8mm Forum: The Incredible Hulk

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Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 14, 2008, 12:40 PM:

With Universal’s latest “Hulk” movie in the theaters, I thought it might be a good time to look back at an earlier incarnation of the big green guy. The CBS television series debuted in 1978 and ran for 5 seasons, followed by three made-for-tv movies.

Universal 8 released a 2 x 400’ version that’s very well edited. However, it’s a strange combination of the 1977 two hour pilot and the series’ 7th episode “747”.

Part One:
We start with titles that appear to be made specifically for this 8mm release, since they combine the casts from both the pilot and the later episode. Dr. Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) is driving with his wife when a tire blows out, causing the car to veer off the road. Banner is thrown clear while the car rolls over, trapping his wife inside. As it starts to catch fire, Banner desperately tries to lift the car to rescue his wife, but he cannot summon enough strength. As the fire rages on, Bruce wakes from his nightmare and stares at the empty space beside him in the bed.

At the Culver Institute, Dr. Banner is interviewing a woman who was in a similar car accident, but she was able to lift the car in order to rescue her young son.

Obsessed with discovering why his case studies found remarkable power in times of stress when he could not, Banner sees a correlation between gamma levels and increased strength. In a radiology lab, he exposes himself to high levels of gamma radiation. We know this is risky because the “danger” light on the instrument panel is flashing.

Driving home in a thunderstorm, the tire blows out (not a good film for tire manufacturers) and Banner tries to change the tire in the torrential downpour. The jack breaks, injuring his hand, and boy does he get angry. So angry that his eyes turn white, his shirt starts to rip, and he becomes the title character (bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno). The Hulk smashes the car, picks it up and tosses it down a hill, where it explodes.

Stopping by a lake, the Hulk sees his reflection and in a nice touch, we see the transformation back to Bruce Banner in the ripples of the water.

With a change of clothes, Banner calls a radiation specialist for help. Bruce heads to the airport and boards a Columbia Airlines flight. That’s a dead giveaway something bad is about to happen. Columbia was the airline name in “Airport 1975”, so whenever Universal had a tv script that called for a plane in peril, you could expect to see footage from that disaster film.

A flight attendant is seen doping the flight crew's coffee, but a passenger takes one of the cups by mistake. Of course, he’s sitting next to Banner. The flight attendant and the co-pilot are actually drugging the rest of the crew so they can steal the priceless King Tut artifacts that are in the cargo hold. They plan to parachute out with the loot and let the plane crash.

Part Two:
Banner is concerned about his unconscious seat mate and knocks on the flight cabin door. The evil co-pilot asks the doctor to follow him to the cargo hold to get the “medical kit”. He imprisons Banner in a large metal container, opens the cargo door and starts to push it off the plane! Banner becomes the great green beast and after a struggle he finds himself dangling outside the aircraft. The Hulk soon takes care of the bad guy but a key hydraulic line is punctured! The Hulk changes back to the good doctor and soon he’s in the pilot’s seat trying to fly the plane. A passenger hops into the co-pilot’s seat to help. This young fellow is Brandon Cruz, who played Bill Bixby’s son in “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”. Good time for a reunion.

With ground control attempting to give Banner a quick course in flying, things get stressful and his alter ego appears, just in time to give a strong tug on that stuck wheel. The plane lands safely, the Hulk scares the passengers and runs off.

A very solid edit job by the Universal team, but I wonder why they chose to include “747” as opposed to continuing on with the original film. One possibility is that they felt there should be more action in part two. The digest is enjoyable, moves quickly and it’s always nice to see the very talented Mr. Bixby on the screen. The print quality is good. The color on my print has faded a touch, but there are still strong blues and especially (a good thing, considering the hero)…..greens.

Doug

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on June 14, 2008, 03:33 PM:

Doug, just how big is that "closet" of yours???? [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 14, 2008, 04:14 PM:

You know, I had heard of this release on Super 8, but I never thought I'd hear a review. Great job, Doug !

Were there many of this title released? I have only seen two, and one of them is your copy.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 14, 2008, 04:53 PM:

Joe,

That closet is quickly running out of room!

Osi,

I don't recall seeing another copy. Originally this title was only for sale outside of the US and Canada.

Doug

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on June 15, 2008, 02:41 AM:

Doug, This combo (pilot episode + 747) was released theatrically over here. This is probably the source material for this edited version.

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on June 16, 2008, 08:35 AM:

I will have to take mine out and look at it [Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 16, 2008, 10:46 AM:

Quote:

"A flight attendant is seen doping the flight crew's coffee, but a passenger takes one of the cups by mistake. Of course, he’s sitting next to Banner. The flight attendant and the co-pilot are actually drugging the rest of the crew so they can steal the priceless King Tut artifacts that are in the cargo hold. They plan to parachute out with the loot and let the plane crash."

Wow!, they really wrote 'em in the 1970s!

Posted by Jean-Christophe Deblock (Member # 792) on June 16, 2008, 11:59 AM:

Please note that the shot of the 747 in flight come from "AIRPORT '75". You can see the "columbia" logo on the plane.

Regards,
JC.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 16, 2008, 06:56 PM:

As mentioned in the review!

Doug

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on June 17, 2008, 09:14 AM:

Doug-

Thanks for that great review, and great photos as usual!

"The Incredible Hulk" was my favorite show as a teenager. Bill Bixby adds so much class to his roles (my favorite- "The Magician").

A question- When Bixby turns into the Hulk on the airplane, do they play the eerie music effect during the transformation? I don't think it was used in the original pilot episode, but since this is a special edit of an episode, I thought it might be.

Thanks!

James.

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 11, 2008, 04:53 AM:

I am running the new HULK film at work at the moment and Lou Ferrigno has a role in it as a security guard.
Pat [Smile]

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on July 11, 2008, 05:52 AM:

Thnask Patrick I was wondering what he was doing,nice when they do that sort of thing. Is he still biggish.
Best Mark.

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 12, 2008, 04:43 AM:

Mark
He plays a security guard at the university where the Hulk experiments happen, we see him in one scene for about 20 secs. He just looks like the Hulk but not green! and they made his security guard's uniform way to small on him so he looks like he is going to pop out of it.
Stan Lee is also in the film as an old man who drinks some milk and dies..... [Big Grin]

Pat

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 12, 2008, 09:09 PM:

Just a little triva concerning Lou Ferrigno.

He was just on an episode of "American Gladiators" when they did a "Hulk" Themed show, and he looks just as impressive.

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 12, 2008, 11:19 PM:

Hi Osi
Yes he was I saw that episode as well as the show screens down here and he still looks just the same as he looked back in the day. [Smile]

Pat

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 13, 2008, 04:46 PM:

(Though it has nothing to do with "The Hulk") ...

Lou did have a somewhat extensive series of "Hero" or action films. I know he did a series of "Hercules" films, and at least one "Sinbad" film.

... and all of that from a guy who is legally deaf (from what I have heard)!

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 14, 2008, 02:11 AM:

watched the end credits of the latest hulk film and Lou also provides the voice for the hulk creature.
Pat

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on July 14, 2008, 03:39 AM:

Lou Ferrigno can be seen quite regularly in KING OF QUEENS on Paramount. He plays himself as the Heffernans neighbour.

-Mike

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on November 26, 2016, 07:01 PM:

I know this is originally a post from 2008 but ....
I just watched my 2 x 400ft of this last night and even though it has fine black lines coming and going nearly all the way through both reels it still has great colour!
Unfortunately I don't have the original boxes :-(

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 26, 2016, 07:03 PM:

Lookin good still Clinton! (the print not yourself you understand, though both may be true, who knows ?? [Big Grin]

)

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on November 26, 2016, 07:09 PM:

Thanks Andrew [Smile]

I too am holding up quite well ta lol
As for the print .... you can't see in the pics but it is "liney" from being well played for a good part of the both reels.
But it really doesn't bother me :-)

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 26, 2016, 07:12 PM:

Lookin good and not "liney" at all Clinton!

Not you of course, the print! [Big Grin]

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on November 26, 2016, 07:14 PM:

[Smile]

https://www.facebook.com/clinton.hunt/videos/pcb.10155508729923852/10154083106367742/?type=3&theater

I posted a short film clip on Facebook from my Super 8mm print [Smile]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 26, 2016, 07:45 PM:

Sorry Clinton, don't do Facebook!

I have no desire whatsoever to learn what my niece has just ate for breakfast! [Wink]

PS: don't watch Big Brother either! [Wink]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on November 27, 2016, 04:37 AM:

BB, worst nonsense on telly [Wink]

Back to the point, this is a cutdown i have been looking for in good condition only for a long time, reading back this review has reinstated my search.
Very good review, [Wink]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 30, 2016, 11:47 AM:

This was also discussed in another section, I think the 8mm forum section, with screenshots, (the screenshots might have been supplied by Winbert, but I'm not sure about that), but what was interesting, was that he showed sections of the actual film, (instead of screenshots) to illustate the very real fact of U8's very "iffy" quality control, where one shot would have brilliant, spot on color and the very next shot will looked rather faded. my Blues Brother digest is much the same way, some parts very good, others, spotty on color.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2