Michael Bay interview on Transfomer 1

Discussion in 'Transformers Movie Discussion' started by QLRformer, Jul 1, 2022.

  1. QLRformer

    QLRformer Seeker

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    Michael Bay reflects on working with Shia LaBeouf as ‘Transformers’ turns 15: ‘He had a tough upbringing’


    It wasn't a lot, just a brief talk during filming AMBULANCE.


    "It was scary. Because if the robots didn't look dead real, the movie would not have worked]" Michael Bay said. "But we broke a lot of visual effects ground on that."

    Bay says he gained confidence after showing some early footage to a football-playing friend of his. "I surround myself with normal people, people not in the business," the filmmaker explains.


    "[Transformers] was a fun ride," Bay says. "You see the joy of the audiences around the world."


    Listen, Shia was a kid," Bay says when asked about his experience with LaBeouf, who grew up poor in Los Angeles with a father who battled alcohol and drug addictions.

    "He was a kid when I worked with him. I sort of had to father him. A couple times he acted up but he's a very talented kid. He really is nice… He had a tough upbringing. But he's a fantastic actor," he said.
     
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  2. decepticon seeker

    decepticon seeker Sixshot

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    He should be embarrassed for the last two movies.
     
  3. zark225

    zark225 Talon Productions on YouTube

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    What do the last two have to do with the 15th anniversary of the first one?

    Just seems like an unnecessary dig at Bay.
     
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  4. TF Hot Rod

    TF Hot Rod Legacy TFA enjoyer

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    He's definetly right about the first thing he said. If those robots didn't look real and actually interact with its surroundings and living the film/concept wouldn't work.
    Yeah, the other 4 films have nothing to do with the article or topic (along with the unnecessary dig).
     
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  5. Moy

    Moy Constructicons!

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    And this right here is why I've seen all 5 films. There's no film this edgy. In regards to TF1. District 9 is a close one though. I like both the same.
     
  6. jackgaughan

    jackgaughan Banned

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    I think it's fair to say that there are movies out there edgier than the movie made to sell toys to 12 year olds.
     
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  7. Novaburnhilde

    Novaburnhilde Destron Enforcer

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    That's great, Michael.

    I'm sure the film worked as a pretty tech demo for what can be done with CGI, it's just a shame that the film itself really isn't all that great.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
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  8. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    I'm sure Bay was being nice but given the kind of antics Shia has gotten up to over the years, I think the best thing Bay could have done for him was get him a therapist. Dude has some real problems.

    The film did what it needed to do - be a loud summer blockbuster that keeps people entertained for an hour or two and also promote a major toyline.

    Really, the problem was they never sat down and figured out a long term trajectory for the plot even after greenlighting the two sequels.
     
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  9. trokanmariel33

    trokanmariel33 Banned

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    The comment, I take the most spirituality out of, is the football-playing friend comment; it's an aftereffect inducer, however, it's uncertain as to what this means.

    In general: I would say that the football reference is the beauty
     
  10. ThePrime84

    ThePrime84 Well-Known Member

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    Nah. The performances are pretty solid, the visuals are stunning (which is important, this is a visual medium), and the music slaps. The script does a pretty good job of showcasing the sheer power and scale of the transformers themselves. While the script doesn't have the greatest character interactions in the franchise, what is there is good. It's also pretty funny ngl, which I like.
     
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  11. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    Scale sure, but I don't think you can really say the film shows the robots as being that powerful. I mean, the movie straight up makes a point about how incendiary rounds, technology that's been around since at least WWII, can tear right through them, and then S7 rolls up and takes Bumblebee down with ice guns. It's really not that different than what was effectively the Battle of Stalingrad, complete with absurdly huge weapons (look up the Nazi rail cannons), its just that in Transformers the guns happen to have legs and sentience. Ironically, the most effective thing the Decepticons actually employ is communications jamming, which also ultimately gets defeated using older forms of technology for getting the Air Force deployed.

    It's why the plot of AoE with the knock-offs is so stupid - why would anybody buy these things that are so easily defeated using commonly available munitions? It just makes no sense why the robots themselves were the focus instead of just the energy technology, literally the only thing Cybertronians actually have that the humans can't respond to face-on (and even then...there's the railgun from ROTF, that technology had to come from somewhere). Seriously, screw the robots, somehow KSI figured out how to produce Energon and all they can do with it is make shitty robots instead of dominating the energy market with a solution that can finally replace fossil fuels?
     
  12. ThePrime84

    ThePrime84 Well-Known Member

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    That's true. But you also have Blackout in the beginning laying waste and Megatron in the end wrecking shop. Also, it's not like Bee was trying to kill the S7 agents trying to capture him. This is movie 1, the Autobots don't want to kill humans yet lol, with the exception of Ironhide ig
     
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  13. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    Yeah, but both cases involved the humans being caught unprepared more than actual power. I mean, Blackout later gets killed when his crotch gets blown up by Lennox's grenade launcher and he's hit by something else (don't recall exactly).

    Not so much that as it was S7 not trying to kill him. Keep in mind this is the only series where basic assault rifles are actually able to deal damage to Cybertronians - forget the incendiary stuff I already outlined as why KSI's crap wouldn't be taken seriously the second anybody figured that out, by DOTM you have dudes HALO jumping into Chicago, shooting Decepticons in the face with basic ammunition, and this somehow works.
     
  14. SPLIT LIP

    SPLIT LIP Be strong enough to be gentle

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    They take down the entire US defense network in minutes and cause a widespread (possibly global) communications blackout. Power does not equal mere strength.

    The Transformers may not have been the untouchable alien juggernauts relative to humans they're normally seen as, but TF1 is the only film to actually make use of the fact that they are ostensibly living computers. They completely outclass us in terms of computing technology and I am bewildered at the fact that every sequel ignored this. Even Bumblebee which was set in the comparatively low-tech 80's with only two main Decepticons managed to work in their technological superiority.

    TF1 may not be smart but it at least tried to think. It took the nature of "alien robots" and did new things with it. I know it's trendy and hip to slam Bay at every turn, but there's a reason TF1 is still seen as the best and why it was so popular. The cyber attacks and vulnerabilities to extreme temperatures are a solid attempt at defining the Transformers as more than just your average alien invaders... and then starting with ROTF the Decepticons never attempt a cyber attack again and suddenly the specificity of their physical weaknesses are conveniently forgotten.
     
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  15. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    Very good points.
     
  16. SilverOptimus

    SilverOptimus Movie News Monster Moderator News Staff

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    Very nice.

    I think Dark Of The Moon also went back to the 'superior technology' aspect of it, but not as much as TF1.

    TF1 is a fond memory to me. It was my gateway to the world of Transformers. Mad respect. Without it, I don't think the franchise will be nearly as popular as it is today.
     
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  17. Stryker729

    Stryker729 That’s rough, buddy

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    Actually a lot of people (including myself) get tricked by this scene into thinking that it was indeed the cock and ball torture inflicted by Josh Duhamel which prematurely ended the Oscar worthy performance of Big Boy Blackout. However, it was the dastardly squadron of F22s (and possibly Starscream [This is a reference to how Starscream is treacherous]), who were responsible, and they also later gave Megatron a big case of knee arthritis. Blackout, the Massive MegaSimp that he is, was too focused on subscribing to Megatron’s OnlyCons and couldn’t dodge the incoming salvo, thus literally dying for the Megatrussy.






    But yeah the shot frames like it the crotch shot kills him when its actually the missiles hitting his upper chest and presumably his spark chamber (the leadup to this scene has Epps marking Blackout for the fighter squadron). The grenade launcher probably did some damage but Lennox was more useful distracting Blackout a bit so that Epps could actually line up a clear target IIRC.
     
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  18. JonzyYT

    JonzyYT Studio Series is great again!

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    Seeing all the positive things have been saying about it today, such as Twitter and various others, I think it's a very liked movie.
     
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  19. SPLIT LIP

    SPLIT LIP Be strong enough to be gentle

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    This couldn't have been worded better.

    I'm surprised anyone still thinks Blackout died from the crotch shot when there's, like, a very prominent shot showing the jets fly in and the entire purpose of Epps using the little laser target thing was for the F-22s.
     
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  20. Rodimus Prime

    Rodimus Prime Sola Gratia, Sola Fide TFW2005 Supporter

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    The first one was fine. It was explained to us before release that the robots were not going to be as prominent due to budget restraints, so we gave it a pass. The problem is that they never grew as a franchise.
     
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