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History of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies

Geeks of the 1990s were shell shocked by the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Twenty six years later special effects had to be real strong to keep them interested.

By James LizowskiPublished 7 years ago 6 min read
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After the middling reception of the first Michael Bay produced Ninja Turtles film released in 2014, there seemed to be a legitimate enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the next installment that hadn't existed for a Ninja Turtles movie since release of the very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie back in 1990. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows in 2016, offered fans things they’d always wanted to see on film, but weren’t technically capable of making the transition previously.

Turtlemania! The Country is Half-Shell Shocked!

The $15-million Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, hit theaters everywhere on March 30 1990. Pre-release Turtlemania, in the form of a massive media blitz and marketing campaign, swept the nation. Originated by two crazed Massachusetts college students in 1984, the Turtles first appeared as comic-book characters and generated an enormous cult following. They were then transported to television, as a cartoon, in 1989, where they played on 142 stations nationwide every weekday afternoon.

For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Movie, the fearsome-foursome and their mystical ninja master, Splinter, were brought to life by Jim Henson of Muppet fame and his Creature Shop in London, England. As in his previous films, Henson's characters are played by human beings in custom-designed flexible costumes whose facial expressions are radio-controlled via animatronic puppetry. The Turtles are the namesakes of four specially-gifted Renaissance painters and yet they regale in pizza and partying. They meet danger with wit and humor and, no matter how gargantuan their enemies, they manage to overcome them. Turtle Leonardo, the leader, is very clever and fast-thinking; Michelangelo, who reads comic books, is fun-loving and playful; Donatello is a gadget freak who can fix anything: and Raphael has a sarcastic wit. Their outrageousness endeared them to millions and they are universally loved.

Real Martial Artists Bring the Heros-in-a-Half-Shell to Life

Photo via New Line Cinema

Because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles use martial arts extensively, it naturally required genuine martial artists to portray them in the big-budget movie. One of the four actor-stuntmen who filled the Turtle's shoes–make that, claws—was none other than gifted karate champion Ernie Reyes Jr. His fans won't recognize him, though, since Reyes, who starred in the TV series Sidekicks and the feature films, The Last Dragon and Red Sonja, played the Turtle character, Donatello, inside a costume throughout the film. The other three were Hong Kong stuntmen with backgrounds rich in martial arts films. Nevertheless, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Movie is not a martial arts film per se, but an action film with martial arts and artists in it. Reyes got the role as a last-minute substitute for a Hong Kong stuntman who dropped out. He was recommended by veteran fight scene choreographer Pat Johnson, who staged fight scenes in The Karate Kid films, (among many others). Within one short week—from when he first heard of the role–Reyes was signed and working on the film. He was chosen because his size and his martial arts skills were both perfect for the role. One obstacle was the costumes. Did the turtle outfits, which weighed 20 pounds each, restrict his performance?

"It was very difficult to perform the martial arts techniques, the costumes immobilized you quite a bit, and it was hard to be flexible. We also did some gymnastics. We had choreographed the fight scenes and practiced a lot without the costumes. Then when it came time to do the fights with the costumes, everything changed quite a bit. The costumes limited some of the things we could do. The characters and the martial arts techniques are both unique, so is the technology, how they make the turtles look so alive." -Ernie Reyes Jr.

Turtles Enter the Mystery Box

Shop Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures

The original movie was shot at the DEG Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina. The production itself was cloaked in secrecy, because the filmmakers did not want anyone to see the Turtles until shortly before the movie's release. The movie has been backed by an enormous media blitz and marketing campaign, including major spring break promotions, an MTV special, and tie-ins with all kinds of products including Burger King, a new cereal, and Coca-Cola. There were premieres to benefit endangered sea turtles, and even “Turtle Awards" for TV journalists “who stick their necks out” above and beyond the call of duty. What made these turtle characters so special? It could be their very human weaknesses and passions combined with superhuman abilities, courage and integrity, or it could be because they are warriors with a twist: they embody the spirituality of the ninja philosophy and yet they are "sewer-dwellers." They give new meaning to the description “down to earth.”

The half-turtle, half-human ninja warriors were not always superheroes. In fact, they started out as four tiny green turtles owned by a little boy. All the trouble started when he accidentally dropped his amphibious pets through a manhole and into a New York sewer. Here, they were enveloped by a radioactive ooze which transformed them into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Affected by the ooze, they miraculously acquired the gift of speech, grew to man-size proportions and were able to walk upright. In the sewers, they were befriended by the once-human Japanese ninja, Splinter. Splinter, now a giant rat, was transformed from a ninja through evil trickery and then exiled from his ninja clan. He is the Turtle's oracle and mentor, and he gave them their names, based on Italian Renaissance artists. Over the years–hidden behind dark sunglasses, low fedoras and high-collared trench coats (it was the 1980s) while making their regular forays into the city to see movies and go shopping, they picked up surfer jargon and other customs of their teenage human counterparts.

Receiving special strength from the radioactive ooze, they became state-of-the-art superheroes on the half-shell, imbued not only with a highly developed sense of humor but also with great physical power enabling them to fight for truth, justice and the American way. They have become legends in their own lunchtime as they fended off villains such as Shredder, punk warthog BeBop, rhino Rocksteady, and the Brain Krang from Dimension X, all of whom get their comeuppance at the hands of our heroes. After each adventure they like nothing more than partying on an extra-large pizza pie. Banana sausage is their favorite flavor.

The inclusion of beloved mutant henchmen Bebob and Rocksteady in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows went a long way towards rebuilding organic excitement in the franchise, as well as the promise of finally bringing the Technodrome and Krang to life on the big screen and in live action. By doubling down and embracing the inherent goofiness from the 1990s cartoon series, this second film delivered something that could prove to be an all-time favorite. While Jim Henson's company produced the original iconic turtle suits that many fans believe still hold up better than the CGI incarnation of the Ninja Turtles, the original production also had no specific star power.At a budget of $15 million it grossed a little over $135 million. The new film domestically grossed more than its $125 million budget. There is no arguing the success of the amazing special effects and transition of the comic characters to the big screen, especially IMAX. Fortunately as the bar for comic book movies continues to be elevated by increasing budgets and adding star power, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise remains a spark of innocence in the ever changing dynamics and business of comic to film franchises.

comicsmoviesuperheroespop culture
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About the Creator

James Lizowski

Spends his days making his own Star Wars figurines. His craft has driven him to look towards the future, drawing inspiration from past technological advances.

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