Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Forever Special on 11/21/2009 on CWKids

[Drtooth]

Oh my.......................This looks really good. The only problem is they didn't get the original voice actors from the 80's cartoon show. All of them are still around. Why not get them?

UNION... I've been told multiple times that was the problem and even stated it earlier. They really DID want to get the original voice actors, but the 4Kids regular VA's are apparently non-union, and there was a lot of insane legal, technical mumbo jumbo that they couldn't even get a wavier, or just have one VA team voice their parts at a time and splice it together. I'm told it's needlessly confusing for the specific reason.

 

[JJandJanice]

Well I watched it and I actually really liked it.

I did have a problem with the way the 80s turtles (the turtles I grew up with the most, might I add) was protrayed as such wussies, however. I understand compare to the original comic and the 03 series, these turtles were consider way more "cartoonie," but did they really have to make the 80s turtles almost pee there pants (yes, I'm aware the turtles don't actually wear pants, but bear with me, ) when they meet the original comic turtles. I mean they dropped their weapons and ran away! I have to be honest there was a part of me that was totally bummed to see that, . Not to mention when they were fighting the giant Shedder, the 80s turtles biggest attack was throwing trash cans, .

I did like the way they were true to turtles history though by having the original comic turtles as the "turtle prototypes" and if they were destory no turtles would exist ever.

But aside from the 80s turtles looking like total wussies, I have to admit I really really liked this. Now I'm really pulling for a DVD release.

Oh and if anyone missed it there is some good news, CW4kids is going to reair it again for the next few weekends.

 

[mbmfrog]

I found the movie to be a bit funny and enjoyable as I've always love the slapstick comedy from the 80s turtles.

Plus the entire plot seems like something that can come from the 80s series with a bit of a mix of the new generation as well.

I got to say it was funny to see the original B & W Shredder get defeated so easily.

Plus the ending was a great touch at showing just how far the Turtles have gotten.

So thanks for the memories TMNT, and heres to many more.

 

[JJandJanice]

I liked the ending very much as well.

Without giving too much away, here are a few things I've notice. Look for these the next time you're able to watch this awesome special.

1) A very small cameo by the "human verison" of Bebop and Rocksteady, despite the fact that though out the whole special mutant Bebop and Rocksteady are seen. I had to admit I freaked a bit when I saw that.

2) Two of the mutants that was made by the 03 verison of Shedder, after Hun mutanted into a turtle himself, looked a lot like Tokka and Razar. From the second movie-Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles II-The Secret of the Ooze. I'm not sure if that's what they meant to do or not, but they did look a lot like those two "babies" as Shedder called them in the movie.

 

[D'Snowth]

Now this begs the question - which media franchise HASN'T pulled a "Back to Our Future" stunt like this?

I agree with JJ, the 80s Turtles seemed like patsies in this special/movie/whatever it was... like mentioned, the 80s Turtles were a bit more cartoonie compared to the others, but really, by what Season Eight or Nine of the 80s series that all changed? The infamous "red sky era"?

They may not have gotten the original voice actors, but I think they did a passable job.

 

[JJandJanice]

I agree with JJ, the 80s Turtles seemed like patsies in this special/movie/whatever it was... like mentioned, the 80s Turtles were a bit more cartoonie compared to the others, but really, by what Season Eight or Nine of the 80s series that all changed? The infamous "red sky era"?

I knew the 80s turtles were going to be more "comic relief" characters as compare to the comic verison and the 03 series and that's totally fine. But as this special went on, it was clear that the Turtles were becoming less and less comic releif and more, well...wussies. They drop their weapons and ran away from the comic turtles, threw trashcans from far away at the giant Shedder, and cried on the 03 TMNT Raph for Pete's sake. I guess we should of see this coming when they were captured as soon as the movie started and need to be resused by the 03 turtles. It wasn't just the 80s turtles either, the 80s Shedder kept getting a beat down from the 03 Shedder, than at the end he actually threaten the original cartoon turtles with a "giggle ray." In some ways it was just sad to see, since those are the turtles I remember the most fondly.

I will say one thing about that though, I'm sure the "original comic fans" and even Peter and Kevin themselves (the co-creators) got a kick out of that. Since many fans of the original comics hated the 80s cartoon for being so "kiddie-friendly" and Kevin and Peter, you can tell, had a love-hate feel for the cartoon. Loved it cause it bought them so much money, but hated that it wasn't really there original "vision."

They may not have gotten the original voice actors, but I think they did a passable job.

I agree, they did find pretty good replacements. Another credit, I'll give to this special is at least keeping the 80s cartoon original look. When they went to the 80s turtles "home world," it looked very much like the cartoon. Almost thought I pop in a DVD by mistake, jk, .

Having said all that I still loved this "made for TV movie" or whatever it might be consider. I'm really really hoping this gets a DVD release, I promise I'll buy it.

 

[Drtooth]

I will say one thing about that though, I'm sure the "original comic fans" and even Peter and Kevin themselves (the co-creators) got a kick out of that. Since many fans of the original comics hated the 80s cartoon for being so "kiddie-friendly" and Kevin and Peter, you can tell, had a love-hate feel for the cartoon. Loved it cause it bought them so much money, but hated that it wasn't really there original "vision."

They really didn't so much "Hate" the original... they hated the live action version because of the pressure from Fox to add that lame girl turtle (I remember Peter posted an amazing rant about it somewhere, I wish I had it on me right now).

They did manage to make a crack about that, though... calling the Turtles "sell Outs" for having colored bandannas. I particularly enjoyed the fact that, while the 80's Turtles looked buffoonish and weak compared to the new turtles, they in turn looked buffoonish and weak compared to the Mirage comic version... my stance on the whole thing... I loved both series and all, but not half as much as the original comics.

There were so many great things to look for during Shredder's monologue about the various Turtles in different universes. A Lot of stuff I didn't think they'd reference at all. Archie Comics, the Movie turtles, and my personal favorite, the Chojin Legend Japanese OVA Turtles.

I loved it. It really deserves a DVD release in the future, and Paramount would be fools to believe otherwise. I only wish we could have seen more with the Turtles in the 80's dimension. There was so much they just didn't have time for.

I agree with JJ, the 80s Turtles seemed like patsies in this special/movie/whatever it was... like mentioned, the 80s Turtles were a bit more cartoonie compared to the others, but really, by what Season Eight or Nine of the 80s series that all changed? The infamous "red sky era"?

That would be the 8th season or so. See,s like they pulled the Turtles out of the mid part of the 3rd Season. Probably why they had them fight giant bananas and Leprechauns.

 

[JJandJanice]

They really didn't so much "Hate" the original... they hated the live action version because of the pressure from Fox to add that lame girl turtle (I remember Peter posted an amazing rant about it somewhere, I wish I had it on me right now).

.

I wish you had that rant too, though I already know Peter's distaste for Venus De Milo: the female turtle. I have to agree with him on that.

Well you're right maybe "hate" is a strong word, but I've read many statements by Peter and Kevin stating that they were "unhappy" with the way the turtles were protrayed as so "campy." Peter went on to say that if he had it more his way the original 87 cartoon would of been more like the 03 series.

 

[Drtooth]

I doubt there would have been any way the 87 series was like the new one... and there's a good reason too. While there were a lot of darker, more action oriented shows back then, it wasn't until Batman TAS broke the real barrier that lead to widespread changes in the industry that let action series get as dark and violent as they are today. I don't think X-Men would have gotten away with half as much as it did if it wasn't for Batman TAS. Heck, I don't think it would have sold (as they did try in the 80's with a pilot film that went unsold).

If anyone saw the Newgrounds cartoon about "Watchmen the Animated Series" that was pretty much what the old series was up against. Of course the wackiness of the old series WAS why it was so popular. It may have annoyed comic purists (a lot of Comic purists weren't happy with Ducktales either... I'll go into that another time), but it sold to kids, especially given the Monster In My Pocket mentality of the original toyline... i.e. the various random mutants that weren't in the original comics.

 

[Xerus]

I noticed in the 2000 Turtles series, the Turtles never talked about pizza. The 80's Turtles always did non-stop pizza jokes in their show.

Also, in the 2000 series, Raphael was a tough guy with an attitude while the 80's Raphael was a smart mouth who always talked to the camera.

When I saw the 80's Turtles again, it brought back neat memories of the old show and I even saw old characters again like Bebop and Rocksteady along with a cameo by Irma.