TMNT(80's) Animated Series

[Dragon78]

I would love a blu ray release of the original series.

Any fans?

[Dragon78]

Any favorite episodes?

[Burt Lancaster]

As hard to swallow as this is, thing is for TMNT '80s the negatives likely don't exist anymore. I say this because the dvds are very low-rez which obviously means they threw the SD tapes (not VHS, I mean broadcast tape) on dvd and not high-rez film.

Transformers '80s series is the only '80s American cartoon show I can think of where the camera negatives are safe (Rhino and Shout used them for their dvds; Shout inserted tape for animation-fixed shots). This is why Transformers dvd look way better than TMNT dvds (not counting the insert shots).

If you don't know, back in the day they'd use film, then to adjust animation mistakes (like lips not moving when a character is talking) they'd use tape. Rhino dvds use only the film but there are animation mistake shots. Shout used as much film as possible but then used tape. A bluray for Transformers can be done by scanning the film, then DIGITALLY fixing the animation errors, such as mouths moving correctly, etc.

I'm pretty such every other American '80s cartoon can't be in HD which is extremely sad.

[Dragon78]

I am sure the negatives are gone for a lot of 80's shows...especially the animated ones.

[revgen]

Like many 80's and 90's TV shows, they were likely edited on tape. Using the original negatives would be painstaking to recreate, similar to other edited on tape series like X-Files, which often included upscaled SD footage because HD footage couldn't be located.

This is why older TV series that were edited on film (Hogan's Heroes, Twilight Zone, Rockford Files, Six Million Dollar Man) are seeing blu-ray releases while many 80's and 90's TV series tend to be stuck on DVD.

[Dragon78]

I would take an upscale release at this point for this (and many of the older cartoon series) since a lot of them look more like VHS quality for the DVD releases.

[Moviefan2k4]

I loved watching the original TMNT show as a kid, so I'd probably jump at the chance to own it on Blu-Ray...provided its actual HD and not a lazy upconverted mess.

[Dragon78]

That is if there is film stock to get a real HD blu ray.

[Burt Lancaster]

Come to think of it, negatives for TMNT may still exist. I was thinking they wouldn't be since the dvds used broadcast tape but because it was such a huge show, maybe to the point where they thought they might be useful someday, I dunno. After all, Transformers survived why wouldn't TMNT have been? I'm going to guess that the film stock is inside a vault somewhere.

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by Burt Lancaster

Come to think of it, negatives for TMNT may still exist. I was thinking they wouldn't be since the dvds used broadcast tape but because it was such a huge show, maybe to the point where they thought they might be useful someday, I dunno. After all, Transformers survived why wouldn't TMNT have been? I'm going to guess that the film stock is inside a vault somewhere.

Or an underground salt mine, like the footage for TNG was. Just from watching the bonus feature on rebuilding the series, it looked like a very painstaking effort.

[Burt Lancaster]

It's too bad at the very least we don't have TMNT in DVD quality, only broadcast tape quality.

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by Burt Lancaster

It's too bad at the very least we don't have TMNT in DVD quality, only broadcast tape quality.

They did release the whole series on DVD a couple of years ago, with the discs arranged in a mockup of the Turtles' party van. But I don't know what kind of quality the episodes were in that, since I never bought it.

[Burt Lancaster]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

They did release the whole series on DVD a couple of years ago, with the discs arranged in a mockup of the Turtles' party van. But I don't know what kind of quality the episodes were in that, since I never bought it.

They used braodcast tapes for those dvds, not film stock.

[batman2000]

Originally Posted by Burt Lancaster

They used braodcast tapes for those dvds, not film stock.

Does film stock even exist anymore for this series?

[Burt Lancaster]

Originally Posted by batman2000

Does film stock even exist anymore for this series?

Dunno. Thinking about it, I'd say there is a chance, because the show was as if not more successful than Transformers and Transformers film still exists. It might be buried in a vault.

[Deezer1986]

I can’t think of another franchise more mistreated on physical media than TMNT.

1987 cartoon - dvd only, although understandable as original elements more than likely don’t exist
2003 cartoon - the whole series has never been released on dvd even. Would look really good on Blu-ray.
2012 cartoon - dvd only, would also look really good on Blu-ray.
Rise of TMNT - dvd only at this point; the movie is only streaming at this point as well. Both would be amazing on Blu-ray as visually it’s the best TMNT series to date.

First three films have been released on Blu ray with no special features; 4k outlook grim. These would look great on 4k.

2007 TMNT- released on Blu-ray but I forget what special features are on that one. More than likely whatever was done when the first home video release came out.

2014 film - no 4k release

Out of the Shadows - 4k release on this one. Looks pretty good.

Batman vs TMNT - 4k release and I’m really pleased with this one.


Frankly, TMNT deserves better. Sure there’s been some poor efforts, but there’s also been some amazing movies and tv series come from this franchise. Maybe the new CGI film coming next year can generate momentum on some of these getting an upgrade.

[hanshotfirst1138]

I’d settle for a complete release of the 2003 series.

[WMAangel]

Originally Posted by Deezer1986

2014 film - no 4k release

Incorrect, it does have a 4K release (I own it), just not a disc release from Paramount in the USA, however their overseas release is easily available anywhere on the internet (even from US Amazon directly via their global storefront):
https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Mutan...t-items&sr=1-1

[Deezer1986]

Originally Posted by WMAangel

Incorrect, it does have a 4K release (I own it), just not a disc release from Paramount in the USA, however their overseas release is easily available anywhere on the internet (even from US Amazon directly via their global storefront):
https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Mutan...t-items&sr=1-1

Fair enough but I was specifically talking about a US release…and yes blah blah so what if there’s no US release.

I think my point still stands.

[Dragon78]

I agree that the whole franchise has been mistreated on physical media but so has most other animated series.