Every triumph in finding new species, every tribulation in rehabilitating pastures broken & with them, every tragedy. A time to acknowledge the fragile ecosystem we humans cohabitate with the vast, diverse variety of flora & fauna. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TMNT TMNT Movie Turtle Power Leonardo Donatello Raphael Michaelangelo Secret of the Ooze Sydney Olympic Park Homebush Bay Australian Ninja Warrior NinjaWarriorAU Toy Photography Action Figures Toys TMNT Toys Ninja Rap Much as I enjoyed that show as a kid, yeesh the Fab Four were real dicks to her in hindsight. Which leaves one big, burning question who can claim top spot as Australia’s Ninja Turtle Warrior? If this were the live-action ‘Next Mutation’ series, y'all can bet they’d chortle at Venus DeMilo wanting to give the course a shot, watch in awe as she almost perfectly blitzes through it, then try saving face by accusing her of using “Shinobi” magic to cheat. None too shabby effort for the once & former enemy of the people. It brought back people by the droves, staying in cinemas for several months, ultimately landing 7th place on the top-grossing films of 1991.
Many still discuss how 'Secret of the Ooze’ was a step backward from traditional Turtle tales both violently & financially, but here at the time, was a major success. But it was new villains Tokka & Rahzar who drew the most praise, for being “a couple of lovably grotesque monsters”. Kids still loved them, but now so did critics, describing this film as “Better directed, faster, brighter & more amusing sequel to last year’s slightly shabby kiddy money-spinner”. When not performing stage shows in Darling Harbour, they were busy spruiking new Government regulations on compulsory bicycle helmets for everyone under 16. A force of weaponised warriors despised openly on television for their supposed wicked ways had morphed into a force of good. This time around, the Turtles had (excuse the pun) softened their image, slowly earning top shelf among the sceptical hearts & minds. Most notably how the film opted to focus less on the comedic antics of their pizza-pumping cartoon selves in favour of the more violent, gritty original comic books. The parents & moral guardians however weren’t afraid to deliver more than a few strong words. When the first Ninja Turtles film hit local shores (barely 6 months after the franchise launched period), kids understandably adored their new action heroes. It’s amazing how public perception can change over the course of a year. The Awesome Foursome were back, this time boasting bigger action, bigger mysteries, bigger baddies, bigger cameos, & bigger… laughs? Wait, what? Over the subsequent 85 minutes, both cheers & Turtlemania as a whole reached fever pitch, as the second live-action film ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze’ premiered in Australia on this day 30 years ago. Ruefully finding their place at allocated seats, they settled in amongst the crowded & louded children. In spite of protests that their ragamuffins had plenty of Turtles at home, they fell on deaf ears. An unstoppable merchandising juggernaut had taken the country full-force, & with the mid-year school holidays right around the corner, all the kiddies were begging their parents to go ninja, go ninja go straight to their nearest cinema. Eastman & Laird’s totally triumphant terrapins were on top of the world, or at least Down Under.
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