Wuchak RELEASED TO TV IN 1977 and written & directed by Kenneth Johnson, "The Incredible Hulk" is the pilot movie for the series that ran for five seasons from late 1977 to early 1982. Bill Bixby stars as Dr. David Banner, a grieving research scientist whose experiments with gamma radiation curses him with the propensity to morph into a jade monster (Lou Ferrigno) when undergoing extreme emotional stress. Susan Sullivan plays David's caring colleague while Jack Colvin appears as the annoyingly nosy reporter who smells a big story.This first movie incarnation of the Hulk was limited by its TV budget and no CGI, which meant that the creature was far less powerful than in the comics and the future theatrical versions where the Hulk could throw tanks around and bounce around the landscape with his powerful leg thews. What I like about this rendition is the totally serious take on the story, which contains elements of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein and werewolf sagas. Despite its comic book origins, this is a tragic tale with a melancholic vibe. The haunting piano theme is Exhibit A.If you're used to the Hulk from the movies of the new millennium I can see why you'd scoff at this presentation. It's extremely low budget by comparison and you can tell by the spare cast, limited locations and one-dimensional script: Everything revolves around Banner's frustrating grief, his research and the ramifications of his accidental overexposure to gamma radiation. However, the moving close revolving around Sullivan's character wins the day, not to mention Ferrigno's exuberant efforts as the angry behemoth. Moreover, Sullivan shines in the female department, as does Lara Parker in a small role as Banner's wife. Perhaps most important of all, Bixby carries the movie (and series) as the brilliant, sympathy-inducing protagonist.THE FILM RUNS 94 minutes and was shot in California (Santa Clarita, Valencia, Universal City, Burbank, Inglewood and Los Angeles).GRADE: B/B- (6.5/10)

Martin III If one were to summarize the problems with most 1970s speculative fiction films, it's that they focused on their fantastical elements at a time when special effects weren't up to the task ("Star Wars" is the exception, not the rule). "The Incredible Hulk" misses that pitfall by focusing instead on the characters and the themes. Indeed, there's an artiness to this made-for-TV film. For starters, the first line of dialogue doesn't come until almost 10 minutes in.It's apparent from every aspect of this film that writer/director/executive producer Kenneth Johnson wanted the Incredible Hulk series to be taken seriously. Rather than introducing David Banner, having him accidentally transform into the Hulk, and proceeding promptly to adventures, the entire first half is devoted to showing how and why Banner became the Hulk. The seemingly absurd notion that a brilliant scientist would conduct an experiment with dangerously high levels of radiation on himself, without supervision, and then transform into an inhumanly strong monster is over the course of 40 minutes built up into a frightening reality.One of the strongest points of David's slow meltdown into the Hulk is that every step is, on one level at least, driven by the scientific method. Some pseudo-science is of course employed out of necessity, but the actual process by which Dr. Banner and his partner Dr. Elaina Marks come to their conclusions is classic scientific method. The trouble is that David's actions are, at the same time, driven at every step by his grief over his wife's death.The climactic first transformation into the Hulk is a classic scene. Bill Bixby conveys an incredibly realistic buildup of anger - you know when you're so blindly angry that you do everything with a careless, sloppy forcefulness, and when you inevitably get hurt as a result, that just makes you angrier and angrier? As a longtime reader of the Hulk comics, I knew what was coming in this scene, and that only made David's rage all the more frightening. It really feels as though growing into an enormous monster and smashing a car into debris is the inevitable result of his seething fury.The second transformation is an even more striking scene. Part of it is that the sheer power and fearfulness of the Hulk is better conveyed here than in any of the episodes I've seen so far. But the center of the scene is Elaina. The Hulk appears as she's recording an audio log, and like any good scientist, instead of fleeing, she continues recording her observations, albeit in a voice that makes clear her terror. Keeping it up, she approaches the creature and is bold enough to take a blood sample from him! It's a thoroughly convincing example of how human beings often react to dangerous situations in ways that seem bizarrely casual in hindsight.Elaina's death is a moment made especially tearful by her words, "My poor David... Who's going to look after you now?" This simple line summarizes the true core of David and Elaina's relationship: not partners, not lovers, but mother and child. Throughout the story, Elaina has been a guiding, protecting hand for the emotionally frail David. In a delicate and beautiful performance, Lou Ferrigno displays the confusion and subsequent anguish of a child discovering that he has become an orphan.As well-crafted an emotional journey as "The Incredible Hulk" is, its epilogue (which is the lead up to the series proper) is decidedly flawed. David allows the world to think he is dead, while McGee tells police that the Hulk killed both him and Elaina, resulting in a warrant being put out for his arrest. This is all an excuse for the TV series to follow the Fugitive formula, but while the formula is fine, the excuse is not. Even if the police are nutty enough to put out a warrant for a big green monster, why should David flee? It's just McGee's word against David's that he killed Elaina, and that's assuming there isn't evidence showing that an accidental explosion was to blame.That aside, this is an excellently done film on every front which eloquently captures the tragic nature of the Hulk.

trashgang This brings back memories, growing up in the seventies this was one of those series I never missed. Being a grown up and having children myself nostalgia came back.This pilot is an excellent example how The Incredible Hulk still stands up to today. Just look at all those flicks still going on were the Hulk is involved. Here we have the original series and it still stands the time. I have seen The Six Million Dollar man and Wonder Woman but so far Wonder Woman fails a bit to todays standards. Here we do have excellent performances by Bill Bixby (Dr. Banner) and Susan Sullivan (Dr.Elaina Marks). Sadly Bill isn't no longer with us as is the journalist Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) eager to search out what is going on with the green monster that kills.Once the Hulk comes on screen we do see some excellent changes from Dr. Banner to the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) done with the good old latex and with some camera effects. But it works. Okay, maybe the hair of the Hulk looks a bit funny but still...But just have a closer look to the camera work here used. Shots are done in first person POV. A thing we see a few years later used in the slasher era. But we also have slo-motion that works. Once Dr. Banner is set to give himself some radiation the camera is attached to the device and that also looks great. I was also surprised how good it all looked. Guess they could spend a lot of money making this series.For many this was the best episode throughout the whole series. Editing and score are fantastic and yes, the scene at the lake did remind me of Frankenstein and the child. Still very watchable and with all the fuss going on about the Hulk a must see.Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 3/5 Story 4/5 Comedy 0/5

Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) The 70's was a year of concepts. When they did the TV version of "The Incredible Hulk", all I can say is it was flawed in a few ways. They made a few changes so it would cause total confusion with the comics. Dr.David Bruce Banner(Bill Bixby) was a very brilliant scientist who lost his wife in a fiery car crash. Then he was curious to learn more about super-human strength. The source, gamma radiation. Several other cases came up, and he was more than eager to try it out. He tested it out, unwittingly overdosing himself with it. The results: One big muscular man, aka The Incredible Hulk(Lou Ferrigno). Trashing the car, smashing everything in his sight. The Hulk was a menace to society. To me the real menace to society is that report Jack Mcgee(Jack Colvin). He works for a tabloid newspaper company, which nobody reads. He should be charged with slander. This show was only a concept. they were a lot of changes and a lot of flaws. This hulk was more human than super human, he looked to caveman like, even though Lou Ferrigno was a competitor in the Strongman contest. To me, he is the real deal that the show became a hit! Rating 3 out of 5 stars!