Shout! Factory’s 35th Anniversary Re-Issue Of ‘The Transformers: The Movie’ Will Appeal To A Very Targeted Audience

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/eOne

It’s hard to believe but this year marks 35 years since the landmark presentation, The Transformers: The Movie debuted.  In celebration of the anniversary, Shout! Factory re-issued the movie again Aug. 3 on separate steelbook and Blu-ray/DVD presentations.  The re-issue, which in fact comes five years after the release of the company’s 30^th anniversary re-issue of the movie, is sadly a disappointing presentation.  That is due in large part to its featured bonus content, which will be discussed a little later.  For all that said content does to detract from the presentation, it does have at least one positive to note in its restored look.  This will be discussed shortly.  The one other positive worth noting is the re-issue’s pricing.  It will be discussed later, too.  Each item plays its own important part to the whole of this re-issue.  All things considered, they still make the presentation sadly a disappointing new offering from Shout! Factory that does little to further the legacy of The Transformers.

Shout! Factory’s recently released 35^th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie is sadly, a disappointing offering from the company.  It is another example of how far the company has fallen from its former place as the leader in home entertainment.  It is not a complete failure, though.  The most notable of its very few positives is its look.  As noted on the presentation’s packaging, it is presented this time out in a new, restored look thanks to a 4K scan of the original film.  The restoration’s impact is clear right from the movie’s outset.  The rough, hand-drawn anime look from the original movie is still evident here.  At the same time, there is a certain definition to that look.  That is not to say that the charm of the original hand-drawn look is gone by any means.  Rather, it is just that evident that said look has been improved upon without losing the look of the original cut.  Yes, it is an aesthetic element, but it in itself makes the re-issue worth watching at least once.

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/eOne

While the newly restored footage of Transformers: The Movie is a positive that viewers cannot ignore, it is one of very few positives to this set, next to its pricing.  That item will be addressed later.  The bonus content featured with this re-issue detracts considerably from the presentation.  According to information provided late this summer, this latest re-issue features a handful of so-called new bonus features.  In reality, there are three new bonuses: new feature-length storyboards, new deleted and alternate sequences, and a new interview with singer-songwriter John Bush, who provided much of the music for the movie’s soundtrack.  This all sounds great on paper, but in reality, it collectively does little if anything to enhance the viewing presentation.  The interview with Bush for instance finds him talking about how the song, ‘The Touch’ was created.  There is no real insight into its connection with the movie.  Along with the discussion, audiences also get an acoustic, in-studio performance of the song as well as a performance of ‘The Dare,’ another of the songs featured in the movie’s soundtrack.  The storyboards and deleted scenes are just that.  The deleted and alternate scenes are essentially one in the same.  Just as concerning (if not more so) is that there is no sound in the storyboards, which are their own presentation and the deleted/alternate scenes.  As a result, audiences have to essentially guess as which scenes are alternate and deleted.  If any one good thing can be noted here, it is that these same “bonuses” are featured in the movie’s 4K UHD and Blu-ray/DVD combo packs.  Even that is not enough to offset the negative of the content or lack thereof.  At least the more enjoyable bonus content from the movie’s 30^th anniversary presentation is featured in this re-issue.  Keeping all of this in mind, the “new” bonus content featured in this 35^th anniversary re-issue of The Transformers: The Movie is more burden to the presentation than boon.

For all of the concerns raised by the “new” bonus content in this presentation, there is at least one more positive for the most devoted fans of The Transformers.  That positive is the pricing.  Speaking more specifically, the pricing for the BD/DVD combo pack is that positive.  The average price point for that platform is $15.  That price was reached by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Books-A-Million, and Shout! Factory’s store.  It was not listed through Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Target at the time of this review’s posting.  By comparison, the average price point for the 4K UHD set is $22.19.  That price was reached by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Books-A-Million, and Shout! Factory’s store.  The movie’s steelbook presentation averages at $24.73.  This is all important to note because the only thing that separates the three platforms is their box art.  Yes, that’s it.  Each platform has the same content right down to the bonus content.  To that end the most devoted Transformers fans will do well to save themselves some money and just get the standard Blu-ray/DVD combo pack if they get this 25^th anniversary presentation of The Transformers: The Movie if they buy it at all.  Noting again, the lackluster bonus content against the slightly better look of the film, there is little motivation for most audiences to buy this set if they already own the movie’s 30^th anniversary re-issue.

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/eOne

Shout! Factory and eOne’s recently released 35^th Anniversary re-issue of The Transformers: The Movie is a surprisingly disappointing new presentation of the classic animated feature.  It is not a total failure, though.  Its restored 4K scan is a noticeable improvement on the look from the movie’s 30^th anniversary edition without losing the warmth of the movie’s look from that re-issue.  The major shortfall for this movie comes in the form of its “new” bonus content.  Said content is anything but a real bonus.  That is because of how little it does to enhance the viewing experience in comparison to the bonus content carried over from the 30^th anniversary re-issue.  It will appeal primarily to the most devoted fans of The Transformers overall.  Considering that the overall content is featured in each of the re-issue’s three separate platforms (yes, three), it makes the pricing for the movie’s Blu-ray/DVD combo pack positive in its own right.  That is in comparison to the pricing for the movie’s separate 4K UHD/BD set and steelbook set.  Keeping all of this in mind, this latest re-issue of The Transformers: The Movie proves itself a presentation that will appeal to a very targeted audience. 

The Transformers: The Movie’s 35^th anniversary re-issue is available now. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available along with the company’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

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True ‘Transformers’ Fans Will Appreciate ‘The Transformers: The Movie’ 30th Anniversary Edition

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Hasbro Studios

It’s hard to believe but thirty years ago this year The Transformers: The Movie made its big screen debut.  The movie, which was essentially just a way for Hasbro to eliminate its original Transformers toy line and pave the way for a new line of bots, didn’t do too well in its original run.  However, it is gone on to become a cult favorite among the franchise’s fans in the decades since.  Now thanks to Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios Transformers fans can own the movie for themselves in its new 30^th Anniversary edition.  There is a lot for fans to appreciate about the movie’s new release, beginning with its story.  That will be discussed shortly.  The bonus material that is included in the movie’s new 30^th anniversary edition presentation is another of the positives to note in its presentation. The various platforms on which the movie is available is just as notable but hardly least of note.  One could also make note of the cast’s acting, the movie’s artwork, and much more in considering its overall presentation.  All things considered, the new 30^th Anniversary edition of The Transformers: The Movie is a welcome addition to any true Transformers fan’s movie library.

Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios re-issued the classic animated movie The Transformers: The Movie this week in a brand new 30^th Anniversary Edition. The new re-issue is a presentation that will be welcome in any true Transformers fan’s movie library.  That is especially the case for fans that perhaps don’t already own the movie in its previous releases.  Its story is one of the reasons that audiences will enjoy it.  The story centers on the battle for control of Cybertron between the Autobots and Decepticons. As is discussed in the movie’s bonus features, the purpose of the story was essentially a way to eliminate Hasbro’s original Transformers toy line and introduce a new line of toys.  Even with that in mind, and the fact that the movie bears little to no connection to the Transformers TV series, the story is still interesting.  It eventually sees both the Decepticons and Autobots having to face the ultimate evil in Unicron, the planet devouring Transformer.  If that sounds familiar, it should.  Marvel Productions played a role in the movie’s creation. Marvel Productions was the film branch of Marvel Entertainment Group, the parent group to Marvel Comics.  Fantastic Four is one of Marvel Comics’ titles.  For those who might not know, the Fantastic Four faced a similar villain in its original comics storyline named Galactus.  Galactus had a herald called The Silver Surfer who would hunt out new worlds for him to devour. In the case of The Transformers Movie Galactus and The Silver Surfer were replaced with Unicron and Galvatron (Megatron reborn, so to speak).  What all of this means to say is that the story isn’t exactly original per se when one really analyzes all of the facts.  But it is still a fun story nonetheless, especially since it created new worlds within the Transformers universe as well as new characters.  To that end, the story is still an important part of the movie’s overall presentation.  It is just one of the movie’s key elements to note.  The bonus material that is included in the movie’s 30^th Anniversary Edition is just as important to note in examining its presentation as the movie’s central story.

The story at the center of The Transformers: The Movie is clearly an important piece of the movie’s presentation.  Considering all of the facts, it is not exactly an original story, as has been noted already.  But it is original within the Transformers universe.  To that end, it is just one of the movie’s key elements.  The bonus material that has been included in the movie’s new 30^th Anniversary Edition presentation is just as important to note as its story.  The movie’s new 30^th Anniversary Edition comes with some bonus material that despite originally having been recorded for the movie’s 20^th anniversary in 2006, is still interesting for those who might have not seen it before.  That is clear both in the discussions themselves and in posters sitting behind star Susan Blu, who voiced Arcee for the movie. Audiences get to hear from Blu as well as cast mates Dan Gilvezan (Bumblebee), Gregg Berger (Grimlock), and others.  Audiences learn some interesting tidbits through the discussions provided through the bonus interviews including the revelation that when Orson Wells recorded his lines for Unicron, no one was allowed to be in the booth with him.  It is revealed here that Wells demanded to be alone when he recorded his lines.  That is just one of the more interesting revelations that are made through the bonus interviews.  The cast and crew also reveal that the movie got less than a warm welcome by fans when it killed off Optimus Prime.

One of the cast members reveals in the discussion on this topic that one young viewer was so devoted to the Transformers franchise that after Optimus was killed off in the movie, that unnamed viewer allegedly locked himself in his room for two weeks straight, mourning for the loss.  That viewer’s reaction wasn’t the only negative reaction.  The reaction was so negative in fact, that the creative forces behind the G.I. Joe Movie, which was released not too long after The Transformers: The Movie, made sure that Duke survived just to avoid the same negative reaction from audiences.  As if that isn’t enough for viewers, it is also revealed that the foul language included in the movie’s original presentation is also included here, thus providing the movie’s “PG” rating.  One of the instances in which that language is presented comes as Spike and Bumblebee are trying to escape the Autobots’ moon base 2.  Spike drops an “S”-bomb in that moment.  There is also a moment later in which another character drops the “D” bomb.  They are the only times throughout the movie in which any foul language is used.  But those instances combine with the movie’s themes of death and its violent content to clearly show why the movie received a “PG” rating in its original presentation.  The revelation about the use of that language and its inclusion here is just one more of so many examples of what makes the movie’s bonus material so enjoyable in its new re-issue, even if said material isn’t original.  Keeping all of this in mind, the bonus material that is included with the new 30^th Anniversary edition of The Transformers: The Movie proves in the end to be. Again, just as important to the movie’s presentation as its story.  It is still hardly the last of the movie’s most important elements.  The various platforms on which it is available are just as important to note as its bonus material and its story.

The story at the center of The Transformers: The Movie and its bonus material are both key elements in the movie’s new 30^th Anniversary Edition.  The story, while not exactly original, stands apart from the series and the bonus material is enlightening and entertaining for audiences that might not have seen it before.  It provides quite a bit of extra insight into the movie, and in turn appreciation for the movie, too.  For all of the value that each element brings to the movie’s presentation, there are still plenty of other elements to note including the various platforms on which the movie has been made available in its new re-issue.  It has been made available on DVD, Blu-ray, and special edition steelbook.  For the sake of this review, movie’s Blu-ray re-issue will receive the attention.  The Blu-ray re-issue presents the movie in both letterbox and full screen.  It also includes a code for a digital download of the movie so that audiences can take the movie with them everywhere that they go.  The movie’s availability on Blu-ray for this presentation also marks the first time that the movie has ever been available on said format.  It is also the first time that it has been made available on a digital platform, too.  To that end, Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios have covered al of their bases in presenting the movie in its expansive Blu-ray presentation as well as its DVD and steelbook presentation.  It allows audiences across the board to be able to enjoy the movie regardless of whether they have a Blu-ray player or a DVD player.  When this positive is set against the movie’s central story and its new bonus material, all three elements join together to show clearly why The Transformers: The Movie is welcome in the home library of any Transformers fan’s home library in its new 30^th Anniversary re-issues.

Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios’ new 30^th Anniversary re-issue of The Transformers: The Movie is a welcome addition to the home library of any of the franchise’s true hardcore fans.  That is evident in the movie’s story, which holds its own against the franchise’s TV installments.  It may not exactly be an original story, considering Marvel Productions’ role in its creation.  But it is still a story that holds its own. The bonus material that is included in the movie’s new re-issue adds even more entertainment and appreciation to the movie’s presentation.  The various platforms on which it is available in its new re-issue are—collectively speaking—just as important to its presentation here as its story and its bonus material.  These elements, as important as they are to the movie’s presentation, are hardly the movie’s only key elements.  The movie’s artwork, its soundtrack, and so many other elements can be noted just as easily as the elements discussed here.  All things considered, the new 30^th Anniversary Edition of The Transformers: The Movie is a welcome addition to the library of any true hardcore Transformers fan’s movie library. It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct online via Shout! Factory’s online store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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Shout! Factory, Nickelodeon To Release Classic Nicktoon’s Full Series Set This Fall

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Fans of Nickelodeon’s classic 90s Nicktoons are getting a special treat just in time for Halloween courtesy of Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon.  Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon will release Aaahh!!! Real Monsters: The Complete Series on Tuesday, October 8^th, just in time to plan those Halloween get-togethers.  The entire series’ four-season run is contained on eight discs in the upcoming release.  The first two hundred people to order the set will receive a free 12” x 18” collectible lithograph.  It can be ordered direct from the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/218263.     

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters follows the adventures of monster friends Ickis, Oblina, and Crumb as they attend scare school and learn how to properly and effectively scare humans.  The classic Nicktoon ran for a total of four seasons from 1994 – 2000.  During its run on Nickelodeon, it received a nomination for a Daytime Emmy in the category of “Outstanding Achievement in Animation.”  The show boasted an all-star voice cast, too.  Charlie Adler (Rocko’s Modern Life, Tiny Toon Adventures, Aladdin), Christine Cavanaugh (Rugrats, Dexter’s Laboratory, Recess), Gregg Berger (Garfield & Friends, The Garfield Show, The Transformers), Tim Curry (Clue, Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and James Belushi (Life According to Jim, Hey Arnold!, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius) round out the cast. 

For more information on previous and future releases from Shout! Factory, audiences can go to the official Shout! Factory website, http://www.shoutfactory.com or the official Shout! Factory Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.