The Special_Edition Movie Novelization

[Hannurdock]

Has anyone else read this?

I have to commend the author in trying to 'fix' some of the obvious plot holes but do things have to be so dumbed down so much so the kids can 'get it'? I remember the novel from the 1990 movie which is a favourite, even now.

I think there were some glaring errors, from writing about the guys that a novice in fanfiction would have addressed.

A katana sword was strapped to his waist."
Okay, so we already have an obvious problem here. Especially when the author changes her mind to Leo having two swords later.

"Leo, why we even talking about this primate?" Raph said harshly. "Mike, toss her off the roof."
This is so out of character for Raphael.
Firstly, he's not a murderer. He has never referred to humans as primates. Ever. This is not his MO. And ... he orders Mike to toss her off the roof? Why couldn't he do it himself? In one swift sentence he's just condemned baby bro to become the executioner of the team.

That is just page 25. I have more to share but I just want to digest what I've read. I got through the entire novella in an hour.

[Powder]

That Raph dialogue is HILARIOUS. What the hell? :tlol:

Ya know, a lot of the time, these books & comic adaptions are made using rough drafts of the script. So I have to wonder if that wasn't slated to be in the film at some point.

[Shark_Blade]

Mikey even joked about killing April in the movie ("out of mercy!") so I don't really see the big deal there.

Leo's sword? So he used one sword in the beginning, no sweat.

[TrickOrTreater]

Doesn't surprise me in the least.

so I don't really see the big deal there.

Course you don't.

[Shark_Blade]

No one would tbh.

[Jester]

Yerp. I have no problem with Mikey pitching April off a building to her death. Gah, Trick...what's the big deal?

[Hannurdock]

"Chill!" the turtle said, holding up a hand. "It's just a mask."

April sighed with relief.

Yeah, cause the fact that he's a GIANT TURTLE doesn't faze her. Not as much as working out the mask situation.

[TrickOrTreater]

No one would tbh.

Uh-huh.

Yerp. I have no problem with Mikey pitching April off a building to her death. Gah, Trick...what's the big deal?

About sums it up.

Yeah, cause the fact that he's a GIANT TURTLE doesn't faze her. Not as much as working out the mask situation.

Not even the novelization could translate The Faint and make it at all good.

[Hannurdock]

Leonardo stopped walking. "You think I asked to be the leader of this outfit, Raph?" he asked irritably. "You think I wanted this? Splinter chose me. I'm just doing my duty."

"Ha. Doodie," Michelangelo chuckled.

Cliched "it's my duty!" response.


A large rat stepped out from the shadows. He wasn't just any rat."

Phew, that's a relief. I thought it might be a Gambian Pouched Rat. Those little fellas can be vicious.

Unlike most rats, he walked on two legs using a walking stick.

As I said before, does it have to be dumbed down so much? Seriously?

[Jester]

A large rat stepped out from the shadows. He wasn't just any rat
Nv9CkjkOyzo

[TrickOrTreater]

Cliched "it's my duty!" response.




Phew, that's a relief. I thought it might be a Gambian Pouched Rat. Those little fellas can be vicious.



As I said before, does it have to be dumbed down so much? Seriously?

Ugh. If somebody is reading this thing, they're obviously familiar either with the movie or with the Turtles in general and, therefore, familiar with Splinter.

"He wasn't just any rat" is more than enough.

[Hannurdock]

Things the book addresses that work well. Well, better than the movie.

THE HACK. An animated Donatello moonwalking across April's computer is just awesome. It's a pity they didn't include that in the film. I liked the idea of Don hacking into her computer, but the book's version was funnier.

PRIVATE TOUR. Mikey immediately shows her around and gives her the layout of the lair. Some of this bonding stuff between characters would have been lovely in the film itself.

THE BIG BLAST. April get's the turtles out and leaves them by the sewer grate to go back in after her dad. She is blown back by an explosion and knocked unconscious. Much better than the film depicted.

WE BELONG TO NO ONE! Splinter is acknowledged as being just as important as the turtles to Shredder's plan. The same mutagen that flows through his veins is as important to Shredder as the turtles.

LEAVE SPLINTER ALONE AND WE'LL SURRENDER. Leo offers to give up in return for the Shredder leaving Splinter alone. Although he is badly beaten up, he isn't on the verge of death. Shredder honours the deal. Because Shredder believes in honour.

LEAVING SPLINTER. Splinter isn't too badly off. Raph and April treat his wounds and then leave to rescue the guys at Splinter's request. Much better than leaving a dying rat in the sewers to die alone.

NOT AS MUCH BLOOD TAKEN. Just one tube of blood was collected from the three turtles, so they were just a little weak and shaken. Add adrenaline to the mix and they could break out just fine. When April hit the adrenaline button it somehow reversed the blood flow so that it went back into their bodies. Problem solved.

I COULD DESTROY YOU! Shredder leaves Raphael alive knowing his blood will be important at a later date. He doesn't just walk off leaving a half-finished job, he mocks Raphael's lack of skills and expects his flunkies to get Raph into the fourth glass cell.

CRACKED SHELL. Donny fixes Raph's cracked shell quite nicely in the book. It's not that badly cracked. Mikey is the one who jumps through into the SUV, leaving Raph recouperating in the truck for a little longer.

THE BAD GUYS PLAN. Sacks is synthesising antidote for himself and Shredder so they will be immune to the disease. That's why the two of them are in New York and are planning to stay even though a virulent disease will be sweeping across the city.

FALLING SPIRE. It comes to rest a few inches from the ground, wedged in-between two buildings. Better than just appearing on the ground with no obvious reason why the turtles and April would survive.

[Jester]

Interesting. I might actually try and track down this book....I mean I own the SotO novel.

[Hannurdock]

I got mine from Book Depository.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Special-Edition-Movie-Novelization-Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Random-House/9780553511109

[LeoRaph]

THE BIG BLAST. April get's the turtles out and leaves them by the sewer grate to go back in after her dad. She is blown back by an explosion and knocked unconscious. Much better than the film depicted.

This is my all time favourite. Now THAT'S Writing for a Hero if ever I saw it. Sorry Dad Animals first :trolleye:


Edit - I know this point has been panned almost worldwide from seeing it 'visually' but seeing it in 'writing' takes it to a whole new level of dumbness.

It should read: April leaves the defenseless domesticated turtles and rat to die in a sewer filled with wild animals then suddenly realises 'oh crap' 'I left my dad to burn to death in that fire I think I'd better save him too, gee whiz I hope there is enough time', 'why did I choose these animals? Why God Why?' She then rushes to save her dad and is blown back by the explosion in the building and miraculously is not hit by any glass, bricks, wood, metal or any other projectile debris for that matter but slams her head hard on the pavement and survives...somehow.

[Hannurdock]

Animals first, all the way ;)

April is the fifth turtle in the book. She's taken a couple of kickboxing classes and is now a true warrior fighting alongside the turtles.

She even takes out Sachs with a spinning kick!

[IndigoErth]

Ah, the one I saw a few preview pieces of via Google books the other day and noticed some of it was definitely different.

"Leo, why we even talking about this primate?" Raph said harshly. "Mike, toss her off the roof."
"Chill!" the turtle said, holding up a hand. "It's just a mask."

April sighed with relief.
Haaahahahah :lol:

Damn, it could have been that easy to take the focus off of April?? :P Hmm, this might be worth getting a copy. lol


April takes too much movie focus...
"Mike, toss her off the roof."
"GTFO!" *throws*

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

Love the book, and yes it does mix some of the movie's problems. As to the arguments against the book here;

-Raph's cruel comment was probably just meant to scare April into giving them the phone, he wasn't actually telling Mikey to throw her off the roof. Intimdating someone like that, batman style, is IN CHARACTER FOR RAPH.

-Yes, get the animals out first. Dad is intelligent, and is more capable of getting himself out than four turtles and a rat april believes to be defenseless are. Right after she thought they were safe, she tried to go back.

I know the movie was a trainwreck, but I think people are so eager to bash anyting even remotely connected to the film, they do it reflexively, without any sort of thought attached.

[TrickOrTreater]

Love the book, and yes it does mix some of the movie's problems. As to the arguments against the book here;

-Raph's cruel comment was probably just meant to scare April into giving them the phone, he wasn't actually telling Mikey to throw her off the roof. Intimdating someone like that, batman style, is IN CHARACTER FOR RAPH.

Batman usually does that, you know, himself. And usually to, you know, street thugs and super villains. Not quivering, terrified women. Would be out of character for Batman, would be out of character for Raphael.

Mikey probably wouldn't catch on at first, not realizing Raph wasn't serious, and thus break the scare tactic Raph was trying to create.

Sometimes bad scenes that don't make sense are bad scenes that don't make sense.

[Shark_Blade]

They're teens, and teens do stupid things. Anyway they're just trying to scare her, who cares.

[TrickOrTreater]

who cares.

Clearly only people who care that some of their favorite fictional characters are characterized well and not poorly.

[The Boston Ninja Turtle]

They're teens, and teens do stupid things. Anyway they're just trying to scare her, who cares.

id say not at this level but i feel it would fall on deaf ears

also this just opens the whole

"turtles are only teens in age" can of worms

[B-Man]

"Toss her off the roof" is funny. It's totally something facetious Raph would say. Raph didn't like the way the first human who ever saw him was looking at him. It's just something said out of spite & insecurity (and it's funny).
However lines like "My shell is tightening" is pretty unforgiveable lol and Leo's "We will find you..." always felt out of character to me.

[pennydreadful]

Oh gosh... Hannurdock, mad props to you for reading and giving us a blow-by-blow. I salute you.

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/4516657/ali-g-respect-o.gif

In all seriousness, it's pretty depressing. In the right hands, this movie could've had some substance to it.

[IndigoErth]

Anymore amusing lines from that book? lol
"Chill!" the turtle said, holding up a hand. "It's just a mask."

April sighed with relief.
Ya know... That has serious meme potential, like part two of the video version. :lol: This time April's next line.

April sighed with relief. "Thank god, I thought you were a mummy! I hate those!" *Foxface*


and Leo's "We will find you..." always felt out of character to me.
Yeah, I'd have to agree, particularly in that I don't think Knoxville's gruffness helps matters. I admit, when that piece turned up in trailers I didn't mind seeing him threaten Megan Fox, and I guess he's just being super protective in that she's the first human they've met and know she worked for the news. But... Knoxville's gruffness made him sound a little mean sometimes and some lines like that work even less in that tone. :ohwell:

[B-Man]

I'm a fan of Knoxville's voice work cause I thought it resulted in a refreshing take on the character, while still being the same character. Leo usually comes across as annoyingly virtuous and kind of a pushover. Johnny's Leo sounds like he's always ready to knock someone out if anyone gets out of line (his delivery of "We're on the move, Raphael" is the coolest thing ever). It's a voice his brothers would pay attention to. But even I'll admit his gruffness isn't ideal for all moments (arm around April "Heeeey, really glad you could make it..." sounds sinister as f*ck lol).

[IndigoErth]

(arm around April "Heeeey, really glad you could make it..." sounds sinister as f*ck lol).
Yeah, that was my least favorite Leo line right there, serious level of cringing. Make him sound uncharacteristically creepy, thanks people. Do they even 'get' him at all.

[Hannurdock]

For anyone wishing to produce memes or just to have a laugh, I've collected a few things here. I've quoted them with page numbers so feel free to surf this book with me.

It was absolutely humiliating. April knew that serious reporters didn't bounce. (Page 2)

Serious reporters wobble instead. Bouncing is just for the lightweights.

Now alone on the docks, April hurried towards the crate. She was close enough to touch the container when it moved again. She took a step toward it and it lurched back an inch. Puzzled, she took another step. The crate inched away from her. April blinked in surprise. It was almost as if the crate was toying with her. (Page 7)

This scene I love.

I can totally imagine Mikey on the other end of whatever is moving that crate, having a laugh at the stupid reporters expense.

"Mike, Mike! We need to move!" Leonardo's authoritative voice cut through the intense laughing.

"Oh, Leo! Please! Just another five minutes!" Mikey howling in laughter, nudging the crate backwards and forwards.

"If she looks up, she'll see you, numbnuts!" Raph growled, pulling little bro away from the confusion he was causing.

[TrickOrTreater]

For anyone wishing to produce memes or just to have a laugh, I've collected a few things here. I've quoted them with page numbers so feel free to surf this book with me.



Serious reporters wobble instead. Bouncing is just for the lightweights.



This scene I love.

I can totally imagine Mikey on the other end of whatever is moving that crate, having a laugh at the stupid reporters expense.

"Mike, Mike! We need to move!" Leonardo's authoritative voice cut through the intense laughing.

"Oh, Leo! Please! Just another five minutes!" Mikey howling in laughter, nudging the crate backwards and forwards.

"If she looks up, she'll see you, numbnuts!" Raph growled, pulling little bro away from the confusion he was causing.

Are we talking about a wooden crate of some kind or one of the shipping containers that were thrown about freely in the movie. The text uses both.

Because shipping containers, empty, weigh about 5,000 lbs. Maximum weight being 65,000 lbs.

So not only can they throw these f*cking things around like so much cardboard, they can also nudge them a bit at a time to screw around with the idiot reporter?

Christ.

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

Are we talking about a wooden crate of some kind or one of the shipping containers that were thrown about freely in the movie. The text uses both.

Because shipping containers, empty, weigh about 5,000 lbs. Maximum weight being 65,000 lbs.

So not only can they throw these f*cking things around like so much cardboard, they can also nudge them a bit at a time to screw around with the idiot reporter?

Christ.

At least they are trying to be ninjas here, using stealth and misdirection, instead of just acting like they did in the film.

And yes, I still stand by my earlier statement. I could actually see raph acting like that in his first interaction with a human that wasn't beating a foot solider up (or watching them through a storm drain) using a scary intimidating voiceand threat without thinking of the consequences.

I know even the book has flaws, but it's leagues better than the film plot-wise. If the movie's plot had been like this book (with a small fix on the whole 'learning ninjitsu from a book' bit added in), I think a lot of our complaints would have been much smaller. (though the movie would still have flaws).

[Hannurdock]

You've seen the size of them! Wooden crates are like bowling pins, ready to be thrown into the nearest posse of foot soldiers. Remember, cartoon physics! (Nod to 'Everything wrong with TMNT in 14 mins or less)

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

You know, maybe it's just me, but I've never had a prablem with the tmnt having superhuman strength- not hulk level, but enough to lift and throw cars. But I guess a lot of other people prefer them with normal human strength, or slightly above. Guess it's just a matter of preferance.

[Cipher]

Yeeeeesh. This is some pretty rough stuff.

In the author's defense, though, the way these novelizations are made is that maybe (maybe!) the author has access to the script or other material, and they're hired for the job based on their ability to complete the projects quickly (and due to that, usually anonymously). I'm sure they were doing their best given the circumstances and weren't exactly thrilled to be on the novelization in the first place.

[aliena]

I felt from the moment Raph met April that he didn't trust her and she made him feel insecure as a mutant turtle. I'm not sure he felt so insecure as to call her a primate and threaten to throw her off the roof though. They must have changed the line to "What are we still doing here playing doctor?" to make him less nasty sounding.

It's only later on as that he realizes who she really is and how far she is willing to go to help them that she earns his trust. Heck, he throws himself off a building head first to save her and in the end he smiles all bashful like when she suggests that they are family.