Late at night, I read that the next movie on one movie channel would be (Death on the Family). It sounded like boring TV movie, with a quarreling husband and wife maybe, who want to divorce, so their true love would be that "Death in The Family"! But the outcome was more surprising.
Well, I discovered that this was a re-titled (Return of The Incredible Hulk); the second TV movie after (The Incredible Hulk). They together served as the first 2 episodes of the classic TV show (The Incredible Hulk). And according to many TV movies, old or new, this is incredible indeed.
Unlike the cheesy story that the fake title referred to, I met solid sci-fi action thriller. The script is finely written, with non-stop surprises, adventure, and emotions. It has one of the cleverest dialogues I have ever heard. And it provided the story with so early talk about Vietnam War.
While (Heroes - 1977) was the first film released after the conflict ended in 1975 to address Vietnam War issues, (Death on the Family), produced for TV in the same year, was kind of a rare work to bring the subject up. The angle of showing it was interesting, whereas we follow an old drunk misfit who wears all-the-time a military courage medallion. Afterwards, we come to know that he has a guilt to suffer, since he convinced his son to go to Vietnam by tales that he planted in him about heroism, to gain them as pure loss after the son's death there. The thing is the idea of guilt is original, with the absorption in grief and cropping nihility, as if that war brought nothing but waste. True it says lastly that that father must live again and be proud of his son who died after saving many souls, but - and notice well - not for feeling real glory out of participating in this war itself.
The casting was so right, and every actor did their best. (John Mcliam) gives a marvelous performance as that kindhearted yet lost father. I especially loved his early scene with the Hulk which was written as if to evoke the meeting between the blind man and Frankenstein. Sure (Mcliam) reminded me with some classic actors in the history of the American cinema, like (Walter Huston), namely the ones who act without one second of remembering that they're acting!
(Bill Bixby) is charismatic and talented. He fitted perfectly for the role of (Dr. David Banner), having that look of a very serious, deeply agonized, man. Sure he captured many hearts back then, not due to his handsomeness only, but mainly due to his truthfulness. He represented every middle-class angry man out there (endless number, believe me!), giving them the flare-up they suppressed, and the salvation they needed.
Unlike any monster in an exploitive B movie, (Lou Ferrigno) was a human confused Hulk. Although he isn't an actor in the first place, but in his non-fighting scenes, his face features, eye looks, and body language expressed a very good actor inside of him that left us so amazed and effected.
As for shortcomings, I see that the 4 Hulkouts were too many; at one point, (Dr. David) needed new shirts more than any store could provide, though he got them - clean and folded - every time! The last Hulkout in specific seemed extra. I bet it was there only to witness a touching goodbye scene between the innocent girl and the noble monster.
Additionally, the matter of using the ray machine in the hospital, to reverse the gamma radiation which the lead was exposed to earlier, causing him the Hulkouts spasms, was a bit laughable sci-fi. Most probably it was a pretext to connect the lead to the hospital, and that ranch, anyway, anyhow.
The sad ending with that piano melody gives the feel that we're watching a tragedy of a doomed man more than the adventures of an idealistic hero. It managed brilliantly to be a distinguished mark that this movie won, approximating it the most to be a living modern (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) that doesn't forget expressing feelings of pain and desperation, more than the action and thrill.
It - somehow - deserves being released cinematically as it was indeed in some theaters at the time. It's a very good B movie, with a smart script, some top action, and unforgettable lead, cast and sense of sorrow.
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