character | weapons fire | robotic animal | bozo as epithet | 

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Taglines:

It is the year 2005, and a new evil threatens the galaxy in the most incredible adventure you've ever seen.

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Transformers: The Movie

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,779,559, 10 August 1986, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$5,849,647

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sunbow Productions, Marvel Productions, Hasbro

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the early scripts included a dragon-based Autobot combiner that would have fought Devastator. In the finished story, we never get to see just what lead to Devastator's defeat.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 17 mins) When Spike and the others from the processing vat run into the room and Spike asks what's going on, Bumblebee is missing the Autobot symbol on his chest.

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Quotes

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

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Alternate Versions

Originally co-produced by Dino De Laurentiis' company, the movie's opening logos originally featured the insignia for De Laurentiis Entertainment Group [DEG]. This logo does not appear on the DVD version released by Rhino. Instead, it begins with the Sunbow and Marvel logos that originally followed the De Laurentiis logo. The logo was later restored on the 2006 DVD released of the movie.

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Connections

Featured in Cinematic Excrement: No Holds Barred (2012)

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Soundtracks

Dare
Performed by Stan Bush
Written by Vince DiCola and Scott Shelly
Produced by Vince DiCola and Richie Wise

User Reviews

Transformers the Movie

An awesome soundtrack and a cool plot, complete with new villains and heroes, Transformers the Movie will delight any fan. Fans of the cartoon will be sad to learn that Optimus Prime and Megatron both 'die'. But both won't stay down for long, as there are two sequels, in one of which Optimus Prime returns. Megatron is also rebuilt as Galvatron by the new villain, Unicron, a gigantic planet-sized Transformer.

There are several new things we meet. The Decepticons have taken over Cybertron, but the Autobots plot from Autobot City on Earth, and two secret moon bases, to retake the planet. An early attack on Autobot City leads to the final battle in which Prime fights past the bulk of the Decepticons to Megatron. Megatron 'wins', but Prime gets in his hits and leave Megatron barely alive. The Decepticons retreat, and Prime is taken for care.

Prime then tells of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, a new item most fans have probably never heard of. With his last breaths, he passes the Matrix to the new leader, Ultra Magnus, and tells him the the Matrix shall one day light the Autobot's darkest hour.

Meanwhile on a shuttle back to Cybertron, the shuttle Astrotrain is too weak to complete the trip. Cargo is jettisoned, and the Decepticons loyal to Megatron are thrown into space, along with Megatron himself who still clings to life.

They are found by Unicron, the main villain. Unicron offers Megatron a new life in exchange for loyalty and the destruction of the Matrix of Leadership, the only thing Unicron fears. Megatron, faced with death as the alternative, bitterly accepts. Unicron then turns him into Galvatron, and his other minions into Galvatron's warriors. Blessed with a new body, name, and ship, Galvatron heads for Cybertron. Interrupting the coronation of Starscream as the new leader, Galvatron kills him with one shot. The Decepticons swear loyalty.

Unicron devours (yes, he EATS) the two Autobot moon bases. An outraged Galvatron whines that Cybertron and its moons belong to him. But then Galvatron gets the bad end of Unicron's deal: should Galvatron disobey him, Unicron can cause him pain. Unable to rebel, Galvatron leads the Decepticons to Earth to complete his mission.

The Autobots are rebuilding their city when Galvatron attacks. They flee to the shuttles. One shuttle with Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots crashes on the planet of the Quintessons. The other crashes on the planet Junk. Galvatron follows and confronts Ultra Magnus. Killing him, Galvatron claim the Matrix, claiming that with it, he can command Unicron instead of the other way around. Unicron is naturally livid, roaring out into the depths of space.

On the Quintessons' planet, Hot Rod and Kup are captured by the Quintessons, who play a bigger role in the grand scheme of things then this movie shows (we later find out they created all Transformers, and are the vanguards of Unicron). The Dinobots break in and rescue them. With a new mini-Transformer named Wheelie on their side, they escape.

The Autobots mourn for Ultra Magnus when a whole bunch of Junk Transformers rise from the rubble (as it's name should imply, the Junk planet is a giant trash yard of scrap metal). After a chase, the shuttle with Hot Rob and the others land. Peace is negotiated (along with some freaky dancing), and the Junkions rebuild Ultra Magnus- complete with 90 day warranty! (all Junkions quote television.) Also unearthing their own shuttle, the Junkions and the Autobots blast off for Cybertron.

Galvatron confronts Unicron, and yells that Unicron will obey him or die. But upon attempting to use the Matrix, Galvatron cannot. Even more angry, Unicron transforms to a winged human-like robot with fists the size of moons. He then decides his choice to spare Cybertron was incorrect, and attacks the planet. The Decepticons fight back. Galvatron tries to rebel again, but Unicron promptly eats him.

The Autobots crash into Unicron's eyes and try to destroy him. While they fight off his inner defenses, Hot Rod falls into a pit. He finds Galvatron, who appears passive. But with an order and another jolt of pain from Unicron, he attacks Hot Rod. Overpowering him and almost killing him, Galvatron gloats about how easy it is to kill Autobots. Hot Rod grab the Matrix around Galvatron's neck, and transforms to Rodimus Prime. He throws Galvatron into space and uses the Matrix to destroy Unicron. As the Autobots escape, Unicron explodes, his head flying away from the debris. With the Decepticons weakened, the Autobots easily retake Cybertron.

However, there are, as mentioned, sequels. Galvatron lives, and orbiting Cybertron is the disembodied head of Unicron. Also, it appears Starscream has a ghost, and Optimus Prime may live again. 'The Return of Optimus Prime' and 'Fives Faces of Darkness' round out an excellent trilogy. But even on its own, this movie is excellent.