Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Plot

A quartet of humanoid turtles trained by their mentor in ninjitsu must learn to pull together in order to face the menace of Shredder and the Foot Clan.

Release Year: 1990

Rating: 6.4/10 (34,449 voted)

Director:
Steve Barron

Stars: Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, Josh Pais

Storyline
Through contact with a mysterious substance, called Ooze, 4 little turtles in the canalization of New York mutate to giant turtles. They can speak, walk upright and love pizza. The wise rat Splinter becomes their mentor and educates them to Ninja fighters. Their arch-enemy is the bad, bad guy Shredder, who struggles to gain power over the world. Of course the ninja turtles will do everything to stop him.

Writers: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird

Cast:

Josh Pais
–

Raphael
/
Man In Cab

(voice)

Michelan Sisti
–

Michaelangelo
/
Pizza Man

Leif Tilden
–

Donatello
/
Foot Messenger

David Forman
–

Leonardo
/
Gang Leader

Robbie Rist
–

Michaelangelo

(voice)

Corey Feldman
–

Donatello

(voice)

Brian Tochi
–

Leonardo

(voice)

Judith Hoag
–

April O'Neil

Elias Koteas
–

Casey Jones

Michael Turney
–

Danny Pennington

Kevin Clash
–

Splinter

(voice)

James Saito
–

The Shredder
/
Oroko Saki

Toshirô Obata
–

Tatsu

(as Toshishiro Obata)

David McCharen
–

The Shredder
/
Oroko Saki

(voice)

Michael McConnohie
–

Tatsu

(voice)

Taglines:
Lean, green and on the screen everywhere.

Details

Official Website:
Official TMNT site |

Release Date: 30 March 1990

Filming Locations: Castle Hayne, North Carolina, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $13,500,000

(estimated)

Gross: $135,270,000
(USA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

In the Foot Warehouse, the boxes in the foreground near the skate half-pipe read Mirage, which was one the comic book company that originally published Eastman and Laird's Ninja Turtles comic.

Goofs:

Continuity:
While fleeing the Foot Clan in the junk shop, the same brief scene of Donatello turning and punching out one of the Foot is used twice.

Quotes:

Casey Jones:
[sighs after knocking out two Foot Soldiers in rapid succession]
It's a talent.

User Review

A cult classic.

Rating: 10/10


Whether film buffs would ever admit it or not, the original Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is a classic film, arguably way before its
time. Although for the die-hard fans of the comic book this movie did
lack the apparent actual violence it did instead have great dramatic
scenes blended in with witty comedic lines.

With a dark tone and gritty cinematography filmed with fantastic sets
and locations around New York this 90s movie is far from something to
be pigeonholed 'just for kids' or a 'family movie'.

The aforementioned 'surfer dialogue' criticised in other reviews can be
put down to personal taste, as the majority of fans do find this lingo
both entertaining and quote-worthy. Who could forget Splinter
exclaiming "I… have always liked… COWABUNGA!!" Casey Jones is one
of the greatest characters in film for a long time and the performances
given throughout, even though can be labelled slightly b-grade, are
lovable all the same from Chief Sterns to Charles and Master Tatsu. The
angst of Raphael to the cheekiness of Michelangelo there is nothing not
to like about the characters in this movie.

The musical score is great and ranges from intense to comical – very
fitting for a movie that is exactly that in its mood, without becoming
corny unlike its follow-up films. MC Hammer creates the best songs of
his career. Shameless fun.

All of the scenes are special in different ways to different fans of
this cult classic; from Casey Jones vs Raphael in the park to the
Antique Store battle.

Extremely under-rated. One of the best comic-book adaptations ever made
and one of the defining films in a LOT of people's childhoods. A
fantastic film for anyone with direction and storyline that remains
highly enjoyable through the test of time.

Brilliant.