Toyfare interview with DeSanto...

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:16 pm

I dunno if everyone's seen this, so if corn then I apologise, but if not it may be of interest.

(not very good) Scans can be found here: http://board.spawn.com/forums/showthrea ... ge=2&pp=35

Actual quotes from DeSanto himself, if you are frowny about scans, lazy or have bad eyesight:

"The same way that Wolverine took us into the world of mutants, humans have to take us into the world of Transformers. You can't have it where Transformers are talking to Transformers at the start of the movie. The fans will get it but we're gonna lose the unititiated. But we'll stay true to the heart of it."

"hasbro want us to bring something new to the table without violating the integrity of Transforemrs...when you do a movie like this, toys come into it...but it won't be about that. If you make a movie just to sell toys, you're gonna fall."

"It's very similar to X-Men. It's got two philosophies. Where you have Magneto and Xaiver, you have Megatron and Optimus. It's a very similar thematic struggle. It's about someone who wants domination and someone who wants everyone to live together and respects all life. Any time you get a property that speaks to a deeper thematic level - that's why people aren't still talking about Go-Bots. It's character-driven science-fiction. You have to remember the characters and care about them."

"[Optimus, Megatron and Starscream are the only confirmed characters, but] the characters will be iconic. They'll fill certain roles...like Star Trek. You've got your science officer, your captain, your medic, your communications specialist."

"There are things that you have to change. It was the yellow-and-blue spandex problem with Wolverine - or the mask. ...that's gonna be the same thing with Soundwave. You can't have cassettes. There might be a wink and a nod to the fans that yeah, it was a cassette, we get it, but it can't be a cassette any more."

"I have logic problems with the animated series, 'cause I watched ever episode. They crash on Earth 3 million years ago, right? They're buried under dirt and mud and then they all get woken up. They all go back to Cybertron. No one there says 'you guys are 3 million years late'. They just go back! So there are problems we need to address. But know...in the end, they will be done right."

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:05 pm

I've seen most of it. Except the last sentence or two. All info is absorbed thankfully tho.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:38 pm

Definetly NOT discouraging, although I wouldn't exactly call it encouraging either, since all the comic book property lip service is basically par for the PR course, whether it be Hellboy, Daredevil, or Catwoman.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:11 am

whats wrong with the 3million year gap?

Post by **Denyer** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 2:38 am

Well, quite... we're talking about aliens who are virtually immortal barring violent death.

The same way that Wolverine took us into the world of mutants, humans have to take us into the world of Transformers. You can't have it where Transformers are talking to Transformers at the start of the movie.

Sure you can. I doubt you could write or produce it, but sure you can.

Transformers isn't X-Men, which you'd think would be fairly obvious. Try for a good comic book film to compare with—or just a good film, the comic book bit's irrelevant. X-Men is a quick knock-around, X-Men 2 actually has a plot.

Toss us into a fight and a shuttle crash. Then bring in the laboured flashbacks as you originally intended...

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:06 am

Shanti418 wrote:Definetly NOT discouraging, although I wouldn't exactly call it encouraging either.

Agreed.

And his comic knowledge is sorely lacking. He wouldn't have had to read far into the US run to see how pivotal and momentous a moment it was when the Cybertronian TFs discovered the Ark TFs were still alive after all those years.

Whereas in the cartoon it was more like: "Morning Megs! Hows it hanging?"

Enjoyed that article tho. I'm still fairly positive about the whole thing.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:35 pm

yeah and in the comic one of my fav bits is when Optimus hits Limbo before T2006 and back on cybe the Matrix flame gos out, Xarron gos all weepy

Post by **Best First** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:15 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Shanti418 wrote:Definetly NOT discouraging, although I wouldn't exactly call it encouraging either.
Agreed.

And his comic knowledge is sorely lacking. He wouldn't have had to read far into the US run to see how pivotal and momentous a moment it was when the Cybertronian TFs discovered the Ark TFs were still alive after all those years.

Whereas in the cartoon it was more like: "Morning Megs! Hows it hanging?"

Enjoyed that article tho. I'm still fairly positive about the whole thing.

agree agree agree.

Still, if TF 1 is like X-Men 1 and then wqe get TF 2 like X-Men 2, i won 't be too upset...