Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Who was your favourite Ninja Turtle? Was it Leonardo the leader?
Donatello the inventor? Michelangelo the jokester? My favourite was always
Raphael; with his red bandana, matching Sai's for weapons and his tough, street
smart attitude, he was the cool one of the group.
This
movie and the original cartoon series where what I grew up with. I would rush
home from school to watch it on TV. I would beg my parents to buy me a Ninja
Turtle action figure. I envied the kind in my class who could draw them so well
at age eight who had requests from the whole class on a weekly basis to get one
drawn for them. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are as much a part of my
childhood as school and playing sports. It’s hard to imagine my younger days
without them, and watching the original live action film (the first of three)
brings back so many fond memories, and still stands as a decent film on its own
legs.
Watching
the cartoon as a kid was like a second religion for me. The Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles were the biggest thing in the world back in the mid to late
eighties. Nothing like it had come before, and nothing like it has come since.
It combined everything that kids loved; cartoons, action, monsters, aliens,
ninjas fighting, pizza, skateboarding and coined now classic catchphrases such
as “Cowabunga” which has entered the common lexicon. When the first movie
adaptation hit screens, and it was to be live action, kids all over the world
went nuts. I was one of them.
Taking
the biggest animated show in the world, and making the Ninja Turtles look real
was such a cool concept. And the original film made the transition from cartoon
to live action pretty well. As the film opens, we see shots of New York and a
string of petty thefts and robberies being committed. It’s narrated by news
reader April O’Neil, who talks about this crime spree that’s gripping the city,
with no trace of the criminals, who seem to appear and disappear without a
trace. After reading this bulletin out on TV, April then leaves her newsroom
building in the dark of night, and comes across a bunch of burglars. They chase
her, wrestling April to the ground to try and snatch her purse, when the dim
light above the alley goes out. We hear fight moves, and in a few seconds it’s
all over. The police arrive on the scene to find the five or six criminals tied
up with rope. April is okay but there is no sign of her saviours. But from a
nearby man hole, a pair of eyes peer out, watching the aftermath of it all. We
can only assume it’s a Ninja Turtle.
From
here we then descend to the sewers where four walking, talking turtles make
their way through large, underground tunnels to meet with their master, a
talking rat. Every kid watching this scene for the first time knew who that
was; it was the turtle’s old, wise leader, Splinter. He talks about their
training and how it’s important to remain hidden from the world. Then
celebrating their victory, Michelangelo orders a pizza and the turtles are
clearly acting like themselves, transitioning from cartoon to film in true
turtle style.
Early
on in the film, another well known character makes the jump from cartoon to
film; Casey Jones runs into Raphael as he deals with some purse snatchers. The
guy who wears the hockey mask and uses sports equipment as weapons teachers
Raph a thing or two about combat, and pisses the turtle off. Even though they
may meet as enemies, these two vigilantes will come to be friends later down
the track.
The
film was made at a time that uses what was going on in New York City in its
story. This city is now one of the safest in the world, but it wasn’t always
that way. In the eighties and for much of the early nineties it was one of the
dirtiest, ugliest and most violent cities in the world. It had a reputation as
being host to the meanest, toughest and rudest people of anywhere on the
planet, where most walked over each other with complete disregard and everyone
would be a victim of a crime at some point. Now days, thanks to more police and
some hard work, New York is one of the safest and more visited cities in the
world, but back when this film was released, it wasn’t everyone’s idea of a
tourist attraction. The movie uses this as a feature in its story, and portrays
a New York that is dark, gritty and unpleasant, which makes a suitable backdrop
for the story of the film itself.
And
where the cartoon was clearly fun, humour and action, the first film adaptation
of the series shows early on, that it was darker, more dramatic and quite
poignant in some of its serious scenes. For example, when Raphael comes in from
a night out angry because he lost his fight to street vigilante Casey Jones,
Splinter speaks to him. His words are incredibly wise for a movie about
turtles, and the fact he is a rat; “Anger turned inward is an unconquerable
enemy” he says, adding some emotional weight to what could have been just a
longer version of the childish cartoon.
Still
taking most of it’s inspiration from the cartoon however, the movie focuses on
its city wide crime spree, which we learn is being orchestrated by a secret
clan, know as The Foot. The story is spearheaded by April O’Neil, but the
police are convinced the clan is just a myth. But in the darkness, a man
wearing a metal helmet, with a deep, menacing voice watches this breaking news
story unfold on screen. He turns to his side and says “Find her. Silence her”.
The
reporter is stalked into the subway, where a bunch of guys in black pyjamas and
ski masks tell her to “Shut it”. The tough as nails reported fights back, but
is knocked to the ground. Lucky for her, Raphael has followed her and comes to
the rescue. Retreating into the subway with the unconscious reporter, the
turtle takes her to his home, where she awakes to see a giant rat and four
talking turtles. Splinter explains the story of their origins, and the turtles
escort April back to her apartment. She invites them up for pizza where she
discovers these mutant amphibians can play charades and crack jokes. When they
leave to return to their lair, they discover it trashed and Splinter missing.
Raphael wasn’t aware that one of the Foot Clan ninjas had followed him down
there after he had rescued April. Not knowing where to go or who to turn to,
the turtles head back to April’s apartment and figure out how to get Splinter
back.
To
give the movie a bit of a subplot, April’s boss Charles, has a teenage son,
called Danny. The young guy steals things, and we soon learn, hangs out in an
old abandoned warehouse outside the city. Inside this place, hundred’s of
delinquent teenagers hang out playing pool, arcade games, poker, skateboarding,
smoking and drinking. There are no sign of any adults, save for a bald guy in
black robes who just grunts rather than talks. This hangout for kids gone bad
is also the training head quarters of the Foot Clan. Suddenly, the sound of a
large symbol being smashed echoes throughout the warehouse. Without a moment’s
hesitation, every kid and Foot Clan member assembles in a hall. Here we meet
the guy with the raspy voice who sent his warriors to attack April O’Neil.
Walking
out to his legions of followers, it’s none other than Shredder. Also making the
leap from the cartoon to the film, he is portrayed effectively here, with a
large helmet, blades on his shoulders and a long cape. He charges his followers
with a new mission; find the turtles and destroy them. Then a voice of one the
youth says “Master” and emerges to reveal himself. It’s Danny, with his had
risen up. We expect he is admitting he knows where the turtles are, as he saw
them hiding out at April’s apartment. Also in the shadows of this warehouse,
lies Splinter, chained to a wall, and looking weak and beaten.
Sure
enough, the Foot Clan show up at April’s house to surprise the turtles. Our
ninja heroes put up a good fight, but are seriously outnumbered. But Casey
Jones just happens to be walking by, and joins in on the action, disposing of a
few of the ninjas in black pyjamas and proving himself to be an ally for the
turtles. Retreating to April’s country home, the turtles regain their strength,
and plan a revenge attack against The Foot on their turf, and will take back
Splinter from his cage.
The
films actually gets better as it goes along, and as you watch it, you’ll soon
forget about the cartoon series you watched before this, as the movie shows
itself to be it’s own thing, and holds up well even today, twenty five years
later. It has some more serious moments, but they’re never over done. The
characterization of the human characters is quite real and believable, and the
acting from Elias Koteas as Casey Jones is the real standout here. But amongst
the darker more brooding moments, it also has some fun with proceedings,
especially in the fight scenes.
The
creation of the turtles was sophisticated for it’s time. Sure, they obviously
look like short people in puppet-like suits today, but you start to see past
that as each turtles has it’s own mannerisms and character, expressing some
real emotions and portraying the journey of the turtles as they learn to stand
on their own without Splinter there; ultimately, drawing on their strengths as
one to fight their enemy, The Shredder, and become true ninjas.
I
know that sounds kind of deep, but the original film in this series was
actually very well written and more dramatic and emotionally focused than you’d
expect. It took the whole appeal and legend of the Ninja Turtles to a new
place, and cemented their place in pop culture as one of the most loved,
popular and appealing heroes in the entertainment world. You just have to see
that the cartoon still runs regularly, and they are making a sequel to the
recent reboot. Since the original film, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have
gone on to be revisited, reincarnated and reinvented several times, through
more cartoons, action figures, a CGI film and more recently another film
version using Avatar-style special effects. I haven’t seen that one yet, and
won’t rush to. It’s funny how we tend to prefer the things that are familiar to
us.
The
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will always be around, passing on from one
generation to the next. I can proudly claim I was introduced to them when they
were first brought to the screen, and I’m sure the original film I’ve just
reviewed here will continue to be regarded as the best adaptation of them all,
and instantly reconnects me to my childhood. That’s why it’s made this list,
and that’s why I still love this movie today.
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