The Death of the Incredible Hulk
| The Death of the Incredible Hulk | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Kenneth Johnson (The Incredible Hulk TV series) |
| Based on |
The Incredible Hulk characters by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby |
| Written by | Gerald Di Pego |
| Directed by | Bill Bixby |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Lance Rubin "The Lonely Man Theme" by Joe Harnell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Bill Bixby |
| Producer(s) | Robert Ewing Hugh Spencer-Phillips |
| Cinematography | Chuck Colwell |
| Editor(s) | Janet Ashikaga |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Bixby-Brandon Productions New World Television |
| Distributor | 20th Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | February 18, 1990 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Trial of the Incredible Hulk |
The Death of the Incredible Hulk is a 1990 American made-for-television superhero film, the last of three revival films based on the 1978–1982 television series The Incredible Hulk. Bill Bixby reprises his role as Dr. David Bruce Banner and Lou Ferrigno returns to play the Hulk. It was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Prior to Bill Bixby's death in 1993, there was talk of another Incredible Hulk television movie which would resurrect the character.
David Banner masquerades as David Bellamy (Bill Bixby), a mentally challenged janitor, to gain access to a scientific research facility in Portland, Oregon. He believes that the studies of one of the scientists there, Dr. Ronald Pratt (Philip Sterling), may hold the key to curing his gamma-induced condition that, in times of stress, turns him into a superhuman green creature known as the Hulk. Pratt takes a liking to the man he sees only as a building custodian.
One night after making a transaction at the bank, David is trapped by street thieves and is beaten and robbed. The stress of his injuries induces another transformation. The Hulk makes short work of the criminals but attracts the attention of authorities before escaping.
The next day, bypassing security, Banner enters Pratt's laboratory and examines the formula on his blackboard, making corrections and filling in gaps. At the same time, a beautiful Russian spy named Jasmin (Elizabeth Gracen), thinking she has completed her last act of espionage, is approached again by former superior Kasha for one last job: infiltrate Pratt's lab and steal the files on his experiments. When she refuses, Kasha blackmails Jasmin with her sister Bella's life. Jasmin then disguises herself as a club hopper and gets a fingerprint from one of the security guards.
The following morning, Pratt examines the formula on his blackboard and discovers that it is now correct. Determined to find out who is guiding him, he hides out in the lab in wait for his would-be mentor. This time he catches David in the act and asks him to tell him something that would keep him from sounding the security alarm. Banner reveals his true identity and goes over the events that led to his self-experimentation that resulted in the Hulk. He notes that his condition also dives into Pratt's own research on a human's capacity to heal, for in Hulk-form David's accelerated metabolism allows any wound to close in seconds, leaving him with hardly a scar. Pratt believes he can cure David, but he needs to first study the creature. Over the course of a week, both scientists, with the help of Pratt's scientist wife, Amy (Barbara Tarbuck), construct a force field cage and sensors to track Banner's vitals. On the night of the observation, David is rigged with a tranquilizer to sedate him once the readings have been recorded. Banner shocks himself with an electrical rod and Hulks-out. The energy cage holds the creature back until Pratt has his readings and Amy activates the tranquilizer. Banner reverts to normal and Pratt and Amy photograph the closing puncture wound from the tranquilizer. Banner later watches the video of his transformation – claiming it is the first time he has seen the Hulk – and fails to see any humanity in him despite Amy's beliefs.
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