Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles (1990) * FIRST TIME WATCHING * reaction & commentary

[@ingibingi2000]

You've now seen the 4 top grossing films from 1990. Home alone, ghost, pretty woman, and teenage mutant ninja turtles

[@awkwardashleigh]

HOLY CRAP. the Holy Four of 1990!

[@Readyforit7723]

@@awkwardashleigh lol overachiever ;)

[@MasterSkywalker91]

@@awkwardashleigh Promise me you’ll check out Home Alone 2 for Christmas this year!

[@tylerhughes5420]

@@awkwardashleigh critters are real movies and I've been trying to get you to watch it since grimlins...its like an r rated gremlins lots of gore and some boobs

[@keepleft]

Wait...Half Baked wasn't in the top 4? WTF?!?!?

[@JoeCool7835]

"Critters" IS a real movie, an 80s comedy-horror movie cheesier than that pizza Leo dropped on Splinter's head. Put that on the roster for Hallow-Beans!

[@scorp77snake]

absolutely first couple of critters films are great they sort of lost the horror aspect with DeCaprio's film

[@UncensoredScion]

well we know what to suggest for Hallowbeans this year don't we

[@iChristyD]

I forgot their were some big name actors of the time in it lol. I mean Dee Wallace, Scott Grimes, Terrance Mann & Billy Zane.

[@MarioMarioD80]

I loved watching those movies when I was a kid.. wasn't too scared watching but then I had NIGHTMARES for days XD

[@JackXombi]

\\m// OH YES! \\m//

[@danielallen3454]

The costumes for the turtles actually required three people. The person actually in the suit (who all lost about 20 lbs from sweating), the voice actor (if they were required on set), and the animatronics team to operate the 60 or pounds of gear in the turtles faces. The Jim Henson Shop did the puppetry work and it took about 18 weeks to get it ready. Henson said it was the most complicated thing he'd ever worked on.

[@DamonNomad82]

All the guys who wore the turtle suits also got cameos in the film. Michelangelo's actor was the pizza delivery guy. Raphael's actor (who was the only one of the four who also performed his character's voice) was the passenger in the taxi. Leonardo's and Donatello's actors played members of the Foot Clan.

[@CaffieneKitty]

@@DamonNomad82 I didn't know that! Cool!

[@Highgear145]

The suits still exist

[@MicLibby]

This was Jim Henson's last project as he unfortunately passed away shortly after the premiere of this film

[@chrisleebowers]

There were two sets of turtle heads. An "acting" version with all the gears and animatronics to make the facial expressions and the stunt version which was essentially just a big soft helmet. One of the stunt performers got his face messed up during a fight scene because they put the wrong mask on him.

[@excalibur1969]

This movie really aged well to be honest. It was true to the original comics while incorporating elements from the 1987 cartoon. And it was a passionately well made independent movie.

[@MrParkerman6]

...except for the fact it isn't independent at all.

[@leaflock7462]

@@MrParkerman6 it is though. At the time, New Line Cinema was an independent studio, and this was kinda the movie that made them big.

[@Kevinschart]

@@MrParkerman6 it was produced by an independent studio. trust us, you don't know what you're talking about.

[@MaxRockatansky853]

@@leaflock7462 New Line is the house that Freddy built.

[@fynnthefox9078]

And the puppets by the Jim Henson crew looked great. Better than the Michael Bay movies.

[@josealmeida2842]

The Japanese take failure very seriously in their culture and tie it very closely to their sense of honor. Shredder starring down Tatsu was his way of telling him that he is a disgrace to his clan because his ninjas were unable to take down the Turtles. Tatsu taking his anger out on the teenagers was not only his way of dealing with his feelings of shame, but shows the hypocrisy in Shredder’s words that their social structure is a family. As Splinter says, “He cares nothing for you or the people you hurt!”

[@Alysa-Aiday]

Splinter also said about Shredder: "He poisons your minds to obtain that which he desires"

[@snootches]

This is the ultimate “dad” movie. It has many themes around fatherhood (both positive and negative). It also deals with mixed families. Both Splinter and Shredder have adopted families and Danny is in a single parent home. It is a really well written for a kids movie which is why I think it holds up. Even the jokes are all dad jokes. I can see why it isn’t for everyone, but it still holds up as a great comic book movie, especially as an independent film.

[@joeyhoward9147]

Ben, that is a great takeaway from this movie. I loved this movie then, and it has been a while since I have seen it, but yeah, it holds up. I also pick apart a movie to find different themes and morals. Thanks for shining the light on the fatherhood aspect of the movie. Turtle Power, Dude.

[@stephenswaim]

Saw this 5 times with my Dad when I was 5 years old. Good memories.

[@Wearywastrel]

I never made the connection 🤯

[@Kevinschart]

don't forget the brotherhood themes.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Cowabunga!

[@zachlong5427]

"This rat has more an elaborate backstory than most of the characters in movies today." I laughed so hard I cried, thanks Ashley!

[@goldilox369]

I was born in 1980. And while all the other girls were obsessing about NKOTB, I was hanging out with my brother (82) obsessing over the Turtles, wanting to be April O'Neill or inventing female turtle counterparts in my mind. 😒 Anyway, I wore the soundtrack cassette to this out when the movie came on the scene!

[@leniobarcelos1770]

Cowabunga, Goldilox! 🖐

[@Travelinmatt1976]

My sister was the same way, she was born in 1981

[@larrytodaro8460]

T-U-R-T-L-E POWER!!

[@intothemindshaft]

Same. Had a turtle bumbag.

[@rustyshackelford1413]

​@DrakenViggen You're thinking of Milli Vanilli

[@sharkdentures3247]

"This Rat has a better, deeper backstory than MOST characters in media today!" - Preach Ashleigh! Such a fun movie. And you are right, the younger you are, the more you will probably like it. (we tend to "overthink" stuff as we get older) Ashleigh REALLY has some sort of Weird-Hand-phobia! lol

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

FUN FACT: In the comic books, when the radioactive "ooze" spilled into the sewer, you could "overhear" people on the street talking about how "that kid just saved that man".. The Turtles' creator confirmed that the accident that spilled the "ooze" was the same accident that blinded a young Matt Murdock. The Turtles origin is directly tied to Daredevil's origin. Same accident gave us both! The chemicals that blinded Murdock, but heightened his other senses are the same ones that mutated Splinter and the Turtles!

[@isthatwhatemptymeans8222]

#WeSavedDaredevil #ManWithoutFear

[@CaffieneKitty]

Oh my god that's awesome!

[@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace]

@@CaffieneKitty there's pics of the relevant comic panels online. Dunno how to link them here without a 10,000 character url :D

[@Caseytify]

I did not know that.

[@Caseytify]

@@LiveFromThePorcelainPalace just search TMNT origin and specify images. It's almost the only B&W image the first couple of pages of results.

[@allantidgwell5624]

Answering Ashleigh: The weapon is called a Sai, it's basically a dagger with large side guards used for catching and trapping blades. It was actually developed out of a gardening tool and used by peasants when it was illegal for them to have swords. In Europe there was a similar weapon called a trident parrying dagger The way the turtle costumes move their mouths is a remote control motor called a Gilderfluke (a fun word to say) though an interesting fact is that for a large portion of filming they were near an airport and the radio tower would make the electronics go crazy so midway through filming it would look like the turtles were having a seizure Yes Splinter is a sensei. The original comic is largely a parody of Daredevil. The kid holding the turtles is hit in the eyes with the canister of ooze, Splinter is a reference to the mentor character Stick. Shredder got his name because one of the creators was horsing around and put his arm into a cheese grater and joked about being "the shredder" Critters is a real movie. You'll get to it in your film watching journey. A couple of fun facts: a young Leonardo Dicaprio is in Critters 3, and the movie on the marquis was originally supposed to be Jaws and Raphael was going to say the animatronics never look good in movies. "You dirty rat" is a reference to James Cagney in the film Taxi! It's a misquotation (kind of like how Vader doesn't actually say "Luke, I am your father") as he doesn't actually say those words in the film. He actually says "you dirty yellow-bellied rat" and he doesn't say you killed my brother, that's just a contextual addition The kid smoking a cigar was a reference to Pleasure Island in Pinocchio Turtles aren't just good at holding their breath. If need be they can stay under water by "breathing" through their butt They were bonding over insults and doing so alphabetically Women ruin everything lol and yes, Splinter has a great backstory. It's why people say most modern media is crap The suit actor Michelangelo was the pizza guy. The suit actor for Raphael was the guy in the back of the cab that hit Raphael. The suit actor for Donatello was the foot ninja who told April to "shut it", and the suit actor for Leonardo was the tall teen behind Sam Rockwell wearing a red headband. Oh, and the guy doing the voice of Splinter was the voice of Elmo too You know April is a reporter. The other reporters in this film are named June and May

[@Caseytify]

Just about all the major martial arts weapons have similar antecedents. Nunchucks, for example, came from rice flails.

[@allantidgwell5624]

@@Caseytify this is true. In medieval Germany they found another answer to the problem of it being illegal to own a sword... the Messer (knife). It's literally a sword but the handle construction is that of a knife so it was legally considered a knife lol

[@rossrobertson674]

How do u not mention that one of the guys in the turtle suits is Keno from the next movie TMNT secret of the ooze

[@allantidgwell5624]

@@rossrobertson674 because he wasn't a suit actor, he was a stuntman

[@Cthulwho69]

Just to piggy back off the mention of the Sai being developed from a Gardening tool. If I recall Ninja's originated from just that, farmers and peasants who needed to defend themselves from Samurai and other's who would threaten them.

[@okami36]

I love this movie, and as far as I'm concerned, it still holds up at the age of 44. Splinter is still one of the best father figures in film. I saw this in the theater, and that was a big day for 12yo me. It started off with waking up to find my pet hamster had died during the night, then went and saw this, and afterwards picked up the 12-speed mountain bike I still have to this day.

[@Kevinschart]

every couple of years my brother and I will talk about how much we love this movie. this and ghostbusters.

[@jameshowlettii761]

Why do you still have that mountain bike? Surely you can't still fit on it, can you?

[@okami36]

@@jameshowlettii761 It's a full-sized adult bike. I still fit on it. Back then, I was a middle schooler, big enough (let's be real, fat enough) to be wrestling on the high school team.

[@jameshowlettii761]

@@okami36 ah, ok, got ya. That's such a great memory and so awesome that you still have it. I also completely agree with what you said about Splinter being such a good father figure

[@KevinLockamy]

"I guess that's weird if she had a moment with a turtle." Spoken like some one who's never seen 'Howard the Duck'.

[@ZerkaiGG]

One fun tidbit, with Casey and Donatello insulting each other while fixing the truck, they're playing a game. They have to come up with an insult that's the next down in the alphabet, like Gackface with a 'G' followed by Hosebrain with an 'H'.

[@JustAMagicDuck]

Fun fact: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was originally a comic book created as a parody of Marvel’s Daredevil comics. Daredevil gets his powers as a child when a container of strange chemicals falls off a truck and splashes him in the face. In the Turtles comic that same canister then rolls into the sewer where the turtles encounter it. Daredevil learned to fight from a guy named Stick, the Turtles learned from Splinter. Daredevil fought an army of ninjas called “The Hand”, the Turtles fight “The Foot”.

[@MKF30]

Also fun fact:Daredevil was inspired by Batman with the dark tone, fighting crime at night lawyer by day, vigilante at night but then a lot of characters came from Batman in both DC and Marvel. lol Laird I remember said in an interview that most of the side and enemies of the turtles were mostly inspired by DD's baddies like "The Hand" to "The Foot" more so than the turtles themselves which is more of an original concept as far as just them.

[@redred222]

@@MKF30 the foot and hand where based on batman and dcs league of shadows

[@MKF30]

@@redred222 Yeah makes sense. DD in general is very Batman like in a few ways kind of funny how Frank Miller wrote both too later on.

[@Wezt334]

@@MKF30 and yet Daredevil should be called Batman due to his particular power set, canonically Ghost Rider hates Daredevil because he thinks he should have been called Daredevil and Batman should be called Ghost Rider because his whole things is due to riding on the ghosts of his past

[@MKF30]

@Wezt334 I mean I was referring mostly to the tone, style and grittyness of DD being similar to Batman. Ghost Rider has powers and is called such due to him being an undead spectre. Batman's ghosts are a very different concept, more like emotionally scarred for life, mental issues with what happened to him but that's understandable when your parents get murdered in front of you as a child lol. Batman also predates Ghostrider by a few decades haha. I would say Ghostrider should be called The Spectre(though not nearly as powerful as The Spectre being God's vengeance but I digress)

[@MrRhunter64]

Out of the TMNT movies, this one was the truest representation of the cartoon and comic book series. The turtles were masters of the martial arts and each specialized in a specific form, yet they shared a common bond in ninjutsu itself, the turtles were named after the greatest artists from history who each specialized in a specific form, yet they shared a common bond in the arts themselves. They were all born in Italy and could have crossed paths at one point, that is, Donatello could have crossed paths with a young Leonardo during that time, but he passed only a few years before Raphael and Michaelangelo were born of whom could have crossed paths with each other as well as Leonardo, so they could have been brothers-at-arms so to speak, like the turtles. The personalities of the turtles closely related those of the artists, especially Leonardo, as Da Vinci was the most educated and well rounded of the four, he was a genius whose inventions in theory became reality later (the parachute, helicopter, hang glider, and many other inventions. He was the wisest, just like Leonardo the turtle. Leonardo was a polymath, a draughtsman (draftsman to us), a painter, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. Donatello was sculptor, always creating something with his hands, like his turtle counterpart always creating gadgets for the team. Raphael was a painter and an architect. Michaelangelo was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. All four were born in Italy, hence the pizza. There's lots more history for both the turtles and the humans, you should check it out, fascinating. Anyway, as always, loved the review, love you and tell Beans hi 👋

[@scottlyttle5586]

I still think Leonardo should have been the engineer/inventor on the team..

[@theveryworstluck1894]

I think you might be inventing this for the creators in hindsight. Pretty sure they were just named after famous artists. Everything else is a coincidence or a stretch. Everyone loves pizza, plus they're teenagers.

[@jp3813]

The only thing they didn't get right is Donatello acting like Michelangelo, right down to the skateboarding. Just like how the 80s cartoon turned Raphael into a wisecracker.

[@MrRhunter64]

@@theveryworstluck1894 Thank you Mr. Obvious, my comment was intended to point out a bunch of funny coincidences with a bit of historical knowledge to help the lesser educated, and for you to have thought so deeply about it and even have a little conspiracy theory concerning some fictional characters tells me you should probably seek some help. Have a blessed day 🙏 Namaste

[@theveryworstluck1894]

@@MrRhunter64 You made it sound like it was the creators' intent. Lol, call me Mr. Obvious as an insult, then try to say Namaste at the end. What a passive aggressive little man you are, lmao.

[@TheDaringPastry1313]

Why is seeing the Twin Towers in a movie before the attack, "not age well?" It was shown so much in movies and TV when showing the skyline of NYC before the attack prior to Sept. 11th, 2001. They were completed in 1973 and remained there until the attack.I'm not mad, just don't get the remark. If there was a weird joke or a scene in a movie where the Twin Towers were destroyed, then that would be an example of it not aging well.

[@md_vandenberg]

I think her brain short-circuited for a moment. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and just assume she meant, "oh wow, the Twin Towers! Not gonna see those again."

[@ShujinTribble]

I can still remember the view up from the ground in my aunt's car in the mid-70s.

[@chamoo232]

Mostly because seeing them is an reminded of the attack. If they didn't show them we would not even think about it even knowing the movie takes place in New York. In 2001-2002 movies and video games were censored to avoid any reference to the towers. Now we are used to not seeing them but popping an old movie and seeing the towers is an instant reminder.

[@rossrobertson674]

Not aging well would be if shredder blew up the towers, some people don't care or know how to see context

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

@@chamoo232 "censored to avoid any reference to the towers" Kinda the opposite of the "never forget" slogan, to remove it from history.

[@dylandaly2002]

Fun Fact: Donatello is voiced by Corey Feldman who you may recognize from a few iconic 80’s films such as The Goonies, The Lost Boys, Gremlins, Stand by Me and The ‘Burbs.

[@bigfrankfraser1391]

ah, the massive dick who uses his childhood abuse as an excuse for being shit at music

[@MKF30]

The dude with the hockey mask and sports gear is Casey Jones, vigilante who at first fights the turtles but becomes their friends as you see here who uses bats, hockey sticks, clubs and golf clubs as weapons lol. He was a former hockey players but is a badass who fights criminals. He's also often April's love interest.

[@aroundight6163]

Great reaction. Fun background detail: the ninja turtles basically started as a parody of X-Men (teenage mutants) and Daredevil (Daredevil's mentor is called Stick, the turtles' mentor is Splinter, daredevil fights a group of ninja called the Hand, the turtles fight of group of ninja called the Foot) and it was strongly implied that the radioactive goo that mutated the turtles was spilled in the accident that gave Daredevil his powers. There's probably more that I'm forgetting.

[@jeremiahpace6533]

X-men and TMNT was around at the same time the movies are older then the X-Men movies

[@johnmorris8444]

X-men comics started in the 70s though. When did the ninja turtles start? I believe they were comics before a cartoon.

[@nickdanger108]

That’s interesting never knew that

[@aroundight6163]

@@johnmorris8444 Comic 1984, cartoon 1987

[@josephwallace202]

No, no, no, not at all. TMNT was explicitly started as a parody of Frank Miller's "Robin" comic first and foremost. The Daredevil stuff comes well after that.

[@echobase6372]

This is legitimately one of my favorite movies. It was awesome as a kid and it's even better as an adult. Apparently there was some parental backlash due to it being pretty dark, which is why the 2nd and 3rd movies were more goofy and childish. The first one will always hold a special place for me

[@Zodia195]

Glad my parents weren't like that lol. My brother and I were 8 (me) and 6 (my brother) when the movie came out. Both of us loved the cartoon and my brother of course loved the toys, so we did see the movie in theaters. I did cry when Splinter got hurt, but overall we all loved the movie. Seeing how my brother and I were already exposed to 'dark themes' in kid movies before *looks at Don Bluth movies*, this wasn't that bad lol.

[@lynnevetter]

Indeed, I still watch this about once a year. that and the other two. lol

[@lynnevetter]

@@Zodia195 heey, I was 8 and brother was 6 too! #turtlepower

[@Zodia195]

@Dark Titan Lol, I was very squeamish at a young age, like I would run out of the room when in Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent was killed. My parents would let me watch certain movies, but not the WHOLE thing, whether something was violently graphic (Indiana Jones scenes) or had sexual stuff (Dirty Dancing), but I always remembered my mom or dad saying, "Okay Tiffany, go into the other room, a bad scene is coming." Being the good girl I was, I immediately would run out of the room lol. They would tell me when it was okay to come back in.

[@erinhaury5773]

Seeing these in the theater as a kid redefined my childhood. I was OBSESSED with the TMNT for years afterwards. I honestly think all the movies hold up pretty well, but the first is still my favorite.

[@ShawnRavenfire]

Well, now you have to see "Critters."

[@neilmcdonald9164]

Or Critters 3...with a you Leo lol🎩

[@neilmcdonald9164]

Young,not you obvs😀🎩

[@josearroyo8008]

Yes please all 5 of them

[@roberthughes2402]

And The Last Starfighter.

[@MusketeerGweneth]

Ashleigh: "They don't look as scary as I thought they were going to look." Me: "You should see the new movies . . . or don't, maybe don't. Really scary!" 😱

[@Wearywastrel]

I was going to see how many people suggest the Michael Bay one for an unbiased opinion.lol

[@JustPlayTheGame76]

Yeah, you want scary ass turtles, watch the new one.

[@PheOfTheFae]

Childhood me was TOTALLY obsessed with this movie. I watched it so many times I could recite it in full and warped the VHS tape. LOL

[@rossrobertson674]

Me too

[@Kevinschart]

my mom took me to see this at least 4 times at the dollar theatre. great fun.

[@jasonluke6364]

ME TOO!!!!

[@gregsteele806]

The two men who created TMNT were heavily influenced by Marvel's "Daredevil" series. Daredevil's mentor was named "Stick". The Turtle's mentor is "Splinter". Daredevil fought a ninja clan called "The Hand" TMNT's ninja clan is "The Foot", etc.

[@elrac7333]

Also, the chemical that mutated the turtles is the same as the one that blinded Daredevil.

[@Logan_Baron]

@@elrac7333 Though only implied rather than stated so they couldn't get sued for using another company's character.

[@gregsteele806]

@@elrac7333 Right, I forgot about that. You even see it bounce off a young boy's head before it falls in the sewers in the original comic.

[@rushmaverick1923]

I was really surprised when they made the Turtles crossover with Batman from DC Comics. They were even put in the DLC for Injustice 2 because of that. Everyone knows most of their identity came from Marvel Comics. The "Teenage Mutant" part came from X-Men, and the "Ninja" part came from Daredevil. Yet we've never had them over with Marvel whatsoever. They've even crossed over with the Ghostbusters once and the Power Rangers twice.

[@woodgatejack]

​@@rushmaverick1923 Then again, just about every character has met Batman at some point. Sherlock Holmes, Judge Dredd, Captain America, Aliens, Predator, Hellboy, Spider-man, Daredevil, The Hulk, Spawn, Grendle, The Shadow, Scooby-doo. And that's even before we get to Lego Batman and Lego Dimensions!

[@krisfrederick5001]

My cousin and I saw this as kids together in theaters when it came out. When we left we were literally looking down the sewers to maybe see them. Then went together to see it again for the special 30 year anniversary release in 2020. It was a nostalgia overdose in the best way... 🍕🐢🐢🐢🐢

[@krisfrederick5001]

Pork rind? Pork rind. Bonus: It was always ironic to me on the VHS release there was a Little League Baseball commercial for Pizza Hut, then somehow Domino's gets the best pizza product placement ever in the film. 👀

[@professionaljackass]

I was in high school when this came out, and me and friends would go see it every weekend. We even bought the eyemasks (the red, orange, blue and purple of the turtles) of our favorites and would wear them in the theater. Mine was red.

[@HALberdier17]

I don't remember seeing this in theaters but my dad said he took us to see it. Though I was three at the time. I do remember seeing Secret of the Ooze in theaters a year later.

[@andyhess8433]

You may or may not have noticed one of the more prominent thugs was played by a VERY young Sam Rockwell, aka Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2.

[@KurossuElemenze]

"That's one loud jacket" - If you get a chance, watch the 80's cartoon. Pretty sure the jacket was a shout-out to her cover-alls. Sai is the name of Raph's weapon. If you were worried about the costumes originally, you should see how they held up to the test of time. Modern photos are horrifying. Also to move their mouths and everything, it was actually a fully animatronic rig for the facial muscles.

[@AuspexAO]

I love how they used that jacket. As a kid I instantly said, "Oh that's April." They didn't really need it after she was established.

[@Nightroadtube]

This movie WAS my childhood, and now as an adujlt I enjoy it even more. It has such good themes around family and parenting, emotinal maturity and the ever relatable invincible teenager. It's also SO much darker than I remembered once I saw it as an adult. Plus Jim Henson and everything that went into making the turtles realistic/believable. All in all definitely A+ from me.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

"It's also SO much darker than I remembered" Cartoons were one thing but ya know when it got a movie they would push it past a few limits. Just from all the other franchises before.

[@redrick8900]

@@jayeisenhardt1337 The movie is super sanitized compared to the comics.

[@monsoon1234567890]

OMG thank you! I was just having a lengthy conversation with a friend of mine yesterday about how no one ever reacts to this movie. This is a great movie that has aged like a fine wine over the years.

[@ikarikid]

This movie was my first exposure to animatronics. That’s the process that animated the turtle heads and Splinter. Fun fact: All the Turtle suit performers have appearances outside of the suits.

[@ikarikid]

Other fun fact: “Check out the East warehouse on Lairdman Island” is a reference to creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

[@Hellbane224]

@@ikarikid Extra fun fact: there were 2 different sets of suits made for this movie. The suits for acting and the suits for fighting. The actors didn't do the fighting, the ones doing the fighting were trained professionals.

[@Johnny_Socko]

I haven't seen this in years, and honestly I forgot how well they did Splinter. That was an animatronic character that could really emote.

[@MissRubberbutt]

More fun facts! One of the action performers from this movie (I think he was Donatello) became his own character in the 2nd movie. Ernie Reyes Jr. And rolled with the success to even star in another movie (Surf Ninjas) where his real life father players another key character in the movie. Come to think of it.. if you haven't seen it yet, Surf Ninjas needs to be on your list. Same feel as this, goofy over the top action comedy.

[@sparkysjoint1616]

@@MissRubberbutt not donatello. Leif Tilden is the body actor.

[@AlexSeverinski]

"How do they move their mouths?" Off screen animatronics. Jim Henson was known for his puppetry skills. "I don't think you're allowed to cuss." Maybe not in the animated series, but in the original Mirage Comics, they cursed a blue streak.

[@Gravydog316]

the equipment just to move their eyes & mouths weighed 60 pounds each

[@day333]

😁How dare you call Michelangelos jokes cheesy when you have been serving the entire cheese shop during your commentary 🤣

[@Dreamline78]

Shredder's glare at Tatsu at 14:27 was basically, "You failed me. Feel the shame." And Tatsu felt plenty shamed, which turned into rage, which he took out on unsuspecting students.

[@Eidlones]

Villain equivalent of your Mom just staring at you when you did something wrong, without saying anything.

[@rowdycmoore]

"Anger clouds the mind... turned inward, it is an unconquerable enemy..."

[@kryptonianguest1903]

Also, the kid that Tatsu throat-punched, if you look you'll notice that you can't see him when he's coughing and another guy is telling him he'll be OK. That's because they originally shot it as Tatsu having killed him, but the censors wouldn't let it through. When Casey and Danny are rescuing Splinter and Casey says to the crowd of Foot kids, "You call this family?" and points around the warehouse, originally that was instead Danny saying, "He killed Shinji!" while pointing at the unconscious Tatsu.

[@Gravydog316]

it's like when someone is talking during a wrestling promo, fumbles a line, then starts yelling their lines haha

[@ElisaH_DarklyiShine]

I don't know how well it will hold up as an adult but i was a total turtle fan when i was a kid. Even had a ninja turtles birthday party. I was dressed as Donatello 🙂

[@awkwardashleigh]

It's not a bad movie as an adult, I just think title kid Ashleigh would have enjoyed it more.

[@ingibingi2000]

@@awkwardashleigh kid ashliegh might have liked turtles 2 even more, but part of growing up is realizing the first is better

[@Eidlones]

@@ingibingi2000 The first is better, but I still love the cheesiness of the second. "They're not stupid, they're infants!" "MmmmBANG!! HA HA HAAA...!" "...OK, they're stupid infants"

[@JacobDennisHarris8586]

One of my FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MOVIES! My first pair of Skates as a child were "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"! THANKS FOR REACTING, COOL!

[@continuallyblessed44]

This movie is amazing and still holds up to this day. It helps being practical instead of CGI

[@Paiste2002Fan]

My favorite one was Secret of the Ooze when I was a kid. As an adult, this one is my favorite. It absolutely holds up and the themes of fatherhood, strained relationships and belonging keep this movie relevant.

[@de_la_Nae]

yeah gosh i'm still jealous of that lair in 2 though. i don't wanna say much cuz i don't wanna spoil anyone who might watch these with her, if she ever gets to it. but gosh

[@aaronburdon221]

I hold the same opinion.

[@rossrobertson674]

Definitely, as a young kid the part in the 1st movie where they go to the cabin always seemed like it took forever, probably cuz kids don't have good attention spans

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

yeah these themes will never really become irrelevant sadly.

[@fredcasdensworld]

To really give an idea of how huge this movie was.... nearly the entire sound track got regular play on radio stations through 1990, 91 and 92.

[@this.is.a.username]

may have been an urban legend, but IIRC, Dominos was heading towards bankruptcy before the movie came out and product placement saved them.

[@TheMKCrab]

Fun fact: Raphael is the only turtle in the movie whose voice performer and in-suit performer are the same person

[@Speedydee77]

He’s also the guy in the backseat of the cab who asks “What the heck was that?”

[@tonymata8070]

Josh Pais, freaking love that dude!

[@OtakuAnime01]

Dominos Delivery person was also the voice of Michelangelo

[@thedisturbedhunter7663]

Makes me wonder why Corey Feldman, arguably the biggest star in the film, didn't make an physical appearance.

[@Madbandit77]

@@tonymata8070 He's a fun character actor. Go see him as a perverted gynecologist who gets his in the horror comedy, "Teeth".

[@Bananahammock681]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were GODS when I was a kid, one of the weirdest creations in all of comic books and still to this day amazing reads. And the cartoons are always a fun ride.

[@spirittammyk]

It comes down to characters that are original and real and with real life scenarios. Most kids come from the gutters of cities or trailer parks, and tend to be of average intelligence. When the Turtles came out, it was during the time when most comic book characters were either super wealthy or were highly intelligent or had unique mutant powers. The TMNT were something that most kids could actually relate to and it's why they were so popular.

[@vespien2056]

Wow, talk about a blast from the past. I haven't seen this movie in like 30 years and I can still remember most of the lines. Loved this as a kid.

[@jenniferschwarzenberg9713]

My little brother was a big Ninja Turtles fan when we were kids and I still love watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles today.

[@JohnMiller-zn9pf]

TMNT was definately aimed at the 8-15 yr old crowd that adults could also enjoy.. at the same time this came out there was the 1st TMNT animated series to help build the fan base

[@1805movie]

The practical effects and puppetry still hold up. They were done by the Jim Henson Company, which is why they're top notch.

[@Chip_Chapman]

Away from my childhood nostalgia, this is a actually a very well made, low budget movie.

[@sdelong74]

This was some of Jim Henson's last work before he passed away. The suits hold up as far as animatronics goes. Jim Henson was the creator of many childhoods with Seasme Street and The Muppets. I believe there is a dedication to him in the credits of this movie. This movie was a sleeper hit. It beat out Pretty Woman in the box office. Mostly teenagers like myself and adults were seeing this and not so much the target audience of kids. We had a string of blockbuster years there in the early nineties. T2 would come out the following summer. One small animated classic you need to watch is The Iron Giant. Most kids films never fully cater to kids. At least the ones that hold up.

[@nsasupporter7557]

Jim Henson Did Not create Sesame Street, He just joined his Muppets with the show. Joan Cantz Cooney created Sesame Street

[@VegetaLF7]

So fun fact, in the comics that originated the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles back in the 80's, it is *heavily* implied that the ooze that mutates the turtles was a leakage from the exact same accident that blinded Matt Murdock in the Marvel comic "Daredevil", turning him into that hero (blinding him but giving him sonar powers). The cannisters are the same design and the accident that causes the leak is the exact same. So in a way this makes the Turtles and Daredevil unintended siblings in crime fighting.

[@tashikat9040]

It's not just heavily implied, but a lot of the Turtles stuff was also making fun of Daredevil (The Foot Clan vs The Hand, for example)

[@Provoses]

My mom was born in 83 and my uncle in 85. Anytime these movies were on they would sit and watch without fail. These movies really remind me of home (even though they’re really cheesy).

[@this.is.a.username]

80s here, and yes I will sit and watch this movie if it is on.

[@hydrosan13]

Your MOM... 83? God am I really that old 😰

[@Provoses]

@@hydrosan13 nah she just had me young

[@hydrosan13]

@@Provoses still turning 40 this year 😮‍💨. I'm not handling it well 😅.

[@Provoses]

@@hydrosan13 time marches on but you aren’t even halfway there. It’s all a mindset, just listen to modern music and you’ll be fine

[@thomasjones4265]

I was there opening weekend for My Heroes Big Screen Debut!!!! I was born in '79 and will always love the Turtles!!!!

[@kryten09]

My heart... Lol Being 4 (almost 5) and seeing this in theaters. I remember bringing in the VHS to "show and tell" in kindergarten hahaha. I still think this movie holds up, it's a mix of the "adult" comic book and the kid friendly cartoon. Jim Henson puppets still look pretty good.

[@shainewhite2781]

I watched all of the OG TURTLES movies when I was 4-5 years old! I even watched the animated series on TV, which they never stopped rebooting in over 30 years

[@TheHighSorcerer]

There's a new TMNT reboot every two years, it feels like.

[@TheHighSorcerer]

That said as a kid I don't think anything got me more hyped on Saturday morning than the intro the the '87 animated series. Except maybe also the X-Men intro. Both just had so much energy.

[@SobiTheRobot]

At least every time they reboot it, it feels almost like a natural evolution, and each one brings something different. The original series is...well, the original. The live action movies were...there. The live action series had the fifth turtle. The 2003 series carried the aesthetic of the action cartoons of the day, and felt both dark and comedic. The...was it 2008? The bad one. The 2012 series was a return to comedy basics, but didn't shy away from the darker elements. And now Rise has gorgeous, fluid animation and some other unique characteristics.

[@michaelcrump3110]

Omg! I requested this about 8 months ago. So happy you actually did it. Much love. Thanks!

[@scottvanhille5688]

I've watched this movie so many times that I used to know what the character would say next lol. This was popular back in its time. A cartoon, trading cards, action figures, video games, two more films, another upgraded cartoon, two more updated CGI films (ones with Megan Fox), memorabilia. Thanks for reacting to this classic from my childhood. Next 1990 film that was a short lived tv show: Captain America with Matt Salinger as Steve Rogers. Yes, Critters is a real movie haha. Corey Feldman from The Lost Boys film voiced Donatello.

[@actionfigureguy5842]

I love it when she calls Splinter Rat Dad lol

[@fynnthefox9078]

I mean, he is tho.

[@actionfigureguy5842]

@@fynnthefox9078 I know it just made me smile

[@ShaDowedNight12]

The best part of this video is the Rat Dad comments!

[@NightRanger-lz6tp]

Fun Facts: The voices 3 of the Ninja Turtles are: Leonardo: Brian Tochi, best known for playing Takashi in Revenge of the Nerds and played Nagata in Police Academy 3 and 4 Michaelangelo: Robbie Rist, best known for playing Cousin Oliver in The Brady Bunch show. Donatello: Corey Feldman This movie has a small appearance of Sam Rockwell (Wild Bill Wharton in The Green Mile) as a Foot Clan member near the end of the movie.

[@DavidGowers]

Don't forget Splinter, voiced by Elmo! Also, Sam Rockwell is specifically the gang member who tells the cops to "check the East warehouse over on Lairdman Island" which is a nod to the creators of the Turtles - Eastman & Laird

[@robertkramer2271]

Jim Henson, who created The Muppets and Sesame Street, the turtle suits and Splinter for this film were the last things he helped design before he passed away in 1990.

[@md_vandenberg]

I wonder what Mr Henson could have accomplished if he had lived just another decade.

[@robertkramer2271]

@@md_vandenberg yea, but everything was going digital and computerized and away from legitimate effects. It's like when Ray Harryhausen retired in the early 1980's, he knew his type of special effects was done.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@robertkramer2271 Jim Henson Did Not create Sesame Street. He just joined the muppets with the show. Joan Ganz Cooney created Sesame Street

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@md_vandenberg well I’ll tell you 1 thing, the Muppets would’ve been way better. His son Brian Henson did a decent job of keeping the Muppets going but nothing like it could’ve been had his dad lived and kept them going

[@robertkramer2271]

@@nsasupporter7557 yea, you're right, but then again it's sort of apples and oranges. Try to think of SS without The Muppets.

[@Danthom02]

One of my absolute favorite films; I watched it so much as a kid, my parents eventually hid the vhs tape. I only wish the request had you watch the Pizza Hut commercial from the vhs before the film- it really helps set the mood

[@jrogers05]

I second this! The Pizza Hut ad in the beginning is one of the main reasons to watch this on vhs. But it’s 2022, so you can definitely find it on KZbin

[@jakebreaker]

Makin' it great!

[@idunno7427]

FINALLY A BLIND REACTION TO THIS MOVIE! It's one of my favorites, as a child I'd rewatch it every two days for MONTHS.

[@WaTahBasTard]

Raphael was always my absolute favorite of the four brothers, I understood his frustration and anger, because he lives in a world that he can never be apart of and so desperately wants to be and he can't help but be enraged by it's these rules he has to follow to stay hidden from the rest of the world. Growing up with the stigma of autism I understood this all too well, always treated as an outcast even by my own family and finding out the schools where even on it, all going out of their way to ostracize me from society 😔😤😠😡🤬

[@jeremyevans9521]

Raphael was my favorite as well in the movies.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@@jeremyevans9521 yeah, Raph and Mikey.

[@Swampthing71]

You & me both brother. I was born with Asperger's Syndrome & Bipolar. Luckily my mom & dad are both pretty understanding. I also have a twin brother who has Asperger's Syndrome but didn't have Bipolar. It's the schools that didn't understand. My favorite is also Raphael. I understood him.

[@jamesmoyner7499]

Okay so Jim Henson had some hesitation working on this film as he thought it was too violent. This was one of the last projects he worked on before his death in 1990 and the costumes were done through puppeteering. Also Judith Hoag who plays April people will know better as the mom in the Halloweentown films. If you want to watch on your own time a Ninja Turtles tv series I recommend either the 2003 or the 2012 tv series. The whole thing regarding Ninja Turtles started as a dark comic series.

[@ninjafoxgamesgeekery]

It's kind of ironic that Hoag was vocal about her concerns with the violence, which contributed to her not being invited to reprise the role of April in the sequel. Yet years later, Hoag has kind of seen the film differently and has embraced the opportunity and impact it had on her career. She's been really involved with anniversary celebrations as well.

[@sarahh9097]

The TMNT 2003 series is top tier, though, one of my favourite childhood shows that still holds up today because it's not too childish and has some dark and serious themes.

[@bryanprime3438]

My dude. Fave turtle from 2003? Mine was Donnie

[@Bananahammock681]

Leo vs The Foot Clan is still one of my favourite things ever, they even did it well in the 2012 series too.

[@jonmercano1138]

Wow! Love for the 03 show! It’s what I grew up with too!

[@sarahh9097]

@@bryanprime3438 Nice! My overall favourite was Raph, but Leo had his moments too where he took first place.

[@nsasupporter7557]

@Sarah H the first animated was from 87, not 03

[@michellepeters7066]

Way better than the newer films!

[@Falcun21]

The newer films seem like more adult versions of the turtles, maybe 19-year-olds instead of the 13 - 16-year-olds they seem in this movie and are way more intimidating, which I actually liked.

[@ninjafoxgamesgeekery]

@@Falcun21 But they're hulking giants, which was kind of the opposite of these characters. They were all supposed to be shorter than April and.... y'know, stealthy and ninja like. Not literally bullet proof like the Bay films.

[@McMindflayer]

Fun thing to notice: When at the house in the woods, Donatello and Casey Jones are trading insults while repairing the truck. They are choosing the insults in alphabetical order. G-gak, H-hosebrain, etc

[@whimsofmim]

This was just a thing at the time. My dad took me to it. I legit got emotional sitting there with him watching the meditation scene and all the stuff about fathers and sons. It was a huge hit back in the day, and this movie hit at just the right time. The sequels are not nearly as good, but this one is pure 80's cheese. A lot of men who grew up with this would have nostalgic feelings for it.

[@ecyobynot]

So proud of you. You liked this movie more then I anticipated. Even though you admitted it wasn't your type of movie you gave it the respect and laughter it was due. Thank you for the great reaction

[@AdderMoray]

So: The first TMNT film is heavily based on the original TMNT comics, its plot is based on the first major story arc from the comics. The major difference is that the Turtles' attitudes more closely resemble the show and it was Leo, not Raph, who was beaten. It skips some smaller adventures that happened between the defeat and the return to New York. And it moves Shredder's first defeat to the end of the movie (they originally attacked Leo and burned April's antiques shop as revenge for the Turtles defeating and nearly killing Shredder in their first story). TMNT 2 is closer to the '87 cartoon in tone and its story is original. EDIT:Also, this April is a mix of both the '87 cartoon and the original version. Her personality is much more the original April, but a lot of details, like her occupation, were pulled in from the cartoon.

[@ninjafoxgamesgeekery]

In the movies, Raph is the tough guy and that's held across every iteration of film. In the comics, though.... man, Leo's dedication to mastering his skills makes him an absolute beast. Like you said, the original comics have him as the one who gets beat up, but he fights off the Foot in an ongoing fight across the entire city and after they finally gang up on him, he still stands up with just his one katana with the entire Foot Clan surrounding him, INCLUDING Shredder. The IDW comics played off this as well with Leo fighting his way up an abandoned building, fighting through the entire Foot Clan until Shredder beats him at the top and throws him off the roof. I desperately want a movie franchise or ongoing animated series (preferably quality 2D) based on the IDW run.

[@spook4597]

"This guy has been through so much. It's like nothing even phases him anymore. It's like "Okay. Giant rat chained to a fence. Gotta take him to his group of four turtle sons." Easily Top 5 funniest things you've ever said, Ashley. This made my day.

[@jccw227]

The Turtles and Splinter were the work of the Jim Henson Creature Shop (yes, the guy behind the Muppets). In fact, the puppeteer who performed and did the voice of Splinter was Elmo on Sesame Street.

[@hellsingmongrel]

🤣 The boys singing Taps over the box of moldy pizza is one of the things I remember the most about this movie. TMNT was my childhood, I loved the series so much! This movie was a little too serious for me, though, as a wee babby. I wasn't sure how to handle all the heavy emotional moments it had. I appreciate it a lot more as an adult, as goofy and weird as it is. 😆

[@Gh0stbumbles]

one of my favorite go to feel good movies. I'm in a bad mood it cheer's me up. the turtles originated as a adult black and white super violent comic. it was a parody of Daredevil. Daredevil fought the hand , Turtles had the foot, Daredevil's teacher was named stick. ,The turtles teacher was named splinter. This movie was a mix of the child friendly cartoon and the more adult comic the cartoon was based on. I think there is a nice balance of grit and whimsy.

[@theduckthief]

The "you dirty rat" line is a reference to James Cagney who starred in a lot of gangster films but I think the line is a myth. He never actually said "you dirty rat" in any of his movies. The Grapes of Wrath reference may be about the movie adaptation.

[@Ehud1513]

"Honestly, it seems like a really cool place." Exactly. I watched this as a kid and always thought, "Dang, I want to join the Foot Clan." lol

[@Kragar01]

With Sam Rockwell as a tour guide

[@wacokid30]

"Wise man say, forgiveness is divine but never pay pull price for late pizza." I say this all the time and no one ever knows what I'm talking about ha. Their practical suits are stick kick ass even 30 years later.

[@JediDanD]

Raphael's weapons are called sais, one sai is pronounced "sigh", like me sighing every time you call it a little sword or a little dagger :3 10:25 Umm, you can still look at someone as you're bowing to them, just keep your head tilted forward enough where you can still keep eye contact. Infact, that's how you're supposed to bow in martial arts, while still looking forward, not looking down at the floor (one because eye contact is respect, and two, obviously, to avoid what just happened there, lol :3 ) "She's gonna have to pay a lot to fix this apartment." "I hope they don't destroy anything of high value." I'm just lolling as I wait for one of them to go after Donatello with an axe only to hit the electric wires and yeah . . .

[@dark_sunshinedgc]

My nephew was 4 when this came out in tape - VCR - everytime we went to visit he would put this movie on, I'd seen it so many times that I pretty knew it word for word lol ...he watched it so many times the tape stopped working 🤣

[@jilguera]

Same!

[@zachalexander357]

One of my all time favorites from that era. Everything about it from the soundtrack to the gritty shots of NYC. It’s perfection!

[@epicmage82]

I just got the hardcover of The Last Ronin. It's about the end of the turtles, and revenge. It's not the kids version of the turtles, but the original version that's for mature readers. Hardcover, and over 250 colored pages. Got it for 30 bucks on Amazon. I highly recommend people pick it up. It's really good.

[@neopagn2004]

It is and I like the ends on a note of hope for the future.

[@shanewillis316]

I just finished it a few weeks ago. Very good read.

[@Omne118]

Watched the hell out of this one on VHS as a kid. Had so many of the toys.

[@canderia]

I love this movie so much. I was a HUGE TMNT fan as a kid. I played all the games, collected the figures, and used to draw them all the time.

[@burntvirtue]

The Twin Towers being in a movie that was made in a time before they were destroyed means it "didn't age well"? How?

[@burntvirtue]

@btamamura That's a pretty fragile thought process then. I mean the world is always changing. By that logic, then the entire movie is a reminder that Jim Henson is gone as TMNT was his last movie before his death.

[@DamonNomad82]

Of all the kid crazes that went on when I was was growing up, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were the only one I really got into, mostly because my friends in elementary school got me started on them. I was confused at first hearing them talk about some of the characters. My only previous encounter with the word "splinter" meant the painful slivers of wood that inevitably got stuck in one's fingers on playgrounds of that time. I also initially misheard the villain's name as "Sweater", and thought that was hilariously random. Raphael's weapons are called "sai", but few of us knew that at age 6-7. Most of us called them "Raphael Knives", and I still think of them that way sometimes!

[@stevenbolstridge596]

TMNT was one of my favourite movies when I was little (still is!), I showed it to my daughter a couple of years ago and she loved it too!

[@GaijinGuy36]

Back when this movie first came out, a friend of mine called Shredder 'Darth Vader in cleats'. Classic.

[@MrTuubster]

I was 11 years old and tmnt were life for me at that time. Seeing them on the big screen was a highlight for me that year. I still marvel at the fact those robotic faces were so good and the actors were blind in the suits.

[@aproposreeve]

The fact you were somewhat invested in Raphael and April's relationship I think I would recommend Howard the Duck

[@RichardX1]

Why don't you recommend the Star Wars Holiday Special while you're att it?

[@martinbraun1211]

Please watch "Harry and the Hendersons" (1987). It's one of my favorite childhood movies!

[@joeblankenship377]

I still think it holds up really well. But I loved it so much as a kid, I'll always love it. Like I love being a turtle!!!! The 2nd one is okay. It's aimed more to kids than this one.

[@LadyFeline3]

I think I actually like the second one just a little bit more. Mostly because I love Keno, Tokka, and Rahzar. They're just so adorable. Go ninja, go ninja, go!

[@shallowgal462]

Oooooh, you should watch Critters! The one turtle was doing an impression of James Cagney, the actor known for playing gangsters during the Golden Age of Hollywood ('30s to '50s).You might want to watch The Public Enemy, Yankee Doodle Dandy, or Angels with Dirty Faces (I suspect that one was spoofed in Home Alone).

[@TarlaPrettyPaws]

This was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. I was seven. I still remember going. 😄 People were shocked by how violent this kids movie was. For the sequel, the turtles were not allowed to use their weapons, which is why it ends up going such a cartoony route after such a strong first movie.

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

"These kinda costumes, how'd they move their mouths like that?" Animatronics! It was super-cutting edge at the time, and imho it still holds up. Jim Henson's company did the cosumes btw, so the Turtles and the Muppets are like second cousins twice removed!

[@bethanythatsme]

I played the cassette tape of this soundtrack like it was giving me vital nutrients. The turtles were a big ol deal in my young life 🐢

[@xtremejay2000]

SPIN THAT WHEEL!

[@meechyzonepictures]

This is one of my top five favorite childhood movies. Still holds a special place in my heart, and I hope you do the second one, that one was also my favorite. Love your reaction 😎👍

[@azazimfildago6206]

Fun fact: this movie came out around the same time as Pretty Woman. I remember walking into the mall to go see TMNT and holy crap Ashleigh!! The lines!!! It was chaos. Luckily a few schoolmates helped me cut in line but wow, what a crowd! Fun movie tho!

[@isabeauwolf562]

I watched all three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies as a kid on VHS! My cousin and me played with the action figures of the Turtles for hours. I still love the music and cheesy one liners as an adult.

[@jeffk.9075]

To this day when I order pizza, at some point in waiting I will say or think "Pizza dude's got 30 seconds". Thank you Michaelangelo for that.

[@IanGorton]

They've even made t-shirts with that on it.

[@jonathantaylor3074]

Wise man say, "forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza"

[@marcgardner9865]

Loved this movie as a kid! Seeing it as an adult, I really appreciate all the work that went into making this film. Practicality pays off.

[@NomnomJawsnomnom]

12:41, the moment I knew Ashley was fully invested in the movie. Edit, also the fact that she heard and understood the claustrophobic joke on the first watch is impressive.

[@aukondk]

In the UK we weren't allowed to see nunchucks so in that last bit with Splinter Vs Shredder he literally just sidesteps him and he falls.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Turtles? TURDS, more like it!!! Ha ha, I just made that up. 😄