The Soapbox

[STL]

Welcome to my weekly column. Probably since the beginning of this year, the thought of doing this column had been firmly in the back of my mind. Between graduate job hunting, university, work, volunteering, AFL and, my other love, comics and novels, I just hadn’t been able to squeeze in the time for this. That’s fortunately changed now as the horizon looks a lot rosier.

So what is this column? I guess I’d like to describe it as what will hopefully eventually be a collection of well-thought articles on various topics about the Transformers. I don’t claim to be the most well-versed fan out there in TF lore, nor do I claim to be entirely objective to everything TF. I do hope though to approach a diversity of topics with a sensibility and alacrity that will spark some interesting discussions.

So without further ado, I present STL’s Soapbox.

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TFM or TFTM?

Over two decades separate the two movies that defined Transformers for a generation. The 1986 Movie (TFTM) was thrust into production by the success that was the Generation One cartoon. The 2007 Movie (TFM) was a creature of modern capitalism; part of the trend of bringing to cinema superhero/80s vehicles of success. The success of the former was expected given the success of the franchise at the time. The latter, TFM, on the other hand, could not guarantee that success. As much as any fan was willing to support the latter, there was always that cloud of uncertainty over how successful it would be. As history will have us know, TFM was an incredible triumph. It brought the brand into unchartered territory.

That said, that success in itself does not necessarily translate into success from the perspective of a Transformers fan. The Transformer community is demanding. Compared to your average viewer, the Transformer fan has a deeper emotional investment in the brand and that is why we understandably demand more. With that in mind, we must ask ourselves, which of the two movies were better?

The starting point from which I’ve decided to begin my discussion is a strange yet surprisingly appropriate one. Both TFTM and TFM saw albums/scores released contemporaneously with their release on the big screen. The TFTM soundtrack was recently re-released whilst there are two versions of TFM: the “soundtrack” and the “Score”. It is safe to say that the TFM Soundtrack itself was rather underwhelming; a messy mix of songs that really did not begin to even replicate the heart of the movie. The TFM Score more than satisfactorily filled that void though. When you listen to the score, you feel some of the classic moments – the Arrival on Earth, the Final Battle, Sam and Mikeala by the Lake – and you are quickly reminded of the movie, its energy and vigour,. In its own right the Score is an exquisite display of the core of the movie. The bitter struggle, the face of adversity, the heroism.

Yet unfortunately it pales in comparison to the TFTM Soundtrack which comprises of a number of lyrical and acoustic pieces. Why? When you as a fan listen to the TFTM Soundtrack, you feel a tingle creep up your spine, a sense of excitement that draws you back to the long lost days of your youth. Each track, each song greets you like a long lost friend. When you hear the pieces you feel the power of the movie, you hear the voices of the characters, you live the epic tragedies that they endured. “The Touch” is Optimus’ swansong. It is his defining act of heroism. It defines the Autobot cause. It is the sharp reminder there are stakes and they are high. It is irreplaceable. If you spend a lazy summer afternoon by the lake listening to track after track on TFTM, you remember the magic. You remember Prime on his deathbed, the destruction of Lithone, Galvatron’s obliteration of Magnus, the arrival of the Dinobots, Hot Rod’s rescue of Kup, the formation of Galvatron, Unicron’s transformation, Hot Rod’s blaze to the top of Lookout Mountain, need I go on?

The TFM Score, as lovely as it is, does not give us that. At its heart really is only one tune. And if you’ve listened to the Score, I’m sure you all know which tune I’m talking about. There are extremely well done variations but ultimately they are simply variations. For that reason, you don’t get that same sense of magic, that same sense of scope. There are powerful moments that are captured like “Arrival to Earth” but, unfortunately, they are too few and far between.

And I think this provides us the basis for comparing the two movies. TFM at its core lacks substance. It is a great action movie but it is not a great Transformers movie. Far from it. The respective soundtracks evidence this distinction. Unequivocally.

TFM lacks substance you say? At its heart, TFM’s success was predicated on its ability to appeal to the general public. It’s no secret that the general public has warmed to the franchise. But is there anything wrong with this? Some may contend that there is, some may contend that there is not. But that misses the crux of the issue here. What turns on this question is the fact that instead of being a “Transformer” movie, TFM is transformed (pardon the pun) into a mainstream movie, a movie that many would call a popcorn flick. And there is nothing wrong with this. The movie industry’s principal interest is raking up ticket receipts. There’s no point then in producing something that appeals to a niche of fans. If that had happened and the movie had flopped into obscurity, we would never have seen a sequel, a sequel where perhaps some of fandom’s fervent desires may still yet be realised .

But there is a cost to it. The Transformers find themselves jostling with TFM’s human cast. The way Mikeala moves sensually onscreen is perhaps the most obvious example of this. Intended to appeal to the male testosterone, it performs its function very well. Then there’s the humour. There’s no denying it works but the problem is that it is built on the establishment of human cast to the detriment of the robots who are supposed to be the focus of Transformers. The infamously aimless scenes with Maggie are testament to this. Such scenes are used to build tension while also providing an avenue of comic relief. Perhaps the most glaring example of detraction though is in the final battle between Prime and Megatron. The angles from which we the viewer see this battle unfold detract heavily from the sense of epic. This is supposed to be the fight that determines it all, the fight between two pillars of the Cybertronian War, a war that has found its way to the planet Earth. Yet here the angles heavily emphasise Sam’s constant position in it. Even where Prime voices his famous lines from TFTM, the action remains focused on Sam and, if I recall correctly, Prime and Megatron are off screen. And that takes away that sense of wonder, that sense of epic. It drains TFM of the lifeblood that is needed to make it truly a Transformer spectacle. As has been frequently asserted amongst the fandom, this robs the movie of its heart. The characters are merely caricatures. The Autobots are at least somewhat better defined than their Decepticon counterparts. To be terrible honest, Maggie was more well-defined than the majority of the Transformers in the movie. And that speaks volumes. This is why to the Transformer fan TFM will always be an inferior product to TFTM. It failed to give us a reason to care for the Transformers other than the fact that they are Transformers. It could’ve been named Go-Bots and still succeeded. Perhaps I’m being flippant but that’s the gnawing frustration. You do like the movie, you do like it a lot, but as a TF fan you recognize one undeniable fact: It has no heart.

That said, TFTM still has to be able to stand on its two legs. TFTM is the ultimate realization of everything that made the Transformers, the Transformers. The first two seasons of G1 delivered us the essence of Transformers. But it did not progress Transformers into something truly epic, something material that our heart strings could grasp onto. The first two seasons gave us a mix and match of numerous characters who frequently failed to develop and progress. Combined w/ the oft inane plots that you look back upon today and shudder, G1 was not something that should survive one’s childhood.

TFTM changed all that.

It stripped away the innocence of G1. It preserved its core, the robots who had waged war for millions of years, the fight between good and evil but it advanced the concept to something more tangible. The movie shattered the comfort of innocence that the G1 cartoon had proffered. It showed us a star-spanning epic that changed the entire nature of the conflict that we had witnessed. The characters had life, dimension. We were blown away by their courage, their fragility, their sacrifice.

Like it or not, Wheelie is one of the weakest characters in G1 continuity, However, I’d be hard press to say he was annoying in TFTM. It is his later appearances that burden him with prejudice. In TFTM he is a welcomed source of comic relief. He isn’t overbearing but serves as neat cameo. (that’s leaving aside the problem of how a Transformer boy survived so long on Quintessa), of course). His interactions w/ Grimlock are particularly endearing. Much also can be said of Hot Rod. A vocal section of fandom often view him w/ ridicule but that’s post TFTM. Here in TFTM, no one can doubt his ascension is memorable. The rise through the ranks, the growing in confidence, the determination and stature to grow make him a character worth admiring.

Furtthermore, TFTM gave birth to a new style of futuristic toys. Toys that would come to include the great combiner teams, the Headmasters and the Targetmasters. However, that said, I think that it’d be fair to say that TFM offered us something similar. The new more realistic alt modes were prior to TFM reserved primarily for the BT/Alternator lines. It wasn’t something we could associate with the average deluxe or even voyager toy. That’s certainly welcomed. So, yes, TFTM changed our expectations of toys but TFM did that too. So maybe it’s not fair to use this as a reason why TFTM is for all intents and purposes superior to TFM.

The other aspect of TFTM was how the treatment of the characters changed. They were no longer a protected species. The stakes were raised. They could die. They could suffer. Your heart breaks as G1 favourites like Prowl, Brawn, Ironhide, Ratchet die. It just wasn’t the fact that they died either. It was Ironhide’s valiantly desperate plea. Your heart couldn’t help but sink at Megatron’s brutal response. And I’m sure all of you remember that line without me having to say it. And that’s just it. That’s why TFTM is the better movie. It has moments that are full of life and energy. Moments that fill you with anguish or cynicism. Moments that define the Transformers we know and love. And who can forget Prime’s last stand? It is an act of unbridled heroism, an act of sacrifice, an act that elevates Prime – if he already wasn’t – into the icon of Transformers.

The best part is that I still haven’t gotten around to mentioning the epic struggle against Unicron, his transformation, the emergence of Galvatron, the destruction of Lithone, the battles with the Sharkticons, Ultra Magnus’ most famous (infamous) line, the tussle with the Junkions, and so on. The movie is delightfully filled with so many memorable moments. And not just any moments at all – they are moments that define Transformers for a generation of fans. TFM may redefine Transformers as a vehicle of mass market success but it certainly didn’t revolutionise it for fans.

Though it will never be as acclaimed as its live-action counterpart, TFTM is the movie for the Transformer faithful. It is the embodiment of all that Transformers represent. It builds the universe. It gives it scope, significance. It shifts our paradigms. It gives us heroes.

[Kyle]

Interesting read. Keep em coming~

[Robzy]

Excellent stuff STL!!! I think you hit the nail on the head!

[Pulse]

& the Fandom officially has a voice...

[TheDirtyDigger]

Good stuff STL. As a Tf fan I do believe the cartoon movie was better although it's a bit like comparing apples to oranges because of the different natures of both movies.

On a side note I still think Prime purposefully sent Ironhide to his death. See how Ironhide tries to get out of going to Earth and Prime's all like "Shutup and eff off Ironhide."

[SilverDragon]

I agree with your comment on the TFM lacking substance (I personally felt like I was watching a toy commercial or something, ironic isn't it?), but I disagree on the subject of their soundtracks, although both are quite good.

The whole thing about the TFTM soundtrack bringing back my youth doesn't work for me, as I wasn't born at that time, nor watched the movie (I saw some G1 episodes though).

[jaydisc]

Great idea (the column)... been looking forward to it. I would recommend that you include the article's title in the thread title as I suspect this will be the first of many, e.g.

The Soapbox I: TFM or TFTM
The Soapbox II: What is a Scalper? ()

That way, the resulting discussion will be compartmentalized and future columns won't be drowned out in page 9 of a never-ending thread.

Now, the meat.

I disagree with your analogy of the scores/soundtracks. I find the TFTM soundtrack makes me cringe as if I'm watching Ricky Jervais give his career performance. The music is so dated, so cheesy, so cheap. On the other hand, the TFM soundtrack is simply a payola joke. Lastly, the TFM score is decent, but also loaded with cheap musical tricks. So to me, all three are poop, with the TFM score being the least poop. A few musical scores that I can think of off of the top of my head that are vital contributors to the films that contain them, are Aliens, Gladiator and Batman Begins.

With the exception of the soundtrack, I adore TFTM. It was mind blowing to me as an 11 year old. It introduced mortality (on a planetary scale!), the death of lead characters, and a completely new cast, including the almighty Unicron (do you think Spaceball 1 was influenced by Unicron?). To me, it was as profound and as powerful as The Empire Strikes Back.

TFM employs the standard Hollywood playbook for quick money: Special effects, tits, popular music and bad jokes based on contemporary culture (Prime: "my bad"). Unfortunately, that means it also comes with flawed science (Maggie/hacking/viruses), wasteful unnecessary scenes (Autobots at the Witwickys), incomplete special effects (too much blur), some glaring plot holes (Barricade), and an anticlimactic ending (uh, touch the bad guy with the Allspark). Knowing Bay, I knew it was to be exactly like that, so my expectations were lowered, and I still like it, but I'm sure that's due to my emotional ties to the franchise, as it is just Hollywood smut.

[Demonac]

Hmmm....quite a lot to think about there.

Regarding the soundtrack, I agree with STL. I think the '86 soundtrack to be superior.
I haven't heard the '07 'soundtrack', but the score is quite forgetable. Steve Jablonsky is no Bernard Hermann, Jerry Goldsmith, or James Horner. I have to agree with Jay in that the '86 soundtrack is cheesy...but a bit of cheese here and there is fun (except that horrid title track).

I also agree with Jay's summarization of the '07 movie. I enjoyed the film the first time because my expectations were so low, but since then, I find it extremely hard to watch the damn thing. I find myself just skipping to the transformers...you know...transforming. THAT was cool. Too bad about the rest of the movie.
It's true both films are essentially extended ads ('86: toys, '07: GM cars), but at least the '86 one had depth. And quotable dialogue.

But, hey...whatever people enjoy is fine by me...I'll be a closet elitist. :P

[dirge]

A well constructed argument, mon ami.

I'm not sure I agree with your point of view - but then the eclectic film buff in me sees a lot of problems in TFTM. Both suceeded in different ways and failed in different ways.

TFTM as a film was _far_ too inaccessible for the general public. Which would be fine if it wasn't released in cinemas, however it was. It does provide a better sense of epic and the focus is far more on the Transformers, which certainly appeals to those with a developed interest in the film. Commercially, it flopped, but within it's own established Universe it did quite well.

TFM is far more accessible, partly because it focussed far more on humans, partly because it showed the battle between Autobots & Decepticons from a human perspective - something TFTM (and most TF cartoons since G1) failed to do. Because of the emphasis on including those uninitiated into the TF Universe, the movie was shallower in its story, and lacked that sense of epic. Because of the accessibility it did well commercially, however the reaction from the established fandom was mixed.

It could be argued that TFTM is a failure because it failed to spawn a sequel. But then, The Blues Brothers flopped at the box office and has ended up with a massive fanbase and an enduring legacy (a sequel was made over 20 years later), so commercial success isn't always the best measure.

It could be argued that TFM is an artistic failure because of plot holes and shallow character development. Still, it has spawned a sequel and taken TF sales & profile to a level not seen since Beast Wars. Artistic success isn't always the best measure.

So for me, both are successful, in different ways. The "popcorn" movie fan in me likes TFM and the Transfan in me likes TFTM, and sees genuine merit in both. The "popcorn" movie fan in me can find TFTM too intense to watch through (in some moods) while the Transfan in me finds some aspects of TFM thoroughly pointless in a Transformers show (such as the Maggie storyarc).

[GoktimusPrime]

I agree w/ dirge. The beauty of TFM is that you don't have to be a Transformers fan to like it. A lot of my friends who are by no means Transformers fans enjoyed watching TFM.

TFTM the other hand is incomprehensible if you're not a Transformers fans. Just read any movie review of TFTM and you'll see critics pasting it because they had absolutely no freaking idea as to what the blazes was happening in the story. Orson Welles once described Unicron as being a really big toy that eats little toys. It's no secret that Welles wasn't a fan of that movie at all (which is regretable for him considering that it was his final role). It's a great movie if you're a fan of the G1 cartoon - as it's a sequel to Seasons 1 & 2, forming bridgework for Season 3. It's really just an 80 minute episode of the cartoon. The Beast Wars movie was the same.

But yeah, I like/appreciate all the Transformers theatrical movies for different reasons.

Transformers movies released in theatres:

1986: Transformers The Movie


1999: Beast Wars (movie)


2007: Transformers (movie)