Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Finally!

Finally! a movie that doesn't involve superheroes or CGI! We interrupt our Animé frenzy to review the ninth film from Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (OUTH from here on). While it is true we didn't quite like his previous film, this new entry succeeds where the other failed: Delivering interesting characters and a cohesive plot. If you've been  a reader of our reviews you know we gave up reviewing superhero films a long time ago because we felt they became derivative and sadly, swallowed all the good films that weren't about superdudes, pushing the industry into a linear cash grab that has audiences simply forgetting about what makes a film, a good film. 

However, OUTH will not be everyone's cup of tea because it simply isn't like all of Tarantino's previous films, and it's not like any modern film either. OUTH is a melancholy, slow burning, comedic love letter to an age of Hollywood that we find ourselves disconnect from nowadays. Moreover, most of the reviews from actual websites with actual experts tend to title their articles with the "a love letter to Hollywood" phrase which I think it's the most accurate way to illustrate the film in a few words.

Rick Dalton, the legend.

Cliff Booth, the stuntman.

The point of this movie isn't to be just like Pulp Fiction and tell stories that have no meaning. In fact, I would argue that Tarantino wants each and every story to have a meaning. Rick Dalton (masterfully played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is a faded action star struggling to hold onto his career and fame. Every scene he was in was enjoyable, as he internally argues with himself to be better than he is. He can't find work except for as a typecast villain, and turns down an offer to go overseas initially because he thinks it's too far a step down from his past career. Dalton's story was not as fun to me as his stunt double, Cliff Booth's (Brad Pitt in his best role to date), but I will get to that in a minute. Dalton's story, some will say, was boring, overdrawn, and pointless. I say it was the most important and interesting storyline in the movie. Rick is an alcoholic, and deals with a lot of anger towards himself, particularly in his trailer (you'll see what I mean), and the long scenes showing him act out his part as the villain in the western are extremely entertaining as DiCaprio does some brilliant work letting us see Dalton as an actor without losing touch with him by slipping into acting of his own. He finally decides to go overseas, but most of that time is spent in a montage. When he returns, he dons a new Italian wife and an entirely new fashion straight from Europe. He doesn't do much towards the end, except for burn a Manson follower alive in his pool, and then he finally becomes friends with his neighbors. I'll also get to that when I talk about Sharon Tate. Rick is representative of Hollywood at the time of 1969, and unless you are familiar with film history, that will be lost on you. In 1969 movies like Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Graduate were changing the face of Cinema by eroding censorship codes and finally getting the studios to hand the reigns to directors, thus entering the age of auterism. Actors like Rick were becoming obsolete in film for a number of reasons, but mainly that they hadn't had to search for work whilst under the studio system, they just signed a contract and found work immediately. Roman Polanski, his neighbor, was one of the directors that was now given a lot of free reign in this age, . Dalton's character expressed the frustration many probably felt at the time, and Tarantino built a character that was beautifully acted by DiCaprio.

Sharon Tate.

Bruce Lee.

Cliff Booth on the other hand, was the most Tarantino character in the movie. I think he'll be the fan favorite, because he requires no historical context or empathy to understand. He's a stunt double who lives much worse than his star, Dalton, and is a no-no sense badass with a muddled past. His scenes were incredibly fun, as Pitt brought a certain energy to each scene that glued you to the screen waiting for his next move. Particularly at the end, when Tex had him at gunpoint and he was tripping on acid. Obviously he had the situation under control, but we as the audience have no idea until he sicks the dog on them. Booth was a character you expect to see in a Tarantino movie. None of his storyline was used for what people will say is "pointless", mainly because he is the most involved with the Manson clan.

Interestingly, the Manson clan is hardly shown in the movie. Charles himself only shows up twice, and only says a few words. I actually like this choice, because it left a lingering thought that perhaps Manson was a danger at all times, and didn't play to the audience the way we thought it would. It wasn't a story about the Manson murders. Manson just happened to be going on at the time Dalton and Booth were having their struggles, and it intersected.

The Manson girls.

Charles Manson.

Which brings me to my last point, and that is of Sharon Tate (gorgeous bombshell Margot Robbie). Her role, while a tad less utilized than I expected, was Central because the real life Tate was murdered by the Manson clan. If you go in as an audience member with that knowledge, you go the whole movie waiting for something to happen to her, and it never does. Tate herself was a happy, blooming actress who spent time with friends and danced (a lot). This carefree manner was underlying a want to be famous, as she tells people who she is and is clearly disappointed when they don't recognize her. Tate plays a role in this story of showing the era of actors now replacing Rick Dalton, and also showing special to Hollywood, the silver screen's allure. As this is essentially a long love letter to Hollywood, Tarantino pens what drew him to the screen through Tate.

With all of its references, obscure or in your face, there is a delicious amount to absorb, especially for connoisseurs. Tarantino has the viewer to sit back, eat up the screen, and imagine we are right there with the characters in a wonderfully painted portrait of a Hollywood long gone. This movie will be misunderstood because of the expectations for the Manson murders, and because audiences nowadays expect action on every corner, which Tarantino's name can be attached to in some capacity. Without any crazy special effects to speak, simply a fantastic script and acting, I think this film will be enjoyed thoroughly by educated audiences, and what I mean by educated is that the more you know about the history of Hollywood & American television, the more fun you will have. Especially, if the late 50's & 60's have room in your heart. I'm a 37 year old loser who loves old movies and old TV shows as much as I like listening to vinyl records on a daily basis. However, some of you may have a connection to this long gone Hollywood through your parents or other family members. In my case, my dad is a huge fan of Westerns, he practically owns every DVD set of every cowboy TV show and has seen, and still does, hundreds of films from those decades and is a big lover of Spaghetti westerns, so thanks to him I felt home when enjoying this film in the theater. No wonder, why many retired people were there too. There's nothing more beautiful than transcending generations through the things you liked and cherished in the good old days.

The original Spider-Man baby!

Shit's about to get real.

Now, a great movie deserves  its trivia section, and we deserve to die (ring any bell?) So here's my list I probably googled before you did it yourself:

Actual Jewelry.

 

Margot Robbie, who portrays Sharon Tate, wears some of Sharon Tate's real jewelry. Sharon Tate's sister, Debra, gave Robbie the jewelry to wear. 

  

Farewell Luke.

 

This is Luke Perry's last film. Perry suffered a massive stroke in late February 2019, and died March 4th. Scott Lancer is a homage to Wayne Maunder and his role in Lancer (1968). Maunder died on November 11, 2018, ten days after filming wrapped on this movie.  

 

Party for real.

 

The party sequence at the Playboy Mansion was actually filmed there, Tarantino having been a guest of Hugh Hefner on a number of occasions. 

 

Improvise!

 

Very rare for a Quentin Tarantino film, some scenes contained improvisation, particularly when Rick Dalton forgets his lines in "Lancer" and rants to himself privately in his trailer afterwards. Leonardo DiCaprio had a very difficult time playing Dalton's roles as Dalton would, rather than how he himself would, especially since Dalton is supposed to be an actor of hidden range, so he suggested Dalton forgetting his lines mid-scene to ironically help him stay in character as Dalton. The following scene in the trailer was also unscripted. 

 
The real deal.

 

When Sharon goes to a showing of her movie The Wrecking Crew (1968) the filmmakers chose to use the actual film, rather than recreating the scenes with Robbie. The real Sharon Tate briefly appears onscreen.  

 

From TV hero to zero?

a very expensive Hollywood handshake.

 

Dynamic duo.

 

Leonardo DiCaprio & Brad Pitt got along so well during the production that they confirmed at the film's Cannes premiere that they would love to team up again on another film. 

 
Don't spoil it asshole!

 

Before the film's world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Quentin Tarantino begged of Cannes crowds to avoid spoilers for later audiences in a statement made on social media; "I love cinema, You love cinema. It's the journey of discovering a story for the first time. I'm thrilled to be here in Cannes to share 'Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood' with the festival audience. The cast and crew have worked so hard to create something original, and I only ask that everyone avoids revealing anything that would prevent later audiences from experiencing the film in the same way. Thank you."  

 

Good ol' TV.

 
On Sunday night, Rick and Cliff sit down to watch "Rick's episode" of The F.B.I. (1965). The audience is later told that the episode is The F.B.I.: All the Streets Are Silent (1965). That is a real episode of the television show, and the ensuing clip is the actual opening to that episode, with one important difference - Rick Dalton has been edited into the place of the guest star villain, "Michael Murtaugh." In reality, the role of Murtaugh in the episode was played by Burt Reynolds (likely explaining why Rick and Cliff refer to the gum chewing as "strong"). Knowing Quentin Tarantino's penchant for making obscure references, it may not have been coincidence that Burt Reynolds was actually set to play the part of George Spahn in the movie, but he unfortunately died before he could take the part, which was then given to Bruce Dern. 

 

What's not to love about her!

♥♥♥.

This is a tribute.

 

The title is an homage to Sergio Leone, who directed both Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984). Quentin Tarantino has cited Leone as one of his favorite filmmakers and an influence throughout his career.  

 
Masterpiece.

 

According to Quentin Tarantino, whenever he referred to the project of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he referred to it as his "Magnum Opus". 

Stuntman & Stuntwoman.

 

The casting of Kurt Russell and Zoe Bell as the man and wife stunt coordinators on The Green Hornet is a double inside joke to Tarantino's films. Russell previously played "Stuntman Mike" in Death Proof, in which Bell, a real-life stunt performer, also appeared playing herself. Zoe Bell served as Uma Thurman's stunt double in the Kill Bill series. 

 

Michael's ride.

 

The Cadillac in this movie belongs to Michael Madsen. It also appeared in Reservoir Dogs written by Quentin Tarantino and driven by Madsen.  

Quentin's multiverse.

One of the Italian films that Rick stars in is directed by Antonio Margheriti; in Inglourious Basterds (2009), "Antonio Margheriti" is the alias used by Donny Donowitz to sneak into the premiere of "Nation's Pride".

 

Everyone's new favorite character.

Everyone's new favorite heroine.

 
Your friendly neighbor. 

 

Actor Nicholas Hammond, who plays Rick's director Sam Wanamaker on his episode of Lancer, played Spider-Man/Peter Parker on the The Amazing Spider-Man television series (1977-1979). 

Italy's tough guy.

 

When Sharon goes to the Bruin theatre to see the film she is in, a poster of "The Mercenary" can be seen. "The Mercenary" starred Franco Nero who sat alongside Jamie Foxx at the bartop in Django Unchained. Franco Nero was the original Django.  

  

Like mother, like daughter.

 

Maya Hawke's mother, Uma Thurman, has starred in three movies directed by Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). 

 

Surrender the city to Tarantino.

 

In an unprecedented film production move, a section of L.A.'s Hollywood Freeway (US-101) was completely shut down from 12pm to 2pm for a sequence populated with period cars. No VFX were used to create this sequence.  

The bandit.

Burt Reynolds was originally cast as George Spahn, the ranch owner, but he died before he was scheduled to shoot his scenes. Bruce Dern replaced him in the role.

The teaser.

The heroine.

Before we close our review with the usual video section, let me go back to what I said in the first paragraph. OUTH comes with a variety of characters that are both equally interesting and connected to the main plot. While The Hateful Eight (2015) took 168 minutes to state its point, it failed to offer a connection between the viewer and the 10 or 12 characters that movie had. Sure, there were plenty of quality dialogs and the usual graphic violence at the very end but, did we care about the plot?, the bounty hunter? his prey? or any of the remaining characters? No, we didn't, and I'm sure Tarantino learned the lesson and went for a more less is more approach that works wonders this time.

Music wise, and curated by Tarantino himself, the soundtrack’s a love letter to the music of 1960s-era Hollywood, and features everyone from Paul Revere & The Raiders, to Deep Purple, to Simon and Garfunkel, to Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. It’s a wild ride, alright. Also included are a number of jingles that should send you straight back into the picture. By the way, the album was released today in digital & CD. The vinyl is coming later this fall. However, some very limited edition vinyl will be on sale at Amoeba Records & Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema along with several indie vinyl stores.

Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Tracklist:
01. Roy Head & The Traits – “Treat Her Right”
02. The Bob Seger System – “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”
Boss Radio feat. Humble Harve:
03. Deep Purple – “Hush”
04. Mug Root Beer Advertisement
05. The Village Callers – “Hector”
06. Buchanan Brothers – “Son of a Lovin’ Man”
07. Chad & Jeremy – “Paxton Quigley’s Had the Course” (from the MGM film Three in the Attic)
08. Tanya Tanning Butter Advertisement
09. Paul Revere & The Raiders – “Good Thing”
10. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “Hungry”
11. The Box Tops – “Choo Choo Train”
12. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels – “Jenny Take a Ride”
13. Deep Purple – “Kentucky Woman”
14. Buffy Sainte-Marie – “The Circle Game”
Boss Radio feat. The Real Don Steele:
15. Simon & Garfunkel – “Mrs. Robinson”
16. Numero Uno Advertisement
17. Los Bravos – “Bring a Little Lovin’”
18. Suddenly / Heaven Sent Advertisement
19. Vagabond High School Reunion
20. KHJ Los Angeles Weather Report
21. The Illustrated Man Advertisement / Ready For Action
22. Dee Clark – “Hey Little Girl”
23. Summer Blonde Advertisement
24. Neil Diamond – “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”
25. Robert Corff – “Don’t Chase Me Around” (from the MGM film GAS-S-S-S)
26. Paul Revere & the Raiders (feat. Mark Lindsay) – “Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon”
27. Jose Feliciano – “California Dreamin’”
28. I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni – “Dinamite Jim (English Version)”
29. Vanilla Fudge – “You Keep Me Hangin’ On (Quentin Tarantino Edit)”
30. Maurice Jarre – “Miss Lily Langtry (cue from The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean)”
31. KHJ Batman Promotion.

  

The soundtrack album cover art.

"I'm not falling for that shit kiddo".

One more thing before I go, there has also been some criticism towards the depiction of Bruce Lee in this film. The thing is, with every Tarantino movie, you need to look under water before saying he made a mistake. While I won't spoil what happens specifically, When Cliff Booth meets Bruce Lee, he refers to Lee as a dancer. This is probably a reference to the fact that in addition to his martial arts prowess, Bruce Lee was an accomplished dancer, and was the Cha Cha champion of Hong Kong in 1958. So, once again the internet has got it wrong by thinking "Tarantino mocked the martial arts legend". The internet can do a lot of good, just make sure you use it before giving your misinformed opinion.Nevertheless, Shannon Lee, daughter of legend Bruce Lee, was most disappointed with the way her father was portrayed by actor Mike Moh under Quentin Tarantino's direction. She felt he was sorely misrepresented as an arrogant blowhard who was full of hot air. To each his own.

Overall, a unique film in times where disposable is the new trend.

Here's the teaser trailer:

Here's the first trailer:

Here's the second trailer:

Here's the international trailer:

a full interview with the cast & director:

 Quentin Tarantino on "mocking" Bruce Lee:

 

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

a Visionary film or plain crap?

Today we'll enter the deepest, darkest, most hyped and criticized movie of all times. Nevertheless, do we have what it takes to say what everyone has? how do you define a bad movie? what is a bad movie? where are the standards on film making? If you think a good movie follows the intro/development/climax pattern then, every film should be worth the try but, if we put it in grammar terms does the following sentence make sense: "Green ideas ran furiously in deep space" the answer is completely and utterly yes. The structure is correct so, does every film ever made count as a correct production everyone should worship? Nope. Movies do not depend on structure, they depend on something entirely different: impact, and impact is entirely attached to the viewer's reception. 

For instance, when Steven Spielbergs' Jaws was released in 1972 it was an instant hit, and let's be honest, Jaws does not have a good script, in fact, it has plenty of flaws, even wrong science facts! but, whatever, people loved it yesterday and still love it today (not me dudes) 

Expectantly, a new breed of movies spawned, trying to reproduce the success of Jaws. Several years after that, in 1978, a low budget movie named Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! came out. AOTKT (I'm too lazy to type it every time) was primarily a spoof of the said genre. Unfortunately, many people took it too seriously and failed to recognize its comedic appeal. Therefore, AOTKT is generally considered a bad movie, some even call it the worst film of all times. But, is it fair?

World leaders decide to take the tomatoes matter seriously.

Monsanto before Monsanto.

The movie's plot is rather simple. Tomatoes started killing people and are now a menace to whole humanity. The government of the USA decides to fight back with any means necessary. Here our protagonist, one Mason Dixon comes in play: he leads a group of useless men in a quest to find a solution for this horrible menace. Of course, calling Mason Dixon's character the protagonist could be a bit of an overstatement since there's a bundle of characters in the movie and no one is really that prominent. Because there are so many characters in the movie, AOTKT sometimes feels like a series of sketches rather than a coherent movie. Which isn't really that bad since many of the 'sketches' are funny but, considering general movie logic, various scenes don't lead anywhere and feel pointless.

First of all, I don't understand why people took this movie so seriously. The movie's name is Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!, and it even has its own theme song, for crying out loud! Also, the movie makes it pretty clear throughout that it is just a ludicrous little spoof. It's even a part time musical with a few ridiculous songs in it. So my advice is - if you're going to watch this trashy thing, try to relax and by no means take it seriously. So yes, the absurdity of the script, the awful acting and the bad special effects are deliberate. You may or may not enjoy that but it's insane to bash this movie for the wrong reasons.

a Vegan's nightmare!

Super tomato!

One may say - 'ok, it's a spoof, not a serious movie but so what? That doesn't necessarily make it any good.' That's true but AOTKT is pretty enjoyable either way. It manages to successfully make fun of most creature feature movie clichés. I must say, I had quite a few laughs watching this. I would even go as far as to compare it to the classic 1980 comedy Airplane!. Who knows? Maybe Airplane! took the idea of the exclamation mark in the title from AOTKT. If you like trash movies, you can do no wrong by watching this one. Its low budget charm only makes it more appealing; if nothing, because it looks like the movies it spoofs. Naturally, it's not the best comedy movie out there, far from it, but it will certainly do well as a one-time comedy experience.

12 Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! unknown facts.

Real Helicopter Crash.

 

The helicopter crash in the early scenes was unintentional. You clearly see the helicopter's tail rotor blades accidentally hitting the ground which caused the helicopter to spin out of control and crash, with debris and the top rotor blades narrowly missing the policemen in the scene and the crew off camera. The pilot received minor injuries. After being pulled from the wreck, Jack Riley and George Wilson quickly ad-libbed the rest of the scene as the wreck was set on fire. The crash of the $60,000 rented helicopter used up more of the budget than all other aspects of the film combined.

 

Foam Tomatoes?

 

The giant tomatoes were made out of foam.

 

Toilet Seat Headset.

 

The giant ear muffs that the giant tomato is wearing at the end was actually two big bright green toilet seat covers. 

 

Stuntman Peace.

 

J. Stephen Peace did all of his own stunts. Moreover, Peace had a wooden board on wheels placed under his stomach for the scene in which he's dragged down the street by a car. 

 

Dana's Debut.

 

Film debut of Dana Ashbrook.

 

Grunge Tomatoes.

 

The song "Puberty Love" was performed by Matt Cameron, who would later go on to be the drummer for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. 

 

Before Apple, there was iTomato!

Just chillin' with my tomatoes.

Stock Film Quality.

 

Shot on 35 mm Kodak 5247 negative stock film - very unusual for a low budget film at the time. Most low budget films were shot on positive stock film. The quality of the negative is one reason why many people thought the film cost more to make than it did. 

 

All in the Family.

 

Various relatives of the filmmakers were financial backers for the movie. Moreover, several family members of the filmmakers appear throughout the picture in small parts. 

 

Illegal Scene.

 

The scene at the public water fountain was shot without a permit.

 

We buy at Goodwill's.

 

Most of the army uniforms were purchased at Goodwill department stores.

 

Strike back!

Climax Improv.

 

The climax at the San Diego Stadium was shot in a single day. Moreover, all of the extras at the climax wore their own outrageous outfits. 

 

a Press Conference in a School?

 

The press conference scene was shot in a high school auditorium.

  
Ok peeps, here's the ending of our humble review and we say goodbye with the usual movie trailer:

The Amazing Spider-man, the 1977-1979 Live Action Series

Original promo art.

Long before our latest comic book film adaptations, television was seen as an important place to market all sorts of things (and it still does), and every superhero who's been around long enough, knows it. In the 60's & 70's (specially in the 70's) , producers & film makers went through a prolific era where they worked their asses out to deliver entertainment to the whole family. Some of the most beloved series that are now consider as cult classics, came out during those days. Nevertheless, in those days there were no Comic Cons and comic book readers were treated like children who were uninteresting material for marketers. Boy things have surely changed after 30 something years later!

Anyways, DC Comics had already established some of their comic book characters in the tele, with a mild success, I might add. They had their world finest (Superman & Batman) plus the not so popular Captain Marvel (currently known as Shazam!) So what! you may say? well, since Marvel Comics match was doing quite well inside the idiot box, it was only a matter of time before they had their own characters on the small screen. 

I'm sure out of all the different characters Marvel transferred to TV you will fondly remember The Incredible Hulk TV series, that run for five seasons from 1977 to 1982. Later, in 1978 they would try with Dr. Strange live action TV movie (Some say it was a pilot of an unproduced series) Finally in 1979, the legendary red, white and blue justice, Captain America TV movie came out, and by the end of the same year, the sequel Captain America II Death Too Soon was already on air.

however, today's entry is about the number one guy in Marvel Comics headquarters, your friendly neighbor Spider-Man!

This is how you promoted a show in the 70's.

Spider-Man gets Isis for a date!

Though short lived The Amazing Spider-Man was quite an interesting live action TV series that was commercially overshadowed by the scripts & budgets that Wonder Woman & The Incredible Hulk had.

The Amazing Spider-Man live action series had nothing to do with campy comic book adaptations. In fact,  Spider-Man could have easily outclassed other Superhero TV series, famous at that time,  such as George Reeves' Superman & Adam West's Batman. While both DC Comics serials relied heavily on humor and campy situations, the producers of Spider-Man tried to come up with a super hero show as realistic as possible.

To me, The Amazing Spider-Man was clearly an action drama, and by action I mean real stunts. During the late 1970's the stunts had to be performed by tough stunt men, not in the database of some computer software. "Spider-Man" had its own very talented stuntman to perform the death defying daredevil acrobatics. His name was Fred Waugh, who donned the spidy suit for the action sequences. Nicholas Hammond, was Spider-Man during the dialogue scenes. Hammond's Spider-Man also had his own secret identity as Peter Parker, just like Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman did.

Original Promo art made to sell the series everywhere.

The original Spider-man Suit.

It's a shame that the series run for thirteen episodes only. Because when the first episode hit the airwaves in November of 1977, the entire country was watching it on CBS that Wednesday night. In all fairness, CBS should release this pilot episode as well as "The Deadly Dust", the "Captive Tower" etc. on DVD (there was an official Laserdisc release of the first four episodes) shortly. "Spider-Man" was short lived, but did have a cult following, and in my opinion was a heck of a lot better than the recent movie interpretations of the famed comic book hero starring Toby McGuire, and way better than the soon to be released Spider-man emo fag reboot edition.

CBS might be hesitant to release these episodes for two reasons. A There might not be a broad market for them based on the lack of longevity of the series and a generation of children and young people who weren't born when the series originally aired in the 1970's. A reason I disagree with, since the not so succesful 70's Captain America movies are set to be re-released on DVD by November the 1st. Reason B One of the early "Spider-Man" episodes dealt with a terrorist with designs on the World Trade Center, which was attacked twice many years after this show went off the air, in 1993, and of course the devastating attack against this country on 9/11/01 in which the towers were destroyed and many innocent lives were lost but, I assume they could easily skip that chapter and add the rest if they think the subject of the episode is too sensitive. However, I don't think that it would be in bad taste to release this "Spider-Man" episode even if the show was adventure, derived from a comic book, and camp in nature. The live action "Amazing Spider-Man" doesn't have a large following but it has a cult following. If and when CBS releases it out on DVD this cult gem will live on and I for one plan to make myself with a copy of this timeless piece that not only had action but some awesome 70's funky soundtrack to give it the 70's style vibes we all love and miss so much.

Peter Parker.

No Kevlar, just Spandex like real heroes.

Here's the complete episode guide (courtesy of Wikipedia) for the Amazing Spider-Man 77'-79' live action series.

Season 1: 1978

Nº	Ep	Title	Directed by:	Written by:	Air date
1	1	"The Amazing Spider-Man"	E.W. Swackhamer	Alvin Boretz	September 19, 1977
University student Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider and decides to use his super powers to stop an evil New Age guru that is turning law abiding citizens into criminals through mind control. This pilot TV-movie was released theatrically overseas and saw VHS releases in the 1980s by CBS/Fox Home Video (and later, reissued on its Playhouse Video label) and in the 1990s by Rhino Home Video. A CED videodisc version (CBS/Fox) was also released. In Japan only, this was also released on VHD format and laserdisc. All versions are out of print but I'm one of the few lucky ones who has the Laser Disc episodes on Blu-Ray nonetheless!
2	2	"Deadly Dust: Part 1"	Ron Satlof	Robert Janes	April 5, 1978
Upset that their professor has brought a small amount of plutonium onto campus in order to give a class demonstration, three University students decide to steal the plutonium and build a bomb in order to illustrate the dangers of nuclear power. However, the international businessmen and arms dealer named Mr. White has his henchmen steal the plutonium so that he can detonate it in Los Angeles, California where the President will be giving a campaign speech. "The Deadly Dust" saw video release as a "movie version" in the 1980s by CBS/Fox/Playhouse, and in the late 1990s by Rhino Home Video. Also released on videotape (in Europe) and laser disc (in Japan) in its theatrical version, titled "Spider-Man Strikes Back" (1978). Take that George Lucas! Spidey stroke back before your empire did!
3	3	"Deadly Dust: Part 2"	Ron Satlof	Robert Janes	April 12, 1978
International terrorist "Mr. White" proceeds with his plan to detonate the bomb during the President's speech in Los Angeles, but during preparation a female member of the trio succumbs to acute radiation poisoning. While Spider-Man is intent on thwarting the bomb's detonation, he is also torn between helping the dying woman.
4	4	"The Curse of Rava"	Michael Caffrey	Dick Nelson, Robert Janes	April 19, 1978
Members of a religious cult, led by the telekinetic Mandak, plan to steal a Rava religious icon from a museum and in the process frame Mr. Jameson for attempted murder. "The Curse of Rava" was spliced together with "Con Caper" to form "Con Caper & The Curse of Rava" which was available on VHS and Beta from Prism Home Video (in the mid 80s) and on VHS Rhino Home Video in the late '90s. To provide a bridge between the two unconnected stories, a new scene featuring Nicholas Hammond and Chip Fields (both with noticeably different hairstyles) was filmed and edited in at the midway point. Con Caper/Rava was also released on laserdisc in the USA by Prism around 1990.
5	5	"Night of the Clones"	Fernando Lamas	John W. Bloch	April 26, 1978
A scientific convention is being held in New York City and a controversial American scientist has figured out a way to clone human beings, only to have his evil clone twin escape, and clone an evil Spider-Man. "Night of the Clones" and the episode following it, "Escort to Danger," were spliced together to make "Night of the Clones & Escort to Danger" which was available on VHS and Beta from Prism Home Video (in the mid-1980s) and on VHS from Rhino Home Video in the late 1990s. Clones/Escort was also released on laserdisc in the USA by Prism around 1990.
6	6	"Escort to Danger"	Dennis Donnelly	Duke Standefur	May 3, 1978
While visiting New York City, the daughter of a recently elected pro-democracy Latin American President is kidnapped by those seeking a return of a fascist dictatorship. "Escort to Danger", and the episode before it, "Night of the Clones" were spliced together to make "Night of the Clones & Escort to Danger" which was available on VHS from Prism Home Video (in the mid-1980s) and Rhino Home Video in the late 1990s.

This is a cool New Yorker Hero picture, don't you think?

The hand clap game yo!

Season 2: 1978–79

Nº	Ep	Title	Directed by:	Written by:	Air date
7	1	"The Captive Tower"	Cliff Bole	Gregory S. Dinallo, Bruce Kalish, Philip John Taylor	September 5, 1978
Thieves steal ten million dollars from a new high-tech security building and use its computers to trap the people inside. The plot of this episode is similar to the film Die Hard. Since there were no other hour-long episodes with which to combine it into a 2-hour movie, this episode is the most rarely seen of the series, the only reruns being on the Sci-Fi Channel in the 1990s. For the same reason, this is also the only episode that didn't get a VHS release.
8	2	"A Matter of State"	Larry Stewart	Howard Dimsdale	September 12, 1978
NATO defense plans are stolen and held for ransom by terrorists. Julie Masters accidentally gets a photograph of the ringleader of the gang and now Spider-Man has to protect Masters, while also trying to get the defense plans back. This episode has been released on VHS as "Photo Finish & A Matter of State" by Rhino Home Video, but is now out of print. This version included a new scene featuring Nicholas Hammond and Chip Fields that served to connect the two stories.
9	3	"The Con Caper"	Tom Blank	Brian McKay, Gregory S. Dinallo	November 25, 1978
An imprisoned politician is released and poses as a reformed humanitarian dedicated to prison reform in order to stage a break out of some prisoners and steal a hundred-million dollars. This episode has been released on VHS and Beta by Prism Home Video (in the mid-1980s) and on VHS Rhino Home Video (in the late 1990s) as "Con Caper & Curse of Rava." This version included a new scene featuring Nicholas Hammond and Chip Fields that served to connect the two stories. Prism also released this combined version on laserdisc in the US in 1990. All releases are out of print.
10	4	"The Kirkwood Haunting"	Don McDougall	Michael Michaelian	December 30, 1978
Peter Parker is sent to the estate (complete with its own zoo) of a wealthy widow and longtime family friend of Mr. Jameson. The widow claims that she is being visited by the ghost of her dead husband and he is telling her to donate all her money to the group of men that are acting as objective investigators of paranormal phenomenon. This episode has been released on VHS by Rhino Home Video spliced together to make "Wolfpack & The Kirkwood Haunting" but is now out of print.
11	5	"Photo Finish"	Tony Ganz	Howard Dimsdale	February 7, 1979
While doing a story on a rare coin collection, the coins are stolen in a robbery with one of the thieves wearing a wig and muffling his voice to appear to be the coin collector's bitter ex-wife. The photo that Parker has of the disguised thief will falsely frame the ex-wife and Parker is willing to go to jail in order to protect the innocent and break out of jail as Spider-Man to bring the thieves to justice. This episode has been released on VHS as "Photo Finish & A Matter of State" by Rhino Home Video. This version included a new scene featuring Nicholas Hammond and Chip Fields that served to connect the two stories. Photo Finish was previously released by itself (in its original one-hour format) on a LP-speed cassette from low-budget label Star Maker Home Video. Both versions are out of print.
12	6	"Wolfpack"	Joseph Manduke	Stephen Kandel	February 21, 1979
When a greedy Sorgenson Chemical representative learns that University students have developed a mind control gas, he uses the gas to take control of the students and even some soldiers to commit crimes. This episode has been released on VHS on Rhino Home Video as "Wolfpack & The Kirkwood Haunting", but is now out of print.
13	7	"The Chinese Web"	Don McDougall	Lionel E. Siegel	July 6, 1979
The final episode (a 2-hour special) has an old college friend of Mr. Jameson fleeing China (where he is the Minister of Industrial Development) to live with his Chinese-American daughter because the Chinese government has falsely charged him with being a spy during World War II. While Peter Parker tries to prove the man's innocence he must contend with a henchmen of a British-Hong Kong businessman who will do anything to get a new Minster of Industrial Development who will ensure that his firm gets a lucrative business contract with China. The two-part series finale has plenty of action, a new female love interest (played by Rosalind Chao), extensive footage of Hong Kong and even exposition on its history and traditional religious beliefs. This movie-length episode has been released in its full version on videotape by CBS/Fox Home Video in the early 1980s (and re-released in the mid '80s on Fox's own Playhouse Video label) and by Rhino Home Video in the late 1990s. It was also released overseas on video (and on laserdisc in Japan) in its theatrical version, titled "Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge". All releases are out of print.

Check my Spider Strenght!

Mirror, mirror.

But, how did The Amazing Spider-Man become a TV series?

The series began as a backdoor pilot in the form of a two-hour film known simply as Spider-Man which aired in September 1977. In it, university student Peter Parker gains super powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider and uses his new super powers to get a job at the Daily Bugle and stop a con man who is using mind control. In the pilot J. Jonah Jameson was played by the well known actor David White and subsequently replaced with Robert F. Simon for the weekly series.

The series was then picked up for a limited series of five episodes, which aired at the end of the season in April and May 1978. This run of episodes debuted very well, with the first obtaining a 22.8 rating with 16.6 million viewers, making it the best rated program for the week on CBS, and the eighth best rated program for the week overall. The series ended up being the 19th best rated show of the season. However, CBS was reluctant to commit to a regular time slot for the 1978/9 season as Spider-Man was expensive to produce and lagged in the lucrative adult demographic ratings. Instead, CBS took the more cautious approach of optioning the episodes on a sporadic basis and deliberately placing it on the schedule to drain the ratings of specific competing shows at key times. Former Six Million Dollar Man producer Lionel Siegel took over production duties for the second season and made deliberate changes to attempt to grow the adult audience. These included dropping the character of Captain Barbera; adding the character of Julie Masters as a love interest for Peter; creating more down-to-earth plots; and toning down Spider-Man's powers slightly to make him more accessible. The second season of seven episodes was to air sporadically through the 1978-79 TV season. The show was officially cancelled after that. Reportedly, one of the problems was that CBS was cautious about being labeled the "superhero network", as it was airing other comic book content including The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman, Captain America and Doctor Strange. Another problem was that in spite of the show's popularity, fans were highly critical of the series for the changes made to the comic book storyline and the lack of any real "supervillains" so as you can see, trolls & naysayers have been around for quite some time now, haven't they?

In addition, Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee disliked the show, and was vocal about his dissatisfaction with it; he once said in an interview that he felt the series was "too juvenile" - a controversial statement given his credit as script consultant on each episode.

The show has so far featured the only live-action appearance of Peter Parker's spider-tracer tracking devices, which are prominently featured in several episodes throughout the series.

It's kinda hot in here.

Season 3?


In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, two attempts were reportedly made to recreate an Amazing Spider-Man live-action television series. The first one would have had the original cast team-up with the cast from The Incredible Hulk television series. 

This was part of a plan to have several television movies featuring the Incredible Hulk and various Marvel Comics characters (three had already been aired, the first with Thor, the second with Daredevil, while the announced She-Hulk did not appear in the third).

Reportedly, this attempt finally fell through when Bill Bixby died of cancer in 1993. A second attempt would have been an entirely new series that never got beyond pre production stage, because the networks wanted to make Spider-Man into a mutant due to the X-Men's cartoon rising popularity.

Funky Spider-man

Another cool and sometimes forgotten aspect of the series was its amazing 70's style music. Stu Philips, Dana Kaproff & Johnnie Spence had the job of delivering a catchy soundtrack which mixed funk, disco & more classic compositions to deliver an up to date (for those days anyways) vibe. Unfortunately, like most of the series, the music was also never released officially although there were some bootleg vinyl around from which you can find some MP3 rips around.  

Want more? OK, in order to satisfy that Spider sense of my fellow connoisseur readers I'll add some behind the series trivia:


The Superhero Network.

Contrary to popular belief, "Spider-Man" was not canceled because of low ratings. In fact, the series performed well in the ratings, but TV politics were believed to have played a role in the cancellation; CBS executives apparently wanted to shed the network's image as "The Superhero Network," so they canceled the show, in addition to "Wonder Woman." (However, "The Incredible Hulk" remained at the network until 1982.) 

Realistic Spider-Man.

In an attempt to keep the show rooted in reality, they decided for better or worse have Spider-Man take on "real-life" criminals instead of the super villains from the comics.  

This is a real Stunt man Sr.

CGI is for pussies.

Spider-Man, the crossover movie!

In an interview with SFX Magazine in 2002, Nicholas Hammond said he was going to reprise the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in a TV movie that would have paired Spider-Man with The Incredible Hulk. The telefilm would have been distributed by Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures for a spring 1984 air date, with Hammond also serving as a co-writer alongside Ron Satlof and Stan Lee. Bill Bixby would reprise his role of Dr. David Bruce Banner, as well as serve as the telefilm's director, and Lou Ferrigno would reprise his role of The Incredible Hulk. Despite getting most of the crew members from both the "Spider-Man" and "Hulk" TV series involved and creating the new black "alien" costume from the comics for Hammond's Spider-Man to wear, Universal canceled the project before filming began due to budgetary reasons. 

Peter Parker is no campy character.

CBS wanted to land Nicholas Hammond to play Peter Parker after seeing him perform in an English play at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Hammond accepted the role and told them he wanted to do a realistic portrayal of the character. He did not want it to be set up as a comedy like the 60's Batman TV show.  

Don't forget the Spider Tracers!

This is the only live-action depiction of Spider-Man's spider-tracers, a small electronic tracking device that is installed in a casing that resembles a spider. 

Excelsior's refusal.

Stan Lee, Spider-Man's co-creator, disliked the show and was vocal about his dissatisfaction with it; he once said in an interview that he felt the series was "too juvenile."  

Live stunts!

Not scared of heights.

Comic book Universe Characters.

Aside from Peter/Spiderman, J Jonah Jameson is the only character from the comic book series to appear regularly on the show. Aunt May and Joe Robbie Robertson both appeared in the pilot. Aunt May also appeared in one regular episode, played by a different actress. It would appear that Rita is based on Glory Grant from the Spiderman comics, and Captain Barbera based on Captain Stacey. 

Bipolar personality.

Unlike the comics, J. Jonah Jameson's abrasive, flamboyant personality was toned down. The character was portrayed as more avuncular and actually liked Spider-Man. In the comics J. Jonah Jameson hates Spider-Man with a passion and carries out a smear campaign that, at least temporarily, turned much of the gullible in the city against the hero.  

With great powers...

In the comics, Peter Parker was a high school student who got bitten by a radioactive spider and selfishly used his powers until his lack of responsibility caused his Uncle Ben's demise. In the show, Peter is a grad student when the spider bites him and learns responsibility despite not having Uncle Ben (or Uncle Ben's untimely demise) to point him in the right direction. 

Peter Parker's colleagues.

The Spider suit.

An Episode a Week.

An entire episode had to be shot within seven days. In an effort to save time when Nicholas Hammond shot the Peter Parker scenes with the first until while the second unit was out with Freddy Waugh shooting the Spider-Man stunt scenes since 85% of the scenes featured Peter Parker and only 15% featured Spider-Man.

Whatever happened to MJ, Betty & Gwen?

The TV series jettisoned Spidey's comics girl friends Mary Jane Watson, Betty Brant and Gwen Stacy to have him romance a reporter named Julie Masters.  

Not the first time.

The series was not technically Spider-Man's first regular live-action depiction, as the character was featured in a popular segment on the PBS Children's Show The Electric Company. This would be the first time a live action Spider-Man spoke vocally, and was seen as Peter Parker. The series was the first to incorporate other live action elements from the comics as well. 

Coppers Friend.

In the comics, Spider-Man had an uneasy relationship with the police, but on the show he had a somewhat amiable friendship with gruff cop Captain Barbera.  

Spider Gadgets.

Spider-Man's web shooters and belt are on the outside of his costume in this series, unlike in the comics where they are concealed within his costume. This was later adapted to the comics when a character named Ben Riley (who was also Peter Parker's clone) used improved web shooters and kept his belt on the outside of his costume as the Scarlet-Spider. However, Riley concealed the belt during his brief stint as the new Spider-Man. 

Official Release.

During the early 80's, episodes were paired off and edited together to be sold into syndication as TV movies, some featuring added footage to bridge the gap between stories. The TV movie versions were subsequently released on home video (though never on DVD). Due to the uneven number of one hour episodes, Deadly Tower was the episode not paired with another, and the only not to be released on home video. 

All in all, The Amazing Spider-Man is certified action and guaranteed entertainment in 60 minutes. What are you waiting for? go watch it now!


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Now let's finish today's review with our video section featuring the series opening and few cool clips: