Have you ever wondered how the idea of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was presented to the television networks for the first time? Well, Italian Turtles shows Kevin (Nick Piacente) and Peter (Chris D’Amato) presenting the idea for the very first time. While the concept of crime-fighting turtles seems a little odd on the surface, there may be some potential for a successful show. This is the story of how those beloved turtles are born into television history.
I’ve often thought of films such as Sharknado or Birdemic: Shock and Horror and questioned how the pitches went and how anyone had the ability to present such ridiculous topics to a group of strangers. However, those pitches occurred and those insane ideas were picked up. I had never questioned films or television shows based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because they had found such great success, but the reality is that these pitches are just as wild as the ones for the aforementioned films. As Kevin and Peter present their ideas to John (Timothy J. Cox), Karl (Bj Gruber), and Pat (Janel Koloski) it is brought to the attention of the viewers that the idea of crime-fighting ninja turtles is absurd, and they know it.
The comical nature of the entirety of Italian Turtles is laugh-out-loud funny. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, honest, and full of laughs because it’s everything that outsiders would expect from a pitch of this nature. How does writer-director Vin Nucatola capture this scenario so wonderfully? Simple, he’s honest. There are moments of exaggeration, but Italian Turtles, through all of the silliness, captures the very real fears of anyone putting themselves out there regarding something they are passionate about. Kevin and Peter are genuine representations of human beings, and they are able to connect with viewers from the opening moments of Nucatola’s film. This is the key to the film’s success.
I’ll be honest, one of the things I love about Italian Turtles is the profanity. Like the aforementioned acting, hearing the big wigs in charge of hearing Kevin and Peter’s pitch curse because of how f**king ridiculous something is mirrors the real world. Profanity can be offensive and turn viewers off to a film, but Nucatola doesn’t go too far. While there are swear words strewn throughout the short film, he uses those terms realistically, giving each word meaning and allowing the dialogue to resonate with viewers. This is the way the entire script works; Nucatola knows how to reach his viewers, and how to, even in this uniquely odd scenario, connect with everyone watching.
Italian Turtles has a simple script depicting a situation that takes place nearly every day in Hollywood; but to the average individual, this is something they’ve never experienced. Nucatola, and his immensely talented cast, present this situation beautifully (I can only assume that a presentation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would go this way), and they keep things so wonderfully simple that everyone is able to appreciate what’s occurring. I absolutely love Italian Turtles and all that it stands for. Just two young, unassuming individuals fighting for their dreams, and each and every viewer is rooting for them, this film, and everyone involved.
Written & Directed by Vin Nucatola.
Starring Nick Piacente, Chris D’Amato, Timothy J. Cox, Bj Gruber, Janel Koloski, & Mary Ortega.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
Comments