Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

What was your reaction when you sat in that seat in the theater in August 1986, and you all waited to see your favorite Transformers on the big screen, and we all saw that giant planet (Unicron) and the names of the actors of the new Transformers. What was your reaction when you saw the new names in the introduction at the beginning like Galvatron, Kup, Unicron, Blurr, Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Kup? Did you knew at the time that some of the season 1and 2 Autobots and Decepticons were gonna die? Or you simply thought "Oh more Autobots to help Optimus defeat the Decepticons". or "New Decepticons to help Megatron defeat the Autobots".

Thanks

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

You know, I'll be honest, I don't think I saw the movie in theatres, as I was a little young (I would have been almost 4 when the movie came out).

I might have rented it on VHS for the first time a few years later, probably after I had already got to see hot rod and others on television and become familiar with them.

I was probably too young at that time to realize names of transformers in the introduction etc. I don't think I would have pieced it together.

I did seem to enjoy the movie whenever I did see it (maybe 2 or 3 years later?), and even designed several transformers based on it. I don't seem to have been too hearbroken about optimus "dying" but then again as I said, I'd probably seen season 3 and 4 by that time, and Optimus coming back, and it was probably no big deal. Either that or I was too young to understand what was happening.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

Kind of like how AoE used lot of dino content for their marketing, posters with optimus made me think the G1 movie was about the usual guys, and not a rebootish intro of new ones... so maybe this kind of thing is par for the transformers course :P

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

My mind was a bit overloaded by the 80's rock intro, the superman flying fonts and who were all those humanoid robots that the giant planet just ate? I did notice there were a lot of big name actors playing roles in the movie that I totally did not expect.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

Honestly hard to remember, but I do know I was a bit mad. I loved all the 84-85 cast, and felt the 86 folk just didnt belong.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

Its like it happened Yesterday
I still feel for it sitting in the movie theater
Optimus dying
I remember being stoked for the movie!
Those were Better times in my life!

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

I was innocent back then. Didn't suspect a thing even when I saw a Rodimus Prime toy in the story before hand and thought about how much it looked like Hotrod.

I honestly went in with few expectation except that it was going to be awesome, and I came away awed all right.

When the original cast died, my jaw dropped. I remember when Spike said "Sh!t, what are we going to do now," and the whole theatre gasped because, well, there's no swearing in transformers.

As for the new cast, I was stoked for them. I remember seeing this ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8V7VYJeir8 ) commercial for Ultra Magnus and thinking, "What an awesome character."

The exo-suits were cool too.

I loved Hotrod, and I loved his journey from little punk to Rodimus Prime. When he grabbed the matrix and turned into Rodimus Prime, I got chills.

I guess I'm in the minority when it comes to that. I even really liked the post-movie season, where Rodimus struggles to live up to Optimus's legacy.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

I'd have to say the movie was a transition for me. The fact of war is that comrades die. TV series never actually terminated any characters. Thanks to doc Ratchet and Wheeljack. :D
I think it marks a change in story line that continues to this day.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

I remember reading the bios on the back of the toys before I saw the movie and when I read Rodimus' function was "Protector" I thought who or what is he suppose to protect ??? It all made sense after I saw it in a theatre. It was awesome to experience that with other kids but Optimus' dying was sad. I remember the commercials for it even gave it away because they featured Megatron saying "It's over Prime" and then the announcer said "Does Prime die? Find out now in theatres". So as bittersweet as the movie is I was still glad I saw it way back then and the popcorn tasted better back then too.

Re: Reaction to the new Autobots & Decepticons
 

I was five.

Unicron freaked me the fuck out.

Cried at Prime's death.

Springer said "I've got better things to do tonight than die."

Magnus said "Open, dammit, OPEN."

Yeah. LOVED the new guys. Magnus was my go-to defense of swearing for years. ^^