Today’s Feature: ‘Til All Are One (2016) – The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

If there is a parallel to the “Beatles or Rolling Stones?” question among eighties toy line cartoons, it has to be “G.I. Joe or The Transformers?”  We’ll go ahead and say that He-Man and The Masters of the Universe takes the Elvis role in all of this. Ask me then and now, and my answer is firmly G.I. Joe. I was always aware of Transformers and, by nature of my tastes, likely more familiar with the franchise than most, but I never got as deep into it as G.I. Joe. I’d say the only Transformers show I even watched with any level of consistency was Beast Wars, which is a bit distanced from the Generation One aesthetic.  It is because of this that I only saw The Transformers: The Movie as an adult. Now, some of you probably just got scared that this article was about to turn into me massacring your favorite childhood fare, fear not. The Transformers: The Movie is one of the coolest things to come out of that toy boom. Not cooler than the opening sequence to G.I. Joe: The Movie, but hey, nothing is.

Shout Factory have provided us with an absolutely gorgeous remaster on their Blu-Ray release, rivaling anything the company has in prior Special Editions. High Definition isn’t always kind to animation, but here it only enhances the experience. Though it pains me to admit it, G.I. Joe the movie doesn’t quite keep the quality of its opening sequence throughout. Transformers does, and by doing so may be the pinnacle of the Sunbow/Marvel animation style. The disc even has a feature devoted to the remastering process, they must have known they had something special. The colors and designs fly off the screen. The set also features a full frame version, which is how the film was animated. I have to recommend watching it in this ratio as you’ll get to see every bit of the art you should. The film is also notable for its eighties pop soundtrack and score, something that adds further life to the already vibrant presentation. The audio brings the film away from its television roots and creates an experience more akin to the Queen enhanced Flash Gordon. The Transformers: The Movie has a unique feel to it, one that sticks in your head long after viewing it.

The inception and execution of all this is covered in the short documentary ‘Til All Are One. Though lacking all of the film’s celebrity cast, the feature manages to be insightful and entertaining for its forty-five minute duration. Quite frankly, the editors knew what topics were of most interest and stuck to the good stuff. Sure, you could criticize them for not being quite comprehensive, but I think cutting the fat makes for a far more enjoyable experience. As highlighted in the documentary, the film itself transformed (sorry) from a toy commercial into a genuine eighties pop-art piece. I especially enjoyed the interviews with the musicians involved, and that the soundtrack’s most memorable hit was written for another action hero. You’ll have to watch to find out which one.

‘Til All Are One is available exclusively on Shout Factory’s 30th Anniversary releases of The Transformers: The Movie, which are relatively cheap.

P.S.

YO JOE!