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Thor to be played by Kevin McKidd,who I first saw in Dog Soldiers and then in the awful BBC TV series “Rome”.  He also starred in the rather slow TV series “Journeyman”.  Well,that’s what some are saying as the movie rumour-mill gets into its pace. You can bet your money that there will be many other actors named before the actual actor is named.

 

 

Of course,being incredibly old,I recall all those 1970/1980s TV movies [TVM] such as Captain America and Dr Strange [but John Mills as “The Ancient One”? Come on!!] but then we got The Incredible Hulk series starring the late great Bill Bixby.

 

 

Sure,the TV folk changed Bruce Banner to David Bruce Banner because they thought “Bruce” sounded a little “gay”!  And the end piano theme –“The Lonely Man” was very poignant.

 

 

After the series was cancelled Bixby,and Lou Ferrigno [Hulk] returned in a 1988 TVM titled ,oddly enough,”The Return Of The Incredible Hulk”.  In this,Banner meets a former student who possesses the Hammer of Thor..and Thor was played wonderfully over the top [in the nicest sense] by Eric Allan Kramer!

 

 

 

 

But remember the Marvel Comic characters who appeared in the other two Hulk TVMs?

 

Well…

 

 

 

 

 

The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk [1989].  Daredevil/Matt Murdock was played by Rex Smith.  Smith you might remember from the 1985 TV series  about a super-bike riding crime-fighter –Streethawk! 

And the Kingpin,of course there had to be the Kingpin because DD was in this one!  Well,John Rhys-Davies took the crime lord role.

 

 

 

 

 

The Death Of The Incredible Hulk [1990].  Very very sad film for two reasons. 

Firstly,the Hulk [far more vulnerable to harm on TV!] falls from an aircraft and crashes to the ground,dying and transforming into Banner for a few final very poignant words.  The second reason was that Bixby was perfectly aware that he was dying from cancer so Banner,a character he was known world wide for playing,preceded him into the dark.  And that “The Lonely Man” theme..very dusty in the house that day ~sniff~

 

In this final outing,Banner/Hulk were protecting an East European agent played by Elizabeth Gracen,not sure if she was actually called this in the movie,but her character has been called the Black Widow in many sources.

 

 

You see,Ang Lee’s version needed that “The Lonely Man” theme at the end.

 

 

Never seen the 1980s Fantastic Four film so won’t comment.  But could it have been any worse than the recent Bionic Woman TV series?

 

 

Yeah,I enjoyed Daredevil,Elektra and The Fantastic Four and Iron Man –WHOA! Iron-Man looks incredible. 

So we have to wait for Thor [2009 and 2010 depending on who you believe] but The Watchmen movie is fast approaching.

 

 

And in case you never used those links from last week –Speed Racer Go! Is hereand it looks fun.

 

 

Now,I have to go wax my legs as it’s the Comic Expo this weekend!