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Transformers: The Movie

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Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
So what are you guys take on this? Think it looks good? Think it's gonna tank?

Honestly when I first saw the designs I was pissed and thought this movie is doomed and I lost a lot of respect for Feng Zhu. BUT after the trailer around Christmas I was like oh shit. This might turn out to be pretty bad ass.

So what do you think?

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  • frostymoose
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    frostymoose polycounter lvl 17
    I don't care how crappy it is. I'm determined to like it.
  • skankerzero
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    I'm going to watch it.

    I hang out at some TF boards and I'm tired of their bitching.

    People have to realize this is NOT G1. It's a whole new thing entirely.

    The transformations are badass.

    I'm excited and looking forward to it. Wether it will do good or not might have more to do with that killer month it's in and which movies it will be battling it out with.
  • Ghostscape
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    Ghostscape polycounter lvl 13
    I'm going to love the hell out of it.

    I'm a die-hard Transfan and have enjoyed pretty much all of the toy lines, and I am excited about new toys and new versions of characters, etc.

    A lot of "fans" get up in arms over how the movie isn't "true to the original" but fail to pay attention to the fact that there has been a million different toy lines, TV shows, etc.

    I think the new Optimus looks cool, and the toys in general seem to have a great deal of complexity and visual interest.

    The trailers seem to make it seem like it's going to be played up a bit like a monster movie, and I dig that a lot.
  • AstroZombie
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    Man, there is just no way they can make a live action Transformers movie and have it not be cheesy as fuck. I could not give less of a shit about seeing this movie. It's gonna be stupid as fuck.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    I don't like the designs of the Tranformers from the movie. Its not so much that they've changed from their original incarnations and more the fact that theres way too much noisy detail on the robotic body parts.

    I'm inclined to agree with grumpy pants here. This movie ain't going to be much good.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Man, there is just no way they can make a live action Transformers movie and have it not be cheesy as fuck. I could not give less of a shit about seeing this movie. It's gonna be stupid as fuck.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Being a transformers fan.. I gotta ask what is it that makes you think its going to be so cheezy and stupid?

    Do you think the concept is ridiculous and if so what about it? Because it is based off of a toyline?

    also, did you like star wars?
  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    Tyrese takes out a transformer. That should say enough right there. If humans are beating the shit out of transformers, hell, if decepticons even give 2 shits about humans, then its not transformers. Transformers is about transformers vs. transformers.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    Awesome feedback so far. Yeah I have seen the new toys and am going to be picking them up. After reading what Michael Bay has said about not wanting to go off the originals and create something new made more sense to me. I mean Megatron / Galvatron can't go from a huge robot to a tiny little gun.

    Just doesn't make sense.

    As for the monster movie type theme. I got that feeling too and it's kick ass. I would be fucking terrified driving down the freeway and checking out my rearview to see a huge fucking robot chasing me down. FUCK THAT! haha
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    Tyrese takes out a transformer. That should say enough right there. If humans are beating the shit out of transformers, hell, if decepticons even give 2 shits about humans, then its not transformers. Transformers is about transformers vs. transformers.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Well, unless it's headmasters, or beastwars, or energon, or G1, or GIJoe / TFs, or TFs / GIJOe, or... etc etc etc...

    There has ALWAYS been a human element in TFs lore when they're on Earth. The only stories that don't contain that are the War Within Series.
  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    Of course theres been a human element, but they've never been the main attraction. Humans were only there to scurry away in terror or be something the autobots had to go and protect.
  • ebagg
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    ebagg polycounter lvl 17
    It's going to be a Michael Bay film, it's gonna be fun.
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    Of course theres been a human element, but they've never been the main attraction. Humans were only there to scurry away in terror or be something the autobots had to go and protect.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I take it you missed the last 3 cartoon series then?

    Ever since 2001, humans have played an equal part to the TFs.

    Plus, the GiJoe crossovers feature the Joes as much as the TFs.

    Headmasters had kids piloting the TFs.

    G1 had mad scientists assisting the Decepticons create things and construction workers teaching the autobots how to interact with the human world.

    They've always been more than cannon fodder.
  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    ah? We're counting those new series then. No I never watched more then a little of them because they were mind splittingly bad. I really can't see those as part of the official dogma (in my mind), but i'll concede your point.


    As an aside, the movie looks like a pretty crazy action movie. I expect it'll be pretty fun.
  • Rhinokey
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    My take on it. I don't care if its nothing like the previous transformer films. But it is michael bay which leads me to believe it will be a lot of shakey cam and things blowing up a lot, with very little meat or substance.

    If thats the kind of thing that pleases you than you should like it. I've just seen too many exploding stuff movies to have that be enough. the story doesnt have to be deep or meaningfull, it just has to be "good"
  • notman
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    I'm just hoping the storyline holds up. They trailers have just been flashy snapshots of action, which is cool, but can only carry the movie so far. I'm looking forward to it since Transformers made up a good portion of my childhood also.

    What I find surprising is how determined some of you seem to be already that you love it or hate it. I can't see how you can be so confident about your feelings on it when you haven't seen much of anything. I mean, I can understand not liking the new designs, but it still may be a great movie if you forget it's a Transformers flick.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]

    What I find surprising is how determined some of you seem to be already that you love it or hate it. I can't see how you can be so confident about your feelings on it when you haven't seen much of anything. I mean, I can understand not liking the new designs, but it still may be a great movie if you forget it's a Transformers flick.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Losing the boxy designs was a huge mistake in my eyes. Sure you can break up the character etc.... but leave the solid/rigid/boxy appeal. That was part of Transformers charm.

    But the reason i'm kinda pissed is cause I always knew there would be a transformers movie made and now its being made by someone, but someone who does not respect the property. It's just disappointing. I've been waiting 20 years for someone to piss on something I love.

    I know, you're thinking well they look pretty damn cool to me! Well to me it's just a huge departure from the original and the purpose of the changes are just for changes sake, to separate Bay's ego from a movie about......TOYS. Well this movie shouldn't be about toys. It should be about the Transformers MYTHOLOGY which is actually very interesting and quite rich. There are other excuses why changes were made which I know but the main purpose was in my opinion Bay's ego.

    Worst things about it to me:

    -Optimus Prime has lips
    -Losing boxy designs! (whose ship do you remember more, Qui-Go and Obi-Wans or the X-Wing fighter!)Megatron would have greatly benefited by not ding this.
    -Bumblebee speaks to Sam/Spike THROUGH THE RADIO because he cannot talk. They thought it would be a better way to tell the story cinematically. Unfortunately he would have been compared to another bug moviee recently HERBIE. So they changed Bumblebee into Camaro.
    -Transformers arriving in modernday Earth? Transformers were meant to have CRASHED here, 4 million years ago and Teletran-1 woke up in modernday aftera volcano eruption and rebuilt all the Transformers on the main deck of the ship so they could disguise themselves on theis foreign world.
    -Why doesn't Megatron have an arm cannon?
    -NO SOUNDWAVE : the filmmakers just had no idea, they knew Soundwave was probably the most popular character so had to put him inright? So, they made him a helicopter (which I thought could have been cool) but then hasbro demanded Soundwave was a tapdeck...SO they crated another character. http://homepage.mac.com/cbauer/files/frenzysig.jpg
    Unfortunately NOBODY WAS HAPPY, fans freaked about the leaked script, because Soundwave getting his head knocked off by a girl and uh was only 4 ft tall. SO they renamed this character from Soundwave to Soundbyte, people were still pissd so they renamed it from Soundbyte to Frenzy......

    So you see thats another reason why people are bitching so much about ths movie. The filmmakers have created forums to gather user feedback and are bragging about how much fan feedback have been put into the film. Problem is they could have avoided it by getting someone on board who understood the proprty and didn't just consider Transformers a toybrand.

  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Unfortunately he would have been compared to another bug moviee recently HERBIE. So they changed Bumblebee into Camaro.

    [/ QUOTE ]It was because Volkswagen don't allow their vehicles to be affiliated with violent media.

    I think seeing as they've decided to significantly alter the property, they need to stick with it. Trying to cater to fans whims in a half-hearted fashion winds up with Spiderman 3.
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    -Why doesn't Megatron have an arm cannon?

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Megs DOES have an arm cannon...
    100_1417.jpg
    I can't seem to find the movie concept of him deploying his arm cannon though, so an image of the toy with one will have to do for now.
    Plus, if you read the prequal comics, you can see that he has an arm cannon.
    All the Transformers have 'arm cannons' that basically 'transform' over their hands or whatever.

    [ QUOTE ]
    -Optimus Prime has lips

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Prime has had lips for over 10 years now. That's over half the age of the franchise.

    [ QUOTE ]
    -NO SOUNDWAVE

    [/ QUOTE ]
    While the story you posted was generally correct from what I've heard, you also left out the quote from the writers that said they wanted to do him right so they were going to wait for the sequel in order to do him justice. They didn't want to force him into the movie just to have him in it.

    [ QUOTE ]
    -Bumblebee speaks to Sam/Spike THROUGH THE RADIO because he cannot talk. They thought it would be a better way to tell the story cinematically. Unfortunately he would have been compared to another bug moviee recently HERBIE. So they changed Bumblebee into Camaro.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    He had his voicebox ripped out of his throat by Megatron in the prequel comics. He didn't stick around Cybertron log enough to get it repaired, instead, he took off after Megatron as Megs was looking for the Allspark.

    Volkswagon has come out publicly before and said that they don't want their brand associated with violent media. The Transformers: Alternators was where you saw it most. Volkswagon would not license the new beetle to Hasbro. Designs had been made for updating Bumblebee to the new body style. In the end, it was GM that let Hasbro use any of their cars for the movie. That's why he is a Camero, nothing more, nothing less.

    [ QUOTE ]
    -Losing boxy designs! (whose ship do you remember more, Qui-Go and Obi-Wans or the X-Wing fighter!)Megatron would have greatly benefited by not ding this.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Well, what can you do? According to the production guys, they tried the boxy designs and they didn't hold up on screen. Looked like giant toys.
    You don't want the movie to be about toys, yet your satisfied on them looking like giant toys?

    [ QUOTE ]
    I don't like the storyline of going to earth to search for "the energon" or something.. wtf... energon is their fuel, I wanted to see those glowing purple cubes everywhere.. If anything it's the MATRIX they should be looking for.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    They are here on Earth looking for The Allspark. It is a device used to give them life and achieve some sort of ultimate power. It's all explained in the prequel comics.



    Again, I've been waiting for a movie like this for a long time. I don't ask for much. As long as I see giant robots fighting in a city, in the end, I'll most likely be happy.

    People should just let the movie guys do what they do best, and that's entertain people. This is a business just like our game industry. People make decisions based on marketing. It's that simple. This is a tool used to generate as much money as they can in 3 weeks.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Unfortunately he would have been compared to another bug moviee recently HERBIE. So they changed Bumblebee into Camaro.

    [/ QUOTE ]It was because Volkswagen don't allow their vehicles to be affiliated with violent media.


    [/ QUOTE ]

    Nope, Bay has even admitted it was his choice and why. The VW was a huge fan rumor that started 5 years ago.

    About the going their own direction thing, id agree, too many cooks in the kitchen,...but they know there is a charm to transformers as the original G1 characters and thatts what they should have stuck to.
  • Entity
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    I haven't payed to much attention to this movie..but tell me there's a hot rod..please please please..loved him in the movie
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    -Why doesn't Megatron have an arm cannon?

    [/ QUOTE ]



    Again, I've been waiting for a movie like this for a long time. I don't ask for much. As long as I see giant robots fighting in a city, in the end, I'll most likely be happy.

    People should just let the movie guys do what they do best, and that's entertain people. This is a business just like our game industry. People make decisions based on marketing. It's that simple. This is a tool used to generate as much money as they can in 3 weeks.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    i've read the prequel comics.do you really think they had it all planned out that megatron pulled out his voicebox from the begining? No Roberto Orci told us WHY bumblebee doesn't speak. Its like I said, not cause "Megatron ripped it out on cybertron"

    Like you said, you want giant robots fighting in a city and you're happy. Personally I require a lot more than that to be impressed with this movie.

    They want to do him right in the seqel. ANd you buy that, it's all spun that way. Of course they want to do him right in the sequel ,cause they did him so wrong the first one. Thats my point.
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    -Why doesn't Megatron have an arm cannon?

    [/ QUOTE ]



    Again, I've been waiting for a movie like this for a long time. I don't ask for much. As long as I see giant robots fighting in a city, in the end, I'll most likely be happy.

    People should just let the movie guys do what they do best, and that's entertain people. This is a business just like our game industry. People make decisions based on marketing. It's that simple. This is a tool used to generate as much money as they can in 3 weeks.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    i've read the prequel comics.do you really think they had it all planned out that megatron pulled out his voicebox from the begining? No Roberto Orci told us WHY bumblebee doesn't speak. Its like I said, not cause "Megatron ripped it out on cybertron"

    Like you said, you want giant robots fighting in a city and you're happy. Personally I require a lot more than that to be impressed with this movie.

    They want to do him right in the seqel. ANd you buy that, it's all spun that way. Of course they want to do him right in the sequel ,cause they did him so wrong the first one. Thats my point.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I understand things happen the way they do.

    BB's voicebox was brought up during one of the early scripts and the writers came out and just said 'it was damaged during a battle before the movie' (essentially). This was well before any prequel comic was being worked on.

    On the Soundwave issue, yes, it was spun in a way to get positive fan reaction, I'm aware of that, but have you never worked on anything that you had to do a certain way even though you didn't personally agree with, and then, when they decided to just get rid of it, you're very satisfied? I worked on Aeon Flux, I should know that feeling much better than most people here.

    Maybe I'm just an optimist or whatever, but I can give someone the benefit of the doubt when a creative person says something to that effect. Especially in this industry where we have lots of 'non-creative-types' making decisions.

    Not everyone working on this movie is out to rape your childhood memories.
  • AstroZombie
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    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Man, there is just no way they can make a live action Transformers movie and have it not be cheesy as fuck. I could not give less of a shit about seeing this movie. It's gonna be stupid as fuck.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Being a transformers fan.. I gotta ask what is it that makes you think its going to be so cheezy and stupid?

    Do you think the concept is ridiculous and if so what about it? Because it is based off of a toyline?

    also, did you like star wars?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Yea, I think the the concept is ridiculous. I just find the idea of sentient robots that turn into cars dumb. I think it is fine for toys, even kiddie cartoons, but as a live action movie I just don't see how it will work. The whole thing just seems dumb to me in that context. I am also anticipating a lot of really cheesy one-liners in this movie.

    Did I like Star Wars? Although I fail to see how that is relevant, and I have not watched the original films since I was probably a teen-ager, I did like episodes 4-6 at the time and probably would enjoy them today from the point of nostalgia. I was disappointed in ep. 1, waited to see ep. 2 until it had been out on DVD for some time and did not hate it nearly as much as I expected to and did enjoy ep 3, but not as much as episodes 4-6.

    Although, aside from just being "grumpy" in general, I am guessing that I am a bit older than a lot of you guys that are looking forward to it. I was too old for the toys and the cartoon when they came out so I do not have fond memories of The Transformers from my childhood. My guess is that these memories is what has a lot of you looking forward to it.

    Anyways, opinions are like assholes: everyone has one and some people have two.
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Man, there is just no way they can make a live action Transformers movie and have it not be cheesy as fuck. I could not give less of a shit about seeing this movie. It's gonna be stupid as fuck.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    Being a transformers fan.. I gotta ask what is it that makes you think its going to be so cheezy and stupid?

    Do you think the concept is ridiculous and if so what about it? Because it is based off of a toyline?

    also, did you like star wars?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Yea, I think the the concept is ridiculous. I just find the idea of sentient robots that turn into cars dumb. I think it is fine for toys, even kiddie cartoons, but as a live action movie I just don't see how it will work. The whole thing just seems dumb to me in that context. I am also anticipating a lot of really cheesy one-liners in this movie.

    Did I like Star Wars? Although I fail to see how that is relevant, and I have not watched the original films since I was probably a teen-ager, I did like episodes 4-6 at the time and probably would enjoy them today from the point of nostalgia. I was disappointed in ep. 1, waited to see ep. 2 until it had been out on DVD for some time and did not hate it nearly as much as I expected to and did enjoy ep 3, but not as much as episodes 4-6.

    Although, aside from just being "grumpy" in general, I am guessing that I am a bit older than a lot of you guys that are looking forward to it. I was too old for the toys and the cartoon when they came out so I do not have fond memories of The Transformers from my childhood. My guess is that these memories is what has a lot of you looking forward to it.

    Anyways, opinions are like assholes: everyone has one and some people have two.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    You're honest, and that's what I like about your response.

    A lot of people let nostalgia misguide their memories.

    As for me, I grew up with TFs, but it didn't stick to me very much. It wasn't until Beast Wars that I realized the property could be written really well. BW got me back into it and I haven't left since. Though, the recent stuff has been crap.

    I also prefer my TFs on Cybertron with no humans, but oh well.

    It's true, I don't require much substance to enjoy any movie, as long as it keeps me from checking my time at the theater, then it's pretty successful in my eyes. After all, if I wanted some award winning plot, I most certainly wouldn't be expecting it from TFs...

    Sure, BW had fantastic writing after the first season, but that was a series, not a 2 hour movie.
  • TomDunne
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    [ QUOTE ]
    Not everyone working on this movie is out to rape your childhood memories.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I'm pretty sure that debating this topic with someone using the handle 'Bruticus' isn't a winning proposition laugh.gif
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Not everyone working on this movie is out to rape your childhood memories.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I'm pretty sure that debating this topic with someone using the handle 'Bruticus' isn't a winning proposition laugh.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    yeah, no kidding. Trust me, the TF forums are much worse. I'm one of the quieter ones there.

    As far as raping goes, 'raping your childhood memories' would be true if they went back and re-edited the old series and movie with new voices and special effects, etc. Like the original Star Wars trilogy.
    This is not that. It's a whole new start. Yet another reboot. Some people can't get over that.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    Orci has also said that Bumblebee is a mute because they wanted to have that charming moment after Bumblebee transforms into a robot and Spike and Bumblebee have to communicate without words. I think he was thinking something like Iron Giant. He used some movie that he said he ripped it from.

    But I suppose I should just be more optimistic and enjoy it cause he's a creative person.

    Don't even get me started on Bumblebee sitting on a carlot and then being bought by someone. The vehicle mode is a disguise. If you take a closer look even the interior in my opinion should have no leather, or cloth also, the cars should NOT run on gas, etc etc. Starscream should be able to fly without his rocket engine, etc. etc.
  • TomDunne
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    I'm a huge G1 TF fan, still have my first one on my bookcase at home (Sideswipe, for the curious), but am really getting into the new take. There have been so many iterations of the Transformers over the years, I don't see any reason to hold one up as the definitive style. How many versions of Optimus Prime/Convoy are there already, you know? Another edition isn't blasphemy, it's just another edition.

    I really don't get why people get so hung up on adhering to particular source material. Most fans have already seen the G1 cartoons, played with the toys, maybe read the comics... why ask for yet another version of what you've already seen? I've got a very good mental image of what G1 Prime looks like, I don't need ILM to render it out for me. Different interpretations are fun, they let you experience something new. The recent X-Men films diverged from the look of the comics' costumes and design, but that was refreshing - if I wanted the look of the comics, I'd read the comics. Give me something new and different, not regurgitating the same thing I've been looking at for the last 20 years.
  • MoP
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    Well said, Vermilion smile.gif
  • skankerzero
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    [ QUOTE ]
    Orci has also said that Bumblebee is a mute because they wanted to have that charming moment after Bumblebee transforms into a robot and Spike and Bumblebee have to communicate without words. I think he was thinking something like Iron Giant. He used some movie that he said he ripped it from.

    But I suppose I should just be more optimistic and enjoy it cause he's a creative person.

    Don't even get me started on Bumblebee sitting on a carlot and then being bought by someone. The vehicle mode is a disguise. If you take a closer look even the interior in my opinion should have no leather, or cloth also, the cars should NOT run on gas, etc etc. Starscream should be able to fly without his rocket engine, etc. etc.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Don't forget, they also said they wanted him 'to be cool'.
    That got lots of fans upset, but eh, I don't care, it's all part of the business.

    And by 'creative' I meant that he creates things, it has nothing to do with originality.

    I agree about the gas and other materials within them, unless their molecular structures allow for imitation of any general surface material. Kinda like a real-life shader system.

    Either way, I don't think I want to keep this up anyways, talking about the movie on two boards is tiring enough. Plus, gotta get to work here eventually.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    different interpretations ARE fun but I really wanted this to be the one that showed Transformers for what it was. But its just taken too many creative freedoms. The chance for Transformers G1 to be represented was right now but because they are changing it, the chance is practically lost and thats why people are pissed.

    Look at comic book fans and how ridiculous Supermans suit is realistically but the fans of comics still get Superman in a suit no matter how ridiculous it works. THEY MAKE IT WORK.

    Why not for Transformers. BECAUSE IT IS A TOYLINE. And to help Bay feel like he's not making a Toy movie. Thats why. Not because the story needed to be changed so drastically.

    Transformers fans have been conditioned to accept the multiple itterations of Transformers but MOST PEOPLE in everyday life, think Transformers aren't even around anymore. Most people think they were a cartoon from the 80s. Most people try and forget about Energon, armanda, even the better written Beast Wars.
  • AstroZombie
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    [ QUOTE ]
    Most people think they were a cartoon from the 80s.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I wonder why people would think that? wink.gif
  • TomDunne
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    I just don't see it like that. Making a G1 movie is serving me the same meal I ate 20 years ago, except they've put it on a different plate. I know what G1 TF tastes like, I wanna eat something else.

    I don't get the Superman comparison. Transformers will still have earth vehicles turning into giant robots, and the cosmetic differences from G1 don't make them more or less believable.
  • skankerzero
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    Why not for Transformers. BECAUSE IT IS A TOYLINE. And to help Bay feel like he's not making a Toy movie. Thats why. Not because the story needed to be changed so drastically.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    You bring up a valid point, but at the same time, toys are what has driven the changes over TF history. You gotta sell toys, right? What better way than to keep things changing all the time?

    Bay doesn't want to make a toy movie, Hasbro wants to sell new toys, put two and two together and we get the new movie designs.

    I would love to see a serious attempt at G1 as well, but I woulnd't mind if they just let G1 be G1. Afterall, we had enough homages in Armada, Energon, and Cybertron. We just had the small Classics line. We had the ToysRUs reissues. Just let it lay back down to rest for a while. if not, we'll end up with what Square Enix is doing with FF7.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    Supermans costume is pure cheese but they keep it to respect the character and to keep people from getting pissed.

    Cause people would be pissed if they change it. And that's exactly what you're seeing here when you compare:

    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/492646757_669b6db37a_o.jpg


    two very different characters, one clearly better, and its not the new one.

    Iron Man looks great, looks exactly like the original but not Transformers and why? Cause its based on a toyline:

    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/456066482_9e2f89e770_o.jpg
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    First of all, you're comparing Superman to Megatron? My 77-year old grandmother would recognize Superman; she sure as hell doesn't know what a Megatron is. The character is just not remotely as iconic, and sacred only to hardcore fans who were kids in the 1980s. You don't screw with Superman because he's American myth, he's on the cover of Time magazine. Transformers don't even begin to rate on that scale.

    Second, with regards to your pics... this is also Megatron:
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/84/G2megs.gif

    And this is also Megatron:
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Bwmegatron.jpg

    And this is also Megatron:
    http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/2/25/180px-Mwmegatron.jpg

    Even the people who created the Megatron character don't view him as some inalterable sacred cow - they reinvent him every five years in totally different designs. I could even make the point that constant reinventing the characters is a Transformers tradition. Again, the only people who can't get past the change are hardcore fans who were kids in the 1980s.

    But let's put that aside for a sec. Seriously, consider what is entertaining versus was is nostalgic; is watching Megatron turn into a gun and more or less do nothing going to make for good film? You've got cars and trucks and planes and helicopters all racing around and... a teeny tiny little handgun that can't do anything unless one of his buddies picks him up and points him in the right direction. Megatron almost never transformed in the cartoon because, well, is alternate mode is boring. Maybe the new alien spaceship design (or whatever he is) won't work, but at least it'll be energetic cinema watching him fly around and blow things up. Watching Starscream walk around with the film's main villain in the palm of his hand? It was lame when it happened in the cartoon and it would be lame on 70mm widescreen live action film.
  • danr
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    danr interpolator
    What are grown-up transformers geeks known as?

    Just trying to get a handle on this ...

    "Trannies", perhaps?
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    danr: Transfans smile.gif

    but to verm,

    i'm not saying gun, i'm saying look, more, cool. More recognizable.

    Iron Man, Superman, Transformers. Whatever just make them look cool and reminiscant, and don't piss people off.
    I mean we can argue all day whether the designs are OK or not. But go look at the front page of www.aintitcoolnews.com right now, read what people say about the best images of the designs yet...read the positive reastion to the iron man costume....and then come back and tell me they have done Transformers well.

    And now you will say, wel it doesn't matter what fans think cause its all about making money. So you honestly think putting flames on optimus prime is securing ticket sales? You hostely think taking away his faceplate and giving him LIPS is going to give you more tiket sales. I can tell you it has certainly given a negative reaction towards film. I can tell you that much.

    Why use a franchise name if you're going to fuck with it so much.

    Oh and honestly, face it, noone cares about any of those other Megatrons. BW megatron wasn't even actualy Megatron, in the story he was just a character who wanted to be like the original Megatron so here named himself that.

    There's a reason. Bay never got nor even cared to get.
  • TomDunne
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    Okay, on the topic of Megatron I can agree that the movie design is NOT a good design. It's very muddled and indistinct. I'd say that about it regardless of what it's supposed to be.

    I'm not going to say anything about ticket or toy sales. Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay didn't come up with these designs, just like George Lucas didn't create the Millenium Falcon. Some designer or concept artist, probably someone who would fit in well enough here at Polycount, took the once-in-a-lifetime chance to put his own thumbprint on a well-known franchise. Good, bad or indifferent, I can totally understand that motivation. I don't see how any group of accounts would determine that lips on Optimus Prime would make more money...

    Beyond all that... well, I just don't agree with you that this franchise has been "fucked with so much." It's robots that turn into vehicles vs. other robots that turn into vehicles. Optimus Prime is still a red semi, Bumblebee is still a sporty yellow car, etc. To me, these complaints are so trivial... it's like the LotR fanboys bitching that Arwyn was used to replace the character of Glorfindel. The Lord of the Rings movies were great, just amazingly epic fantasy, and still some people were so upset over the details that they were incapable of enjoying what was an incredible film experience. If that's how you're going into the Transformers film, you're going to go without me. I don't expect an Oscar for it, but I am looking forward to seeing Robots In Disguise on the big screen.
  • Mongrelman
  • Thegodzero
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    Thegodzero polycounter lvl 18
    Hi-res shots.
    http://www.asterphage.lunarpages.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=72&pos=0

    Its looking hot to me, but i like robots and sci-fi shit that transforms.
  • seantree
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    seantree polycounter lvl 18
    any pics of meg's earth form yet? I hope those pics are his proto form cuz they look like crap. Like a metallic swamp thing or something. So, Bumblebee being a camaro is all about the new model launching this year, not the VW thing? wow, good ol' marketing smile.gif oh well, it'll be a fun movie, but it's not the TF's I loved as a kid. just like Weta's Eva designs kinda pissed me off at first glance, but grew on me after a bit, some of the new TF designs look good to me. Jazz looks good and I like prime also. i'll be there opening day.
  • skankerzero
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    Meg's won't have an Earth form in this movie. That's his Cybertronian form.

    If he does get an Earth mode, they're keeping it a huge secret.


    The Camero thing is a mix of VW not licensing their products to Hasbro while GM did and wanting him to be cool for today's youth.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    don't get me wrong i'll be there too, i'm sure the movie will be good fun, just not what I knew and loved and hoped it would be.

    Oh and yeah that's Megatron's final design from what i've heard Megatron is the only one who doesn't acquire an earth mode.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    Also cause they didn't want BB confused with Herbie the love Bug since in this movie BB actually acts like Herbie by beeping horns and communicating by playing certain songs on the radio.
  • Jesse Moody
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    Yeah i heard the same thing about megatron. Who knows maybe it's a big secret.

    Saw some of the new toys yesterday. The preview ones with optimus in his proto form. I passed on them.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    So you honestly think putting flames on optimus prime is securing ticket sales? You hostely think taking away his faceplate and giving him LIPS is going to give you more tiket sales.

    [/ QUOTE ]Have you looked at the high res render that TGZ posted? He's got a face plate just like he had in the original movie series. I believe its removable which is why there have been shots of him with lips.

    As for the flames, theres probably a practical reason for them. Perhaps he needs to be easily recognisable alongside a bunch of other trucks or something. Perhaps theres a scene where a human paints him to show them building a relationship. I dunno. You're right, the flames are silly.
  • Ghostscape
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    Ghostscape polycounter lvl 13
    I hate how all the high rez shots have them in these giant chimpanzee poses instead of anything that looks remotely cool.

    Having said that, Ironhide is pretty neat looking, and the new toys are looking cool.
  • BRUTICUS(CW)
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    BRUTICUS(CW) polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I hate how all the high rez shots have them in these giant chimpanzee poses instead of anything that looks remotely cool.

    Having said that, Ironhide is pretty neat looking, and the new toys are looking cool.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    agreed with the monkeypose thing... i always loved how transformers have been posed for the last 20 years why change it?
    OK, here's soundwave, not the most realistic image of him but look at the POSE, look at the presence and arrogance involved in it. All decepticons should have something like this as it did translate to the cartoon as well.

    soundwave.gif250px-Megatrong1.jpg
    Compare Optimus Primes pose here to that of the high res images:
    csoptimusprime.jpg

    Some people are arguing that the designs have slightly changed but that's cause the designers are representing the CHARACTERS well in the movie... Well It wouldn't appear to be true by the posing. If you look at how optimus prime is animated talking to the boy too in that trailer it just doesn't come across as the tall and proud Optimus Prime....
  • skankerzero
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    ah, found it. This is the pencil design that was presented to VW, but they denied Hasbro the rights to use their products:
    bumblebee01.jpg
    There was also a prototype done of Jazz as a Porshe I believe, but again, Porsche owns a portion of VW, so maybe it was the same committee that made the decision.
    BTC-complete13.jpg

    During the time, we were told by guys at Hasbro that hang out with us on the TF boards that VW didn't want to be associated with 'violent toys'. how true that is or if it's a spin, it's the only thing we've been told.

    Taken from a Transformers magazine that dealt with the Binaltech/Alternator line.

    see it all here:
    http://tfkenkon.com/g/?mode=album&album=BTC+Complete+Guide&start=0
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