A Shell of a Good Hit: A ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie’ Retrospective, Part One: The Characters Come to Life
Introduction
There was something about growing up in the early 90s and seeing the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES logo that set your soul aflame. The sharp red banner. That squishy-green lettering. It drew you in. Made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
From the Saturday morning cartoon to those delicious Turtle Pies (“filled with Vanilla Puddin’ Power”), this was a time when those four wisecracking, crimefighting Ninja Turtles — a satirical oxymoron created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird — were an unstoppable juggernaut. Irresistible to adoring children and inescapable to exhausted parents, the Turtles had made their way onto cereal boxes, video games, action figures, toothpaste, and soon, the movies.
On March 30, 1990, armed with alluring one-sheet that shouted “Hey Dude, This is No Cartoon,” the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were “Lean, Green, and On the (Big) Screen.”
Financed by Golden Harvest, the Hong Kong-based company that produced Game of Death and Police Story, and directed by Steve Barron, the music video legend responsible for A-ha’s “Take On Me” and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an earnest, but quirky and stylistic retelling of the characters’ origins.
The plot follows our “Heroes in the Half Shell” as they first meet hotheaded TV news reporter April O’Neil and vigilante Casey Jones, and battle the criminal organization known as The Foot Clan. After one of the Turtles inadvertently reveals their existence to the Foot, they’re targeted by a series of attacks and their mentor (also father figure), Master Splinter, is captured. The Ninja Turtles and their allies are forced into hiding until they are ready to make a final stand and rescue their surrogate father. This culminates with an exciting rooftop battle in which the Turtles come face-to-face with their brooding arch nemesis, The Shredder.
The Turtles Come to Life
Perhaps the most publicized aspect of the film’s production was the technology used to bring the Ninja Turtles to life. The characters were designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop using a combination of foam latex suits and radio-controlled animatronics. (Henson’s son, Brian, served as chief puppeteer on the film and also headed second unit photography.)
Two types of suits were made: a simple latex suit designed to keep the stunt performers light on their feet, and a bulkier design with motors tucked into the shells and a fully articulated face controlled by a puppeteer off-screen.
Each of the Turtles required multiple performers: an actor who focused on the dramatic and comedic performances, a stunt performer who focused on martial arts or a specific kind of stunt (such as skateboarding or falling through a skylight), and finally, a voice actor who recorded the dialogue after filming was complete. (In some instances, the actors performed more than one of these duties.)
The Heroic One
“We had our first battle, Master Splinter! There were many, but we kicked.. we fought well.”
The natural leader of the group, Leonardo is performed by David Forman and voiced by Brian Tochi, best known for his work in both the Revenge of the Nerds and Police Academy series. As the straight-laced and confident Turtle, Tochi lends a youthful yet mature voice that embodies both strength and compassion with just a dash of naivety.
Leonardo is the calm meditative one of the bunch. Because of that, he successfully guides his brothers out of their hopeless slump in the third act. In order to cope with Splinter’s absence as well a recent defeat, Leonardo makes isolated trips out into the woods where he meditates under a tree. During one of these pilgrimages, he reaches Splinter on an astral plane and learns his mentor, whom he feared dead, is in fact alive. Through this knowledge, the characters strengthen their resolve and come out of hiding with powerful determination and a unified goal: it’s time to fight back, it’s time to rescue our father.
Leornado’s strongest trait is his loyal and caring nature. This shines through his relationship with Raphael despite the turmoil. After an argument, Raph storms off and shorty thereafter, gets seriously injured fighting solo in a battle against dozens of foot soldiers. The incident renders him comatose and as a result, Leo feels responsible and watches over his brother, and never once leaves his side until he wakes — which is really quite touching the more you think about it.
Leo’s compassion and selflessness in this moment are the makings of a great leader. His quickness to accept responsibility — despite not being directly at fault — coupled with his unwavering conviction to care for his fallen brother show us that the needs of team outweigh his selfish pride. He genuinely loves his brothers — even Raphael who challenges his resolve — and wants the best for them.
For the record, the resulting scene where Raphael recovers and the two brothers reconcile is pure bliss.
The Loose Cannon
“You guys must be studying the abridged book of ninja fighting!”
Unlike the other Turtles, Raphael is both performed and voiced by the same actor, Josh Pais, who portrays the “cool but rude” Ninja Turtle with a pure-Brooklyn attitude.
Raphael drives the narrative in the early parts of the film. After saving April from a mugging in the opening scene, he accidentally leaves a sai at the scene of the crime. Spotting the melee weapon, April pockets it and Raph is unable to it go. He follows April and ends up rescuing her from another attack. He then takes her to their sewer lair, a decision that has major ramifications on the plot moving forward as he unknowingly reveals the location of their secret hideout.
Raph is hot-tempered and quick to anger. This becomes the subject of much-needed guidance from Master Splinter. In a heartfelt moment, Splinter has a late night heart-to-heart with his son. It is a tender scene, lit by candlelight and utilizing an unusual camera movement that moves around the characters and gets up close n’ personal with the puppeteer-based performances. Splinter warns Raph of the reclusive way he deals with his anger and how he pushes himself away from his brothers.
This becomes the thesis for Raphael’s character arc in the film. His inner rage leads him to battle the Foot alone. He get injured and his brothers suffer defeat as they have no choice but to fight an army, man-down. After recovering, Raphael softens up a bit and learns humility through his mistakes. Raph becomes a team player, joining the fight with his brothers, united as one. This in part contributes to their victory in the end.
Despite his tough bravado, Raph also has a softer, gentler side that can be seen at least twice in the film: as he gets bashful waving “Bye!” to April in an early scene and later on, when he sheds a tear at the sight of Splinter’s astrally-projected apparition. Despite his anger, there is a good guy underneath.
Way, way underneath.
The Wisecracking Observer
“Gosh, it is kind of like Moonlighting, isn’t it?”
1990’s characterization of Donatello is unique to this film. Portrayed by Leif Tilden and voiced by Corey Feldman, he is dorky, funny, and more of a goofball than the tech geek we know and love.
In most other iterations (including the film’s two sequels), Donatello is a science nerd with an vast knowledge of chemistry, technology, and even the mechanics of time travel. Here, Donnie is more of an average Joe and the only hint of his usual self comes when he refers to an old moldy pizza as having “penicillin” on it.
Though he doesn’t display the character’s usual interest in science, he is still bright, perceptive and often makes snarky but observational comments on characters and events, such as when he teases Casey for being “claustrophobic” and calls the aforementioned tender scene between Leo and Raph “a Kodak moment.”
The Pizza-Loving Maniac
“Wise man say: forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.”
Consistent with most iterations, Michelangelo is the same lovable “party dude” that won our hearts and in part, fed an entire generation’s obsession with pizza. Performed by Michelan Sisti and voiced by Robbie Rist, Mikey is goofy, energetic, and loves deep dish.
Michelangelo no doubt serves as the comedic relief. Rocking the film’s funniest moments, Mikey delivers a handful of memorable one-liners, including: “And I thought insurance salesmen were pushy” as they’re bombarded by foot soldiers, “The only thing safe the woods would be the trees” as he dodges axes, and the iconic battlecry, “God, I love being a Turtle!”
Much like his animated counterpart, most of his mischief involves, you’ve guessed it, pizza! This includes a funny little moment in which he asks a Domino’s delivery driver (also played by Sisti) to slide a deep dish through a sewer grate and a site gag where he salutes the old moldy pizza mentioned above.
The Wise Mentor
“I am proud of you, my sons. Tonight you have learned the final and greatest truth of the Ninja: that ultimate mastering comes not from the body, but from the mind.”
As their wise sensei, Splinter is like a father to the Turtles. He found them in the sewer when they were just babies. Cared for them during their shared mutation. Guided them through adolescence. Knowing he will not be around forever, Splinter has passed along his knowledge and fighting skills so they can grow into strong, wise, and self-reliant adults. But Splinter’s teachings don’t stop with the Turtles. He also serves as the voice of reason and shares his wisdom and stories to a number of characters throughout the film.
Splinter was brought to life using a different method from the foam latex suits used for the Turtles. Instead, the sage-like rodent was created using a life-sized puppet. Manning it was Kevin Clash, who puppeteered the mouth and provided the voice. Any other movements, such as Splinter’s eyes and arms, were controlled mechanically by a separate technician.
The result is convincing, but does have some practical limitations. For example, Splinter can’t walk around like the rest of the characters. This means he is usually filmed sitting in his chair or in a standing position. But as he spends most of the film either simply talking or chained to a fence and only briefly performs combat, this isn’t much of a problem.
Small details in the performance help sell the illusion that Master Splinter is a living creature. This includes setting down his tea, throwing a book at Michelangelo, and his tail wagging while he is sitting in his chair. The most impressive of which comes during his chat with Raphael. In that scene, Splinter is holding a lit match and illuminates a candle. A human actor can perform the task, no problem. But putting the flame in the hands of a puppet and having him move it around in a full body shot? The complications are unfathomable.
Obviously, some tricks were used to achieve this effect. But regardless of how it was done, the hard work paid off and the result is a 4ft tall rat sitting in a chair and having a conversation with a turtle, and absolutely, yes it feels 100% real.
Allies and Enemies
The Feisty News Reporter
“Much more than just a series of small, isolated incidents, it is now apparent that an organized criminal element is at work and at the moment, business is good.”
Judith Hoag is the quintessential April O’Neil. Spunky. Determined. Even a little rebellious. When told by her boss (Jay Patterson) to back off on her on-air mic-drops over NYPD’s incompetence in dealing with the recent crimewave, she doesn’t waver. Instead, April puts both her job and life at risk as her candid natures catches heat from the police, her superiors, and the Foot. (Side note: April may be one of the rare few TV news reporters to have her “chops busted” by the high-ranking police chief.)
This relentless ambition comes with a fiery attitude. When cornered by an army Foot Soldiers in the subway, she gets snarky. (“What, am I late on my Sony payments again?”) Likewise, when smacked and told to keep her mouth shut, she pulls out a sai and fights back. April O’Neil is no pushover.
Notable traits are her dorky sense of humor and down to earth nature. Shortly after meeting the Turtles, April invites them over for pizza. What follows is refreshingly laid back. There’s no time crunch. No pressing dilemma. Just five new friends sitting around a table, sharing dorky jokes.
Though small and inconsequential to the plot, this scene is effective for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it gives the audience a short breather. A chance to wind down a little with the characters before things heat up in the next scene. But also, it gives us insight into who these people are when they’re not fighting ninjas. Mikey enjoys Cagney impressions. Donnie loves Pepsi. And April likes to kick back with friends. Moments like these help sell fictional characters as living people. They also tell us April O’Neil and the Ninja Turtles have a life before and after the film.
April also has a plethora of skillsets and hobbies at her disposal. She runs her father’s old antique store and has a talent for drawing. The latter becomes relevant in the third act. After retreating to her family’s old abandoned farmhouse, the characters scatter to their own corners in order to mend. Naturally, some of them find projects to bide their time. Casey and Donnie fix the truck. Mikey trains in the barn. Leo watches over Raph. For April’s hobby, she turns to illustration.
While drawing the Turtles, April becomes the narrator. She chronicles their struggles. Informs us on their emotional progress. Their downfall and their rise back up. In a way, this keeps her role as news reporter relevant even when her job no longer matters to the plot.
These illustrations also become a key item in the narrative as they later signal The Shredder to the Turtles’ return, driving us towards the climactic fight.
The Masked Enforcer
“The class is Pain 101. Your instructor’s Casey Jones!”
As the former hockey player turned vigilante, Elias Koteas is the definitive on-screen Casey Jones. Well-known for his countless supporting roles in films such as The Thin Red Line, Zodiac, and Fallen, Koteas gives Casey a caveman-like persona that is barbaric in a charming way. He’s brutish, far too masculine to admit he’s claustrophobic, and loves to fight. The kind of hockey player who enjoys regulated fisticuffs more than the sport itself.
Casey perks up at the chance to take down enemies and actively seeks fun ways to do so. In one scene, he knocks ’em down by crashing a dump truck into a fire escape. In another, he sends ’em flying with a golf club. It is this fist-happy energy that makes Koteas’ presence in the film such a blast to watch.
An urban barbarian, Casey conducts his personality with a lack of sensitivity and a pridefully stubborn bravado. Therefore, he clashes with a number of the characters. This is particularly evident in his relationships with April, with whom he argues with as part of an old married couple schtick, and Raphael, who he brawls with in Central Park. Still, his actions are often honorable. He puts his rivalry with Raphael aside to join the Turtles in their fight against the Foot. He helps free Splinter. He even acts as the voice of reason to a group of misguided teens, led by a young Sam Rockwell.
Casey, it seems, isn’t such a bad guy after all.
The Veiled Nemesis
“You fight well… in the old style. But you’ve caused me enough trouble. Now you face: The Shredder!”
No doubt one of the most iconic villains of all time, The Shredder is a mysterious foe who keeps to the shadows. His mask and alias conceal his true identity: Oroku Saki, performed by James Saito and voiced by David McCharen.
Building to his secretive allure is his stealthy reveal. Barron takes his time in unraveling the masked villain, giving us only a taste in the first act. Our first glimpse comes in the shape of his dark silhouette and it isn’t until the second act that The Shredder is fully revealed. In this grand entrance, The Shredder quite literally emerges from his own shadow.
But Barron is wise not to reveal too much of The Shredder. His face is kept a mystery until the end. This discreetness furthers our interest in the character. Who is he? What does he look like underneath? Is his face all mangled and scarred? The audience can’t wait to find out and anticipates the final unmasking.
The Shredder sees the Turtles as omens from the past. Their fighting style reminds him of a rival he killed in cold-blood: Hamato Yoshi, Splinter’s former master. Avenging Yoshi’s death, Splinter fought back and the resulting battle left both characters permanently scarred. Over the years, Splinter passed on everything he learned from Yoshi to his young pupils, and it shows. In every flip, kick and punch. The Shredder is triggered by this familiarity and leads a crusade against them. Ultimately, this relentless pursuit leads to his undoing.
Although a formidable foe against the Turtles, The Shredder has an achilles heel: he’s overconfident and blinded by anger. Splinter proves this when he challenges him with the past during the climactic rooftop battle. Driven by revenge and a sense of indestructibility, The Shredder charges Splinter — and is quickly defeated. It doesn’t end there. Without giving too much away, The Shredder’s unwillingness to accept failure directly leads to his doom. This theme continues in the sequel when his reckless actions at the face of defeat causes his ultimate death. It would seem the only one can who can truly defeat The Shedder is The Shredder himself.
The Mysterious Henchman
“Never lower your eyes to an enemy!”
Of course, it would be a mistake not to mention The Shredder’s righthand man, Master Tatsu. Played on-screen like a fierce, immovable object by Toshishiro Obata, Tatsu doesn’t say much — his few lines are dubbed by voice actor Michael McConnohie — but his cold lethal stare and swift brutal movements tell you everything: don’t mess with Master Tatsu!
Because of Obata’s minimalist portrayal, Tatsu is equally as intimidating as The Shredder. He is a stone wall, but ruthless and prone to outbursts of anger. In other words, if you piss him off, he’ll smash you.
Obata was one of only two members of the live action cast who returned for The Secret of the Ooze (the other was Raymond Serra as Chief Sterns). Unfortunately, he wasn’t asked back for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, as that film journeyed to ancient Japan and didn’t involve The Foot. However, Obata continued to play small parts for Hollywood, appearing as a Mongol warrior in The Shadow and a “Cryo-Con” in Demolition Man.
Tatsu remains Obata’s most memorable role to date.
A Tail and Two Fathers
“You are here because the outside world rejects you. This is your family. I am your father!”
By bringing The Foot Clan to New York, The Shredder has recruited misguided youths to do his bidding. Luring them to join his ranks, he uses an abandoned warehouse as a playhouse for runaway kids. The script compares this setting to Pleasure Island from Pinocchio and the parallels are quote apt. The youths can do anything they want without grown ups telling them what to do. They can smoke. They can drink. They can gamble. The options are endless.
Like Pleasure Island, there’s a catch. The playhouse is actually a backdoor recruitment facility for The Foot. The Shredder manipulates these wayward teens by making them think they are “part of a family.” If they continue to steal for him, they’ll “make their family proud” and in turn, will be rewarded with honor, a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to become full-fledged members of The Foot.
Enter Danny Pennington, played by Michael Turney. The son of April’s boss, Danny serves as our inside man to The Foot. As his relationship with his overbearing father falls apart, Danny seeks a surrogate family to replace him and is drawn to The Shredder’s “family.” At first, Danny can’t see past the illusion. He finds acceptance and freedom at The Shredder’s hideout. Because of this, Danny happily turns to a life of crime to please his newfound family.
Though a minor character, Danny has a major impact on the film’s narrative. In order to prove his loyalty to The Shredder, he snitches on Turtles’ whereabouts. As a result, our heroes are ambushed, Raphael is injured, and April’s home burns down. The resulting guilt weighs heavily over him as he watches from a nearby balcony. Seeing how this decision impacted those around him, he loses the taste for his new home, develops a conscience, and is sent on path to redemption.
As he enters this transformative period of his arc, Danny becomes drawn to Splinter — who is held captive in the warehouse — as a source of guidance. Splinter speaks to Danny with both kindness and concern. Although never stated in the film, Danny could’ve been caught off-guard by Splinter’s interest in his own well-being, as well as his gentle and nurturing tone — traits he may very well wish his own father would adopt.
Danny is a controversial character for Ninja Turtles fans. As a youth caught on the wrong side of the law, he is often criticized for turning the film into an after school special. However, his character arc does offer some interesting parallels of family units and surrogate fathers.
As Danny interacts with Splinter, he is caught between two opposing father figures battling for his soul. In one corner is The Shredder, who wants teens like Danny to need him and to have a false sense of freedom so he can use them for his own criminal agenda. In the other corner is Splinter, whose only agenda here is to get Danny to see the truth about his new “family.” This figurative battle burdens Danny throughout much of the film and is quite literally illustrated when Danny dwells on the words of both men as he toss-n’-turns in bed one night. Ultimately, Splinter’s wisdom coupled with Danny’s newfound conscience leads the boy to joins forces with Casey to rescue his new friend.
