Who's the star in the 1st film? April, Raph, or the TMNT?

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Which is something to point out to the crazies that swear the first movie is some kind of near-perfect adaptation of the Mirage comics.

Near perfect? No way. A pretty solid adaptation of the Mirage comics? Sure.

You have a ton of bits taken from the Mirage comics:

-Origin in the movie is a closer match to the comics (although they simplified the whole Nagi/Saki thing)

-Raphael/Casey meeting up for the first time

-One of the turtles getting their ass handed to them (Raph instead of Leo, but for the movie Raphael was the more fitting choice)

-Having to retreat to the farmhouse

The movie has a darker tone than the cartoon. It isn't a really dark movie, but we're talking about a film aimed at kids here. Besides, the original comics aren't nearly as dark as some people make it out to be. Were they really violent? Sometimes. More serious in tone than the cartoon? Yes. However, they were also very tongue in cheek.

The movie is a nice blend of the comic and the cartoon. It has plot elements from the comic, while throwing in enough elements from the cartoon so that the kids watching it weren't completely lost.

[Kendamu]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

He's absolutely the emotional center of the movie, if not the main character himself.

Which is something to point out to the crazies that swear the first movie is some kind of near-perfect adaptation of the Mirage comics.

In terms of adapting actual comicbook stories into a film, the first TMNT wasqn't near-perfect, but it was really good. Especially for the time it was filmed.

I mean, look at the first Batman film from a year prior. Batman kills people, his costume looks weird compared to the comics, and the story isn't really an adaption of anything.

Not that I don't love that movie... but, just sayin'. Aside from Danny, that movie was pretty faithul.

[NameGoesHere1066]

doy! Raphael! Raphael!

[dontplaydead27]

To anyone who complains that there was "too much" or an abundance of Raph in this original movie, where were you? Sure, Raph's dilemma's were brought to surface and used in a little arc, but that's not to say he was the "star" of the movie. Everyone got great amounts of screen time in the original movie. I thought someone said Leo didn't get much time, which I think is not true at all, he got just as much as anyone else. So what if he was used in a scene meditating? The campfire scene was one of the most important scenes in the movie, which closed the arc of learning the true art of Ninja, by revealing the "final truth" that ultimate mastery comes not from the body, but from the mind. Do you forget that Raph was knocked out for a time? Who was by his side the whole time? Who remained collected through the whole movie until Shredder revealed Splinter was dead? Sure, they used Raph as a part of the anger arc, but there were many elements at play in the movie. I think if you're trying to distinguish a "star", you're looking for something that isn't there. This movie wasn't meant to have one "star" and the way the arcs go reinforce this.

You want to talk about Raph being "star" of a movie, go watch 2007's "TMNT". Don and Mike got so little screen time it's annoying- Don used the least. I think anyone who thinks Raph was in the original movie too much most likely has an unrealistic idea of character screen time and development.

And I don't consider the first movie a "near perfect" adaptation, but a damn good one for an obscure comic in 1990 and it's target audience being children. These die-hard comic fans who dismiss the first movie annoy the hell out of me. You're NEVER going to get your bloody, beer-drinking red-bandanna wearing turtles on the big screen. Just not going to happen, get over it. The first movie is the best adaptation to date in my opinion, and I don't think they'll ever top that.