A troubled scientist's accidental overexposure to gamma radiation curses him with the tendency to change into a bestial green brute under extreme emotional stress.A troubled scientist's accidental overexposure to gamma radiation curses him with the tendency to change into a bestial green brute under extreme emotional stress.A troubled scientist's accidental overexposure to gamma radiation curses him with the tendency to change into a bestial green brute under extreme emotional stress.
- Young Man
- (as Terrence Locke)
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Funeral Guest
- (uncredited)
- Scotty
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
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.
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.
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.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRichard 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).
- GoofsWhen the Hulk spots his reflection in the lake and runs his hand through it, the make-up on his hand washes off.
- Quotes
Jack McGee: Forgive me, Doctor, but I am calling you a liar!
Dr. David Banner: Mr. McGee!
Dr. David Banner: [takes a deep breath, smiles]
Dr. David Banner: Mr. McGee, don't make me angry.
Dr. David Banner: [chuckles]
Dr. David Banner: You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
- Alternate versionsThough originally shown as a two-hour TV-movie, it has been edited to be shown as two one-hour episodes for syndication. In order to make up for the additions of a recap of the first hour at the beginning of the second and a full second set of opening and closing titles, as well as for clearing more time for extra commercials, a significant amount of footage was excised, including all of Jack McGee's visit to Dr. Marks' home the morning after Banner's first "Hulk-out," during which he, unknown to either of them, glimpsed Banner over her shoulder.
- ConnectionsEdited from The Bionic Woman: Doomsday Is Tomorrow: Part 2 (1977)
- SoundtracksThe Lonely Man
End titles by Joe Harnell
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Der unglaubliche Hulk
- Filming locations
- California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, USA(The Culver Institute)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Contribute to this page
