Dr. Strange (1978) (TV)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Philip DeGuere

Writer:

Philip DeGuere (written by)

Release Date:

6 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy

Plot:

A psychiatrist becomes the new Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth in order to battle an evil Sorceress from the past. |

Plot Keywords:

TV Series Pilot | Superhero | Magic | Doctor | Demon

Cast

Peter Hooten	...	Dr. Stephen Strange
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Wong
Jessica Walter	...	Morgan LeFay
Anne-Marie Martin	...	Clea Lake (as Eddie Benton)
Philip Sterling	...	Dr. Frank Taylor, Chief of Psychiatry
John Mills	...	Thomas Lindmer
June Barrett	...	Sarah
Sarah Rush	...	Nurse
Diana Webster	...	Head Nurse
Bob Delegall	...	Intern
Larry Anderson	...	Magician
Blake Marion	...	Department Chief
Lady Rowlands	...	Mrs. Sullivan
Ines Pedroza	...	Announcer (as Inez Pedroza)
Michael Clark	...	Taxi Driver

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (video rental version)

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The star-burst on Dr. Strange's costume is not on his comic book outfit. While it is indeed similar to one that ordains the costume of another Marvel Comics hero; Captain Mar-Vell, this particular TV movie costume star-burst design is a tell-tale "signature" of this production's costume-design consultant (and former Dr. Strange comic book artist); Frank Brunner. Brunner uses that star-burst on many different design projects and incorporated it, as a more TV-friendly replacement to the "demon" symbol usually worn by the comic-book Dr. Strange. Although not named, the creature that Morgan serves is visually inspired by Dr. Strange's comic book arch-nemesis, Dormammu, while Morgan herself could be seen as being inspired by Dormammu's sister (and Strange's foe), Umar.

Quotes:

Wong: Will you meet her alone?
Thomas Lindmer: None of us is ever alone.

Movie Connections:

Featured in In Search of Steve Ditko (2007) (TV)

surprisingly very good

I was expecting this to be a very corny movie, but I was wrong. It actually turned out to be a very well made and entertaining film about the origins of Dr. Strange.

Morgan LeFay is sent to kill the magician Thomas Lindmer before he can pass his powers on to the new master of magic Stephen Strange. The special effects in this are good, the costumes are good, and the soundtrack is good. Peter Hooten makes a good Dr. Strange, and John Mills makes a very good Thomas Lindmer.

I'm a fan of the comics, but I'd actually never read any of the first issues. So, I'm not sure how well this movie matches the comics. This film is good enough, I think you can enjoy it even if you're not a fan of the comics. It's a very good science fiction fantasy film.