The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990) (TV)

Director:

Bill Bixby

Writer (WGA):

Gerald Di Pego (written by)

Release Date:

18 February 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

For 12 years, he's been running. Tonight, it's over. Tonight, David Banner will find freedom . . . or death.

Plot:

During the critical experiment that would rid David Banner of the Hulk,a spy sabotages the laboratory...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | Superhero | Green Skin | Incredible Hulk | Marvel Comics

Cast

Bill Bixby	...	Dr. David Bruce Banner
Lou Ferrigno	...	The Hulk
Elizabeth Gracen	...	Jasmin
Philip Sterling	...	Dr. Ronald Pratt
Barbara Tarbuck	...	Amy Pratt
Anna Katarina	...	Bella / Voshenko (as Anna Katerina)
John Novak	...	Zed
Andreas Katsulas	...	Kasha
Chilton Crane	...	Betty
Carla Ferrigno	...	Bank Teller
Duncan Fraser	...	Tom
Dwight McFee	...	Brenn
Lindsay Bourne	...	Crane
Mina E. Mina	...	Pauley
Marlane O'Brien	...	Luanne Cole
Garwin Sanford	...	Shoup
Justin DiPego	...	Dodger (as Justin Di Pego)
Fred Henderson	...	Aaron Colmer
Judith Maxie	...	Carbino
French Tickner	...	George Tilmer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Sullivan	...	Dr. Elaina Marks (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sonny Surowiec	...	Terrorist (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Bixby

Writing credits (WGA)
Gerald Di Pego		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Bixby	....	executive producer
Robert Ewing	....	producer
Hugh Spencer-Phillips	....	producer

Original Music by
Lance Rubin

Cinematography by
Chuck Colwell

Film Editing by
Janet Ashikaga

Casting by
Barbara Claman
Jan Powell

Production Design by
Douglas Higgins

Art Direction by
Eric Fraser

Set Decoration by
Kim MacKenzie

Costume Design by
Trish Keating

Makeup Department
Susan Boyd	....	hair stylist
Jayne Dancose	....	head makeup artist
Tibor Farkas	....	makeup artist: Lou Ferrigno
Bill Terezakis	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Casey Grant	....	production manager
Larry Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Hardy	....	second assistant director
Lee Knippelberg	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Craig Henderson	....	construction coordinator
Wayne McLaughlin	....	property master

Sound Department
Lars Ekstrom	....	sound mixer
Charles Bruce	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dean Lockwood	....	special effects

Stunts
John Anderson	....	stunt pilot
Edward J. Ulrich	....	stunt coordinator (as Ed Ulrich)
Steve Wright	....	stunt pilot
Jim Dunn	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Jacox	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip
Robert Ennis	....	camera operator (as Bob Ennis)
Stephen Jackson	....	gaffer
Lisa Robison	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Annette McCaffrey	....	extras casting
Trish Robinson	....	casting: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Debbie Douglas	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jennifer Vejar	....	assistant editor
Marta Victoria	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Diane Griffen	....	music editor
Joseph Harnell	....	composer: original series theme
Patricia Peck	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Jake Callihoo	....	transportation coordinator
Joe Lehnert	....	transportation captain
Derek Rama	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Shelley Crawford	....	script supervisor
Penny Gibbs	....	production coordinator
Brenda Horner	....	contact lens consultant (as Brenda Horner O.D.)
Tracey Jeffrey	....	location manager
Stan Lee	....	consultant to producers
Kristin MacDonald	....	production coordinator
Laura Michael	....	assistant to producer
Elizabeth Pontsa	....	production auditor
Richard L. Silver	....	contact lens consultant (as Richard L. Silver O.D.)
John-Paul Holecka	....	office production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• B & B Productions
• New World Television

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1990) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Rhino Video (video)

Other Companies

• Gastown Post and Transfer  electronic post
• Laser Edit  edited on
• Pacific Video Inc.  electronic post
• West Productions  post-production sound

Also Known As:

The Death of the Incredible Hulk: The Movie (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 | UK:PG | UK:12 (DVD re-rating) (2003)

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

B & B Productions

Trivia:

The set that was used to film the Hulk's final scene initially remained intact because of plans for a fourth post-series "Hulk" TV-movie (which had two working titles: "Rebirth of the Incredible Hulk" and "Revenge of the Incredible Hulk"). However, Bill Bixby's death prevented the proposed installment from being made.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the movie, when the Hulk falls from the exploding airplane, he is first shown (from a distance) in front of the flames, falling face down. Immediately thereafter he shown falling face up, then again falling face down, then finally again, falling face up. At no time is there any indication that he is spinning or tumbling. Also, when the camera zooms in on his shoulder, part of the table Lou Ferrigno is lying on is visible.

Quotes:

Amy Pratt: God bless you, son.
David Banner: God bless us all.

Movie Connections:

Edited from The Incredible Hulk (1977) (TV)

Soundtrack:

And Something Ends

Tries to be tragic and dark but mainly fails by being overly-serious and pointlessly moody

Banner has gone under to try and protect himself and others. He is working as a cleaner in a high-security medical research centre, passing himself as a gentle and rather slow man called David Bellamy (no, really). However, in a Good Will Hunting fashion, Banner is also using the work of Dr Pratt (no, really) to seek a cure for the inner anger living inside him. When Pratt discovers who Banner is, he tries to help him by bringing the cure closer – however an attack on the lab by a Russian espionage group ruin everything, freeing the Hulk and critically injuring Pratt. With Banner and the Hulk as suspects in this crime, David is forced onto the run yet again.

Having been quite unimpressed by a previous Hulk movie I was quite glad that this appeared to be going for a darker tone, but really it all still ends up with the Hulk running through walls while banner mopes around the place generally feeling pretty bad about his lot in life. Fans will (probably rightly) complain that I am simplifying things far too much and that this film is tragic and moving but for my money, although it was trying to be this, it just came over as too po-faced and a bit too heavy for the material to actually support. It should be tragic of course, but the writing and delivery just can't do it and it just comes off as plodding rather than emotionally involving. The action is a little restrained but still as corny as the other films – although it is perhaps a sign of the age and budget of the film.

The cast don't really help the material because none of them really create people. Bixby perhaps takes too much on and the flaws in his performance run through the whole film. He is too serious without being a real person and this moody tone affects everything else. Ferrigno does try to bring humanity to his Hulk but he has to do it with his eyes and it is a big ask for him – one he can't do. Gracen is poor, Sterling is obvious and Tarbuck is hammy at best. None of them raise the material but then this is a tvm and nothing else.

Overall a basic film that tries to get to the heart of a comic book character and create a tragic and moving tale. It fails of course but it deserves credit for at least trying. The cast are too clunky and the dialogue doesn't help them one bit while Bixby's direction has the same overly-serious and overly-moody tone as his performance.