blind_fury
Avenger
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2003
- Messages
- 13,584
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 31
Keep in mind that didn't include the hundreds of comic books, many of which had far more complex story arcs and character dynamics.
Of course Micheal (Pearl Harbor missed the point) Bay ignored 97% of that to make his generic, half-assed version as if millions of life-long fans simply didn't exist or matter.
The origin of the Transformers in the cartoon is, basically, that they were created to be mechanized servants, but they grew advanced enough to have feelings and free will, and eventually rebelled. Personally, I think that's pretty interesting, especially as the rebelling robots are presented as freedom fighters as well as the evil conquering robots you see so often. In fact,t his is the basic difference between Autobots and Decepticons. I also find the whole idea of mechanical life that is, essentially, equal to or superior to biological life appealing. These aren't Terminators, they have human emotions and human weaknesses.
- AICN talkbacker
But I really liked that they were almost never portrayed as robots. They could be stupid, narcissistic, heroic, greedy, nerdy, power-hungry or whatever. And the cartoon gradually established that mechanical life was just as viable and established in the universe as organic life, it was simply an alternative.
- AICN talkbacker #2
Transformers are just archetype to project the human condition onto, like a myth. It's about human nature - war and freedom vs. tyranny. The archetypes are interesting, people are obviously very attached to Prime's fatherly John Wayne Sheriff type. The different characters reflect the different ways people respond to the nature of power (there are no pacifists on the Decepticon side). The hook with the robots and transforming is to sell toys and to get kids to buy into it.
But the reason it's so successful is that they are just like us, only transforming robots. It's an authentic depiction of human nature in a fantastic setting. It's the same reason comic book characters are so appealing.
AICN talkbacker #3
Oh, and the reason they're on earth, at least form the cartoon again, is because the 4-million-year war on their home planet has consumed almost all their resources, and Earth is still energy rich enough to be useful. So they came here millions of years ago, but both sides were trying to get here first, battled in the sky, and crash-landed, essentially dying until volcanic activity reactivated the Decepticon ship millions of years later.
Now that I think about it, Transformers could really be a parable for just about anything. Religious strife, waning energy resources, whatever. Funny, that.
- AICN talkbacker #4
The transformers don't usually have separate tools or vehicles. they ARE their own tools and vehicles. This is where things get creepy, because they make new transformers to gain a tactical edge. Essentially, for Transformers at war, the act of reproduction is the same as an arms race. This is a case where the troops literally cannot be seen in a separate light from their weapons. It's an interesting theme, one that certainly even casts a suspicious light on autobots motivations as well.
AICN talkbacker
Reproduction used as an arms race? I'd say that's a deep concept you won't find in any kid's cartoon today.
Many G1 TF cartoon episodes have more in common with The Twilight Zone and the Outer Limit stories than they have in common with other children cartoons. Can you imagine any children cartoons today with episode titles like these?
Five Faces of Darkness (Part 1)
The Killing Jar
Chaos
Dark Awakening
Starscream's Ghost
Forever Is a Long Time Coming
Madman's Paradise
Carnage In C-Minor
Fight or Flee
Webworld
Ghost In the Machine
The Dweller In the Depths
Nightmare Planet
The Ultimate Weapon
The Quintesson Journal
The Big Broadcast of 2006
Only Human
Grimlock's New Brain
Money Is Everything
Call of the Primitives
Those sound like mature Twilight Zone episodes not a children's toy commercial about cars that turn into robots.
Of course Micheal (Pearl Harbor missed the point) Bay ignored 97% of that to make his generic, half-assed version as if millions of life-long fans simply didn't exist or matter.
The origin of the Transformers in the cartoon is, basically, that they were created to be mechanized servants, but they grew advanced enough to have feelings and free will, and eventually rebelled. Personally, I think that's pretty interesting, especially as the rebelling robots are presented as freedom fighters as well as the evil conquering robots you see so often. In fact,t his is the basic difference between Autobots and Decepticons. I also find the whole idea of mechanical life that is, essentially, equal to or superior to biological life appealing. These aren't Terminators, they have human emotions and human weaknesses.
- AICN talkbacker
But I really liked that they were almost never portrayed as robots. They could be stupid, narcissistic, heroic, greedy, nerdy, power-hungry or whatever. And the cartoon gradually established that mechanical life was just as viable and established in the universe as organic life, it was simply an alternative.
- AICN talkbacker #2
Transformers are just archetype to project the human condition onto, like a myth. It's about human nature - war and freedom vs. tyranny. The archetypes are interesting, people are obviously very attached to Prime's fatherly John Wayne Sheriff type. The different characters reflect the different ways people respond to the nature of power (there are no pacifists on the Decepticon side). The hook with the robots and transforming is to sell toys and to get kids to buy into it.
But the reason it's so successful is that they are just like us, only transforming robots. It's an authentic depiction of human nature in a fantastic setting. It's the same reason comic book characters are so appealing.
AICN talkbacker #3
Oh, and the reason they're on earth, at least form the cartoon again, is because the 4-million-year war on their home planet has consumed almost all their resources, and Earth is still energy rich enough to be useful. So they came here millions of years ago, but both sides were trying to get here first, battled in the sky, and crash-landed, essentially dying until volcanic activity reactivated the Decepticon ship millions of years later.
Now that I think about it, Transformers could really be a parable for just about anything. Religious strife, waning energy resources, whatever. Funny, that.
- AICN talkbacker #4
The transformers don't usually have separate tools or vehicles. they ARE their own tools and vehicles. This is where things get creepy, because they make new transformers to gain a tactical edge. Essentially, for Transformers at war, the act of reproduction is the same as an arms race. This is a case where the troops literally cannot be seen in a separate light from their weapons. It's an interesting theme, one that certainly even casts a suspicious light on autobots motivations as well.
AICN talkbacker
Reproduction used as an arms race? I'd say that's a deep concept you won't find in any kid's cartoon today.
Many G1 TF cartoon episodes have more in common with The Twilight Zone and the Outer Limit stories than they have in common with other children cartoons. Can you imagine any children cartoons today with episode titles like these?
Five Faces of Darkness (Part 1)
The Killing Jar
Chaos
Dark Awakening
Starscream's Ghost
Forever Is a Long Time Coming
Madman's Paradise
Carnage In C-Minor
Fight or Flee
Webworld
Ghost In the Machine
The Dweller In the Depths
Nightmare Planet
The Ultimate Weapon
The Quintesson Journal
The Big Broadcast of 2006
Only Human
Grimlock's New Brain
Money Is Everything
Call of the Primitives
Those sound like mature Twilight Zone episodes not a children's toy commercial about cars that turn into robots.
I'm just taking stock in the fact that this is a first time effort to bring them to live action, so I can understand that they can't bring every little nuance. I'll hope the sequel expands on them more, as the ending that's apparantly online seems to leave it wide open if that is the ending they plan on using.
Yeah I tottally get what your saying, one of my favorite things about TF the Movie is the character development. The idea of Prime shoes being filled by someone barely an adult, when he finally lights their darkest hour it's awesome. However there's probably a more practical reason for not having the TFs take center stage and that's money along with the fact it's all CGI. The more human interaction the better... For two reason the first being it costs a ton of money for the TFs to be up there so that's a plus for hte studios. And secondly because it's all CGI to being with, if it was just TFs for two hours, there'd be not point of it being live action in the first place, the problem with the cartoon is, in the end it forgot all about the humans and we lost a really cool dimension to the TF universe which is how humans would react to huge robots waging a war on their planet.
Your basically a jerk, who goes around inciting how you opinion is always right, I on the other hand simply ream out those who are either being self-important (I.E. You), not listening to any coherent reason (I.E. You), or are simply being a dick (I.E. You). Tell me... If I'm such a snob, *******, etc... Tell me how come a mod on this forum has NEVER, let me repeat this to you, NEVER had a problem with me or sent me a warning. The only warning/baning/probates and **** was for **** I caused on the Community, answer me that smart guy? TEll me how many times have you been warned by mods for trolling? 
(P.S. I know it's been more than once 
)
