5. Whoa! - The Cinematography
Lets start with the first priority of any Platinum Dunes production and the easiest place for them to startthe visuals. The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film is the epitome of dark and gritty. This is not meant to be a compliment to dark and gritty. Dark and gritty is disgustingly overused these days, with production executives and filmmakers thinking we want it so much that its even starting to invade our movie titles, with such uninspired gems as Thor: The Dark World and Star Trek Into Darkness. This author is still waiting for the lens flare-bombarded Darkman reboot. Wouldnt that be ironic? Anyway, in many shots of the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, grain plainly clouds the visibility of many shots. One is tempted to attribute this to the films $7 million budget or a lack of professionalism, but even before the grain unintentionally became more prominent after some studio corrections, director Steve Barron used it as a convention because he thought it was a relevant way to tell the story. It does indeed enhance the narrative. To get into the souls of the Turtles, Barron wanted to reflect their faded world, from the pitch blackness of the sewer to the endless columns of boxes in the Shredders lair. This constant patched darkness calls attention to the dystopian reality in which the characters find themselves, in turn creating a grounded seriousness, a stark reality, stimulating empathy in the audience. It highlights the thoughtfulness of Donatello and the cheerful denial of Michaelangelo as they wait for pizza to arrive. It underlines the despair of Raphael when it hits him that Splinter has been kidnapped. It reveals Leonardos fragile focus toward his duty. Where there is light, it plays a gentle role, falling therapeutically onto many of the characters faces from above. The light streaming through the sewer grates is from another world, something never quite attainable. It seems to bring an aura of wisdom to Splinters chain link prison, helping Danny and Shredders other child followers to see their lives more clearly. As Shredder would say, the light may be something from the past. The lighting during the scenes at Aprils familys farmhouse brings to the forefront the soft focus of the cameras and complements the ethereal, contemplative state of the characters while time stands still, dancing between their different emotions. The Turtles at first avoid the lightDonnie in the garage working on the truck, Leo keeping vigil over Raph, and Mikey going at the heavy bag. April considers current events indoors surrounded by illuminated dust and childhood memories. When the Turtles are reunited, they train in the dreamlike summer sun, and Splinters presence in the campfire scene where he imparts his final lesson to the Turtles is heralded by a stark blue fire of clarity. Director of Photography John Fenners cameras arent afraid to get close to the characters. Sure, there are awesome puppetry effects and full body suits to highlight, which the movie does showcase in many of its scenes, but the overall focus of the movie isnt on the effects, its on the characters. When Splinter comforts Raphael in the first act, again as a light in the darkness, the camera is right there. Getting too close to a special effect is extremely risky, especially in a lengthy shot. But Steve Barrons team stays there. There is no reason why it should work, but it does, even when the stitches in Raphs costume are plainly visible. Because we care about him. And who can forget Raphs big eyes peering out from the darkness under that manhole lid, or April lifting the metallic sai from the parking lot? The movie is very interested in tangibility and is fascinated with objects, blurring the lines between the fantastic and reality. Dannys headband, Michaelangelos Popsicle stick, Aprils drawings, and cheese stretching from pizza are only a few examples. Here's hoping Platinum Dunes puts some of those very well composed low tracking angles to good use. But this is just a first step. Even with a wonderful visual palette, you need a solid cast of characters to do cool things within it.