The crank has to turn in order to get the bolts out if the crank is in the block. There is too large of a lip on the motor to get anything around it in order to get the bolts w/o doing them from below or in the hole for the starter.
If the engine/trans is out. I'd gently slide the trans off the converter. This can hurt the input/pump shafts, but shouldn't if you don't have a ton of pressure on them. Then..tear the engine down til you can get it spinning or take th crank out and then pull it off.
