Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Volume 5

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Episodes: C

 

 

Though superhero stories and their success would seem obvious, I never understood why anyone would like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  It turned out that they began as a much darker comic book series than the bubblegum animated TV show that resulted and was a surprise hit.  Now, years after they peaked, the original toys are becoming surprisingly valuable and Lionsgate has issued Volume 5 single DVD with 12 more episodes.

 

Though the Sean Penn/Fast Times At Ridgemont High mannerisms landed up as the four voices of the four Turtles by their voice actors and they get to fight villains like Rocksteady, Bebop, Krang and the ever-popular Shredder.  That they are heroes who came to life from some industrial accident is pure Marvel Comics, but the “turtle power” parts have often been accused of causing senseless aggression in children and as dumb as they get, I would tend to agree.  Except as nostalgia, these shows have not aged well and are even poorer than I remembered.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is a big disappointment, with poor detail, soft colors and transfers that look like older analog tapes.  Why release such a nice lenticular cover and prints with issues?  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is also a few generations down, so to say the least, this is the last time before HD the owners of the masters will be able to get away with these transfers.  There are also no extras, but maybe fans will demand them in HD versions.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo