TMNT, The "R"-rated version.
 

I in issue #9 of Comic Scene with an interview with Eastman and Laird in which they were talking about the upcoming film, Laird was quoted with saying the first script was heading toward an "R' rating but Laird and co-creator Eastman felt a large portion of the heroes audience would have been turned away at the theater doors. It pretty much goes on to say that they are now going for a "PG-13" rating that can still allow a great deal of action and violence, and doesn't need to "gross" and "gory" to the point of needing an "R" rating. This was all the information I ever knew on the subject of the "Original "R" rating", until now.

Hopefully there's a couple people yet to know this, and here is another bit of evidence of it.

"Director Steve Barron wanted the film to closely follow the comic. He intended to make the film dark and gritty. The film would open with April being raped (not just mugged) and being saved by the Turtles. The Turtles were to swear, drink beer, and be more rude, and there would be more killings. However, the producers thought that with the ongoing cartoon version of the franchise, they should make the film more children-friendly. Much of the original violence was cut and new shots were filmed to tone the movie down."

I thought TMNT was Pre-PG13....*shrugs*

Honestly, I'm GLAD it didn't turn out that way. One of the things that makes that movie so watchable even to this day is the fact that it's such a great balance of the Darkness of the Mirage Studios comics and the Cartoon.

True, but I'd like to see some of the action put back in...maybe not the swearing and booze...

Or a Rape scene.there's no need for that.

Oh yeah...I kind blocked that from memory....thanks GK....

This quote "Much of the original violence was cut and new shots were filmed to tone the movie down" just makes the want of a SE even that more larger for the mere fact that some of this survived(That is to say that any was filmed, which is implied) I'd only want to see the gritty more violent stuff, mybe a little booze drinking just for the fun of it, but nothing on the rape scene, that is definatly something not to want, but it is somthing to think about......ohhhh wait, scratch that.:P

not THAT much was cut from the film. as for earlier drafts of the screenplay, i have no idea. i've been searching for early drafts for years.

There's more than you think....X's got a shooting script...

well.... maybe the rape scene would be going too far... but at least let the bad guys get far enough to show the screen-viewers some Paige Turco boob before the TMNT bust in and save the day....

It was Judith Hoag's April that your talking about, Turco played April in TMNT 2 and 3.

I agree, a rape scene just seems really out of place in a TMNT comic or movie, by all means I love it gritty, but not that gritty.

Ah yeah, got my Aprils mixed up. Well yeah, no actual rape scene.. not in a TMNT movie.. but at least let the bad guys rip her blouse open before the TMNT save her....

...

Dreamer :P

They can still make it more adult level without getting corny like TMNT2. With a PG13, they can pull it off. I'm gonna hold faith in them. They seem to wanna be careful about how they go about this project. They can still say bad words but no really bad bad stuff...f-word, s-word....stuff like crap, damn(raph's best!), and junk like that. Bring on the beeer! At least for Raph..he likes that stuff. I kinda think it'd be funny a buzzed Raph on screen trying to fight drunk against Leo..now that'd make him look like a fool.
April doesnt need to be raped, mugged and seriously hurt would work enough.

I just realized....how many super hero movies nowadays have PG-13 ratings?

I agree. With a rating like PG13, they can still make it pretty adult.
We can have Raph drinking beer and maybe Splinter smoking a bong pipe. That would be quite the sight. :lol:
Oh, and we can have Leo carrying a classic Japanese sake bottle on his belt. He can take swigs from it occationaly. :D

Seriously, yeah, we do need the Mirage elements that are constantly skipped out on in every other TMNT incarnation. Swearing, blood, and booze.

There was booze in the Mirage incarnation? *shrugs*

And Splinter smoking a bong? Yeah...I could see that....NOT!

Most of them, actually.

But, a good TMNT movie would really be more set-up like a Martial-Arts film than a superhero one. That's why the first one was so good (Golden Harvest usually makes Kung-Fu movies), the format that live-action superhero films use IMO would really not work for TMNT.

And, I second Ryona's "Leo's sake" idea, but not the "Splinter's bong" idea.

*giggles hystaricly* :lol:


Anyway, yeah, I can see Leo carrying one of these on his belt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Sakegourd.jpg




Oh, and Raph can carry one of these.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/7858/flask2wn.jpg

Yeah, in fact, one instance was in Mirage Vol. 1 #3, after getting settled in Aprils apartment, one of the Turtles asks If she has any beer.

Any others?

Not off the top of my head, but there has been others, and not just asking for a beer, actual drinking of it.

Another thing that you would never see outside the Mirage universe is something like what happened to Raph in Vol. 1 #4 where after falling off the roof while fighting the vengeful Foot, he swings on a cloths line through a window and happens upon a young couple about to have sex, and Raph has a bra on his head too.

They drank beer with Renet and Cerberus when they were in that tavern.


Oh, and as for what Donnie would carry. I see him as mainly a coffee drinker.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8...eeflask7fd.jpg



And for Mikey, this would be his top choice.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1...gejuice9jm.jpg

Well, theTMNT themselves don't have to swear, but that doesn't mean everyone has to be all goody-goody. I mean in the first TMNT movie Casey could have had a brew or 2, and the Foot, being mostly street thugs, could have let loose a few 4-letter words as they were getting their asses handed to them by the TMNT...

Speaking of the whole "Violence" thing, ever notice how in the first movie whenever Leo appears to be slashing at someone there isn't any blood effect, like during the apartment battle when Casey breaks in you can see Leo in the background hitting a Foot in the neck area with his sword, eh maybe it was the flat end, but still, maybe that was something toned down.
Also during the rooftop battle at the end, when Leo is rolling around dodging hits, he comes up and swings his swords under the Foots legs, I did a frame by frame and swear it's a clean cut on the Foots legs......I don't know...*shrugs*

Also, Leo slashed at Shredder's arm, but we didn't see blood.

That's always been the crappy thing about Leo. He's got these weapons that produce gory, bloody damage on his oponents, yet in almost every incarnation, Leo's slashing and stabbing has to be cut out. It's really not fair. They might as well give Leo a pair of steel pipes or a grappling hook like they did with Mikey instead of his swords. :tgrumble:

An April rape would have been gratuitous and I'm glad that wasn't in the movie. Stuff like torture and sorrow... it needs to be integral to the plot, otherwise it gets melodramatic or eye-candy oriented and really makes it hard to take the movie seriously. You want eye candy, go watch Sin City or Oldboy. Incest, sex, and torture galore in the latter. I agree, turtles should be more martial-arts oriented. I personally thought all the movies, even the first one, were rather silly and could have had stronger storylines and character... Oh well.

As for alcohol, I guess the Lions and Lambs group would get ecstatic over Raph setting a bad example for teens. And I doubt Leo would drink alcohol. He's ramrod straight. The only liquids he'd drink would be water, milk, juice, and tea. I suspect he'd be a heavy green tea drinker (possibly genmai-cha).

Also, Leo has blades. What, does he use the butt of the swords to defeat his opponents? Blades cut. They are lethal, and I personally think they're teaching kids the wrong lesson. If you get something razor sharp and strike someone with it, they'll probably bleed. (you see more blood on the PowerPuff girls, honestly...)

Leo cuts him twice, once on the back and then on his right arm, you cant see the arm wound really good at all, but I took a cap from behind and If you look at his right shoulder blade, it appears that there is blood and not just cloth hanging over or something.

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/6...leeding2eq.jpg

All right.

I still think the movies were silly.;) It is my prayer that Kevin Munroe won't overload the new movie with farts and bathroom jokes. I want more action, more beautifully choreographed and animated ninjutsu. Darkness, stealth, grace.

As for bloooooood, I'm mostly venting about blood in the new show (sorry I didn't specify). At the moment, I guess things are dark enough with Leo going all... drill sargeant on everyone.

I would a have to disagree. First off, he (as well as the others) have drank alcohol in the Mirage comics. Second, I see Leo as the type to part take on Japan's traditional alcoholic drink. In Japan, Sake holds great respect and is even a part of many respected and holy traditions and ceremonies.

:P

My post was a reply to Ryo's about how there is no blood seen after Shredder is cut, It was directed toward you.

So much confusion. ;)

Well, there's practically a ceremony for everything in Japan.:P

Difference in opinion. I haven't been able to read much of the comics. I've only seen the movies and the show, so I interpret the Leo character based on that and from what I know about highly disciplined individuals. Alcohol can be a distraction, so if Leo did drink, I don't think it would be a frequent ritual. Unless there is a ceremony in which he partakes that has 100 memorized steps and formalities. Damn. Poor guy probably can't even use the crapper without going through the proper formalities.

Okay, sorry. :D

EDIT: Yes, we are all confused...

Alright, alright. First, remember that most of the TMNT's fans are little kids. No offense. The second movie was more appealing to such, but I liked the 1st movie more. They removed Raph and replaced him with some guy who just mocks everything in the 2nd one.

Now, on this whole "new movie" thing... O.o' Whoa. That's a little "extreme". Indeed, the Turtles in "reality" would definately be more Ninja-like and darker (said Leo's katana's earlier not doing much damage), but I couldN'T see any of that happening in a TMNT movie. Except the sweat, booze, blood and da mud. And leave almost all the joking to Mikey, because the others don't seem like the type unless it's Donnie or one of Raph's 'sick-minded' jokes.

I heard that the latest Harry Potter movie was rated PG-13, so an up-to-date TMNT movie would probably run the same. I'm looking forward to it ALOT and expect great things.. As long as they don't overdo it. >.>

Oh, and as far as "Leo's blades", he bought them in the Kid's Section. ;) He can still kick butt with them though. Now imagine the day when he gets the real thing....

EDIT: I get ahead of myself too much.

uhhh I don't approve of April raped and turtles cussing and drinking beer- BIG turn off for me! These are heros and look gentle and have more respect. Making them drink and stuff will currport and destory their image and parents will be quick to get it canceled

Oh, come on, Mikey's girl. Loosen up. They're big boys. ;)

It's not like it was the TMNT that were to rape April, and whats getting cancelled?, the cartoon, yeah because they would probably have them drinking beer and cuss on the Toon, good move for them. :roll: This whole thing was what Steve Barron(Director of the first movie) wanted it to be, a straight up Mirage movie.

Stuff like this makes me love Mirage Vol. 1, so much because the TMNT were so much different then what a lot of people know them as.