Transformers: The Premake

July 21, 2014 10:44 AM

"What role then does the amateur image-maker play in a pre-made consumer reality? If people are allowed to make their own versions of Transformers, will they be able to veer from that script, or will they just feed the corporate giant?" Renowned video essayist Kevin B. Lee's latest work, Transformers: The Premake, uses amateur behind-the-scenes footage found on Youtube to investigate the phenomenon of the contemporary global blockbuster.

More on Transformers: The Premake:
Kevin B. Lee's notes on his "desktop documentary"
Lee's Slate article, quoted above
Lee's review of Transformers 4
Cara Buckley, New York Times
Noel Murray
Peter Labuza
David Hudson
Vadim Rizov
Nelson Carvajal

More on Kevin B. Lee:
More of his video essays at Vimeo
Lee's "Spielberg Face" essay, previously at Metafilter
His now-completed Shooting Down Pictures project/blog (previously at Metafilter)
dGenerate Films, a distribution company for independent Chinese cinema, of which he is a co-founder

posted by Awkward Philip (2 comments total)

I just watched Transformers 4 last weekend, and I'd have to say, I'd enjoy Lee's pieces on the film much, much more if I didn't dislike the movie so much.

My review in 3 lines or less: [spoiler-free-ish]

The humans were more indestructible than the robots. The first hour was unnecessary and the movie lasted 3 hours. The Fake Transformers began indestructible then became useless. None of the characters had real motives.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:28 AM on July 21, 2014

i'm actually a bit sad, because i was hoping this would be about a prequel written and directed by competent people. i would totally watch the transformers equivalent of rise of the planet of the apes.
posted by emptythought at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]