Transformers 1986 Movie anniversary day (Australia) - DEC 26th

[griffin]

This day 28 years ago, the first Transformers Movie started screening in Movie theatres in Australia... almost five months after it was released in America (August 8th 1986).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c346.jpg

(image submitted 16 years ago by Ozformers member Seawave)


So, how many of us are left who actually saw it in theatres back then?
Or what did you think of it when you first saw it?

And will anyone be viewing the movie on this anniversary as well, or some time over the next week?


The 1986 movie would make for a good drinking game - take a drink every time you see an animation or continuity error (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers:_The_Movie#Animation_errors).
(the alcoholic version would see who lasts longest - the non-alcoholic version could use water or cola and see who is last to have to pee)
Or do it with a Michael Bay TFs movie and take a drink every time you see an explosion... :p

[CBratron]

Pretty sure I saw it on VHS first.


Or do it with a Michael Bay TFs movie and take a drink every time you see an explosion...
That is just brutal.

[CoRDS]

uhh "This day 18 years ago, " you mean 28 years ago

[Sky Shadow]

I saw it in the cinema with Dad and my sister. Timing-wise, it was pretty good, since at Australian newsagents, Target:2006 was at the point in its run where we'd met these new characters (Galvatron, Scourge, Cyclonus and Magnus), but the big spoilers (of #83 and #84) were yet to hit.

[griffin]

uhh "This day 18 years ago, " you mean 28 years ago

Ooops, typo. :o

[Paulbot]

Saw it in the cinema (at Chadstone). Loved it. Still no movie I've seen as many times.

[CoRDS]

Ooops, typo. :o

i felt younger for a little until my brain caught up and i did the math. then i remembered im 36

[griffin]

Still no movie I've seen as many times.

Hmmm, now that I think about it, that would be true for me too.

[VERT]

Yeah I went to see it on boxing day 1986 with a friend of mine. At the Entrance cinema.

[griffin]

Is this release date of the 1986 movie the earliest confirmed/verifiable release date for Transformers in Australia?

Like, does anyone have any evidence, or know where to find it, of the first screening of the cartoon, the first release of the comic or the first release of the toys here?


I know the release date of the Movie is like two years into the history in this country, but at the moment it is probably the only commemorative date that is Australian for Transformers (which is why I make such a big deal about it)... which is a pity, but I suppose I could see if anyone at the Hasbro office would know where to look in their archives for some 1984 release data.
Hmmmm, I should have come up with this idea earlier in the year, in case they do have some official dates on file, and we could have had a nominated 30th anniversary day some time earlier this year.

[Paulbot]

I looked through some online newspaper archives lately (when I found that 1985 article in my sig - the earliest TF thing I could find) but that resource is not exhaustive.

[GoktimusPrime]

Saw it in cinemas - the George St. Hoyts cinema to be exact (in 2007 I saw the first live action TF movie in the same cinema complex (now called Event Cinemas). :) My dad took my brother, cousin and myself along to watch it. My cousin (who was a preschooler at the time) fell asleep, but my brother and were totally pumped! :D

A friend of mine who already watched the movie before me already told me that Optimus Prime would die and be replaced by Ultra Magnus, but then Hot Rod would become Rodimus Prime and replace him, and that Megatron would be rebuilt as Galvatron. I didn't care about spoilers back then. :p I must admit that I never made the connection that Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime were one and the same until then (ditto Megatron and Galvatron; although Galvatron's G1 tech specs portrays him as a different character, as we're seeing in the IDW comics atm).

My thoughts at the time included:
+ Spike swore! :eek:
+ Wheelie's voice. It was nothing like how I'd imagined it, and had been playing with my Wheelie toy up till then. I'd just given him a more exuberant voice and made him occasionally bust a rhyme (much like Blaster), but after seeing him continually speak in rhyme in that high pitched voice, I adjusted the way that I played with Wheelie. But character-wise, I always played Wheelie as a "Wild boy" survivor like character (I'd recently read Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, so I based Wheelie on Mowgli).
+ Oh, so Scourge IS a Decepticon jet! :eek: Up till then I honestly thought that was a boat, and did think it was odd that he'd been placed with the Decepticon Jets in the 1986 catalogue.
+ Huh... so the Sweeps are just clones of Scourge. I'd imagined that the Sweeps are an army of various different kinds of generic Decepticons, but not all clones.
+ Huh... so the Junkions are all... okay, you get the idea. :p
+ So that's how you pronounce "Rodimus." I'd been saying "Roh-dimus" instead of "Rod-imus." Hot Rod ---> Rodimus! I get it now! Oh wow... that wasn't worth getting. :p
+ Awww... didn't get to see the real Ultra Magnus inside that armour. Maybe in the cartoon after the movie? (seriously, I wanted to see it)
+ zOMG! Transformers can die on screen now?!? :eek: (I was already used to seeing die in the comics, but seeing them play for keeps on screen was a new thing)
+ Wooo! This soundtrack ROCKS! :D
+ Oh, so NOW I know which actor plays which Transformer! Optimus Prime is voiced by Peter Cutler! (yes, I incorrectly recalled "Cullen" as "Cutler" until I saw the movie again on VHS about a year later :p)
+ There's a girl robot! Hmm... I wonder what R.C. stands for?
+ I want an Exo-Suit!
+ Whoa, Metroplex is huge! (why is the toy so small then? :p) -- at the time, I didn't realise that Autobot City and Metroplex were two separate entities; I assumed that they were one and the same when I was watching the movie.
+ Unicron = e p i c

P.S.: Poll (https://www.playbuzz.com/goktimusprime10/how-did-you-first-watch-the-transformers-the-movie) (re: how did you first watch TFTM?) ;)

[griffin]

Can anyone actually remember watching it 28 years ago, and can definitely say that Spike's swearing was definitely in it?
We got the UK version of the movie which had the scrolling opening story, the "Optimus will return" line at the end, and from what I read, also had Spike's line cut out.

I'm pretty sure I would have noticed it in the Australian version when I saw it as an eleven year old (my friend and I would have been immature enough to keep saying it while we were playing with our TFs later :p ) so I'm wondering if we just missed it because the movie was so "awesome", or if it was indeed not in the version that was screened in this country.
Because, when I finally got a copy of the American version on DVD almost 20 years later, it was rather surreal to get to that scene and then hear that word being said in a Transformers "cartoon".

[VERT]

When I saw it at the cinema Spike did not swear. The first time I ever saw that version was on a Rhino video release. Then the first Aus DVD release. Our cinema movie release was the UK version with the Star Wars scrolling at the start. No swearing Spike And with the optimus will return bit at the end.

[Handsprime]

I was 9 years too late to watch it when it came out in theaters so the first time I watched it was on DvD.
I'm amazed at the fact its rated G despite the fact Spike says the S word. Was it censored or something back then? Or was the S word acceptable in G rated shows? (I know Back to The Future contains many S**ts and A*****es in it)

EDIT: It probably was. Apparently there were edits that had Spike's and/or Ultra Magnus' Line Removed.

[philby]

I don't remember when I first watched it, it would probably have been on vhs at some stage, but I do have a memory of being at chadstone at the time it was out with my dad and my uncle and asking if we could watch it and getting denied. i was 4

[drifand]

I never watched this in the theatre, for me it was released in a shopping mall, playing on VHS with transformers toys for sale. It was the first time out parents allowed my brother and I to watched till the end as you know this movie triumph over all transformers movie in terms of story.

[Tober]

I remember seeing it with my brother in the Hay St cinemas in Perth. We checked out the new toys again afterwards and got a Hot Rod.

'Star Wars' and 'Macross: Do You Remember Love?' are the only two movies I've seen more times.

[djanscak]

My mum took my brother and I to see it at a cinema in Perth. It must have been early 1987 as, in my mind, I'd always thought of it as a 1987 movie, not a 1986 movie. During the Optimus death scene, my brother sobbed and then bawled which set off a chain reaction of other kids crying too.

I found the darkness and weirdness (relative to the first two seasons of the cartoon) a bit unsettling and pretty much lost interest in the cartoon when season 3 started. It wasn't until I rewatched it on VHS in the late 90s that I appreciated it's edginess, beyond 2000 futurism, and near ridiculous embrace of 80s rock.

[UltimateGalvatron]

I have the 86 Movie on Disc, and Spike definately swears...

[VERT]

I have the 86 Movie on Disc, and Spike definately swears...

Yes on Dvd and Blu Ray he does. But not when it originally screened in Aus in 1986. We got the edited UK version.

[5FDP]

...lost interest in the cartoon when season 3 started.

Said the majority of 80's Transformer fans ;) :)

[BigTransformerTrev]

pretty much lost interest in the cartoon when season 3 started.


Said the majority of 80's Transformer fans ;) :)

I think it was the the beginning with the 5-Faces of Darkness that turned a lot of people off. Just such bad animation with Autobots drawn on the Decepticon side (remember seeing Skydive lined up with them outside a Quintesson ship), no sense given to scale (Frenzy is as big as Soundwave suddenly?!?) and too many new characters being jammed in such as Sky Lynx and Predaking. There was a lot of good stuff and great characters introduced in Season 3 so I don't think it should be discounted, but certainly it and Season 4 (Roger Dodger Optimus Prime!) did not hold the wonder and appeal of Season 1 & 2 by any stretch.

[UltimateGalvatron]

I think it was the the beginning with the 5-Faces of Darkness that turned a lot of people off. Just such bad animation with Autobots drawn on the Decepticon side (remember seeing Skydive lined up with them outside a Quintesson ship), no sense given to scale (Frenzy is as big as Soundwave suddenly?!?) and too many new characters being jammed in such as Sky Lynx and Predaking. There was a lot of good stuff and great characters introduced in Season 3 so I don't think it should be discounted, but certainly it and Season 4 (Roger Dodger Optimus Prime!) did not hold the wonder and appeal of Season 1 & 2 by any stretch.

While I agree on your sentiment on Season 3, I quite liked season 4. My only complaint is they focused almost COMPLETELY on the masters.

[M-bot]

Not sure if I've already shared this but... I have some very fond memories of the '86 movie. I'm pretty sure I saw it at the cinemas, but I just adored it on video. I had my dad hire it for me when I stayed with him most weekends. I once held a cassette recorder up to the TV speakers and recorded the audio, which was then listened to ad nauseum later on.

Much later, I purchased it on DVD. I got home from the shops with the family (wife and 2 step kids) and played it immediately. The family sat with mouths agape as I spouted the dialogue along with the movie almost verbatim, from memory.:D

[UltimateGalvatron]

Haha LOL! Nice story :)

[BigTransformerTrev]

While I agree on your sentiment on Season 3, I quite liked season 4. My only complaint is they focused almost COMPLETELY on the masters.

My problems with Season 4:

Fastlane: Roger Dodger Optimus Prime!
Cloudraker: Roger Dodger Optimus Prime!

Counterpunch: Well be careful, I hear my counterpart is nearby
2 seconds later
Punch: Stop right there Decepticons!

Plus them cramming so many new characters in whilst still retaining the same voice actors so half the new robot cast sounded like Autobots long dead. Otherwise it was ok for a 3-parter where they were expected to do a lot with very little time.




Much later, I purchased it on DVD. I got home from the shops with the family (wife and 2 step kids) and played it immediately. The family sat with mouths agape as I spouted the dialogue along with the movie almost verbatim, from memory.:D

Heh - I've got the CD of the soundtrack as well as four different versions of the movie. The regular DVD, the Speical Edition DVD, The UK version of the DVD and a Blu Ray copy....

... I freakin LOVE the movie! Like you M-bot I can quote the whole movie from start to finish :D

[5FDP]

...no sense given to scale (Frenzy is as big as Soundwave suddenly?!?).

Yeah, I remember several episodes where Bruticus is standing next to Cyclonus and Galvatron at Decepticon HQ and they were all the same size. LOL!

I'd have to agree with UltimateGalvatron on season 4. I only wish there had been more episodes to flesh it out. I understand why it had to be that way though.

[BigTransformerTrev]

It's interesting that most (I won't make a blanket statement and say 'all') fans love Season 1 & 2 mainly set on Earth more than Seasons 3 & 4 that were mainly set on Cybertron. Yet when it comes to the current era of comics most (again - not all) fans much prefer stories set on Cybertron rather than Earth.

[Sinnertwin]

While I agree on your sentiment on Season 3, I quite liked season 4. My only complaint is they focused almost COMPLETELY on the masters.

Well, they were the toys of the week at the time

The Japanese had a dedicated series aptly titled The Headmasters, you should check it out :)

[UltimateGalvatron]

The TF 1986 Movie is pretty much the only the only part of the G1 cartoon I can watch the whole way through, and actually LIKE watching. I can quote SO Many scenes.

"Ironhide, I need you to make a special run to Autobot City on Earth"
"But Prahm!"
"Listen Ironhide, we don't have enough energon to power a full scale assault!"

"Jazz to Moon Base 2, Jazz to Moon Base 2!"
"Bumblebee and Spike Here!"

"Laserbeak returns, Megatron"

"I've got better things to do tonight then DIE!"

"One day, an Autobot will rise from our ranks... and use the Power of the Matrix, to Light our Darkest Hour... until that day... til, all, are... one...."

"Now light our darkest hour!"

"This is the end of the road, Galvatron!"

And of course...

"One shall stand, one shall fall!"
"Why throw away your life so recklessly?"
"Thats a question you should ask yourself Megatron!"
"NO! I'll crush you with my BARE HANDS!!!"

[M-bot]

It was so well written. My favourite exchange was after UM destroyed most of their vessel to trick the attacking Decepticons into thinking they were dead:

Arcee: "Did we have to let him detonate 3/4 of the ship?"
Springer: "Seeing as how they would've detonated 4/4, I think it was a good choice"

Gold!!:D

[Skullcruncher]

Officially I first watched the movie in 2002, on a VHS I ordered with my girlfriends credit card....when watching it turns out I had watched it before in New Zealand. TV3 were kind enough to chop it up into 30 minute episodes and show it along with the rest of the reruns, around 1996/97.

[Lint]

I've seen some pretty damn good movies, but I reckon this is still my favourite movie of all time. It was absolutely mindblowing at the time and more than passes the test of time as entertainment today. (not that the bar is set that high these days :p)

[Megatran]

Does the movie pass the Bechdel test?

[BruiseLee]

Does the movie pass the Bechdel test?

Cue a spike in googles for Bechdel. Don't recall another fembot in the 86 movie except Arcee so it doesn't meet the criteria.

[High_Q]

The first time I saw TFTM, it was on TV in the toy department of a SOGO department store.

I was immediately captivated by the introduction of new characters, death of familiar ones, the superior animation (compared to the TF cartoons) and Unicron's transformation sequence (wow!). Also disappointed that the other combiner teams didn't show up during the movie. :confused:

IMO, it has definitely aged well compared to the rest of US G1. Recently rewatched G1 Season 1 for the first time, and don't think I want to do it again.

Bechdel test? I had to look that up. :) I'd say no, since there is only one, if the non-human Arcee counts. I've never even noticed that there were virtually no females in the movie before today.

[M-bot]

Got home from work his arvo, my neighbour was with her son in the street. He was riding his new bike, sporting Autobot insignias. Apparently he's been getting into TFs a bit lately. She told me she bought the first live action film but found it a bit too extreme for him (he's only about 5). I went inside and got my copy of the '86 movie on DVD and gave it to them to loan. Hopefully get another fan hooked early! :D

[Ozgardian]

I think so... Just went through the Canberra Times newspaper archive & 26/12/86 was its first screening in Canberra. I actually went to see Labyrinth 1st & saw Transformers in January. 3 most memorable moments 1."Did he just swear in a Transformers cartoon?!?" ...yes I remember Spike swearing in the cinema! 2.Crying at Primes death. 3.Unicron, that is one mother of a robot. ...A death Star that transforms? Hell yes!

[ampoldj]

I remember watching this and G.I.Joe the movie back to back and i hated then how Hasbro made me and my cousins cry on the death of Optimus and almost nearly, Duke (which I thought was goner as well since they killed Optimus)

[Alpha Supreme]

My favorite Movie of all time. I fell in love with Perceptor and his speeches.

"Ultra Magnus, a cursory evaluation of Decepticon capabilities indicates a distinct tactical deficiency."

Best line ever! Actually started my love of words.

[prjkt]

I remember watching this and G.I.Joe the movie back to back and i hated then how Hasbro made me and my cousins cry on the death of Optimus and almost nearly, Duke (which I thought was goner as well since they killed Optimus)

Apparently the backlash to killing Prime was the reason they didn't kill Duke off in the Joe movie

[drifand]

For me, it was the first American cartoon where heroes die.
Not only prime died but ironhide, prowl and so many were just killed off.
It was very comforting to see Jazz survived.

[Bartrim]

My favorite Movie of all time. I fell in love with Perceptor and his speeches.

"Ultra Magnus, a cursory evaluation of Decepticon capabilities indicates a distinct tactical deficiency."

Best line ever! Actually started my love of words.

I love when they are about to head to the planet of junk and Perceptor starts with all the big words and Magnus is just sitting there not looking impressed :D

[Paulbot]

It's not 30 years in Australia for a few more months, but the Americans are celebrating the 30th Anniversary of TFTM. Check out the #tftm30th hashtag on Twitter (https://twitter.com/hashtag/tftm30th?src=hash) for examples.

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

This day 28 years ago, the first Transformers Movie started screening in Movie theatres in Australia... almost five months after it was released in America (August 8th 1986).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/c346.jpg

Talk about false advertising! I remember going to Roxy Parramatta ready to watch the film and they told us they weren't showing it there!!!!!

Man was I ever pissed! :mad:

[Tober]

Till All Are One: A Production History of The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/08/till-all-are-one-a-production-history-of-the-transformers-the-movie-1986/)

I'm not sure if this has already been posted, but I know I've read most of it before. Interesting stuff regardless.

[Gofigure]

Till All Are One: A Production History of The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/08/till-all-are-one-a-production-history-of-the-transformers-the-movie-1986/)

I'm not sure if this has already been posted, but I know I've read most of it before. Interesting stuff regardless.

Love this kind of stuff

Thx for the link 😀

[shockNwave]

Till All Are One: A Production History of The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/08/till-all-are-one-a-production-history-of-the-transformers-the-movie-1986/)

I'm not sure if this has already been posted, but I know I've read most of it before. Interesting stuff regardless.

So nostalgic and uplifting to read of the journey to make this film a reality and it's continuing legacy and impact on many people to this day.:)

[MayzaPrime]

So nostalgic and uplifting to read of the journey to make this film a reality and it's continuing legacy and impact on many people to this day.:)

Just watched the special features on the 30th Anniversary. I am glad that they didnt do the glory charge of all the discontinued toys... I dont think my 3yr old self could have handled it. I am still traumatised from Prime, Prowl etc... all get destroyed so brutally :D

[Borgeman]

Just watched the special features on the 30th Anniversary. I am glad that they didnt do the glory charge of all the discontinued toys... I dont think my 3yr old self could have handled it. I am still traumatised from Prime, Prowl etc... all get destroyed so brutally :D

Rewatching a glory charge now though would be awesome :cool:

[MayzaPrime]

Rewatching a glory charge now though would be awesome :cool:

Yeah have to agree with you there :D

[Lint]

Till All Are One: A Production History of The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/08/till-all-are-one-a-production-history-of-the-transformers-the-movie-1986/)

I'm not sure if this has already been posted, but I know I've read most of it before. Interesting stuff regardless.

Bit late to the party but that was a great read. It's amazing how well the film turned out considering how little many of the key players had to work with. A tribute to the professionalism of all involved. Also funny to read that the drafts had a more gratuitous version of the shuttle boarding scene. Thankfully it got toned down, not for the childrens sake I say, but rather I think it would have been distractingly over the top :D

[Paul Agnew]

On this day 30 years ago, the *other* greatest animated transforming robot film of all time was released in Australian theatres, a full fortnight before the Transformers hit the big screen. ;)

http://i67.tinypic.com/312cpe1.jpg

[kup]

Was there a local release of the 30th anniversary blueray?

[M-bot]

Someone recut the movie into a "modern" trailer - not bad, not great, an interesting curiousity.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=ZTIf8koul2o

[MayzaPrime]

Someone recut the movie into a "modern" trailer - not bad, not great, an interesting curiousity.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=ZTIf8koul2o

Yeah its pretty cool :D

[Borgeman]

Its really bloody good. Like top shelf.

Tho I will nitpick for just one little thing thing, since it sounded out of place (and I re-watched it to be sure). During Prime's voice over talking to Magnus, he says "... as it was passed to me." I think following that Prime starting again with "Nor was I, but one day..." sounded funny. I reckon it would have been spot on if the editor started from "one day" and omitted the "nor was I, but".

Trivial I know :rolleyes:

[CHILENO20]

Loved it :D

[M-bot]

Its really bloody good. Like top shelf.

Tho I will nitpick for just one little thing thing, since it sounded out of place (and I re-watched it to be sure). During Prime's voice over talking to Magnus, he says "... as it was passed to me." I think following that Prime starting again with "Nor was I, but one day..." sounded funny. I reckon it would have been spot on if the editor started from "one day" and omitted the "nor was I, but".

Trivial I know :rolleyes:

My nit-picks:
- The line you pointed out above - I can understand they didn't want to put UM's line in there as it would have been a "spoiler" that UM is the first recipient of the Matrix, but yeah, best start Prime's line with "one day..."
- They show UM in pieces on the junk planet, another "spoiler"
- Third and most unforgivable "spoiler" is a very brief shot of Hot Rod opening the Matrix after the line about "lighting our darkest hour".
- 2 different shots of Windcharger's body in separate parts of the trailer.

Otherwise, pretty good.

Wow, I am being very nit-picky :rolleyes: This *is* the internet, right?;):D

[VodooCaMo]

somebody bring me back i feel nostalgic.

[Jay-Tron]

Someone recut the movie into a "modern" trailer - not bad, not great, an interesting curiousity.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=ZTIf8koul2o

Gave me goose bumps.