Did Donatello act as a replacement for OT Raph?
 

Probably something that has been discussed before, but does anyone think that Donatello in the original TMNT movies acted much like Raphael from the original toon? This is especially apparent in the first movie as his tech-geek smarts aren't really explored at all and most of Don's personality traits lie in his sarcastic and witty comments.

What does anyone else think?

Yes, the first movie incarnation shows Don as OT Raph. He's annoying and completely out of his element. Where are the brains? It actually makes some sense though because how could a turtle who has never had any education know all that don knew in the OT.

And Don was closer to Casey that Raph. What is that nonsense!

Don literaly was a replacement for Raph in the scene were he and Casey were fixing up the truck. The comics did that very same scene but with Raph and Casey.

As for whether the writers actively chose to make Don more sarcastic to compensate for not having old toon Raph I don't know. It could easily be something that the writers did subconciously.

The first movies story didn't allow much opportunity for Don to show off his intellect. If it hadn't been for Don's more outgoing nature in the film he may have easily faded into the background.

Don would also have been the obvious choice to replace Raph when they were writing the scene were they're fixing up the truck and playing the alphabet insult game seeing as both of those things would appeal to Don

Secret of the Ooze was a better showcase for Donny. He got a chance to show his genius aswell as his emotional side in his need to find out the truth about were they came from and his disapointment and refusing to accept Perry's explanation. For me those scenes were the best part of the film.

There was something seriously wiggy about Movie 1 Don. And OT Raph. :)

I liked it, only because I felt Donnie's use of humor was in essence another aspect of his intelegence, but I have to agree with JD: "Donatello doesn't 'nuck nuck'!!"

*cracks knuckles*

First movie Don was an extremely poor representation of his character (probably much along the same lines that I thought that OT Raph was a weak rendition).

I'm not sure that he was a replacement for OT Raph, as Laird wanted to get away from the OT characterizations for the movie. I think they went with the biggest 'name' in the cast (Feldman. *shudders to think of his as Don*) and since the movie focused on Leo and Raph, Don was delegated to simple watered down Mikey-dom.

I mean, honestly... if you liked the characterization of Don in that movie, then it's because you already knew the character. Don in movie one, was an undeveloped person. We learned nothing about the character other than he was a turtle, knew what the word 'claustrophobic' meant, could start a car, had a stick...Oh, and knew the book War and Peace.

Really, he had no real characterization besides being out of character.



...Yes. And Don doesn't 'nyuck nyuck'.

One wonders if Fieldman had been Mikey, if we'd be having this discussion.

the characterization of Don in movie 2 & 3 were better.

Well, we'd be discussing the purely horrible characterization of Don as done by a different voice actor... :P But who knows. Maybe not.

I think they "wackied" Don up because he was played by Fieldman, had it been a better VA, Donnie may have been better off.

They actually did squeeze in a few bits showing Don to be real smart in the movie, Like the board game scene, he was obviously whooping his bros. Then later in the movie he refers to a fungus as penecilin (which most people don't do). But I didn't like how they had Don as the skateboarder instead of Mikey, and I wasn't too high on the "nyuck nyuck"s.

I do not remember the Pencilian.

I did like that they made him pseudo-sensitive with the "Hey Mikey, you ever think of what Splinter said today, about what it would be like, you know, not havin' him?" but that was torpedoed by Donnie bringing a bag of marshmallows to the channeling of Splinter.

EDIT:
Donnie: Question: Do you like pencilian on your pizza?
Mikey: D'oh! *Hums "Taps"*

Yea, when the turtles are in the lair after they get back to NY and they find Danny there.
Mike: I go really go for some deep dish action right about now.
Danny: I had some pizza down here the other night, there might be some left.
Mike: AHHHH
Don: Question...
Mike: *sigh* yea!
Don: Do you like... penecilin on your pizza?

Now I remember that scene.

Knowing questions in Trivial Pursuit doesn't make you really smart. And, um... I refer to fungus (on food) as penicillin, and always have... so that was not odd, nor smart of him to me.

Aaaaaaaaaaargh. I absolutely hated that part. It was sullied by that marshmallow bit. Don would never have brought marshmallows. It's so annoying.

Mikey would....:P Or OT Raphael.

Well if you pay attention to Raph and Mikes reactions after he answers that question, you can tell that Don is beating them pretty bad.

You... You instigator!!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...o/PDVD_020.jpg
Raph looks kinda mad...Mikey looks like he's saying "I knew that..."

in that scene with the penicillin pizza he's also messing around with some kind of device which he drops when Danny mentions pizza

They did seem to really downplay his techie side a lot. And yeah I agree it did seem like they were trying to make him more like Raph from the OT. Though I didn't realize how much till you pointed it out.

I can't imagine what it was like when Eastman and Laird were discussing the movie with the producers.
E&L: and then theres Donatello, he's the smart one
Producers: BOOOORING, we were thinking more along the lines of one of the 3 stooges

I actually do enjoy Feldman in the part of Donatello, probably because he is funny and entertaining. Donatello was always my least favourite turtle on the OT as well the 2k3 toon. He's somewhat entertaining in the new movie, but overall, I prefer the 'alternate' Donny of the live-action movies. Definitely my favourite representation of Donny is in TMNT III. He's a tech-geek and he's Feldman.