Hot Rod’s character sketches are the part that got my attention. There he is in pencil, with tiny notes pointing out his features, right beside the bright orange-and-red robot fans recognize. You can actually see the work behind the movie.
The Transformers: The Movie: The Ultimate Visual History is a new behind-the-scenes book celebrating the 1986 animated film’s 40th anniversary. Insight Editions supplied a digital review copy and sample pages for this preview.
A look inside the Transformers movie book
The supplied Hot Rod spread puts a model sheet, a close-up of his face, and front-and-back character artwork together. If you like seeing how an animated character gets built, this is the good stuff: the shapes, colors, and small details that have to stay consistent from one scene to the next.
The contents page also gives you an idea of how specific this gets. It includes sections devoted to Unicron, the attack on Autobot City, the death of Optimus Prime, and the birth of Galvatron. So yes, the movie’s big emotional moments get their own space.
Who this book is for
This looks like a better fit for someone who already loves the animated movie than someone looking for an introduction to every Transformers series. The appeal is spending more time with that particular film and its artwork.
It could also be worth a look for an animation fan who enjoys production drawings. A finished character can fly across the screen in seconds; on a page, you can stop and notice the decisions behind it.
This is a preview of the supplied material, rather than a full-book review. I haven’t handled the finished hardcover, so I can’t speak to the paper, binding, or how those illustrations look in print.
Where to find it
You can check the current publisher listing for The Transformers: The Movie: The Ultimate Visual History for ordering details and availability. If you’re shopping for a fan of the 1986 movie, start with the sample artwork. That’s the reason to put this one on the list.
