L'incroyable Hulk

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.

Dr.David Bruce Banner is looking for an inner strength that people get in times of peril. He is mad he didn't have it to save his wife when she died. He uses gamma radiation on himself. Which turns him into the superhuman monster The Incredible Hulk! Bill Bixby is perfect as Banner,and Ferringo is perfect as Hulk I loved this film,everything about it is great. It is a super hero film,but it reminded me of the old universal monster films. We get references to The Wolfman,and Frankenstein. I thought those were great. Also a very touching musical score. Much better than the new hulk!

4/4

The Hulk's first incarnation on TV was this made for television movie starring Bill Bixby as the green giant. I don't know Hulk's origins in the Marvel Comics series, but here Dr. David Banner (Bixby) is experimenting with gamma rays, trying desperately to figure out how people get an incredible flow of Adrenalin when faced with utter danger. Having recently lost his wife in a car crash and not being able to save her in his attempts to lift the vehicle, Banner is nothing short of obsessed with finding out why he failed where others succeeded in saving their loved ones. Once he starts injecting gamma rays into his body he turns into the green giant whenever he gets really mad.

This is no grandiose spectacle, it's rather cheap looking really, with that oh so 70's look and feel with special effects at a very minimum. It is however a very well written and totally involving story, well acted and ultimately very tragic. The scenes involving the Hulk aren't spectacular visually speaking but they are powerful, especially his first appearance on that rainy thunderstorm night when Banner gets mad while changing his tier. The love story here, between Banner and a fellow scientist, is very well played out and makes for a strong ending for the film.

This film was the starting block for a long running TV series, but on it's own the film is very satisfying, definitely won't entertain younger viewers who're used to such visual extravaganza's as most modern superhero films are these days. I however like it very much, it takes it's time in establishing the character, it's a very human story that doesn't go overboard despite it's subject matter and it has a bitter ending that makes it all the more memorable.

This cheap looking made for TV film is also a lot better than the 2003 version which I found simply terrible.

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.

The last time I saw this movie I was 7 years old. When I saw the DVD in the shop some 24 years later, I could not resist to buy it. After watching it, I think it is money well spent.

It is by far better than I remembered it to be. Kenneth Johnson takes some strong liberties with the character's name and origin. Nonetheless, the audience bought his treatment, and the show ran for five years.

After seeing way too many hokey comic book adaptions as well as the latest big screen blockbuster, I must say that this is most certainly very well done. The acting was top notch and Bixby will always be the definitive David Bruce Banner. Lou Ferrigno gave the creature more soul than the recent CGI incarnation. Ferrigno portrayed a non-evil, but nonetheless frightening creature, an element which is sadly lacking in the big screen adaption. The lonely man theme at the end, sets the tone for the story. The Hulk/Banner is a tragic story, and despite all of Johnson's liberties is more true to the character than the big screen adaption ever will be.

A classic for people like me who enjoy adaptions of comic-book characters. 8 out of 10.