TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE FACTS

AS THE TURTLES WERE FAMOUS FOR THEIR PIZZA

WEAKNESS, MANIA HIT THE PIZZA INDUSTRY LIKE

NOTHING BEFORE, CAUSING A FIERCE BATTLE

BETWEEN THE PIZZA GIANTS. PIZZA HUT WAS ABLE

TO SECURE A $20 MILLION MARKETING CAMPAIGN

WITH THE MOVIE, BUT IT WAS DOMINO’S WHO GOT THE

PRIVILEGE OF FEEDING THE TURTLES IN THE MOVIE.

ORIGINALLY, KRANG, THE CREEPY LIVING BRAIN, WAS

NOT EVIL. THE VILLAIN WAS INSPIRED BY AN ALIEN RACE

KNOWN AS UTROMS, TOTALLY PEACEFUL AND

NON-INTERFERING CREATURES FROM ANOTHER PLANET.

APRIL O´NEIL, THE TELEVISION REPORTER AND

ADMIRER OF THE NINJA TURTLES, WAS ALSO CHANGED.

AS SOME OF THE EPISODES OF THE FIRST COMICS

SUGGEST, SHE WAS PROBABLY AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

THE NINJA TURTLES HAVE APPEARED IN FIVE MOVIES.

THE FIRST ONE, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES,

RELEASED IN 1990, WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, MAKING

OVER 200 MILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE. IN FACT,

IT'S THE NINTH HIGHEST GROSSING FILM OF 1990.

EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST FILM IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE

PLACE IN NEW YORK CITY, IT WAS ACTUALLY ONLY

SHOT THERE FOR 4 DAYS. IN FACT, MOST OF THE MOVIE

WAS SHOT IN WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

THE COSTUMES MADE FOR THE FILM PRODUCTION

WERE EXTREMELY HEAVY, WHICH, COMBINED WITH

THE NORTH CAROLINIAN HOT WEATHER AND HUMIDITY,

MADE ALL THE ACTORS LOSE ABOUT 20 POUNDS

(9 KG) BY THE END OF THE PRODUCTION.

THE COSTUMES HAD TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO

ACCOMMODATE ALL THE ANIMATRONICS. CONSEQUENTLY,

THE COSTUMES WERE TOO BIG TO FIT A STANDARD-SIZED

MANHOLES. THEREFORE, THE PRODUCERS HAD TO CREATE

SPECIAL MANHOLES FOR THE MOVIE.

ACTOR JOSH PAIS (RAPHAEL) HAD PARTICULAR ISSUES

WITH THE COSTUME. SUFFERING FROM SEVERE

CLAUSTROPHOBIA, HE HAD TO REMOVE HIS

TURTLE MASK AFTER EVERY SHOT.