A limited release between 15 – 19 May provided an opportunity for some to see the original ‘Generation 1’ cartoon’s first four episodes: More Than Meets The Eye parts 1-3 and Transport to Oblivion.

There were returns for some of the key voice actors including a re-recording of the first episode and a split-screen experience which allowed us to see them performing alongside their original animations.

Whatever my initial expectations were, the final result was somehow still different. It was not all four episodes, or even the first that had the special anniversary treatment, just part one of the first story. The rest were simply the existing episodes with accelerated end credits and the surrounding frame graphic which had been there since the start. For some reason I thought all four episodes were getting the reworking, which was not the case, and without an introduction which truly outlined the intended plan, it was somewhat odd. The last episode finished and the lights in the cinema came back on rather abruptly, whereby perhaps some kind of outro with the studio special may have served better.

With the anniversary celebrations seemingly a key feature of the year for Hasbro, there might have been a reasonable expectation that the four episodes presented at least got a suitable introduction between runs. It was entertaining to see the cast they had together, particularly Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, reminiscing over their antics in the original recordings and the general fun that they had, but it felt like an isolated section of the experience, as if they had only partially recorded all they had intended, or omitted something. In the end, it is neither a full documentary, nor commentary if anyone was expecting these and feels oddly incomplete.

That is not to detract from the episodes themselves, both a fine introduction to later generations of one of the things kids were getting excited about in 1984 (and their grown-up versions remaining so today), and good story and world setting for all which was to come. As a package though, it feels quite rushed, and a neater overall presentation would perhaps have served better. With all that said, it was still fun to see those opening episodes on the big screen though, and not each interrupted by being broken up into two or three heavily advertisement breaks on a morning breakfast show.

I am looking forward to the 40th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie in two years’ time, which will be much easier to present!

Russell A. Smith