Transformers Allegories - Is Transformers propaganda?

[CFlash]

A reviewer wrote this before the movie came out. I thought it was interesting... especially the second paragraph.

Transformers trades on the pervasive xenophobia that grips America. The voiceover in one ad says, “Our enemy could take any shape. They could be anywhere.” This could reference either the so–called terrorists in America, or the so–called “insurgents” in Iraq. Opening on the July 4th holiday like the movie does, I suspect the invocation of an omnipresent enemy that could “take any shape” is supposed to tap into fears of “homegrown terrorism.”

It would be truly ironic if the Transformers movie turns a tale about the expansive quest for natural resources into an allegory of the clash of civilizations. The former parallels the actual American Empire, while the latter provides propagandist cover for Empire’s excesses.

Aside from robots fighting and good guys vs bad guys, how was the Transformers movie like or unlike the original Transformers story it tries to tell (the falling to Earth, Spike, Bumblebee story)? In today's climate in the United States (and I suspect elsewhere) what if anything does the movie say?

Discuss.

 

[Eternalzero]

It's been said (like in signs). In order for aliens to attack the earth they would do so for 2 purposes...

• Enslavement
• Resources

The same applies to any invading empire in history really. Transformers is a cheap 1980s story to promote a toy line, Season 1 is full of inconsistencies and plot holes that season 2 and 3 alter and remedy. This movie was not a political one at all, whether it influences real events it very may well do so (as the credits to any movie say, all characters and events are fictional and should not reflect any particular character).

Michael Bay is very pro america. American cars, american filming locations, etc.. he would not satire america and and american policy, he doesn't care. He just makes badass action movies.

Secondly, the movie dealt with a particular weapon, not resources (as of yet) so its not even about resources. Its about stopping the enemy from getting more powerful and conquering cybetertron. If anything its more like the regulation of international nuclear weapons production that anything.

Third. Its transformers, the storyline originated in the 80s after the onset of the cold war. Just because they are in disguise doesn't mean they're an allegory to terrorists. Could you link the two? Sure. But it is a toy brand that sought to create two toys in one. If anything it historically could've been led to communists and the red scare rather than anything else.

In summary: no.

 

[CFlash]

I totally understand the cliched alien invasion for resource X thing and how the original Transformers followed that formula. But, there's always commentary behind that resource X in any story.... no matter how simple. The Empire in Star Wars wasn't after a tangible resource.... it was after "order" through oppression (big Cold War analogies not to mention Nazism). That's a big difference- metaphorically- between lizard people wanting our water and to eat us (V), invaders wanting to colonize our planet in a classic way (Invaders of the Bady Snatchers, Signs, etc).

Where Transformers was different is that they don't want our food. They don't want to eat us. They don't even want our land, wealth, or property. They don't even want our worship or for us to worship their Gods. They don't even want to rule the world (well ultimately they do... but you can say that about any aggressor--- it doesn't help the conversation). They're machines- just like OUR machines but with sentience- and they want resources on this planet that humans *technically* don't need... and they'll destroy our planet in the process.

On Cybertron their battle meant one thing (cliched fight for supremacy for whatever reason)... once you bring humans and Earth into it, the story changes. IMO... it becomes very much an allegory for how industrializied nations feed off of 3rd world nations (this was a big academic movement in the 70's and 80's... it was called Dependency Theory or Dependencia) not to mention the fact that industrialization- machines- are killing our entire planet (or so most scientists believe).

P.S. Yeah I know it was a stupid cartoon. That doesn't mean the "times" didn't seep into the story or that the story didn't have the seeds of being something that could be expanded on.

 

[blind_fury]

Did anyone catch the part when the Australian hacker pointed out we were "attacking the wrong country"?

That's really the only controversial element in Bay's movie.

 

[blind_fury]

CFlash, did you read my script idea for TF2? It's has allegories for imperialism and the Civil War that ended slavery.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=12079959&postcount=29

 

[CFlash]

CFlash, did you read my script idea for TF2? It's has allegories for imperialism and the Civil War that ended slavery.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=12079959&postcount=29

LOL. No. But I am now.

[Edit] Your "script idea" is longer than the script for this movie. It reminds me of V. I dunno why I've been thinking about that miniseries lately.

 

[Cth]

There's that whole US army trapped between two diametrically opposed factions fighting for dominance of a region thing as well

 

[CFlash]

There's that whole US army trapped between two diametrically opposed factions fighting for dominance of a region thing as well

'Cept of course in the movie they didn't help cause the eruption of fighting. t:

 

[blind_fury]

I totally understand the cliched alien invasion for resource X thing and how the original Transformers followed that formula. But, there's always commentary behind that resource X in any story.... no matter how simple. The Empire in Star Wars wasn't after a tangible resource.... it was after "order" through oppression (big Cold War analogies not to mention Nazism). That's a big difference- metaphorically- between lizard people wanting our water and to eat us (V), invaders wanting to colonize our planet in a classic way (Invaders of the Bady Snatchers, Signs, etc).

Where Transformers was different is that they don't want our food. They don't want to eat us. They don't even want our land, wealth, or property. They don't even want our worship or for us to worship their Gods. They don't even want to rule the world (well ultimately they do... but you can say that about any aggressor--- it doesn't help the conversation). They're machines- just like OUR machines but with sentience- and they want resources on this planet that humans *technically* don't need... and they'll destroy our planet in the process.

On Cybertron their battle meant one thing (cliched fight for supremacy for whatever reason)... once you bring humans and Earth into it, the story changes. IMO... it becomes very much an allegory for how industrializied nations feed off of 3rd world nations (this was a big academic movement in the 70's and 80's... it was called Dependency Theory or Dependencia) not to mention the fact that industrialization- machines- are killing our entire planet (or so most scientists believe).

P.S. Yeah I know it was a stupid cartoon. That doesn't mean the "times" didn't seep into the story or that the story didn't have the seeds of being something that could be expanded on.

It's not a stupid cartoon.

It was aimed at children but it still had many concepts worth revisiting. It had elements from Gulliver's Travels, Fantastic Planet (check out this movie), Artificial Intelligence, Ghost in the Shell, War of the Worlds, Twilight Zone/Outer Limits, Star Wars, Excalibur (the Matrix), Phillip K Dick novels, Greek mythology, Frankenstein and a precursor for problems we face in the Iraq War (imperialism/endless civil war). A perfect introduction for 8 year olds into the world of sci-fi. If one wants to elevate Transformers they just need to use the iconic characters and extensive canon to explore these elements.

Pokemon and Hong Kong Phooey are stupid cartoons.

 

[blind_fury]

LOL. No. But I am now.

[Edit] Your "script idea" is longer than the script for this movie. It reminds me of V. I dunno why I've been thinking about that miniseries lately.

It's an awesome miniseries.

 

[CFlash]

It's not a stupid cartoon.

It was aimed at children but it still had many concepts worth revisiting. It had elements from Gulliver's Travels, Fantastic Planet (check out this movie), Artificial Intelligence, Ghost in the Shell, War of the Worlds, Twilight Zone/Outer Limits, Star Wars, Excalibur (the Matrix), Phillip K Dick novels, Greek mythology, Frankenstein and a precursor for problems we face in the Iraq War (imperialism/endless civil war). A perfect introduction for 8 year olds into the world of sci-fi. If one wants to elevate Transformers they just need to use the iconic characters and extensive canon to explore these elements.

Pokemon and Hong Kong Phooey are stupid cartoons.

Hey! I've watched a bunch of Pokemon movies with my daughter. Ecological balance and respect is a big theme. I love it. The regular daily toons are kinda stupid tho.

 

[Wolfwood]

It's like finding the Virgin Mary in a tortilla, people will always try to see some deeper meaning where there really isn't any. Look at all the comparisons between Bush and Xerxes that popped up when 300 came out, people are so obsessed with politics they have to see it everywhere they go.

 

[CFlash]

It's like finding the Virgin Mary in a tortilla, people will always try to see some deeper meaning where there really isn't any. Look at all the comparisons between Bush and Xerxes that popped up when 300 came out, people are so obsessed with politics they have to see it everywhere they go.

It's more about seeing parallels than intended meaning.

"An unexamined life ain't worth living." -Socrates

 

[GhostPoet]

I think it's pretty obvious what message Bay is conveying in this film.

Playing Xbox is all fun and games until one comes to life via alien technology and strangles you in your sleep with the power cord.

 

[Darthphere]

I thought this was going to be about how all the decepticons were military vehicles.

 

[blind_fury]

It's like finding the Virgin Mary in a tortilla, people will always try to see some deeper meaning where there really isn't any. Look at all the comparisons between Bush and Xerxes that popped up when 300 came out, people are so obsessed with politics they have to see it everywhere they go.

And most subtext in popular fiction will go unnoticed by the majority of the public no matter how obvious.

 

[Boiiinng]

SB must be on vacation.

 

[blind_fury]

SB must be on vacation.

His studio paycheck must be late.

 

[WarBlade]

Allegorical references were leaping out of this movie with such regularity I sat there starting to play "spot the reference" during the show. Unlike Ang Lee, who buries a little anti-Iraq invasion slap to the face in The Hulk that people usually miss, Bay takes a great big mallet to the noggin and pokes 9/11 and Iraq at us again and again and again.

Just a few of the ones I spotted:

Decepticons, The Unseen Enemy: The nature of the story is pretty locked and it would be tricky not to have these guys looking like Al Qaeda, but with all of the other references they became so heavily locked into that mold that there was simply no escaping it. This would be my pick for the most unintentional reference possibility.

Sector 7: Clearly the "bungling bureaucracy" archetype, Sector 7 ran around posing as the go-to guys on the Decepticon threat only to be exposed as on the back foot as everyone else. Basically these guys represent the FBI/US Government mix that supposedly knew of a WTC'esque threat and proved ineffective at doing much to prevent it. 9/11 all the way.

The Marines: Ah, there's the all-American hero archetype. These are the guys send into hostile territory, great defenders of the realm that they are, go up against the hidden foe and succeed with bravery and sacrifice. Afghanistan reference.

The Hunt For The All-Spark / WMD: So the evil terrorists and the heroic defenders of the realm and the bungling bureaucrats are all want the WMD... AKA the All-Spark.

Communications Blackout: Anyone who has read transcripts of the September 11 NORAD tapes and then watches transformers will notice a strong link between the military trying to get a tough job done when the system that they're supposed to use to do it simply hasn't worked.

Mrs. Witwicky Closing Statements: "If the government knew, they'd tell us, right? Duck and cover!" Ok, so someone knew and they didn't tell us and then the Decepticons attacked and the WTC came tumbling down. By this point I was like, "Yeah ok Bay. You already spelled this one out in reels 5 and 6."

Did anyone catch the part when the Australian hacker pointed out we were "attacking the wrong country"?

Did anyone fail to catch it?

That's really the only controversial element in Bay's movie.

More like that bit was one little part of one big sledgehammer.

 

[CFlash]

^ ^ ^
Hmmm. Good ones, Warblade.

How about these also:

- Decepticon bad guys rise out of the desert in the Middle East
- Autobot good guys emerge from a junkyard in the United States

I mean, why couldn't Blackout try to hack into an American airbase in Germany... or, even better, an American airbase in Japan considering Transformers' origins?

 

[ObakeTora]

Its propoganda to hire more talentless writers who suck and should be in different fields save for writing.

 

[Avangarde]

I'm trying hard not to think about it to much because I fear it may spoil what I like about the movie, but I did notice it in the movie so you have a point CFlash

 

[ObakeTora]

I'm trying hard not to think about it to much because I fear it may spoil what I like about the movie, but I did notice it in the movie so you have a point CFlash

I really don't like being a killjoy, but (yea it was cool to see Transformers on the big screen) but now that I'm older, I think the plot sucked. They should have just hired the original writers from the show but you got your transformers movie. I dunno, maybe if I was 11 or 14 I might enjoy this film.

 

[DieSmiling]

More like that bit was one little part of one big sledgehammer.

I think you took it a little too seriously.

 

[GhostPoet]

I think often times it isn't the writers that inject propaganda into films...but we the watchers who, knowing what's going on in the world...shove our own, often times manipulated views of what's going on in the world into the things we watch.

If we were fighting the Russians right now for whatever reason, a person could easily say "oh well, it's OBVIOUS that it has to do with the Russians blah blah blah blah"