The Incredible Hulk (1977) (TV)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Kenneth Johnson

Writer:

Kenneth Johnson (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Fantasy

Tagline:

A scientist is exposed to a massive dose of gamma rays - and becomes a superhuman beast...

Plot:

A T.V. movie based on the comic-book character, telling the story of how he came to be.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Radical Transformation | Based On Comic Book | Character Turns Green | Marvel Comics

Cast

Bill Bixby	...	Dr. David Bruce Banner
Susan Sullivan	...	Dr. Elaina Marks
Jack Colvin	...	Jack McGee
Lou Ferrigno	...	The Hulk
Susan Batson	...	Mrs. Maier
Mario Gallo	...	Mr. Bram
Eric Server	...	Policeman
Charles Siebert	...	Ben
Terence Locke	...	Young Man
June Whitley Taylor	...	Mrs. Epstein
George Brenlin	...	Man At Lake
Jake Mitchell	...	Jerry
William Larsen	...	Minister
Olivia Barash	...	Girl at Lake
Eric Deon	...	B.J.
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ted Cassidy	...	Monster / Opening Credits Narrator
Kenneth Johnson	...	Scotty (voice) (uncredited)
Richard Kiel	...	The Hulk (one scene only) (uncredited)
Lara Parker	...	Laura Banner (uncredited)

Directed by
Kenneth Johnson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kenneth Johnson		written by
Stan Lee		comic book & characters (uncredited)

Produced by
Kenneth Johnson	....	producer
Richard Milton	....	associate producer
Craig Schiller	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Joseph Harnell

Cinematography by
Howard Schwartz		(director of photography)
John McPherson		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Alan C. Marks		(as Alan Marks)
Jack W. Schoengarth

Casting by
Mark Malis

Art Direction by
Charles R. Davis

Set Decoration by
Gary Moreno		(as Gary J. Moreno)

Costume Design by
Charles Waldo

Makeup Department
Norman T. Leavitt	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Sylvia Nava	....	hair technician (uncredited)
Elaina P. Schulman	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bud Brill	....	unit manager
Mark A. Burley	....	unit production manager
Ralph Sariego	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Blank	....	assistant director (as Thomas Blank)

Art Department
Roger Apperson	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
James F. Rogers	....	sound
Kyle Wright	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)
Kevin Pike	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don McGovern	....	stunt actor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Vincent Contarino	....	electrician
Rick F. Gunter	....	camera operator
John C. Moulds	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gregory B. Peña	....	set costumer
Diana Wilson	....	costumer
Jerry Herrin	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Steve Johnson	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Herbert D. Woods	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited) (1977-1978)

Other crew
Stan Lee	....	consultant
Marilyn Giardino	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• MCA (video)

Other Companies

• Marvel Comics  character: "The Incredible Hulk"
• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Runtime:

120 min | Finland:105 min (uncut) | Finland:103 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1981) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1979) (uncut) | UK:PG | Australia:G | Denmark:11 (2003) | France:U | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Richard Kiel was initially cast as the Hulk, but shortly after filming began, it became apparent to the producers that he wasn't "bulky" enough to play the role. There is, however, an intact but brief high-angle scene with Kiel as the Hulk (when he looks up at a tree).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious "lady" stunt double for little girl, when she is in water on long shots.

Quotes:

[turns to Elaina in fear]
Dr. David Banner: When the metamorphoses happen, I can't control it. I don't even know what it DOES! I could have killed you.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "The Incredible Hulk: The Harder They Fall (#4.14)" (1981)

A fitting start

This pre-series pilot was a good way to start off a TV saga based on a comic book superhero. To me, it is a TV-movie classic.

As you'll see in this pilot (as well as the series that followed it), our hero is really a reluctant hero. We have a man who changes into a seven-foot green creature, but he doesn't want to. All he wants is to be rid of the curse. Still, he has to give his alter-ego credit for having saved countless lives.

The three characters in the series are also ones that I can relate to because of various common traits, and they are as follows:

David Banner: he is a man looking for solace. In addition, I know what it's like to be close to obtaining certain goals, only to have them suddenly slip away. He's experienced that himself when he has thought that he would finally be cured of his problem, only to have something happen and ruin that chance.

The Incredible Hulk: he has experienced something we all experience in life: rejection. In his case, the rejections tend to result from some misunderstanding. Like the Frankenstein monster, the Hulk is misunderstood, and, therefore, people confuse his intentions. Few people will admit it, but I am sometimes misunderstood. And I suspect that other people's general misconceptions about me has often played a role in my being rejected.

Jack McGee: he is, of course, the newspaper reporter who chases the Hulk, thinking our hero is a killer. McGee is persistent in his goal to capture and expose the Hulk. Like McGee, I am very relentless when it comes to reaching certain objectives, and I tend not to give up until they are finally obtained.