The Trial of the Incredible Hulk
Encyclopedia
The Trial of the Incredible Hulk is a 1989
TV movie
sequel to the 1970s Incredible Hulk
television series, featuring both the Hulk
and fellow Marvel Comics
character Daredevil
, who team up to defeat Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin
. As was the case with The Incredible Hulk Returns
, this television movie also acted as a backdoor television pilot
for an unproduced series featuring Daredevil.
) is working up north under the name David Belson. Disenchanted and at the end of his rope, David makes his way towards a large city with the hopes of renting a room and staying buried. Unbeknownst to him, the city he arrives in is under the control of a powerful underworld kingpin named Wilson Fisk
(John Rhys-Davies
). When David witnesses an attempted sexual assault by one of Fisk's men, he transforms into the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno
) and things get haywire. A short while later, David is arrested by the police and wrongfully charged with the crime.
While awaiting trial, blind defense attorney Matt Murdock
(Rex Smith
) is assigned to David's case. David is uncooperative but Murdock has faith that he is innocent and is determined to prove so. One night while fast asleep, David has a nightmare about his upcoming trial and dreams about transforming into the Hulk on the witness stand. The stress of this causes him to transform in reality and the Hulk subsequently breaks free of the prison.
Murdock manages to track David down in a seedy part of town. In order to win David's trust, Murdock reveals that he is the blind vigilante Daredevil and that he needs David's help to take down Wilson Fisk. David is initially suspicious of how a blind man can be a costumed crime fighter, but Murdock shows David how his other senses are heightened to compensate for his blindness. The two eventually form a mutually dependent friendship and set out to stop Wilson Fisk.
Banner and Murdock help each other with their own problems, and together battle Fisk, and clear Banner's name. During the course of the adventure, Banner triumphs by realizing for the first time in his life his integral role in saving several lives using the powers from his perceived cursed condition.
, as the jury foreman in Banner's imagined trial. During this scene the Hulk also wears his signature purple pants, the first time the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk did so.
In a note of irony, Rhys-Davies would later appear with Lou Ferrigno
on the animated Incredible Hulk series voicing Thor
, whom Ferrigno allied with in the live-action movie The Incredible Hulk Returns
. However, due to the lack of a Hulk-Out from Banner in the final act, this marked the first time the two really worked together.
In Sweden
they changed the name on the movie to Den otrolige Hulken i New York
(The Incredible Hulk In New York) even though the city in the movie is a fictional city and not New York City, although in the comics the Daredevil does works out of New York City. In 2003 the Swedish title was re-changed into "Hulken och Daredevil" ("The Hulk And Daredevil")
The movie is titled The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, being a metaphor for Banner's trials and tribulations in the film which represent those in his entire life. Literally, Banner never stands trial except for in a dream.
The Canadian city of Vancouver's then newly-built rapid transit system, SkyTrain
, made its first formal cinematic appearance in the film. Shots were done both on a train, as well as the penultimate Burrard Station
on the westbound platform.
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
TV movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
sequel to the 1970s Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (1977 TV series)
The Incredible Hulk is an American television series based on the Marvel comic book character of the same name created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The pilot episodes were a pair of TV movies on the CBS network beginning on November 4, 1977; the series soon followed, airing from March 10, 1978 to...
television series, featuring both the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
and fellow Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, who team up to defeat Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
. As was the case with The Incredible Hulk Returns
The Incredible Hulk Returns
The Incredible Hulk Returns is a 1988 TV movie loosely based on the Marvel comic books that serves as a continuation of the popular television series. In it, Dr. David Banner has nearly cured himself from being the Hulk...
, this television movie also acted as a backdoor television pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
for an unproduced series featuring Daredevil.
Plot
On the run again after the events of the previous TV movie, David Banner (Bill BixbyBill Bixby
Wilfred Bailey Everett “Bill” Bixby III was an American film and television actor, director, and frequent game show panelist.His career spanned over three decades; he appeared on stage, in motion pictures and TV series...
) is working up north under the name David Belson. Disenchanted and at the end of his rope, David makes his way towards a large city with the hopes of renting a room and staying buried. Unbeknownst to him, the city he arrives in is under the control of a powerful underworld kingpin named Wilson Fisk
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
(John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
). When David witnesses an attempted sexual assault by one of Fisk's men, he transforms into the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude "Lou" Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer/consultant, and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron...
) and things get haywire. A short while later, David is arrested by the police and wrongfully charged with the crime.
While awaiting trial, blind defense attorney Matt Murdock
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
(Rex Smith
Rex Smith
Rex Smith is an American actor and singer. Smith debuted in the Broadway play Grease in 1978. He is noted for his role as Jesse Mach in the 1985 television series Street Hawk, as well as being a singer and stage actor. During the late 1970s, Smith was popular as a teen idol...
) is assigned to David's case. David is uncooperative but Murdock has faith that he is innocent and is determined to prove so. One night while fast asleep, David has a nightmare about his upcoming trial and dreams about transforming into the Hulk on the witness stand. The stress of this causes him to transform in reality and the Hulk subsequently breaks free of the prison.
Murdock manages to track David down in a seedy part of town. In order to win David's trust, Murdock reveals that he is the blind vigilante Daredevil and that he needs David's help to take down Wilson Fisk. David is initially suspicious of how a blind man can be a costumed crime fighter, but Murdock shows David how his other senses are heightened to compensate for his blindness. The two eventually form a mutually dependent friendship and set out to stop Wilson Fisk.
Banner and Murdock help each other with their own problems, and together battle Fisk, and clear Banner's name. During the course of the adventure, Banner triumphs by realizing for the first time in his life his integral role in saving several lives using the powers from his perceived cursed condition.
Production notes
This movie was the first Marvel film or television project to feature a cameo appearance from famed creator Stan LeeStan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, as the jury foreman in Banner's imagined trial. During this scene the Hulk also wears his signature purple pants, the first time the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk did so.
In a note of irony, Rhys-Davies would later appear with Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude "Lou" Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer/consultant, and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron...
on the animated Incredible Hulk series voicing Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, whom Ferrigno allied with in the live-action movie The Incredible Hulk Returns
The Incredible Hulk Returns
The Incredible Hulk Returns is a 1988 TV movie loosely based on the Marvel comic books that serves as a continuation of the popular television series. In it, Dr. David Banner has nearly cured himself from being the Hulk...
. However, due to the lack of a Hulk-Out from Banner in the final act, this marked the first time the two really worked together.
In Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
they changed the name on the movie to Den otrolige Hulken i New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(The Incredible Hulk In New York) even though the city in the movie is a fictional city and not New York City, although in the comics the Daredevil does works out of New York City. In 2003 the Swedish title was re-changed into "Hulken och Daredevil" ("The Hulk And Daredevil")
The movie is titled The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, being a metaphor for Banner's trials and tribulations in the film which represent those in his entire life. Literally, Banner never stands trial except for in a dream.
The Canadian city of Vancouver's then newly-built rapid transit system, SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
, made its first formal cinematic appearance in the film. Shots were done both on a train, as well as the penultimate Burrard Station
Burrard Station
Burrard Station is a SkyTrain station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, served by the Expo and Millennium Lines. The station is located in the Dunsmuir Tunnel located beneath Downtown Vancouver, and opened in 1985.-Location:...
on the westbound platform.
Comics vs. film
- In the comics, Daredevil wears a red costume. In the television film, he wears a black, Ninja-inspired costume. Nor are there any "devil" horns on his cowl, nor any kind of "D" or double-"D" logo on his chest. The television film's costume makes the fact that Daredevil is blind more apparent.
- In this movie, the KingpinKingpin (comics)The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
is never called by the name Kingpin, instead, everyone refers to him by his birth name Wilson Fisk. This might have been an effort to establish that people were unaware that Fisk, the respectable businessman, was also the nefarious criminal leader, known as the Kingpin.
- The title of this film is referenced by a chapter of The Ultimates, the title of which is "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk," in which Bruce Banner is literally held on trial for his rampage through New York City.
See also
- The Incredible Hulk (TV series)
- The Incredible Hulk ReturnsThe Incredible Hulk ReturnsThe Incredible Hulk Returns is a 1988 TV movie loosely based on the Marvel comic books that serves as a continuation of the popular television series. In it, Dr. David Banner has nearly cured himself from being the Hulk...
- The Death of the Incredible HulkThe Death of the Incredible HulkThe Death of the Incredible Hulk is a 1990 made-for-television film, the last of three revival TV movies from the 1977–1982 television show The Incredible Hulk. Bill Bixby reprises his role as Dr. David Bruce Banner and Lou Ferrigno returns to play the Hulk...