The Energon Pub

RhA wrote:

PrymeStriker wrote:I'm not sure how I could go a full decade with Gary Chalk doing almost every Optimus in the fiction and only go 6 years with Peter after a 20-year-long break and be tired of the latter.

Well, Gary just did what he did, just like Peter in the 80's. After that, fandom hailed Peter back as the savior and now he has his own nostalgia-ridden shoes to fill... Maybe?

Yep, that's an apt description of it.
We have to remember that the whole thing was kicked off again due to Bay so heavily overhauling the franchise that EVERYONE was in an uproar and screaming for some tangible connection to their beloved "originals". When it looked like Bay wasn't going to give on any points, we fans finally found the one thing we could push hardest on and have him give in and that was Peter Cullen coming back. So it's the fandom that's responsible if anyone is tired of his performances. We did this, maybe not each and every one of us but as a majority so as fans we all get the finger pointed at us whether we want it or not.
I have to agree that Peter and all the other VA's who have voiced Prime over the years have not had the chance to really shine the way they should. They and every other VA suffers the curse of being over-directed and not having their talent put to the best use. This leads to either sub-par performances or drastic character over-use. Saturation will kill a character as quick as a crappy performance as was mentioned with Unicron in the A/E/C lines. (I'm a die-hard "Leave Unicron in the 1986 Movie" person so I absolutely DESPISE him even being brought up in any other context to begin with)

Now, I'm not sick of Peter playing the part by any stretch. I'm a creature of habit, I embrace tightly those things which are most familiar and for me he always will be Optimus Prime. I will never grow weary of hearing him in the role but I also will not demonize the next person to fill his boots. I know that all good things must end sometime and when he does step down from the part I'll be supportive of the next person to pick up the Matrix and carry the mantle of "Prime".

I don't feel David Kaye "suffered the curse of being over-directed and not having his talent put to the best use" when he voiced Animated Prime. Nor do I feel his performance was subpar or his character overused.

However, I do feel all that applies to his UT Megatron performance, in which it seemed like either he or the UT writers wanted to force his BW Megatron onto the UT character that was so drastically different that doing so made for a very ill-fitting result.

Garry Chalk hated working on Energon and Cybertron. he said he was put in the recording room, given his lines without any context and told to read them.
So he had no idea what the hell he was saying or why he was saying it.


Cullen is kinda over done though, but it's more the tone I'm kinda sick off. And this is mostly due to the writers if anything else. He hardly ever says anything anymore without the "I'm holding a huge important and inspiring speech now" tone. Optimus sounded more varied and interesting in G1 than in most of the modern gigs, I was glad that TFP let him kick back and be a little less "inspiring" and dire towards the final episodes of the show.

Sabrblade wrote:I don't feel David Kaye "suffered the curse of being over-directed and not having his talent put to the best use" when he voiced Animated Prime. Nor do I feel his performance was subpar or his character overused.

Tha main problem with Animated Prime is that he sound very "generic". Espiecially when you consider how great David Kaye is in he's job. After watching Animated I reaised that switching roles for Kaye and Chulk in Beast Wars was good idea.

However, I do feel all that applies to his UT Megatron performance, in which it seemed like either he or the UT writers wanted to force his BW Megatron onto the UT character that was so drastically different that doing so made for a very ill-fitting result.

The same you may say about Frank Welker role in RotF: The Game. Bayformers Megatron speaking with he's G1 Counterpart voice was terrible! It is especially funny when you remember that Welker voiced Megatron in first Bayformers Game, and he's voice fits character very well... The point is: You can't blame voice actors in this situation. Usually, it is not the actor's choice. And maybe Kaye isn't the greatest Megatron in UT, yet he still beats Weaving and Burton.

TurboMMaster wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:I don't feel David Kaye "suffered the curse of being over-directed and not having his talent put to the best use" when he voiced Animated Prime. Nor do I feel his performance was subpar or his character overused.

Tha main problem with Animated Prime is that he sound very "generic". Espiecially when you consider how great David Kaye is in he's job. After watching Animated I reaised that switching roles for Kaye and Chulk in Beast Wars was good idea.

That was the whole point behind using him, Animated Optimus Prime's voice is just a younger version of Kaye's normal speaking voice. The team wanted this Optimus to sound very young and down to earth, after all he wasn't the leader of all Autobots, he was just an average Joe.

However, I do feel all that applies to his UT Megatron performance, in which it seemed like either he or the UT writers wanted to force his BW Megatron onto the UT character that was so drastically different that doing so made for a very ill-fitting result.

The same you may say about Frank Welker role in RotF: The Game. Bayformers Megatron speaking with he's G1 Counterpart voice was terrible! It is especially funny when you remember that Welker voiced Megatron in first Bayformers Game, and he's voice fits character very well... The point is: You can't blame voice actors in this situation. Usually, it is not the actor's choice. And maybe Kaye isn't the greatest Megatron in UT, yet he still beats Weaving and Burton.

You take that back, Burton's Megatron in Animated was awesome.

For those of you who are daring to criticise the voice talents of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker: you are all of you dead inside. There is a special circle of Hell waiting just for you.

HEATHENS.

Dead Metal wrote:That was the whole point behind using him, Animated Optimus Prime's voice is just a younger version of Kaye's normal speaking voice. The team wanted this Optimus to sound very young and down to earth, after all he wasn't the leader of all Autobots, he was just an average Joe.

Similiar effect could be aquired without turning Prime's voice into voice you would never remember...

You take that back, Burton's Megatron in Animated was awesome.

For me, Megatron's voice in Animated is to similiar to G1 Shockwave voice. Especially when you consider that there is Shockwave in Animated that he and is voiced by Corey Burton too. Also, Megatron's voice in Animated isn't "powerfull" enough. It is hard to belive that charismatic-warlord wanna-be could speak with such monotone.

Blast Cannon wrote:For those of you who are daring to criticise the voice talents of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker: you are all of you dead inside.

Let me quess, you never heard Megatron's voice in RotF: The Game?

At OP. In the end, those great voice actors age and their voice box ain't as fresh as they were 30 years ago. I shudder the day when eventually, the Matrix claims them both just as Starscream was many years ago. Appreciate their talents as much as you can.

Blast Cannon wrote:For those of you who are daring to criticise the voice talents of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker: you are all of you dead inside. There is a special circle of Hell waiting just for you.

HEATHENS.

If I was the type of guy who only reads headlines I would agree with you. I would defend Cullen and Welker all day long, but the point that was raised in this thread is actually a very interesting one. It is not at all saying Cullen is bad, it is more saying the way he's being used could be criticized and that's an interesting topic to discuss.

There are cases in history over and over again where a "good thing" was overused and become not necessarily a bad thing, but less of good thing because of the way it was used.

I would argue, in fact, that it is because Peter Cullen's great talent that we can even talk about it being used in a possibly bad way. No one would care if he was terrible.

Peter Cullen has the hypest voice besides maybe Death from Darksiders 2 and he's only been Optimus in 3 TF universes, so he isn't exactly overused. I don't see how anyone could possibly be tired of him.

TurboMMaster wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:That was the whole point behind using him, Animated Optimus Prime's voice is just a younger version of Kaye's normal speaking voice. The team wanted this Optimus to sound very young and down to earth, after all he wasn't the leader of all Autobots, he was just an average Joe.

Similiar effect could be aquired without turning Prime's voice into voice you would never remember...

Well, I'm sorry if you can't remember it but David Kaye has a very distinctive voice that's pretty easy to pick out. Upon hearing the G.I. Joe: Renegades opening narration for the first time, it instantly clicked to me that that was Kaye narrating it, as it sounded exactly like his Animated Prime, Treize Kushrenada, and Sesshomaru voices. Even watching an episode of X-Men: Evolution (in which he voices Professor X), I picked out his natural voice among a bunch of generic background security guards.

TurboMMaster wrote:For me, Megatron's voice in Animated is to similiar to G1 Shockwave voice. Especially when you consider that there is Shockwave in Animated that he and is voiced by Corey Burton too. Also, Megatron's voice in Animated isn't "powerfull" enough. It is hard to belive that charismatic-warlord wanna-be could speak with such monotone.

Animated Megatron was supposed to sound stoic and imposing, while also being reserved and calm-minded. He kinda reminded me of Tony Jay's Megabyte from ReBoot, who was similarly a cunning, cold, and calculating villain who maintained a calm, stoic nature.

Animated Megatron's voice reminds me of Batman TAS Mr Freeze, it has a similar chilling and calculating quality.

Dead Metal wrote:Animated Megatron's voice reminds me of Batman TAS Mr Freeze, it has a similar chilling and calculating quality.

I can totally see that.

Animated Megatron's voice is the offspring of BTAS's Mr. Freeze and Ra's al Ghul voices (not the actors, but the sounds that come out of their mouths).

Sabrblade wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Animated Megatron's voice reminds me of Batman TAS Mr Freeze, it has a similar chilling and calculating quality.

I can totally see that.

Animated Megatron's voice is the offspring of BTAS's Mr. Freeze and Ra's al Ghul voices (not the actors, but the sounds that come out of their mouths).

Yup and what a beautiful baby it is.

tfparodies wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:For those of you who are daring to criticise the voice talents of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker: you are all of you dead inside. There is a special circle of Hell waiting just for you.

HEATHENS.

If I was the type of guy who only reads headlines I would agree with you. I would defend Cullen and Welker all day long, but the point that was raised in this thread is actually a very interesting one. It is not at all saying Cullen is bad, it is more saying the way he's being used could be criticized and that's an interesting topic to discuss.

There are cases in history over and over again where a "good thing" was overused and become not necessarily a bad thing, but less of good thing because of the way it was used.

I would argue, in fact, that it is because Peter Cullen's great talent that we can even talk about it being used in a possibly bad way. No one would care if he was terrible.

That's all well and good, yet it isn't going to stop you burning in the tenth circle of Hell for criticising Cullen/Welker on any level. Give my regards to Satan.

Blast Cannon wrote:

tfparodies wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:For those of you who are daring to criticise the voice talents of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker: you are all of you dead inside. There is a special circle of Hell waiting just for you.

HEATHENS.

If I was the type of guy who only reads headlines I would agree with you. I would defend Cullen and Welker all day long, but the point that was raised in this thread is actually a very interesting one. It is not at all saying Cullen is bad, it is more saying the way he's being used could be criticized and that's an interesting topic to discuss.

There are cases in history over and over again where a "good thing" was overused and become not necessarily a bad thing, but less of good thing because of the way it was used.

I would argue, in fact, that it is because Peter Cullen's great talent that we can even talk about it being used in a possibly bad way. No one would care if he was terrible.

That's all well and good, yet it isn't going to stop you burning in the tenth circle of Hell for criticising Cullen/Welker on any level. Give my regards to Satan.

Wow. You're even more die-hard than John McLane.

Yeah, Cullen isn't bad. In fact he's exactly the opposite of bad, but if you get too much of something you like it becomes dull, it loses it's meaningness. Peter Cullen is, was and will always remain the man who gave Optimus his true voice. But that's just why we might need a break from it. To give someone else a chance and so that Cullen's would remain great(est). To keep it special, we need something different.

Red 50 wrote: But that's just why we might need a break from it. To give someone else a chance and so that Cullen's would remain great(est). To keep it special, we need something different.

Ah, so you're a communist? Suddenly it all makes sense.

Blast Cannon wrote:

Red 50 wrote: But that's just why we might need a break from it. To give someone else a chance and so that Cullen's would remain great(est). To keep it special, we need something different.

Ah, so you're a communist? Suddenly it all makes sense.

Oh for sparks sake... I tried to be nice, but screw it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iqYuFmzqg

BTW, the communist-joke - not cool.

Red 50 wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:

Red 50 wrote: But that's just why we might need a break from it. To give someone else a chance and so that Cullen's would remain great(est). To keep it special, we need something different.

Ah, so you're a communist? Suddenly it all makes sense.

Oh for sparks sake... I tried to be nice, but screw it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iqYuFmzqg

BTW, the communist-joke - not cool.

This is perhaps a good time to inform you that you are being trolled and further reactions will only lead to frustrations on your own behalf.

Red 50 wrote:

Blast Cannon wrote:

Red 50 wrote: But that's just why we might need a break from it. To give someone else a chance and so that Cullen's would remain great(est). To keep it special, we need something different.

Ah, so you're a communist? Suddenly it all makes sense.

Oh for sparks sake... I tried to be nice, but screw it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iqYuFmzqg

BTW, the communist-joke - not cool.

Agreed.

Blast Cannon, I know you have a posting style that stems from your sense of humor, but not everyone shares your point of view and not everyone appreciates what you post.

You were reported, so I'm answering this report. Please stop doing what you're doing. You can join discussions and give your opinion, but please do so with respect towards others.

We don't have a forum for political discussion, any more. Even humor of a political nature is not allowed, especially when making a joke out of someone.

Please don't do it again. No, I'm not joking, so please don't respond with one of your quips.

And for everyone else: Respect goes a long way. Please follow the rules, okay? Thank you.

RhA wrote:This is perhaps a good time to inform you that you are being trolled and further reactions will only lead to frustrations on your own behalf.

There should be no frustrations for anyone. Trolling is not accepted here, nor is it taken lightly.

Autobot032 wrote:

RhA wrote:This is perhaps a good time to inform you that you are being trolled and further reactions will only lead to frustrations on your own behalf.

There should be no frustrations for anyone. Trolling is not accepted here, nor is it taken lightly.

Not frutrating anyone is a bit of a task, really. Since everybody decides for themselves when theyget frustrated. I think there's a resposibility for the people who react to trolling as well, not just the troll. Something about feeding a troll.

Autobot032 wrote:Agreed.

Blast Cannon, I know you have a posting style that stems from your sense of humor, but not everyone shares your point of view and not everyone appreciates what you post.

You were reported, so I'm answering this report. Please stop doing what you're doing. You can join discussions and give your opinion, but please do so with respect towards others.

We don't have a forum for political discussion, any more. Even humor of a political nature is not allowed, especially when making a joke out of someone.

Please don't do it again. No, I'm not joking, so please don't respond with one of your quips.

And for everyone else: Respect goes a long way. Please follow the rules, okay? Thank you.

RhA wrote:This is perhaps a good time to inform you that you are being trolled and further reactions will only lead to frustrations on your own behalf.

There should be no frustrations for anyone. Trolling is not accepted here, nor is it taken lightly.

By the same token, I do not appreciate what you have just posted so therefore have just reported your post as I feel alarmed, distressed and slandered. I was having a perfectly nice Sunday morning, weather aside, and come online to accusations of 'trolling'. Why, I nearly spat my scone out onto the screen!

"Even humour of a political nature is not allowed."

Jesus Christ, look at my post and then take a long hard look at yourself. No wonder the world is going to **** if its inhabited by the likes of you. I'm just glad that your abhorrent views and ability to 'warn' (lol) people on censorship and opinions are limited to a Transformers message board.

Get a sense of humour and take your fingers out of your arse. I've been here a lot longer than you, in fact at one point I was a moderator, and am perfectly aware of what is and what is not allowed. How they allowed someone with a history for over-the-top reactions to light ribbing to have any kind of position is a mystery for the ages!

I'm with Sabrblade, I just spent two hours putting that Creative Round-Up together, your arguing?



Just grab your handbags and have at it.

Sabrblade wrote:

THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS IMAGE. POSTS THAT DISPLAY HUMOUR AND IS NOT DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE TOPIC AT HAND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. CONSIDER THIS YOUR FIRST WARNING.

By order of Autobot032, Edict #567