One of the more creatively successful attempts by CBS to adapt Marvel Comics characters to television was the
Philip DeGuerre TV pilot,
Dr. Strange, starring
Peter Hooten as Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme. While comics fans nitpicked the change in costume and some story details, I thought it was a pretty fair translation of the four-color source material with some surprisingly elaborate special effects sequences (including a creepy, stop-motion demon).
Stan Lee was reportedly pretty pleased with it, and comics artist
Frank Brunner contributed designs for the project (including that revised costume).
Sure, the whole thing - especially Hooten's mustache - is terribly dated when viewed with modern eyes, but for a 70's TV production it was pretty well done.
Admittedly, Hooten was fairly unmemorable in the lead, but I liked the casting of
Jessica Walter (as Morgana LeFay),
Clyde Kusatsu as Dr. Strange's Asian manservant, and
Anne-Marie Martin (
The Shape Of Things To Come) as his apprentice, Clea.
Although produced as a pilot film, CBS aired it as TV movie, and passed on a
Dr. Strange series. The movie is not on DVD, but was released on VHS tape in the 1980s.
I remember this and would love to see it again sometime.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching this when it was first shown. Since I was a huge fan of The Defenders comic book, I couldn't wait. Despite being over excited to see it, the movie did not let me down. It succeeded at being as surreal as the original comics which wasn't easy given low budget effects of the time.
ReplyDeleteThey really need to get this one out on DVD.
Indeed, this actually had it's heart in the right place but I'm not sure it's something that could've been sustained budgetarily on a weekly basis if the amount of energy bolts thrown about is any indication. It probably would have had a better shot if produced in the 90's-era syndication boom.
ReplyDeleteYeh, kinda sexy, Jessica Walter. Great in 'Play Misty For Me'
ReplyDeleteAnd this is the one late seventies Marvel project that CBS aired that I've somehow managed to miss seeing and have never seen. I have no idea what kept me from seeing it, but it sounds like I may have seriously missed out.
ReplyDeleteAs a big Dr. Strange fan, I loved it! Jessica Walter, the 'stache, the artwork, and of course the music. Pretty impressive for a TV movie.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this as a kid when it originally ran and thinking it was really good. I would love to see it again to see if it holds up.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was probably the best of the marvel "70s" shows. The only thing I thought they screwed up on was the "final" outfit they put him in. The one they had him in for the majority of the film (as seen in the poster above) was kind of cool but then they ended up with him in some cheesy powder blue jumpsuit (from what I can recall).
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