The Incredible Hulk

Forget the recent laughable FX travesty starring Eric Bana, watch this gripping TV movie which was the pilot for the long-running series. Credit must be given to Kenny Johnson for straying from the comics (which featured the Hulk fighting mutant super-villains) and bringing in a more believable premise. Despite the slight name change, David Bruce Banner is just as tormented a character as his comic book namesake. As Bruce Banner in the comics is haunted by the abuse he suffered from his father, David Banner is disturbed by the fact that he could not save his wife in a car crash, which drives him into investigating what factors can trigger human strength at times of stress. Of course, he injects himself with too much gamma radiation, and whenever angered, his body and muscles expand, his clothes rip and he turns into Lou Ferrigno, wearing a bushy wig and painted green. After he first becomes the Hulk, David wants to find out why and how it happened, with the help of a scientist friend. He sets about finding a cure, only to be hindered by nosy reporter Jack McGee.

The Incredible Hulk certainly has its moments. Bill Bixby gives intensity and emotion to his beleaguered character, and Susan Sullivan is solid as his only friend Dr. Elaina Marks. But the best sequences involve the presence of the Big Green Man. In terms of physical shape, Ferrigno was at his peak here and he was excellent as The Hulk. Unlike the bloated, badly drawn movie Hulk, this Hulk is mean, convincingly hard and capable of violence, but he also has a heart and tries to save innocent people.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if all of Marvel and D.C. 's came to our boring little reality to peacefully co-exist ? If we ever did have a Hulk,this is the closest thing.Gone is the Roswell-like cover-up of a green monster and here we have a closer and realistic version of a tabloid reporter seeking the truth in an X-File that even Mulder and Scully wouldn't even acknowledge.Ten stars for the most sympathetic and misunderstood monster.

The 1977 Hulk adaptation done as a pilot for the TV series was, by TV standards...well, incredible. Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby were perfectly cast in their roles. The "special effects" were about all they could do at the time, so you can't hold the body paint or Tina Turner wig against them. They didn't detract from the story at all, but rather, boosted it: making them superior to most special effects today. The origin, of course, was rewritten, as was Hulk's level of power, to make them more believable. Well, it worked, and this version of the Hulk is still a favorite among Hulk fans to this day. Interesting to note is the music and sound. First of all is the opening "Dr.David Banner...physician...scientist..." segment. It's not present in this movie, since this was only the pilot. Also, you'll notice the sound of wailing voices as he transforms, in contrast to the weird Twilight Zonish-noise used from mid-1st season until its end. "The Lonely Man" theme (played at the end of each episode) gave this show its own signature, and helped to boost otherwise lame episodes, giving them more poignancy than deserved (of the series run, "The First," and "Bride of the Incredible Hulk" were the best [both 2parters]). I really felt the lack of a signature sound/theme is one of the key factors holding back the big-budget movie that just came out.

This is a lot better than the television show that followed and that footage in the rain with David transforming into The Hulk for the first time is outstanding! Note the editing and music used in this footage. Right after this scene we cut to the lake scene with the direction and music still on a very high standard: even the green paint on The Hulk's skin looks more impressive than usual! But this high standard of production could never last in the lower budget weekly television series, which is too bad as this movie displayed what The Incredible Hulk series could have been if more money was put into it! I am told The Incredible Hulk series got more female viewers than male viewers so maybe I was the wrong sex for it?

Riding high on the success of his excellent 1976 TV creation "The Bionic Woman", writer/director Kenneth Johnson embarked on perhaps his most ambitious project ever: bringing to the screen for the first time the story of The Incredible Hulk.

The result is the best TV pilot I've ever seen in my life. Even if you're not a hulk fan, you must see this episode for its expert presentation, unparalleled acting, sublime poetry and iconic music (the "Lonely Man" piano themesong has the power to make people weep instantly).

There is not a lot of action in this episode, but it's far from boring. In the opening scene, Bill Bixby brings to life the character of David Banner in a way that no one will ever be able to touch. His portrayal brings to mind the line from Thoreau: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Only David Banner gets the opportunity to be not-so-quiet. Enter Lou Ferrigno 1973-1974 Mr. Universe, who needed no cgi, special effects or prosthetics to portray the hulk: the personification of raw, primeval rage. Ferrigno's roaring mass of muscles contrasted sharply against Bixby's quiet desperation to create a perfect balance of extremes.

I love the entire series and the 3 TV movies that followed. But this 100 minute pilot is the best of the lot. It was a cut above the rest back in '77 and to this day it's still a cut above.

Joseph Harnell was the composer, and his music will burn itself into your brain. The melody of "Lonely Man" reappears in the heart-pumping action pieces as well as the heart-wrenching piano sonata. In between we have distinct themes that are equally memorable, such as Mr. McGee's theme (which is instantly recognizable by its bass drum and hi-hat rhythm). At times Harnell mixes separate themes and moods together into one piece, perfectly in tune with the bipolar nature of the story. You'll hear trombones "fighting" with violins the same way David Banner fights with the monster within him. This is one of the cases where the music brings as much to the table as the directing, cinematography & acting.

And back to the subject of acting, we get stellar performances from everyone. Not just Bixby & Ferrigno as I mentioned, but Susan Sullivan (Banner's research partner and best friend), Jack Colvin (the antagonistic reporter McGee, who is wonderfully fleshed out in subsequent episodes) and even the minor actors doing bit parts are brilliant.

In terms of directing & cinematography, there was no equal in the 1970s. Kenneth Johnson made extreme use of shadows, darkness, hazy lighting and wide camera shots to create an indescribable feeling of loneliness and isolation. Back in the 70s, TV was very bright and fast paced (think "Love Boat", "Charlie's Angels", etc). But here in "The Incredible Hulk" we get a journey into darkness for the first time I had seen on network TV. Think of the way the 2003 Battlestar Galactica remake plunged us into darkness for the first time, and that is what Kenneth Johnson did for the 1970s crowd. (By the way, the 2003 BSG is my pick for 2nd greatest TV pilot in the history of time & space, don't miss it either!) I can't speak highly enough of this show. Watch it a few times. Absorb its full spectrum of human emotion: sadness, rage, love. And tip your hat to the amazingly talented individuals, particularly the great Mr. Bixby, who made this possible for us to experience.