New Sony BMG Press Release regarding Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary DVD

SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT USHERS IN A NEW ERA OF TRANSFORMERS-MANIA WITH TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION DVD

TRANSFORMERS Special Edition DVD To Feature Three Versions Of Film; Commentary Tracks and Exclusive Featurettes; Sneak Peek At Next Summer’s Major Motion Picture Event; And Much More

Fan Favorite Artist Don Figueroa Crafts Special Collectible Lenticular Cover

New York, New York, September 25, 2006 — When MEGATRON said, “It’s over Prime,” he had it all wrong. On November 7th, the home entertainment group of SONY BMG Music Entertainment pulls out all the stops for the 20th Anniversary of the pop culture phenomenon TRANSFORMERS: The Movie with the explosive release of the two-disc TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD.

This new DVD marks the return of the out-of-this world animated big screen bonanza that catapulted the likes of OPTIMUS PRIME, MEGATRON, STARSCREAM, SOUNDWAVE and even the DINOBOTS into pop culture icons. The TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD will be packed with premium features and behind-the-scenes footage developed with input by and for TRANSFORMERS fans across the country.

For the 20th Anniversary Special Edition, Sony BMG Home Entertainment completely remastered and color-corrected the film. The Autobots and Decepticons fight for universal domination in three distinct versions:

16X9 WIDESCREEN PRESENTATION – which has not been seen anywhere since the movie was in theaters 20 years ago.


AUTOBOT MATRIX OF KNOWLEDGE PRESENTATION – Truly showcasing the pop culture phenomenon that is THE TRANSFORMERS, SONY BMG has created a special version of the film for the DVD release. The Autobot Matrix of Knowledge will feature trivia and fun facts about the movie itself, the TRANSFORMERS brand, and the pop culture references in which TRANSFORMERS has been spoofed/tributed.


Over 100 fun facts will show up on screen throughout the movie. Many of the factoids were provided by fans through a special DVD site created by Sony BMG to solicit input -- marking the first time that the huge TRANSFORMERS fan base has ever been asked to participate in the creation of a TRANSFORMERS home entertainment release.

FULL SCREEN EDITION


Adding to the excitement for this DVD, Sony BMG Music Entertainment has partnered with Paramount Pictures to provide a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at next summer's highly anticipated TRANSFORMERS live action movie event. The special feature segment includes comments from Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg who share their vision and passion for TRANSFORMERS.

TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD will take viewers further inside this cult favorite than ever before through three all-new exclusive featurettes with director Nelson Shin, story consultant Flint Dille, Sue Blu (the voice of fan-favorite female TRANSFORMER, Arcee) and producers Tom Griffin and Joe Bacal. First-time-ever audio commentaries will feature Nelson, Flint and Sue – as well as a special fan audio commentary.

To further commemorate the 20th anniversary of the film, SONY BMG is providing fans with some extra-celebratory content that lets them track back to the true origins of the TRANSFORMERS. After careful consideration and preparation, Sony BMG has scoured the archives for the best TRANSFORMERS-related footage available – including the original commercials for the toy line and movie – allowing viewers to see how and where the phenomenon began.

SONY BMG is also including some very special and rare footage; highlighted by three items previously unreleased in the U.S. These never-before-released special features will now contain exclusive audio commentaries. Specially included are the infamous 20-minute Scramble City original animated episode from Japan, a promo trailer for TRANSFORMERS: The Movie and test/alternative/deleted footage from the film. Also on this one-of-a-kind DVD will be never-before-released animated storyboards and a DVD-ROM link to exclusive content.

Beyond the actual DVD content, Sony BMG Home Entertainment is expanding the DVD’s collectibility to the packaging itself. A collectible, limited-edition lenticular cover will adorn the front of the TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD. The company commissioned fan-favorite artist Don Figueroa to create the imagery for this special lenticular cover.

Through his much-heralded work with TRANSFORMERS, Don’s art brings to life the characters so many have grown to love. In one image, Optimus Prime is appropriately situated in a position of prominence. Joining the Autobot leader are Megatron, Bumblebee, Starscream, Blaster and more of the most popular TRANSFORMERS characters. The second “transforming” image, Hot Rod – as he transforms into Rodimus Prime – is grasping the Matrix of Leadership as it lights the Autobots’ darkest hour. Above, Unicron begins to destruct, while Galvatron, Arcee and Springer look on.

“The TRANSFORMERS franchise continues to thrive across multiple platforms, and we are excited to celebrate this pop culture phenomenon with a compelling new DVD tribute,” said Jim Wilson, Executive Vice President, General Manager of Home Entertainment for SONY BMG. “By teaming with TRANSFORMERS fans, we have developed an exclusive product with premium content and special features that will be sure to attract fans of all ages.”

TRANSFORMERS: The Movie features the voice of Orson Welles in his final role, as well as stars Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, John Moschitta, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker. The DVD also features a winning soundtrack featuring the iconic theme "The TRANSFORMERS" performed by Lion, and the popular "The Touch," performed by Stan Bush. The movie, set in 2005, chronicles the efforts of the heroic Autobots to defend their home of Cybertron from the evil Decepticons and Unicron, a huge robotic creature that devours planets.

For information and updates on TRANSFORMERS: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD log onto www.TRANSFORMERSthemovieDVD.com.

About SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT is a global recorded music joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. SONY BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.