The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nelson Shin

Writer:

Ron Friedman (writer)

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beyond good. Beyond evil. Beyond your wildest imagination.

Plot:

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who is after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Robot | Battle | Transformer | Transforming Robot

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Norman Alden	...	Kranix / Arblus (voice)
Jack Angel	...	Astrotrain (voice)
Michael Bell	...	Prowl / Scrapper / Swoop / Junkion (voice)
Gregg Berger	...	Grimlock (voice)
Susan Blu	...	Arcee (voice)
Arthur Burghardt	...	Devastator (voice)
Corey Burton	...	Spike / Brawn / Shockwave (voice)
Roger C. Carmel	...	Cyclonus / Quintesson Leader (voice)
Victor Caroli	...	Narrator (voice)
Regis Cordic	...	Quintesson Judge (voice)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (voice)
Peter Cullen	...	Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)
BJ Davis	...	Dirge (voice)
Paul Eiding	...	Perceptor (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Inferno (voice) (scenes deleted)
Ed Gilbert	...	Blitzwing (voice)
Dan Gilvezan	...	Bumblebee (voice)
Eric Idle	...	Wreck-Gar (voice)
Buster Jones	...	Blaster (voice)
Stan Jones	...	Scourge (voice)
Casey Kasem	...	Cliffjumper (voice)
Chris Latta	...	Starscream (voice)
David Mendenhall	...	Daniel (voice)
Don Messick	...	Gears / Scavenger (voice)
John Moschitta Jr.	...	Blurr (voice) (as John Moschitta)
Judd Nelson	...	Hot Rod / Rodimus Prime (voice)
Leonard Nimoy	...	Galvatron (voice)
Hal Rayle	...	Shrapnel (voice)
Clive Revill	...	Kickback (voice)
Neil Ross	...	Bonecrusher / Hook / Springer / Slag (voice)
Robert Stack	...	Ultra Magnus (voice)
Lionel Stander	...	Kup (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Megatron / Soundwave / Rumble / Frenzy / Laserbeak / Wheelie / Junkion (voice)
Orson Welles	...	Unicron (voice)

Directed by
Nelson Shin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ron Friedman		writer

Produced by
Joe Bacal	....	producer
Masaharu Etô	....	associate producer
Tomo Fukamoto	....	associate producer
Tom Griffin	....	producer
Lee Gunther	....	executive producer
C.J. Kettler	....	executive producer
Margaret Loesch	....	executive producer
Nelson Shin	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Vince DiCola

Cinematography by
Masatoshi Fukui

Film Editing by
David Hankins

Production Management
Jim Graziano	....	executive in charge of production
Takuya Igarashi	....	production manager
Kô Meguro	....	production manager
Gerald Moeller	....	production manager
Satoru Nakamura	....	production manager
Carole Weitzman	....	senior production manager

Art Department
Del Barras	....	storyboard artist (as Delfin Barras)
Peter Chung	....	storyboard artist
Soo Young Chun	....	storyboard artist
Floro Dery	....	original concept designer
Jim Gomez	....	storyboard artist (as James Gomez)
Ernie Guanlao	....	storyboard artist
Jooin Kim	....	storyboard artist
Doug Lefler	....	storyboard artist
Chung Hwan Oh	....	storyboard artist
Sioak Park	....	storyboard artist
Rico Rival	....	storyboard artist
David Shin	....	storyboard artist
Sang Il Sim	....	storyboard artist (as Sangil Shim)
Romeo Tanghal	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Ken Berger	....	sound engineer
Jim Blodgett	....	sound editor
Roy Braverman	....	sound effects editor
Scott Brownlee	....	sound processing
Ted Chapman	....	sound editor
Allison Cobb	....	sound editor (as Alison Cobb)
Jim Cook	....	pre-dubbing mixer
Michael L. DePatie	....	sound editor
John Detra	....	sound editor
Karen Doulac	....	sound editor
Ron Fedele	....	sound editor
Jim Fitzpatrick	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jacquie Freeman Ross	....	dubbing supervisor (as Jacquie Freeman)
Leonard T. Geschke	....	sound editor (as Lenny Geschke)
Robert L. Harman	....	pre-dubbing mixer
Craig Harris	....	assistant sound
Jerry Jacobson	....	dialogue editor
Nicholas James	....	sound effects editor
Samuel F. Kaufman	....	machine room operator
David R. Koehler	....	sound re-recordist (as David Koehler)
Robert Mayer	....	supervising sound effects editor
Peter Reale	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Peter S. Reale)
John W. Singleton	....	sound editor
Warren Taylor	....	sound editor
Bill Thiederman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as R. William A. Thiederman)
Michael Tomack	....	sound editor
Peter Tomaszewicz	....	sound editor
Dan van Meyer	....	sound engineer
Claus Wedemann	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Claus Weideman)
Howard Wilmarth	....	sound re-recording mixer (as W. Howard Wilmarth)

Special Effects by
Mayuki Kawachi	....	special effects
Shôji Satô	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Masatoshi Fukui	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Hitoshi Abe	....	inbetween animation checker
Pat Agnasin	....	background designer
Pat Agnasin	....	character designer
Ryuji Ajiri	....	inbetween animator
Yoshiharu Azuma	....	inbetween animator
Nam-Ryeol Baek	....	key animator
Del Barras	....	background designer (as Delfin Barras)
Del Barras	....	character designer (as Delfin Barras)
Kristine Brown	....	painter (as Kris Brown)
Dario Campanile	....	background art director
Fred Carrillo	....	background designer (as Fred Carillo)
Fred Carrillo	....	character designer (as Fred Carillo)
Phyllis Craig	....	color key artist
Virginia Creamer	....	xerox checker
Eufronio R. Cruz	....	background designer
Eufronio R. Cruz	....	character designer
Hiroaki Daiji	....	inbetween animator
Liane Douglas	....	painter
Robin Draper	....	painter
Akihiro Enomoto	....	assistant animation checker
Romeo Francisco	....	background designer
Romeo Francisco	....	character designer
John Freeman	....	animation director (as John Patrick Freeman)
Yoshimitsu Fujitaka	....	key animator (as Shigemitsu Fujitaka)
Koichi Fukuda	....	key animator
Tomoko Fukui	....	inbetween animator
Junko Furuya	....	ink and paint supervisor
Myrna Gibbs	....	painter
Britt Greko	....	painter
Ernie Guanlao	....	background designer
Ernie Guanlao	....	character designer
Teruo Hattori	....	inbetween animator
Kazuo Hayashi	....	assistant animation checker
Shigeru Hayashi	....	inbetween animator
Gabriel Hoyos	....	background designer
Gabriel Hoyos	....	character designer
Bill Hudson	....	xerox checker
Takashi Hyôdô	....	assistant animation checker
Reiko Igarashi	....	ink artist
Takehiro Iima	....	inbetween animator
Yoshinobu Ineno	....	key animator (as Yoshinobu Inano)
Mihoko Irie	....	ink artist
Mario Ishiyama	....	inbetween animator
Masao Itô	....	assistant animation director
Debra Jorgensborg	....	painter (as Debbie Jorgensborg)
Takahiro Kagami	....	key animator
Yoshinori Kanamori	....	key animator
Sandy Kennedy	....	xerox checker
Kazuo Kinugasa	....	cel checker
Kazuya Komai	....	inbetween animator
Hiroshi Kosakai	....	ink and paint department manager
Yoshitaka Koyama	....	key animator
Baik Seung Kyun	....	assistant animation director
Shigeo Matoba	....	key animator
Bob Matz	....	animation director
Norm McCabe	....	animation director
Yoshito Miki	....	key animator
Yôichi Mitsui	....	key animator
Gerald Moeller	....	animation director (as Gerald L. Moeller)
Tomoe Morimoto	....	inbetween animator
Kôzô Morishita	....	supervising animation director
Hiroshi Morita	....	cel checker
Toshio Mori	....	key animator
Shigeru Murakami	....	key animator
Kuniko Murata	....	ink and paint supervisor
Shigenobu Nagasaki	....	key animator
Takako Nakamura	....	inbetween animator
Kazunori Nakazawa	....	inbetween animator
Margaret Nichols	....	animation director
Kazuhiro Ochi	....	assistant animation checker
Masatoyo Ogura	....	ink and paint department manager
Masahiko Ohkura	....	assistant animation checker (as Masahiko Okura)
Kei Okazaki	....	inbetween animator
Lew Ott	....	background designer
Lew Ott	....	character designer
Hannah Powell	....	painter
Rico Rival	....	background designer
Rico Rival	....	character designer
Harriette Rossall	....	painter
Takao Sakano	....	inbetween animator
Nobuyoshi Sasakado	....	key animator
Akira Sato	....	inbetween animation checker
Takao Sawada	....	background art director
Robert Schaefer	....	background art director
Mike Sekowsky	....	background designer
Mike Sekowsky	....	character designer
Heidi Shellhorn	....	painter
Masanori Shino	....	key animator
Marta Skwara	....	painter
Mary Ann Steward	....	ink and paint supervisor
Ryuichi Sugimoto	....	background department head
Kiyomi Sugita	....	inbetween animator
Akira Sugiura	....	inbetween animator
Shizuo Tanaka	....	inbetween animator
Romeo Tanghal	....	background designer
Romeo Tanghal	....	character designer
Kiyomitsu Tsuji	....	key animator
Kôichi Tsunoda	....	chief animator
Toshikazu Usami	....	assistant animation checker
Yasuyoshi Uwai	....	key animator
Britt Van der Nagel	....	painter
Jun Watanabe	....	inbetween animator
Tadashi Yahata	....	inbetween animator
Miyo Yamada	....	inbetween animator
Satoshi Yamaguchi	....	key animator
Shigeyasu Yamauchi	....	assistant animation director
Ryôkichi Yoshizawa	....	inbetween animation checker

Editorial Department
Ivan Bilancio	....	assistant editor
Steven C. Brown	....	supervising editor
Heather Elliott	....	assistant editor
Tamera Fitzgerald	....	assistant editor (as Tamra Fitzgerald)
Shinichi Fukumitsu	....	assistant editor
Jack Hooper	....	negative cutter
Shinji Shimizu	....	assistant editor
Susan L. Vovsi	....	assistant editor (as Sue Vovsi)
Dave Weathers	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Charlie Calello	....	musical technical advisor (as Charles Callelo)
Peter Collier	....	music editor
Vince DiCola	....	music producer
Ed Fruge	....	music editor
Ed Fruge	....	music producer
Robert Mayer	....	music editor (as Bob Mayer)
Tony Papa	....	music score engineer
Spencer Proffer	....	music producer
Robert Randles	....	music consultant
Mark Shiney	....	supervising music editor
Casey Young	....	synthesizer programmer

Other crew
Maddy Aaronson	....	talent coordinator (as Maddy Aronson)
Emi Araki	....	translator
Mark Bakshi	....	production staff
Walt Barric	....	technical advisor
Doug Booth	....	associate story consultant
Michael Brochstein	....	technical advisor
Chris Brown	....	technical advisor
Deena Burkett	....	title designer
Wally Burr	....	voice director
Al Corosi	....	technical advisor
John Costello	....	technical advisor
Bob Darcy	....	technical advisor
Paul Davids	....	production staff
Joan Davis	....	production secretary
Paul Denault	....	technical advisor
Flint Dille	....	story consultant
George Dunsay	....	technical advisor
Eric Early	....	technical advisor
Jim Engle	....	technical advisor
Chuck Fisher	....	technical advisor
Bill Ford	....	technical advisor
Carl Fritz	....	technical advisor
Sid Good	....	technical advisor
Elise Goyette	....	production coordinator
Deborah J. Green	....	publicist
Terri Gruskin	....	production coordinator
Norman Hajjar	....	technical advisor
Mitsuko Y. Hays	....	translator
Deborah Heineman	....	technical advisor
Art Heller	....	technical advisor
Bob Horne	....	technical advisor
Heide Kahme	....	technical advisor
Pat Kiely	....	technical advisor
Ellen Kroner	....	publicist
Paul Kurnit	....	technical advisor
Dave LeBlanc	....	technical advisor
Debbie Lehroff	....	production secretary
Matt Lizak	....	technical advisor
Richard Marcej	....	technical advisor
Gene Margoluis	....	producer's representative
Kevin Massey	....	technical advisor
Joyce Masterson	....	production secretary
Hildy Mesnik	....	production coordinator
Bill Millar	....	title designer
Bob Mitchell	....	technical advisor
Melissa Mitten	....	technical advisor
Susan Marie Panettieri	....	technical advisor
Gene Pelc	....	executive production coordinator
Andy Perlmutter	....	technical advisor
Susanne Pollak	....	technical advisor
Bob Prupis	....	technical advisor
Steven Raskin	....	technical advisor
Jack Ratier	....	technical advisor
Steve Reiss	....	technical advisor
Jeff Reynolds	....	technical advisor
Mike Riley	....	technical advisor
Brent Robertson	....	technical advisor
Steve Rodyn	....	technical advisor
Julie Rud	....	technical advisor
Robert Rundbaken	....	technical advisor
Bill Schmidt	....	technical advisor
Steve Schwartz	....	technical advisor
Rosemary Serluca	....	technical advisor
Kevin Shaw	....	shipping coordinator
Alison Shinners	....	technical advisor
Yung Shin	....	production staff
Roger Slifer	....	associate story consultant
Howard Steinberg	....	technical advisor
Alfa Tate	....	account supervisor
Ed Torton	....	technical advisor
Hildy Travis	....	technical advisor
Norm Young	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Sunbow Productions
• Marvel Productions
• Hasbro
• Toei Company

Distributors

• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG) (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Guangdong Qianhe Audio & Video (2007) (China) (DVD) (remastered edition)
• International Video Entertainment (IVE) (video)
• Metrodome Distribution (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metrodome Distribution (2005) (UK) (DVD) (reconstructed edition)
• Paramount Pictures (Canada only)
• Rhino Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Seville Pictures (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony BMG Music Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• B & B Sound Studios  adr
• CBS Records  soundtrack released by
• F-Stop Film & Video  opticals (as F-Stop)
• Scotti Brothers  soundtrack (as Scotti Brothers Records and Tapes)
• Soundtracs  music supervision
• Technicolor  prints
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  sound re-recording
• Wally Burr Studios  voice effects
• Wally Burr Studios  voice recording

Also Known As:

Transformers the Movie: Apocalypse! Matrix Forever (Japan: English title) (working title)
Transformers: Matrix yo eien ni (Japan)
Transformers: The Movie (USA) (DVD box title)
Transformers - Der Kampf um Cybertron (West Germany) [de]
Transformers: La película (Argentina) [es]

Runtime:

84 min | Argentina:85 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:PG (Reconstructed Edition) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Québec) | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:PG

Company:

Sunbow Productions

Trivia:

Two other characters were scripted to die in the film as well, but the scenes were not animated. During the attack on Autobot City by Devastator, Ultra Magnus attacks, accompanied by Sideswipe, Tracks and Red Alert, and Red Alert is killed by a cannon blast. Also, towards the end of the movie when Shockwave is frantically calling for the Decepticons to engage Unicron, Unicron's hand was supposed to have been seen crushing Shockwave's citadel. The way the movie was released, after Shockwave calls "Scramble!", Unicron's hand comes down and smashes a good part of the planet's surface, and Shockwave is never seen again.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Hot Rod successfully opens the Matrix, he is able to fit his fingers into square holes in the handles. These finger holes do appear in a couple of other scenes (when Galvatron claims the Matrix from Magnus, and when Galvatron tries to claw it open to use against Unicron), but they seem to be an afterthought. The finger holes are missing throughout most of the movie, including the scene in which Optimus Prime first takes the Matrix out of his chest.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kranix: Arblus, look! It's Unicron!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Producing Fiction (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Transformers (Theme)

Not just for fans

Well, I agree that the appeal of this movie is mostly to fans, but I was never a big fan of the series, and I loved it. It's definitely not mainstream, but for anyone who can appreciate robots voiced by some big names (even Orson Welles!) thrashing each other with a very cool, hugely 80s soundtrack, this is where it's at. The main plot, although not exactly inspired, is at least compelling. Any of the scenes with Unicron (Welles) or Galvatron (Leonard Nimoy) easily make the movie worth watching, and there are a few scenes that actually have heart. If you don't like 80s cartoon action, stay away. But if you'll always be a Megaman-playing, Ninja-Turtle-watching kid at heart, check it out.