Director of Photography John McPherson, and Howard Schwartz
Written, Produced, and Directed by Kenneth Johnson
Scientist Dr David Bruce Banner enjoys an idyllic domestic life with his wife until her tragic death in a car accident, where his attempts to save her proved to be in vain. In the morose aftermath of her death he continues to work at the laboratory where he and a colleague are attempting to tap into 'hidden' strengths of human beings. Their studies bring them into contact with various people who have found previously unknown resources of great strength in times of need, including a woman who was able to save her son from a burning car by lifting the vehicle with her bare hands. Considering the similarity to his own incident Banner is frustrated by the element of difference that refuses to reveal itself, until one night he realizes that gamma is the missing link. He exposes himself to a high dose of gamma radiation in the lab but there initially appears to be no effect - what he doesn't realize is that another technician was modifying the equipment resulting in a much higher radiation exposure than Banner anticipated. On the way home he's driving in a thunderstorm and a blown tyre tips his anger over the edge, sparking a metamorphosis into a primitive green creature that would appear to be driven by Banner's own primordial instincts, particularly rage.
The feature length pilot of The Incredible Hulk naturally sets up the premise on which the proposed series was to be based. Despite the fact that Joseph Harnell's famous concluding music for the show's end credits was written right from the beginning and used here, the alternative more alerting score for the opening credits of course did not exist (presumably until the show was given the green light [no pun intended] and such credits could be created). Therefore the pilot opens with ominous ambient sounds that eerily puts you on edge for the opening montage whereby the traumatized David's historical marriage is ruined by the car accident. For a show that some might consider to be for children or family entertainment, there is a surprisingly dark undercurrent running from this point on where the central character's life is marred by tragedy, and unbelievable bad luck (as you see throughout the series, it seems to follow him everywhere!). Slower paced, and naturally less sophisticated, than today's television the pilot is nevertheless very well put together and aside from occasional lags there is some fantastic drama going on here, all leading up to a rousing finale.
The Hulk (dubbed as such in the show by reporter Jack McGee) is of course played by Mr Universe Lou Ferrigno, looking physically amazing at 6' 5" with prime, deliberately carved physique - in the role he looks kind of bizarre and I suspect the post CG-Hulk audiences would not take so kindly to this appearance. Obviously, because I grew up watching this show in the seventies and eighties, I'm probably biased but I see the positives of the look here (as well as, from more mature eyes, the negatives). Personally I think the Hulk borders on the ridiculous and the creepy, and whichever way it teeters depends largely on how he was shot in any given scene. The pilot features some beautiful introductory footage of the creature, especially the first change which occurs at night during a thunderstorm - this first transformation is an absolute thrill. Later on, Hulk's destructive escape from incarceration inside a massive pressure container is a fantastic piece of film, possibly one of the best set-pieces of the entire run. His relentless nature is revealed and the sequence progressively results in absolute wreckage, all witnessed by the aforementioned colleague Dr Elaina Marks, who actually manages to calm the monster down to the point of reverse-transformation.
The pilot also introduces the show's recurring sub-character, the persistently interfering Jack McGee, played with relish by Jack Colvin. He's a man who becomes obsessed by the monster and will not stop chasing it at any cost.
One of the real strengths of this opener and the whole series is undoubtedly Bill Bixby as Banner. An established actor at the time he brought a tangible emotional core to the show, and made you feel for this guy. Occasionally stubborn but innately caring, from this point on he lives under the shadow of the monster - a physical manifestation of his own rage, which was possibly intensified by the anger he felt over his wife's death and the anger he feels towards himself at not being able to save her.
Far less 'comic-book' than Marvel's source character, the show dared to take a fantasy idea, remove it from its super-villain-fighting origins, and place it into an adult's world of problems and emotional disturbance. Kenneth Johnson's pilot really lays the groundwork for that approach and was fortunately impressive enough to warrant the creation of season 1.
Written, Produced, and Directed by Kenneth Johnson
Scientist Dr David Bruce Banner enjoys an idyllic domestic life with his wife until her tragic death in a car accident, where his attempts to save her proved to be in vain. In the morose aftermath of her death he continues to work at the laboratory where he and a colleague are attempting to tap into 'hidden' strengths of human beings. Their studies bring them into contact with various people who have found previously unknown resources of great strength in times of need, including a woman who was able to save her son from a burning car by lifting the vehicle with her bare hands. Considering the similarity to his own incident Banner is frustrated by the element of difference that refuses to reveal itself, until one night he realizes that gamma is the missing link. He exposes himself to a high dose of gamma radiation in the lab but there initially appears to be no effect - what he doesn't realize is that another technician was modifying the equipment resulting in a much higher radiation exposure than Banner anticipated. On the way home he's driving in a thunderstorm and a blown tyre tips his anger over the edge, sparking a metamorphosis into a primitive green creature that would appear to be driven by Banner's own primordial instincts, particularly rage.
The following day, Banner - aware that something happened but not sure what - and his colleague embark on a journey of discovery where facts are uncovered through their own experiments as well as local reports of what occurred in the preceding hours. Banner learns that he has little to no control over the actions of the creature and in a fire at the laboratory where he loses another loved one, he is presumed dead ('murdered', according to the news, by the very creature that he himself has become), and reasons that he must maintain his anonymity by travelling out on the road until he can find a cure for his new affliction.
The feature length pilot of The Incredible Hulk naturally sets up the premise on which the proposed series was to be based. Despite the fact that Joseph Harnell's famous concluding music for the show's end credits was written right from the beginning and used here, the alternative more alerting score for the opening credits of course did not exist (presumably until the show was given the green light [no pun intended] and such credits could be created). Therefore the pilot opens with ominous ambient sounds that eerily puts you on edge for the opening montage whereby the traumatized David's historical marriage is ruined by the car accident. For a show that some might consider to be for children or family entertainment, there is a surprisingly dark undercurrent running from this point on where the central character's life is marred by tragedy, and unbelievable bad luck (as you see throughout the series, it seems to follow him everywhere!). Slower paced, and naturally less sophisticated, than today's television the pilot is nevertheless very well put together and aside from occasional lags there is some fantastic drama going on here, all leading up to a rousing finale.
The Hulk (dubbed as such in the show by reporter Jack McGee) is of course played by Mr Universe Lou Ferrigno, looking physically amazing at 6' 5" with prime, deliberately carved physique - in the role he looks kind of bizarre and I suspect the post CG-Hulk audiences would not take so kindly to this appearance. Obviously, because I grew up watching this show in the seventies and eighties, I'm probably biased but I see the positives of the look here (as well as, from more mature eyes, the negatives). Personally I think the Hulk borders on the ridiculous and the creepy, and whichever way it teeters depends largely on how he was shot in any given scene. The pilot features some beautiful introductory footage of the creature, especially the first change which occurs at night during a thunderstorm - this first transformation is an absolute thrill. Later on, Hulk's destructive escape from incarceration inside a massive pressure container is a fantastic piece of film, possibly one of the best set-pieces of the entire run. His relentless nature is revealed and the sequence progressively results in absolute wreckage, all witnessed by the aforementioned colleague Dr Elaina Marks, who actually manages to calm the monster down to the point of reverse-transformation.
The pilot also introduces the show's recurring sub-character, the persistently interfering Jack McGee, played with relish by Jack Colvin. He's a man who becomes obsessed by the monster and will not stop chasing it at any cost.
One of the real strengths of this opener and the whole series is undoubtedly Bill Bixby as Banner. An established actor at the time he brought a tangible emotional core to the show, and made you feel for this guy. Occasionally stubborn but innately caring, from this point on he lives under the shadow of the monster - a physical manifestation of his own rage, which was possibly intensified by the anger he felt over his wife's death and the anger he feels towards himself at not being able to save her.
Far less 'comic-book' than Marvel's source character, the show dared to take a fantasy idea, remove it from its super-villain-fighting origins, and place it into an adult's world of problems and emotional disturbance. Kenneth Johnson's pilot really lays the groundwork for that approach and was fortunately impressive enough to warrant the creation of season 1.
Number of Fists: *****
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