Transformers!

As a kid, I was always obsessed with this series - I had the toys, pyjama's, a lunchbox and video's... never the comics, though, which I now regret. Although the animation was kinda poor, it told a brilliant story; Optimus Prime the ultimate hero - strong, benign, wise... and Megatron, the petty minded destroyer.

Looking back as an adult, the original film was pure darkness - I mean, what is more absolute than a planet-eating planet robot?? I recommend everyone to pick up a copy, even if just to laugh at the dialogue (bless Eric Idle as the mad Wreck-Gar), the odd swear word (watch Spike's reaction in the original as he escapes their homeworld... priceless!), and some very cool dialogue:


Megatron: The point is he's dead, and the Matrix died with him!
Unicron: No. The point is that you are a fool!


Transformers rock!! Who else is with me here?? I can't wait for the new movie, I remember literally cutting my girlfriend off mid-sentence with a finger in the air and a harsh 'shush' as I saw the trailer for the first time. We were both speechless for that moment.

I'll be joining you in line to go and see this film! Childhood memories!

Mann... my little brother was obsessed with transformers too... he had to have every one of the toys when they came out... He'd sit and transform them all day.

I had all the toys and unfortunately broke the lot.

The new range are rubbish pieces of junk-gar, makes you glad you lived in the 'golden era' of cartoon animation... it was all fresh and experimental, and the toys rocked.

I think I'm eventually going to get an original Optimus Prime, hopefully before the film comes out and prices rocket.

used to love the animal transformers but sadly the new ones are retarded...

I also used to watch the old Beast Wars...

That was a good show.

They were on right after I was feeling too old to watch those things. Besides, I really never could understand the whole "transformer" philosophy. I wanted things different, and my pre-teen years were more interesting socially than on TV!

What do you mean, childhood memories?!
I've been a continuous fan of Transformers since 1986. Through my tweens, my teens, my twenties.

I disagree with a lot of the original poster's comments, but most of Transformers fandom has that difference with me. Re: Original Optimus Prime - I haven't checked recently, but prices of mint condition Transformers from the 1980's and especially Optimus Prime have been rather high since the late 1990's when a large mass of the original fan base started earning proper income. This was offset by manufacturer re-releases of the toys based on original designs. So it could spike again after a new movie makes it more mainstream.

I believe I'm going to be annoyed by the way this movie re-tells the story.
However, I have decided to relax and just enjoy it for what it is. Should be good fun if I don't take it too seriously. The original voice actors for Optimus Prime/Megatron should be cool to hear too.

I was sceptical of Beast Wars at first. I really wanted classic Transformers. But I became a fan soon enough, realising that an off to the side re-creation of Transformers with new depth in the writing and production values was actually more valuable than trying to re-hash or re-flavour the same old stuff or trying to sell to a limited audience of fans. Beast Wars was good - it's a shame the toy manufacturers have reverted to using the more juvenile Japanese animations as the basis for their toy marketing.

Re: disagreeing with comments of others. Let me think - Optimus Prime the strong, benign and wise leader - I guess he was like that in the cartoons. I like exploring the difficulties this poses - avoiding catching innocents in the crossfire of a war and such like, but that's a bit above the level a 1980's cartoon could reach. Megatron as a petty destroyer ... no, I disagree, Megatron was a ruthless conqueror and sometimes you have to destroy to conquer ... and in the cartoon that's all there was to it - "let's conquer the universe". However, Megatron made several attempts to build things as well. Like his perfect city. He wants to conquer the universe because he honestly believes his group are the superior race and are best suited in the order of things to rule over and employ the labour (enslave) others.

... but some of the deeper unsaid issues are easy to figure out. The Decepticons regard themselves as the superior race and believe it's their birthright to rule over lesser species and enslave them for their own benefit. Rather fascist ... like the Nazis and others actually. And no one seems to want to acknowledge the Autobots are the opposite - a bunch of socialists!! After all, they all live in one big spaceship (later in one big city) and share resources for the common good. And Optimus Prime, the strong, benign, wise and eternal leader - well, I don't think he's ever faced any elections! Maybe he doesn't need to, but that doesn't change the fact that he hasn't.

Said By Kryojenix

What do you mean, childhood memories?!
I've been a continuous fan of Transformers since 1986. Through my tweens, my teens, my twenties.

I disagree with a lot of the original poster's comments, but most of Transformers fandom has that difference with me. Re: Original Optimus Prime - I haven't checked recently, but prices of mint condition Transformers from the 1980's and especially Optimus Prime have been rather high since the late 1990's when a large mass of the original fan base started earning proper income. This was offset by manufacturer re-releases of the toys based on original designs. So it could spike again after a new movie makes it more mainstream.

I believe I'm going to be annoyed by the way this movie re-tells the story.
However, I have decided to relax and just enjoy it for what it is. Should be good fun if I don't take it too seriously. The original voice actors for Optimus Prime/Megatron should be cool to hear too.

I was sceptical of Beast Wars at first. I really wanted classic Transformers. But I became a fan soon enough, realising that an off to the side re-creation of Transformers with new depth in the writing and production values was actually more valuable than trying to re-hash or re-flavour the same old stuff or trying to sell to a limited audience of fans. Beast Wars was good - it's a shame the toy manufacturers have reverted to using the more juvenile Japanese animations as the basis for their toy marketing.

Re: disagreeing with comments of others. Let me think - Optimus Prime the strong, benign and wise leader - I guess he was like that in the cartoons. I like exploring the difficulties this poses - avoiding catching innocents in the crossfire of a war and such like, but that's a bit above the level a 1980's cartoon could reach. Megatron as a petty destroyer ... no, I disagree, Megatron was a ruthless conqueror and sometimes you have to destroy to conquer ... and in the cartoon that's all there was to it - "let's conquer the universe". However, Megatron made several attempts to build things as well. Like his perfect city. He wants to conquer the universe because he honestly believes his group are the superior race and are best suited in the order of things to rule over and employ the labour (enslave) others.

... but some of the deeper unsaid issues are easy to figure out. The Decepticons regard themselves as the superior race and believe it's their birthright to rule over lesser species and enslave them for their own benefit. Rather fascist ... like the Nazis and others actually. And no one seems to want to acknowledge the Autobots are the opposite - a bunch of socialists!! After all, they all live in one big spaceship (later in one big city) and share resources for the common good. And Optimus Prime, the strong, benign, wise and eternal leader - well, I don't think he's ever faced any elections! Maybe he doesn't need to, but that doesn't change the fact that he hasn't.

By any chance are you 40 and live in your parent's basement?

I think you're waaaaaay over the top. Sure, a lot of animation has political undertones, but it really took a generic good/evil (maybe Biblical) template to sell rather than some deep complex conspiracy. You forget the cartoons at that time were designed to shift toys, not tell some life-enhancing story. Order Vs Chaos, it's hardly original.

The dialogue is a giveaway - Prime's voice of 'nobility' and order comes from the template of 'holy good', and Megatron's mostly chaotic and disorganised rabble leading his warband diplays the 'unholy bad'. I think you give the Decepticons too much credit. They follow ancient Greek philosophical principles - the ugly, stupid and disorderly are one and the same, as the noble, heroic, good-looking do to.

I am athiest by the way, but these cartoons were inevitably the product of corporate christian america, not political activists trying to display some deep meaning to kids who watched the show with their favourite toys in hand.

Said By drizzle

By any chance are you 40 and live in your parent's basement?

I think you're waaaaaay over the top. Sure, a lot of animation has political undertones, but it really took a generic good/evil (maybe Biblical) template to sell rather than some deep complex conspiracy. You forget the cartoons at that time were designed to shift toys, not tell some life-enhancing story. Order Vs Chaos, it's hardly original.

The dialogue is a giveaway - Prime's voice of 'nobility' and order comes from the template of 'holy good', and Megatron's mostly chaotic and disorganised rabble leading his warband diplays the 'unholy bad'. I think you give the Decepticons too much credit. They follow ancient Greek philosophical principles - the ugly, stupid and disorderly are one and the same, as the noble, heroic, good-looking do to.

I am athiest by the way, but these cartoons were inevitably the product of corporate christian america, not political activists trying to display some deep meaning to kids who watched the show with their favourite toys in hand.

Most literature/TV/cartoons/Comics/whatever have the same good vs evil, Biblical undertones. What do you think the X-Files was all about?

However, there are cartoons for both adults and kids that are rife with political/social undertones. I mean, what the heck do you think a Scooby Snack was a euphemism for?

Anyway, my son is looking forward to the Transformers movie and am glad that these toys are still around. He'll spend hours building and rebuilding his transformers into new and different and weird creatures. And isn't that what a toy is really all about? For a child to enjoy and benefit from?

Said By debrajean2

Anyway, my son is looking forward to the Transformers movie and am glad that these toys are still around. He'll spend hours building and rebuilding his transformers into new and different and weird creatures. And isn't that what a toy is really all about? For a child to enjoy and benefit from?

A child? No, I think it's for anyone to enjoy/benefit from. As long as you enjoy it, enjoy it. I always hated the philosophy that such and such things are for children and just that

I think those toys are good for helping develop fine motor skills and logic building.

TRANSFORMERS!!!! ROBOTS IN DISGUISE!!!! I used to love watching that show too.............it's kind of sad that this show is kind of dead now, lol......it was fun to watch while it lasted