transformers

Review: Transformers: The Movie Original Motion Picture Score

With the Saturday Morning RPG soundtrack released last week, I thought it would be a good time to look into the re-release of Vince DiCola’s classic Transformers: The Movie soundtrack that was re-issued by the good folks at Intrada. This soundtrack has a special place in my heart, as it accompanies one of my favorite cartoons growing up, and introduced me to the work of Vince DiCola.

How does the music hold up, and what does this re-issue offer? Read more below.

This soundtrack has been released in many different forms over the years, so I’ll start with the differences. Fans will notice fewer tracks and different track titles for this release, as several shorter pieces have been folded into larger suites, while other tracks have remained intact but simply been renamed (“Gone Fishin'” is now “Fishing,” for example). The music is also remastered by Doug Fake, which DiCola sees as one of the best features of this re-release. Finally, there’s a lengthy booklet included with commentary about the score and lots of artwork, which is a nice touch.

As to the music, it’s as glorious as it ever was. This is the signature Vince DiCola sound that many of fell in love with in the 1980s, complete with the deep synth bass and powerful chords, wailing electric guitars, and of course, amazing melodies. The chugging pistons of “Unicron Attacks” still give me goosebumps, while the epic “Autobot-Decepticon Battle” and explosive “Escape” will have you tapping your foot along with the beat. There are touching moments as well, including “Death of Optimus Prime,” which is now folded into the “Optimus Prime vs. Megatron” suite. All of your favorite moments are here, and “Legacy,” a demo track that wasn’t featured in the film, is also included as a bonus.

In all, I couldn’t be more pleased with Intrada’s re-issue of this soundtrack. Some might complain that the vocal themes aren’t here (I didn’t even realize this until I started comparing track lists with previous versions); this album really feels entirely complete without them. I highly recommend picking this up along with Saturday Morning RPG if you haven’t already, as both will make great additions to any collection.

And follow Vince DiCola on Twitter while you’re at it!

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