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Traveta reviews
New Line Home Video
- Cert: PG
- Cat.no: N4121
- Running time: 95 minutes
- Year: 1990
- Pressing: 1997
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 20
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 (Eng only)
- Languages: English, French
- Subtitles: English, French
- Widescreen: 1.85:1, Standard: 4:3
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 18
- Price: $14.98
- Extras:Theatrical trailers, Turtle Biographies, Sewer Maze Game.
Director:
- Steve Baron
Screenplay:
- Todd W. Langen and Bobby Herbeck
Creature Animatronics:
- Jim Henson Studios
Cast:
- April O’ Neil: Judith Hoag
Casey Jones: Elias Koteas
Shredder: James Saito
Tatsu: Toshishiro Obata
Danny: Michael Turney
Voices For Animatronics:
Leonardo: Brian Tochi
Raphael: Josh Pais
Michaelangelo: Rubbie Rist
Donatello: Corey Feldman
Splinter: Kevin Clash
I have to tell you this before we start.It should be known that I wasprobably the deepest possible in Turtle Mania that swept the countryfrom the mid 80s to 1992. I was into it from an early age, when it wascool to be into the Turtles. I was considered too old by the time thethird movie came out so I had to stop there. But while I was in, I wasreally into it. I had every toy, nearly every comic, watched the cartoonon a regular basis. And the movies. I saw the entire trilogy withabsolutely no apathy. I didn’t care about the plots. The Teenage MutantNinja Turtles were the coolest bunch of…. turtles around. In fact Iremember every time I saw those movies but strangely enough I can’tremember actually what I thought of the films. Like I said, I didn’tcare back then.
With the advent of DVD, fans can go back and see their favorite moviesof yesteryear the way they were meant to be (i.e. widescreen) andexamine them. You know what? This movie is just how I remember it. Infact it’s even better now, being able to pick up the plot more and all.It’s still a great fun movie which has stood the test of time and stillacts as the best of the live-action trilogy.
The movie is live-action. My voices list might throw you off but thosewere for the animatronics. Jim Henson Studios made pupper/ suits to bethe ninja turtles and it came off EXTREMELY well. The actors inside canmove with fludity and have to fight in many scenes. The mouths weremoved by puppeteers, then the voices were dubbed at a later time. Infact, watch the trailer inclued to hear the funny fill ins.
The first film has it’s roots from the indepenent black and white comicthat started the craze. The comic was dark and gritty but still had acool level of humor to it. This film is more in vein to those as therest of the trilogy is more cartoony.
The story is simple. A band of thieves – the Foot Clan – are sweeping thestreets, using teenagers to do their dirty work and dressing as ninjas.At the center of this web is the evil Master Shredder. Despite the name,he’s a very cool villian. He becomes interested in reports of fighterswho use the same techniques he was taught. Little does he know they’remutant ninja turtles.
Four human sized turtles live in the sewers below New York City. Theywere bandanas to seperate them and carry different weapons. Leonardowears blue and carries swords, Raphael wears red and carries sais,Michaelangelo wars orange and carries nunchucks, and Donatello wearspurple and carries a staff. On top of that, they are smart as a whip andvery comical. They take things seriously but never hesitate to throw inan anecdote or two. They live with a father figure, get ready, whohappens to be a human-sized rat named Splinter. Cool, huh? They were allmutated into their present state from a canister of mutagen (which isexplored more in the sequel).
When the Turtles help reporter, April O’Neil they become tied to her asthe Foot Clan tries to silence her. They kidnap Splinter and the Turtleshave to find him and stop Shredder plus the foot clan. What ensues issmart dialouge (believe it or not), cool characters, and great fightscenes. Not to mention the end which is a reference to the beat ’em upstyle arcade games they starred in.
I used to look at this movie as the more darker of the three. Moreviolent as well but with kiddie elements thrown in to keep it frombecoming drama like. It still works so well after 12 years that I can’tbelieve they ever went out of style. There’s talk of a comeback plannedfor next year with a new cartoon and a CGI movie directed by John Woo.The kids of today deserve the Turtles more than this Yu-Gi-Oh crap andthe fading yet still popular Pokemon. Don’t you miss the days whensenseless fighting was regarded as kid friendly?
Into the disc. This was one of New Line’s first discs but unlike MortalKombat, this one is anamorphic. Presented in 1.85:1 widescreen (a 4:3version is included on the flip side) this never looked better. It’s notgreat like the recently released sequels (read the reviews of thosesoon) but still better than VHS. The colors look great and nopixelization is evident. Blacks are solid and deep. However, There is alot of grain apparent in darker areas but nothing too bothersome. Stillthough, this is one of New Line’s early transfers and a decent one aswell.
The sound is presented in English 5.1 or French Mono. I obviouslylistened to the English track and found that it is suprisingly aggressive.The fight scenes are loud and impacting. While the dialogue sounds greatinterlaced with the action.
Being one of New Line’s budget titles, the extras are nil. A theatricaltrailer is included along with trailers for The Adventures of Pinnochio(shudder), Monkey Trouble (double shudder), and Theodore Rex (massiveshudder). Turtle Biographies are presented and are kind of cool. Filesfor the main turtles, Splinter, and Shredder are done with some humoreand fun to look at. Lastly, we are treated to a great (note the sarcasm)Sewer Maze game that is the same screen over and over minus minimalchanges. Overall, disapointing but hey at least it’s on DVD.
Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles still rolls in the fun memoriesand delivers the goods. A nice price (despite the list price I’ve seenit for $9.99 at most places) and a good transfer make this is a surefire buy for fans and non fans alike. Check out the reviews of the newly-releasedsequels.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTraveta
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.