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Showing posts with label tmnt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tmnt. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Fiction vs. Fiction: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II- The Secret of the Ooze

 A Book version of a rushed Sequel?  Radical!

I bought this long ago, before I even got the DVD Set.

It was only 105 pages long (with Pictures and Size 22 font), so why not check it out?

The last FvF was about BB.  This one was written by B.B.
What's the Same?
The Plot doesn't change at all.

This is, after all, the Film Adaptation.  It is not a case where they changed all that much that matters.

That said, there were a few notable tweaks that made this worth double-dipping.
Some tagline, eh?
                                     What's Different?
As I said, the Plot doesn't change.
Instead, we get a big explanation to start with.

In the Book, right before they fight the Robbers in the beginning, Leonardo challenges himself and the other Turtles to not use their weapons during the next fight.  Something about being a Ninja.

In the Film, this is not addressed.  It was literally done to make the Film 'less violent' (again, they never even cut someone, but whatever!).

They also cover up Keno BEFORE they do half of a fight in front of him in the Book.  Nice.

In the Film, the Lab Computer crashes before the Foot Clan shows up.  In the Book, Donatello narrowly avoids AN ARROW shot at his head, which shorts out the Computer.
I must have had some of these...
The 'keep away' fight is also cut down to a single paragraph.  Boo.

In the Book, Michelangelo is caught faking his Backflip Practice, asks where to restart and begins at 1.  In the Film, a simple look from Splinter makes him know to start at 1.

Neither can explain why the Nightclub is right next to the Docks (outside of calling it the 'Dockside Club.'
In a minor tweak, they make the anti-mutagen work by spraying seltzer down the mutants' throats.  In the Film, it is done with fire extinguishers.

In the Film, the Turtles don't address the crowd and the Rapper is Vanilla Ice.  In the Book, they do that and he's just 'the Rap Performer' (saves on licensing fees!).

Both Book and Film fail to explain how one Canister can be used to mutate Tokka and Rahzar AND still have a full canister left to use on Super Shredder.
Oh well!

In the Book, Splinter doesn't get the last line of 'I made another funny!'  Good?
Final Thoughts

This one is, again, not as a big a thing as others where Books where changed (and sometimes the Film itself was also changed) drastically.

This is the Kid/Young Teen Novelization and only has minor tweaks.

The Book gives you the feel of the Story, some slight explanation for things...but also doesn't let you truly enjoy the banter between our Heroes.

As such, the nod ultimately goes to (warts and all)...

The Film.

If you couldn't afford/beg your Parents enough to buy the Film on VHS, this is a good substitute.  It's just not quite as funny to hear about backflipping Ninja Turtles, you know?

Friday, September 12, 2025

'90s Trash?: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

 At long last, I finally revisit a Film that I remember disappointing me as a kid in Theaters.

Will I like it better today?

This is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, a Film that is sometimes given a new Subtitle.  You see, the 4th Video Game was called 'Turtles in Time' and this Plot involves Time Travel.

So, somehow, people started to convince themselves that this Film had the same Subtitle.  
My DVD's Box Art says 'yes.'  The DVD itself says 'no' and the Title Card also says 'no.'

Confused yet?

The Plot involves the Turtles using a Japanese Artifact to Time Travel to 1603 when said device accidentally sends April back there!  That old cliche.

This one was supposedly made to cater to the Japanese Market, given that the 2nd Film cost twice as much and made about a third of the profit ($78 vs $200 million).
The Film...was never released Theatrically in Japan.

To see if this truly is the stinker of the Trilogy, read on...

Some vague amount of time has passed since the 2nd Film as the Turtles have no spruced up their Sewer Lair.

They don't have the Foot Clan to fight, but do keep the City safe...or so we're told.  We see nothing.

Speaking of seeing, if these look 'off' to you at all, that's because Henson's Company didn't work on this Film, being replaced by the All Effects Company.
In Feudal Japan, the son of a Lord objects to him fighting a war backed by a foreign arms dealer.

Desperate, he takes the family's artifact and activates it...
...which causes him to switch places with April O'Neil, who just brought the Artifact home as a gift to Splinter (whose Puppet is 99% immobile here).

They also switch clothes, so the Adult version of me is wondering if that guy is now wearing ladies' underwear.
Admit it- the thought crossed your mind too!
They find her where they last saw the Son, so they understandably freak out.

The Arms Dealer (famous 'That Guy' Stuart Wilson) tries to scare her, but fails.

He's up to no good.
She's thrown into a Dungeon and sees...Casey Jones with short hair and beard?

Yes, they got Elias Koteas back as Casey (who was cut when they wanted a 'less violent' Film for Part 2) in the Present Scenes (wearing a now obvious wig) and in these Scenes playing his descendant named 'Whit.'
The Turtles use the Artifact to travel back to rescue April and are given an arbitrary 60 hour deadline in which to do so.

The group is separated, but eventually reunite to save a Village from the Lord and Wilson's men.

During all this, Raphael (who was feeling unwanted in NYC) bonds with a kid named 'Yoshi.'
This one is far cuter than the other Yoshi we got in a 1993 Film.
The Turtles join the Resistance- naturally- and we get some fighting with *gasp* their actual weapons.

They are allowed to do this, since the Soldier have them too...I guess.
Whit seems to betray the group, but then feels bad about it.

After a failed attempt to kill Leonardo with a cannon (perhaps inspiring Kung Fu Panda?), Wilson flees and falls to his death in the Ocean...but they didn't add a splash in, so he just vanishes into the water.
Raphael and Michelangelo both want to stay (for slightly different reasons), but eventually concede.

Mikey is a few seconds later and we tease him being stuck there...for about 10 seconds.

The random Drama ends when the Turtles reunite and dance like in the beginning.
The End.
It's...not terrible, but I don't think it is that memorable either.
The fact that people continue to conflate this Film and a different Video Game says plenty, doesn't it?

This Story is apparently *sort of* based on the Comics.  The problem is that this version excises all of the Mirage's Villains, replacing them with a generic Lord and a British bad guy.

Stuart Wilson is referred to once as 'Zorro guy' in this one btw and he would be the Villain in the first Antonio Banderas Zorro Film about 5 years later. 

The Turtles themselves look a bit off here, as the new animatronics are a bit spottier with more lip flap than in the previous Films.  The downward trend towards the Suits used in the Live Tour and The Next Mutation begins here.

The Plot is just not that interesting, no matter how many Characters and Subplots they throw in here.  No villains or moments really stand out.
It is just pretty damn forgettable.

By the way, if you need a Forest to sub in for Japan, just go to Astoria, Washington like they did.

Next up, let me jump all of the way back to the 1960s.  Let's see how Bond...James Bond debuted (as part of a look at every Film eventually).  Stay tuned...

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Bonus: The Many Cameos of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze'

 The Plot and background of this 1991 Film were plenty to cover.

As such, I didn't mention the many random Cameos in it.

Let's fix that now...

After the first Action Scene, we see April returning to her Apartment.

She's met by two people, but the notable one is the lady on the right.

That's Susie Essman, the Female Comedian/Actress most known for hating/swearing at Larry David on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.'
Later on, Keno is being recruited for the Foot Clan.

Among the group there, you can see a young Michael Jai White (about a decade before Universal Soldier: The Return) as one of the potential members.

Curiously, he's not also a Stunt Performer here.
Lastly, a less famous one, but also the most adorable one.

In a Scene where Tokka and Rahzar attack the Street to prove a point (and set up the finale), we see an older Couple comment on it.

They are played by David and Sasha Pressman, the Parents of this Film's Director- David Pressman.
Aw, what a good Son.

No pressure on me...right?
Right?!?

Saturday, September 6, 2025

'90s Fun: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II- The Secret of the Ooze

 Is this the Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo of the Series?

This is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2- The Secret of the Ooze, the 1991 follow-up to the 1990 smash hit.

Like said Boogaloo, this one was rushed into Production and made within a year of the last one.  That's fast, considering all of the aspects of Studio Filmmaking!

Imagine if Matt Reeves was under the same pressure for The Batman 2!

This time, some things have changed.  Mainly, this is now much more of a Kids Film, so the violence is tamped down and the Action is sillier.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is notable.

We also have a new April, new mutants (as Eastman and Laird vetoed a live-action Bebop and Rocksteady) and more 'almost the guy' Characters.

Does this one hold up as well as its more serious counterpart?  To find out, read on...

Our Heroes are kicking butt still, only this time they don't use their weapons.

It's not like they ever stabbed a foot soldier in the last one or anything!

Regardless, they are staying with...new April (who isn't bad TBF) until they can find a new lair.
Meanwhile, a Scientist (David Warner) is working for the company that made the ooze that transformed our Heroes.

They got rid of all of the samples (for liability and good PR), but there's one left...and someone wants it!
He was happy to be in a Film that his kids could watch.
In the Intro, they fight robbers right in front of Keno, a Pizza Delivery Guy.  So much for being ninjas.

He goes to April's place (where his delivery that night was going to) and discovers them.

Like April, he faints at the sight of Splinter and is then given their origin in the exact same manner.
Will they make a new friend in Part 3 and keep the streak alive?
Warner is kidnapped, along with the ooze, and forced to make Mutants for Shredder, who is alive because shut up, that's why!

He transforms a snapping turtle and a wolf (both found in NYC?) into Rahzar and Tokka.
In a case of Deja Vu, Raphael goes off on his own (annoyed that they aren't looking for the Foot Clan) and recruits Keno to try and join the group.

It works...until it doesn't and Raphael is beaten up by the Foot Clan...again.
It leads to a face-off between the gang and the Mutants, who are way too strong.

They run away- with Warner- and devise a new plan.

They make an anti-mutagen that they eventually feed to them, but more work is required.

So, naturally, they hold them down and spray fire extinguishers down their throats!
Incidentally, the fight spills out of an Industrial Park and into...a Nightclub where Vanilla Ice is performing.

He immediately makes up a new rap (pause for laughter) called 'Ninja Rap' which he performs during the fight.

Our Heroes stop fighting to do a choreographed dance, as you do.
The big fight with Shredder this time is...Keno blasting him out of the building via exploding speaker.

Off-screen, he drinks the remaining ooze and becomes Super Shredder!

He starts smashing up the Pier (next to the Club?) to get to them...and crushes himself (possibly to death).

Alright then.  One more Splinter pun and we're out. 
A fun Film, even if it feels like a very different kind of one.

The Plot is silly, with just enough logic there to make it not satire.  Shredder wanting mutants to stop mutant turtles- sure, I get that.
Of course, they're also kind of dumb and voiced by Frank Welker (who famously doesn't voice animals).

I do appreciate that this one builds on the Turtles' origins too.  If this was leading somewhere for the third Film, I'd have no complaints.

The big thing is that everything here is brighter and less 'scary.'  Case in point...
The first Film opened up with Night Scenes of kids/teens committing crimes.
This one opens with shots of random people eating pizza.

Everything is toned down, sillier and just less threatening.  Even the lead Henchman who almost (but does in the Novelization) kills a Foot Clan Member is just squished by the Turtles and beaten.

Amusingly, this is basically the reverse of how Cartoons work.  They grow up with their audiences.

TMNT 2 is a fun Film, but arguably a downgrade.  Plus, it shows how much inflation we've had.
This is how much the Turtles left to pay for TWO PIZZAS!

Next up, the final Film in the TMNT Trilogy.  Will this disappoint Adult me like it did Kid me back in the day?  Stay tuned...

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

'90s Fun: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

 As a kid, I loved this Movie.
I had the toys.  I had some of the Comics (I was still a Marvel guy).
I dressed up as one for Halloween at least once.

So how does this one feel as an Adult?

This is 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  In the wake of many failures (box office wise, at least) at adapting 'kids stuff' into Films (see G.I. Joe, Transformers: The Movie and Masters of the Universe), no Studio would fund this one outright.

As such, they got $13 million together, got it made and sold it for distribution.  It made over $180 million.

Good return on your investment, no?

The Plot is notably based far more on the Comics (by Mirage) than the Cartoon Show that was currently running.  As such, it was darker and more grounded (no Krang and Dimension X).

It was deemed too violent by many.

To find out how Adult me feels, read on...

You can tell you're in New York.
You can tell it is before a certain day on a certain Year.

You've got 8 days to enjoy this joke before you have to then be upset at it.
With random crime on the rise, only one man can stop it!

Jim Henson!

His Creature Company created out Leads, 4 radical turtle teens raised by a mutated rat and taught ninjitsu.
Again- this is the grounded version.
You want to know just how popular the licesnse was in 1990?

Pizza Hut paid the Studio MILLIONS to promote their food, in spite of the fact that THEIR RIVAL is actually shown and complimented in the Film.

Bow to your Laird and Master!
Raphael goes out on the Streets alone and ends up meeting two humans.

One is Casey Jones, who beats him and runs away.
The other is April O'Neil, who he rescues from a guy played by his Brother (his Suit Performer was also a Foot Clan Member).

They meet up and make friends, in spite of this terrifying shot.
I missed the chance to see this hideous monstrosity on a big screen again this year.
Following the Comics, the group retreats out to rural New York (actually North Carolina) after Raphael is beaten up badly by the Foot Clan and Splinter is rat-napped.

They go full Age of Ultron by bonding and preparing for the big, final fight!
Shredder is the man behind it all and, as luck would have it, he's also the key to Splinter's backstory.

The latter spills the beans via flashbacks as Shredder, well, keeps having the kids commit crimes.

Sorry- no master plan involving lasers, a bomb or a Technodrome here.
After the Turtles take out the Foot Clan, Splinter (and our Point of View Character Danny) convince the remaining kids to turn away from crime.

Leading the group, you have Future Scream Ghost Skeet Ulrich (far left) and Future Marvel Villain Sam Rockwell.

No, really.
Our Heroes face off with Shredder and it doesn't go well.

They can't quite best him, even working together.

Thankfully, Splinter is here to instantly flip Shredder off of a building and into a garbage truck.
He got better.

The End.
Honestly...it is still really good.

I watched it alone (again- not in Theaters), so I was ready to cringe in private.

Some jokes aside, it still holds up.

The Film is an interesting mish mash of the Comics and the Cartoon Show.  You get the personalities from the Show, the tone of the Comics and, as a bonus, Jim Henson.

It's a win-win-win.

The Mirage Comics, for contrast, are just angry and kind of angsty Action Comics at this point.
It hadn't yet reached the point where they were published by Archie Comics and one storyline involved them traveling around the World via Cosmic Cow.
(Seriously, that is a thing that really happened)

The Film gives you the Action you want, the Characters you like, a more serious tone and a good Story.

Of course, this is still an excuse to sell toys, so the Films won't be left out...

Next up, is this truly the radical, tonal departure that I remember it being?  Let's crack open the Ooze and find out!  Stay tuned...

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

My Crazy Youth: The Time That The Ninja Turtles Teamed Up With Themselves (and Other Season 10 Adventures)

I still have a little bit more to say about this final Season.  I might as well milk as much content as I can out of my $1 purchase!

In 1996, we got the final Season of TMNT.  It was weird.  How weird?  Let me tell you...
Lord Dregg is the main Villain (carried over from Season 9).  He's a generic Space Tyrant with gadgets and the like.
Here's a recurring thing I hate from this Season- the Fake Out.

- Episode 1 begins with a big battle...only for it to be a VR Simulation.
- In another Episode, it begins with Michelangelo chased by Monsters...but it's a dream.
- Lord Dregg shows off his evil plan- to teleport parts of the Sun into the middle of cities- with a simulation!
- Another Episode begins In Media Res with a Turtles fight against Dregg...which is him watching a previous battle.  Is this Stock Footage from Season 9?
- Finally, it comes around when they use the same simulation footage- how did they know about it?!?- to trick Dregg into thinking his Sun-based plan worked.
Another thing that goes on too many times- transformations.  

The 'Turtles are mutating again' thing seemed to end with Season 9, but comes back for the first 3 Episodes of Season 10.

They eventually cure the Turtles and their buddy- seen on the right.  More on him later.
Shredder and Krang show up for the big 4-Part Story that should have been the finale.  

They don't get to do nearly enough and are literally gone between 'camera' changes in the final part.
Said 4-Part Story involves the Turtles fighting Dregg, him stealing their 'life essence' and their friend doing the only logical thing- contacting some Future Folk to bring older Turtles back to help.

Again- how is this NOT the Finale?!?
As for their buddy, he goes from being 'I can't be a Hero without powers' to 'I should go to College' to 'I'll just go to the Future with these guys.  Bye Forever!'

Bear in mind, this follows a ticking-clock scenario where the Past Turtles must return or destroy the Timeline.  Logic!
To highlight how anti-climactic the actual finale- covered already- is, let me tell you what the semi-final Episode involves- the Earth nearly being pulled into a Black Hole!

So yeah, this Show may have gone off the deep end.  Speaking of ends, here it is.  The End.
A dumb, silly time.  

The quality is mixed here.  On one hand, they cheat ALOT (as mentioned) to create Drama.  The Plots are just all kinds of silly.  
There is some real creativity shown in them, however, so I can't fault them for trying in that regard.  Dregg also has the power to make continuity loose as they are kicked out of a Nuclear Power Plant in Episode 2 and then just 'settled in' for Episode 3.  

Another thing that they seem to have a problem with is stakes and keeping them.  Dregg is defeated and sent to Dimension X in the big Story.  
After that, he's immediately back and can just teleport here with ease.  
Later on, his ship is seemingly destroyed by the Black Hole...and he's just fine in the Finale.  

That's what really hurts the Finale- closure.  Why should I believe that he's dead or defeated this time?  

The Show can be fun when it gets out of its own way.  Seeing the Turtles team up to fight Aliens is fun.  The feel of the Show is unique- it's just not a TMNT Show anymore.  

All in all, Season 10 is a glorious, silly mess.  
As a bonus, it may have inspired Farscape...
Both are Henson Shop Properties.
Damn strange to see a Show completely change from the way you remember it.  It would be like if G.I. Joe suddenly fought Mutants...oh, right.

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Buy the DVD!: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Season 10

As it is clear that I have the DVD, I need to more to sell you on it.

Let me show you a BONUS reason why my $1.00 was well spent.

Check out the Special Features...
Interviews with the Artists- meh.

What else is there?
Two free Episodes- neat!

Why are they there?

Well, both Episodes are missing from the proper DVD Releases- Season 5 and Season 4, respectively- and this is basically an attempt to say 'My bad.'

What a silly, silly way to do it.  You wouldn't even know they were there if you didn't look!

Considering that half of the Episodes still have the CBS 'Action Zone' intro on them, they clearly didn't do much work here...so this is no surprise.

Heroes in a half-shell,
Barely Trying!