Today marks 25 years since the opening of the Metro Blue Line, the first leg of LA's still-expanding transit network. We could have a serious discussion about the system's successes and failures or future prospects, but let's talk about this 1990 promotional video instead.
Where do we even start? Turtle pal and news reporter April O'Neil runs into Gridlock, a less-than-memorable villain who attempts to sabotage the Blue Line opening by zapping away all of the helpful signage. Of course, she calls in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to help, otherwise "our freeways, streets and air quality will only get worse."
According to TMNT fan site Ninja Pizza, which first unearthed the video, the delightfully cheesy promo was distributed as a free VHS to supermarkets along the then soon-to-open Blue Line route. Though the costumes are pretty low-rent, the voice talent certainly isn't; the actors behind the turtles from the '80s cartoon all reprise their roles here. Throw in some schmaltzy music, a "cowabunga" or two and a cameo from the Trojan Marching Band, and you've got something sort of like movie magic. Oh, and if all of the mentions of "RTD" are throwing you off, that's the Southern California Rapid Transit District, which wouldn't become Metro for another three years.
Metro, may we suggest you start working on a Minions short for the upcoming openings of the Expo and Gold Line extensions.