DVD & BLU RAY REVIEWS

The original TMNT films have long needed to be collected in a box, and Arrow was a perfect choice to release it. With the ongoing successes of the TMNT franchise, interest in these early films is high. Parents who grew up with the original comics and these films can now  share the experience of the early appearances with their kids. Do they hold up compared to recent TMNT films? 

The first movie in the trilogy is fantastic. While still kind of cheesy and corny, the fight scenes are really good, the turtle outfits look pretty good, the cast is fun, and it’s just a really  good time. It is worth the price just for the stop motion animation scene of the turtle’s mentor, the rat named Splinter, learning martial arts in his little cage by watching his owner work out. It is a genuine gas. Another plus is Elias Koteas as Casey Jones. The second film is mostly infamous for the appearance by Vanilla Ice. I did not like this film and I am not a fan of Vanilla Ice. Not even his stoner rock redux of “Ice Ice Baby”. Maybe the film will appeal to really small kids but I consider it to be a turkey. 

The third film fares much better in my opinion. It has received bad reviews from critics and some fans alike but I think it is a fun romp. The turtles time-travel back to feudal Japan while some Japanese warriors exchange time and place with them. Both of the culture clash scenarios work for me, with the turtles doing old school battles while the warriors get spoiled on pizza and television. And if you are a fan of the song “Tarzan Boy,” then you are in luck. 

The discs come in a very cool-looking box and since it is an Arrow product the extras are plentiful. There are tons of interviews on all three discs as well as the trailers for all three  films. Disc one includes an alternate ending from the UK release, as well as an alternate workprint ending and additional footage from the Korean release. Disc two has a vintage featurette and thankfully no Vanilla Ice music video. And disc three has an alternate UK opening. But the real fun goodies are the double-sided posters, trading cards, stickers, and a Roy’s Pizza loyalty card. Cowabunga!