30TH ANNIVERSARY TRANSFORMERS MOVIE BLU-RAY

The Transformers: The Movie (1986) is coming to a 30th anniversary Blu-ray edition! Shout Factory has announced they will be adding the classic animated feature to their Transformers line on September 13th. So far they have listed it as a 2-disc edition, but no word yet on bonus content. I'm hoping they will include the full-frame version of the film (as was done with the 20th anniversary DVDs). Although the movie had theatrical release in widescreen, much of the art and original compositions were cropped. Either way, I'm psyched to see the film in hi-def! It's a wonderful time capsule of the 1980s, complete with anthem-rock action, transforming robot battles, some tunes by Devo and Weird Al, and an amazing cast that included Orson Welles, Eric Idle, Leonard Nimoy, and Robert Stack. I showed it to my students this year and they really enjoyed it! Ok, they though parts were cheesy, but they still kept begging to see it to the end. So, what's the plot? The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons. Pre-orders at Shout Factory can receive a free cover art poster (see below) while supplies last.  Sweet! Stay tuned for updates.