RyallTime, IMAX version, TFLAMB, Japan opening, Henkei Galvatron+ice cream truck twins, bios, novel

1. Chris Ryall has updated his blog RyallTime (http://ryalltime.blogspot.com/) with a 5-page preview for "I Am Optimus Prime". Here is a direct link: http://issuu.com/ryall/docs/tf_iamop.

2. According to Michael Bay's recent update, the IMAX version of ROTF will have exclusive extended footage. Here is his letter:

Hey everyone,

In Japan today. After a month and half seven days a week most days going till midnight me and my crew have just about finished Transformers. I have never seen such a level of dedication from every crew member in a movie before.

Even today after the press in Japan and right before the premiere tonight, I have to sneak out to a digital house to approve the last few effect shots.

It has been a long hard road, but really fun one to travel. What you will notice that is strikingly different than Transformers 1, is the level of animation detail. The robot characters (42 in all), you really can feel empathy for them. What is also very different is the sheer scale of the movie. We have been very tight holding back much of the best imagery in commercials and trailers.

The way to see this movie is on IMAX. Never before has there been 4k rendered character animation shot on full IMAX 70 mm film. This is a first and the results are stunning.

You will see Optimus Prime in a few shots where he is actually perfectly to scale on the IMAX 50 foot tall screens.

For IMAX, I created a slightly longer cut with more robot fighting. Four scenes were shot on IMAX cameras so the screen will fill the full IMAX screen for these scenes.

Haters beware.

Michael

3. The Transformers Live Action Movie Blog has updated their blog with very high-resolution shots of all the posters: http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2009/06/super-hi-res-transformers-2-posters.html

4. The premiere of Transformers in Japan was a big hit, and gettyimages.com has uploaded quite a few images of all the stars: http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=88044746

5. TF08 forums has posted a few pictures of some new figures. Most distinguishable are the ice-cream truck twins and a Henkei Galvatron, then an out-of-packae Jolt--the other one? Who knows. http://www.tf08.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=786

6. New bios for Sideways and and Rampage have been released courtesy of Tformers.

Sideways: Back on CYBERTRON, SIDEWAYS was a simple courier who avoided combat at all costs. He tried to always remain in the shadow of larger DECEPTICONS, where the AUTOBOTS might not notice him. On Earth, he's keeping much the same practice. He teamed up with DEMOLISHER early on, and hopes that if the AUTOBOTS find them, the CONSTRUCTICON can keep him safe.

Rampage: The stink of diesel fumes and hot tar follows RAMPAGE wherever he goes. His treads are packed with metal shards stripped from his victims, and the countless scratches covering his chassis are testament to hundreds of brutal battles. He lives to pound his enemies into submission, and he thinks of little else. His idea of beautify is the sight of sun glinting off the raw edges of shredded AUTOBOT armor.


SPOILERS that relate directly to ROTF's plot!

That's all the news for now, but I did want to mention that I continued reading the movie novelization and found something that vaguely surprised me. In an earlier interview, it was stated that the movie starts off with 15 Constructicons and ends with 7.
The 'bond' shared between the Constructicons is not what fans are used to. They are not 'brothers', nor do they really have a sense of oneness. They are not a gestalt as we think of it.
During the novel, a group of Decepticons goes to the depths of the Laurentian Abyss to rouse Megatron and return him to his proper place. Among these mechs are four Constructicons. When the Doctor (Scalpel) shouts that he needs replacement parts, the Constructicons stand in silence and then, as one, turn to destroy the weakest among them. Three of them are left standing. This was... quite a shock for me. Decepticons (and most certainly Constructicons) are brutal, but they, like any other gestalt, always seemed to have a certain brotherhood and loyalty to one another, and yet there they were, ripping each other apart.

I did want to say, too, that when Megatron was brought back, he spoke with the Fallen, who referred to him as his 'apprentice', and Megatron referred to the Fallen, in turn, as his Master. I'm not certain I agree with the whole premise of Megatron not being the big bad, but... I suppose you must top the first movie's villain in some way. The Fallen promises Megatron that he will soon be a Prime as well, and will be gifted the powers of The Dynasty. .....???? I shall continue to read...