*Discover more about the TMNT* by checking out this EPIC playlist: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mpxipruQlamWp6s.html

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

This masterpiece has something the other Ninja Turtle movies don't... "Heart!"

Parents always ruin everything, this film was like ghostbusters success wise a perfect film my two favorites all time.

It’s legitimately a good movie. That’s what’s impressive. I rewatched it about 4 years ago for the first time in at least a decade and it holds up. It has real atmosphere, a great 3 part narrative without rushed pacing, compelling lead characters, supporting characters that add to the story, tension, comic relief, an effective score, and a satisfying ending. If we could magically make the puppeteering facial expressions even better it’d be pretty much perfect as a TMNT live action film. As it stands I don’t think it will ever be topped. The heart it has in parts of the film is actually endearing not just entertaining. It’s not just nostalgia talking; it’s a good movie.

this film was a lightening in a bottle moment, they never managed to achieve anything remotely close again after sadly

I love these movie's and im 40 Years old, And yeah still when splinter says All father's love there Son's, Still pulls on my heart strings.

"You fight well, in the old style, but you have caused me enough trouble. Now you face....The Shredder." -- Top 10 greatest delivered movie lines of all time.

My wife and I watch this movie once a year, kind of a tradition. And now my 9 year old son watches it as well. It is the definition of a classic, for it is timeless

Nobody wants to mention Judith Hoag? Still the best April. 😍

This was the best Turtle movie's ever.. The director and Jim Henson Creature work's did a awesome job..

This movie is really underrated in my opinion! The best turtle movie!

The best TMNT film ever!! I went back and watched it and didn't realize how dark and organic it was. It really had heart

Indisputably the best tmnt movie ever 🔥🔥🔥

In my humble opinion, I think it will never be replicated. The character's designs are unique for any film production at that time. The dialogue in this film is incredibly creative, and the plot and the tone...my God! I really don't know if a current Ninja Turtle film will ever be done as masterful as the 1990 film. The film was done complicatedly in details yet simple and low budgeted.

Don't even get me started on the score. "Shredder Suite" alone is one of the most amazing, pulse pounding themes played in a movie, EVER. The female composer went SAVAGE.

“A wiseman once said forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza”- michaelangelo

1990: my parents sent my teenage sister to see this movie first when it came out to see if it was okay for 5-year-old me. If she hadn't sympathetically said yes my childhood would have been ruined.

Honestly, this is a movie I keep forgetting about. I’m gonna rewatch it tonight. Thank you for making this video.

i still tear up during the turtles group meditation scene where they communicate with splinter at the farm house...the message, the music, the reaction of the turtles- especially given the fact that it's animatronic reactions!!. this film is a gem.

I still remember going to the movie theater to see this masterpiece. I feel sorry for the younger crowd. You had to be there. So much emotion. Great music. The best fight scenes. They captured the Turtles fighting talent perfectly. I think this movie was a labor of love. It will take another dedicated group of ppl. To duplicate the 1990 versions genius.

This movie came out when I was 6 years old I watched it and wore that tape out best Turtles movie of all time

The BlockBuster Buster asked everyone to post pictures of their favorite comic book movies and a lot of people picked the first live action TMNT movie.

This movie is so underrated! The farmhouse scenes, cinematography, the restrained fight choreography, humor, and actual character arcs. I wish it was embraced by subsequent generations like Star Wars was.

Surprisingly dark in some scenes. Gave the whole movie levity that you don't expect.

Never forgotten. This was the only true Ninja turtle film we have ever seen. So close to the comic...so deep...beautiful...Jim Henson...oh man...I will cry if I keep going...

Not gonna lie, I was just born when this movie came out. But ask my mom and my dad, they’ll tell you that after watching this movie, I used to go out and find perfect sticks and took the stick off a broom and bought plastic nunchucks and pretended to be the turtles. I bought toy sais for Raphael and toy nunchucks for Michelangelo. For Leonardo I took ends off my screen windows or found good long straight sticks until I bought toy katanas. For Donatello again I unscrewed a broom handle and made that into a bo staff , I even put tape on it to make it look cooler. The turtles changed my life and my friends joined in with me, let’s just say we suffered injuries while “play fighting”. This movie was the greatest! It’ll always be the greatest, and no turtles movie will ever top it!

The single best live action movie PERIOD

This movie combines so many things perfectly. Dark and gritty, action, humor, friendship, family, redemption... I always say that the original TMNT movie is one of the best comic book adaptations of all time. I really hope that whoever will be in charge of a future TMNT movie will bring this one's director Steve Barron back either in director's chair or as a consultant.

My birthday is March 29, 1983. I remember going to see this for my 7th birthday and thinking that they released it on this day because of me! Ha! This will always be the best Ninja Turtles production of all time!

This here was honestly one of the best comic adaption ever, it’,s something i’d put on Dark Knight or Spider-man 2’s level

Proud and bragging to say One of the producers Cameron Kim Dawson Is like a father to me and my best friend Love you Kim

Being such a hardcore fan I remember the extreme anticipation and excitement when they announced the movie coming out and the almost disbelief when the trailers came out, I was blessed to be able to catch it on the big screen, how hard I laughed at,"pizza dudes got 30 seconds', Mikeys face off with the fellow chucker, and the huge cheer when Splinter said Cowabunga, I truly loved this film then, and still do this day. TURTLE POWER!!!!!!!!!!

The beauty of the 90 movie is that they take a large portion of the early Mirage comics (#1-3,10, 11, 19-21, from what I've noticed over the years) but did incorporate some of the cartoon elements (different masks, pizza, some humor) and married them together perfectly. I really dont know if they could pull off a similar result nowadays. I dont want a dark Tmnt just for the sake of being dark. Its gotta have heart and warmth in the characters, and well placed humor to lighten the mood every now & then. Producers & directors shouldn't look at it as just a movie about 4 pizza loving mutant teens, but rather a film about fathers & sons, honor vs. revenge, redemption, and forging a family that your not born into. Also, show us characters that have to work with anger, the fear of loss, etc. That's what make the Turtles great in my eyes and why I always find some nugget of wisdom everytime I watch this film.

'Shredders Suite' is one of the greatest movie scores ever written, it is near perfection and one of my favorites of all time!

This movie is a cult classic . I remember standing In a massive line to see this movie

"Pizza dude's got 30 seconds." This movie is one of the loves of my life.

I said it once but I'll say it again BEST TURTLE FILM EVER!

So many memories, so many years of coming back once and again to this movie... Still can't help tears coming out in the fire scene. This is, no doubt, one of the treasures of my childhood that never gets old and lives with me every day.

Grit, dark, drama, humor, action. Superb writing. The costumes, sets, sounds, fx, everything. Pizza dudes got 30 seconds.

Completely agree: A forgotten masterpiece

I remember being 8 years old and TMNT obsessed in 1990. My mom took me to see it and I loved it. Raphael was my favorite and I loved him even more in the movie. I even remember Pizza Hutt having a Turtles movie tie in pizza. Great times

Easily in my top five cinema experiences! I saw it at the age of 7, in a packed cinema in NJ. Could barely control my excitement as my father and I grabbed some goodies and sat down. Every person in the cinema that night laughed at all the right moments, and reacted with excitement to the fight scenes and the soundtrack. As a big fan of the cartoon, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the film poster in a magazine, followed by the trailer. Everything looked incredible to my child mind, even more so because of how real and edgy the images were compared to the cartoon. After the film ended, almost every kid was doing fight moves inside the cinema and outside, myself included. Not to mention how awesome that ending song Turtle Power was, which got us all hyped. Even my father who was 38 years old seemed to appreciate how well done the film was, and he even laughed during some moments. Epic time to be a kid! Great film!!

I was five when this came out and still watch it at least twice a year. Still in love with it.

The fact that it was kind of dark is what made the movie so great. With the fight scenes, music, and classic lines, its one of a kind. I still love this movie 30 years later from when I first watched it as a kid. It's the right amount of gritty and street. I think my mom took me to watch it at the theaters even.

April's apartment in the first movie is one of the most believable apartments I've ever seen a movie character living in. She ain't kidding about that unsightly bathtub ring! Then it burns down. But of course, in Secret of the Ooze, which takes place IMMEDIATELY after the first movie, she magically has this huge furnished apartment for everyone to crash at.

God bless Jim Henson. There will never be another.

The story line is awesome! The script and lines are awesome! The look and fighting style of the turtles are f-ing awesome! Master Splinter is awesome! The voices are awesome! The soundtrack is awesome! Shredder is awesome! Dam I Love this movie! This whole entire movie is beyond perfect.

The farm / regrouping / healing / training scene is still one of the greatest in all of cinema history.

First off, major props to your mini retrospective on this classic film. Speaking as someone who's mother took me and my cousins to see this film during the opening weekend of it's release, it was actually beyond HUGE. I grew up in NYC, and the theater we went to in downtown Brooklyn had atleast 3 rooms showing TMNT, and each one was packed to the brim with hyperactive kids and their parents. I was around 11 or 12 years old, and by the time the film was over, the entire movie theater was deafened by the shouts and roars of applause of kids. It was utter insanity. We actually stayed for an encore screening and the same thing occurred. Utter insanity. Kids, teenagers, you name it were just interacting with one another after both showings. The hype back in 1990 was REAL. There was absolutely nothing like it at the time. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the movie was truly unprecedented for it's era. Throughout my life, I've watched that film countless times and the older I got, the more I realized just how well made this film was from a pure production standpoint. It's part crime drama, part martial arts action film with fantastical elements (Mutant Turtles trained in Ninjutsu) and it was masterfully done. The main reason this film is so beloved is because you believed the Turtles were real. Who they were as people was perfectly expressed and realized. The entire premise, as absurd as it is, was taken seriously and respectful. The entire cast was absolutely top tier and everyone had awesome chemistry. The acting was top tier. This was a genuinely well made film in every facet. It's one of my favorite films ever made. It had heart, charisma, passion, and true talent and expertise behind it. It's truly a timeless masterpiece.

Hell, its more than a movie at this point, its a 90's nostalgia trip! I'll watch this movie until the day I die!

The team behind The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix is the perfect team to make a Turtles movie.

I'm not a really big TMNT fan. I didn't grow up watching the 80s cartoon or anything and certainly never read any of the comics but I really love this movie. As cheesy and goofy as movie 2 is, it still has a special place in my heart as well.

I still have my original copy on VHS. gonna watch it again soon.

Three things i love about this movie. It goes against the typical hero movie: 1) The turtles never actually beat Shedder(the bad guy). They never even came close. 2)Casey never actually learns to control his angers. He kills Shredder at the end(had there been no sequel). 3)Shredder was respectful to his underlings. Unlike Tatsu, he never treated the foot members like crap. So different than the Disney type of shit out today.

I carried that damn VHS around with me everywhere as a kid. Nowadays my kids love it more than the other turtles movies as well. Truly incredible it was never surpassed in quality.

The perfect balance between dark and light. Best way to describe the OG TMNT live action film!

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of seeing a 30th Anniversary screening of this movie at my local theatre. It brought back so many memories of going to see it back in 1990 as a 7 year old.

My friends and I are watching this tonight to celebrate the 30th anniversary! I'm going to including this video during that viewing because your work is amazing! I'm excited to have this be part of our celebration!

I think CG turtles can look amazing in a live-action film as long as they nail the designs and give the VFX artists enough time to perfect their work.

I was 9, I was a huge fan of The Turtles, I saw it in theatre 30 years ago this month sometime between the 16th and 19th of April 1990. And it was HUGE at the time

This movie has heart, has soul, you care about the characters. A just watchet with my eight years old nephew and he loved It.

I have great memories seeing it on the big screen when i was a kid. Happy 30th Anniversary Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 1990!

Still one of my favorite movie of all time.

I went to see this movie when I was about 10 with my mom, in a theater that has now been torn down, in Copenhagen. Scala it was called... Back then it was new and had an arcade at the bottom and restaurants above, and an "Apple Apple" store on the top floor (records, posters and so on).. After the movie we went to the Apple apple store, and I got the OST for the movie on casette and I still have it. I still listen to some of the tracks on youtube. Every heart needs a home, and 9.95

"I have always liked... Cowabunga!"

Amazing analysis on an amazing movie. It's not just one of the best comic book movies, it's one of my favorite movies of all time. When I was younger, I used to lean more towards Secret of the Ooze because it was cleaner, colorful, and more fun. But as I grew older, I truly started to appreciate the first movie as I started to peel back all the layers and just came to my senses about what makes a movie great. I will say, one thing you did miss in your video is the recurring theme about fathers. Splinter and Shredder are direct opposites, both raising teenagers, but one is a good father and the other is bad. Then you have Danny's subplot, which shows him in between all 3 fathers in the film. And even when Splinter is captured, April remarks that the reason she has so many of her dad's antiques is because she misses him, and one the Turtles reassures her it's not silly a reason.

Seen this movie 1000 time on VHS. It was my favorite movie as a kid. 30 years later... hands down a masterpiece.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHEDDING LIGHT ON A CHILDHOOD FAVORITE. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I'D CLIMB UP MY PARENT'S LOVE SEAT, TRAVEL UP THE *HUGE* TV STAND TO GET TO THE RACK OF VHS TAPES TO PUT THIS MOVIE IN ALL THE TIME. THIS MOVIE WAS LIGHTYEARS AHEAD OF IT'S TIME AND WILL LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO REMEMBER UNTIL THE END OF DAYS🙏🏿🙏🏿

Couple things that should have been touched upon here: - The budget- which due to inflation- may still be one of the most expensive independent movies of all time. - The adaptation- the story basically takes the first 12-ish issues of the comics and adapted them into the film in a perfect way. This is where you can draw the differences between this and the concurrent 87 animated series. Parts of these stories were later adapted in the 2003 and 2012 series. -Raphael and Leo switch places in the movie to give him that leadership/older brother arc you mentioned. - The trailer should have been the first thing discussed. Anyone that loved the turtles were shitting their pants when they saw the trailer. Til this day, there is probably no greater trailer. - The aspect of Splinter taking down Shredder without flinching is supposed to show that revenge blinded Shredder and that’s why he lost. Its also why the turtles kept losing. They were too blind by their need for vengeance for Splinter. They even say it before they charge at him. “He killed Splinter.” Or something to that effect.

"Possess the right thinking. Only then can one receive the gifts of strength, knowledge and peace." - Master Splinter "to Raphael"

I dont think i was ever as excited as I was waiting for this movie to come out as a kid. I ended up watching a really poor pirated copy of the movie before it came out with my best friend of nearly 38 years, we then watched it in the cinema together. He now has an 11 year old son, who he showed the movie to and he absolutely loved it preferring it to the new ones......says it all really.

The best TMNT movie so far. The best music, the best acting, the best setting, the best lighting, the best dialogues, the best writing. This movie is cult for me and I think it's way more intelligent than poeple think. It's not just an action movie, it's a movie that speaks about family and father/son relationships. You see it with Dany and his father, Shredder and the foot clan, Splinter and the Turtles.

This is my favorite movie of all time! I acknowledge that there are “better” films out there, but this is still my favorite.

I LOVE the movie so much. The quick bonds between the Turtles, Splinter, Casey and April is hilarious & Shredder is believably terrifying.

I met the actor who played Donatello in this movie at an 80s themed comic con after party at a hotel and we were all trashed as fuck taking pictures together on the dance floor. shit was insane. legit something i will never forget.

I will never forget the feelings 7 year old me had hearing Raphael say “DAMN!!!!” so many times that I lost track 🤣☠️

Indeed a masterpiece well said!

“This is going to be a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch!”

Thanks for this... I'm an '82 baby and I grew up with this movie. Classic and you are too right, they don't make movies like this!

I was 7 when this came out, I'm 38 now and to this day the campfire scene makes me ball like I'm 7 again. I also still have an original VHS copy I think my uncle bought from pizza hut with the commercial and all.

I seen it in theaters. It was the best movie I even seen. As a kid Teenage Mutant ninja turtles was my imaginary friends. I got the original on blu ray

I would like to add to your thoughts on Donatello and Michelangelo with this. Donatello is contemplative and thoughtful, Michelangelo is impulsive and lives in the moment. Both are lose translations on variations of Buddhism. Like a Yin-Yang, to compliment Leonardo's and Raphael's Yin-Yang arc. This was an awesome review, love the channel.

When i first seen TMNT, it was on a pirated VHS the same year. You can imagine how great the quality was back then lol

I used to watch this movie on VHS all day long as a kid. It was great then, and still is today.

Not only the best turtles movie is also one of the best ever period . I remember how much I loved it back then and how incredibly disappointed i was with the horrible sequels

They all have a great arc and growth. Every character have growth in such small amount of times.

It is a MASTERPIECE! All three movies, in my opinion. I loved them all 3.

I've never forgotten this movie and all my kids also grew up watching it with me.

Bossanova! Chevynova! Excellent!

Thank you! I cant put into words how much i appreciate you capturing absolute everything i love about this movie and what makes it great. Im 34 yrs old and i have to say this is my all time favorite movie...

I loved this as a kid. I was born in 83, so I was the perfect age for TMNT. This movie and "Ghostbusters" was my childhood.

I was scared I was the only person rediculesly in love with this movie. You guys rock

I can't put it to words that it has been 30 years since the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was in theatres. This movie is still my favorite of all time.

Yeah

This movie was and is absolutely perfect. I was 8 when it came out and it captivated me then and still does now. It was the perfect blend of dark and light, violence and comedy, comics and cartoon. Flawless.

This was a great retrospective. I saw Secret of the Ooze first and i was obsessed with that one more. I watched it so much on VHS, that the tape started to tear up. lol I thought this first movie was weird and dark in comparison, which kinda turned me off when i first saw it. But it grew on me the more i watched it. I haven't seen it in awhile though, so i definitely need to give it a rewatch.

A newbie to this franchise and only just managed to get my hands on this movie! Honestly, I'm impressed how the Nickelodeon cartoon stuck so close to this movie! It's a fantastic movie with lots of heart!

This was indeed the best of ALL the live action turtle films. The grit and realism made it the best. I would love to find the screenplay to read.

Man i miss the feeling of going to see a movie like this at the Cinema, it was an amazing time. They really need to go back to this style of Gritty darker toned setting for Turtles. Full on practcal effects and proper martial arts with a little CGI around the edges to aid facial expressions etc.