Hulk: “The First: Part 1”: I’d never realized before how much this one is a tribute to Universal’s Frankenstein and horror films in general. Doctor Clive and Dell Frye are named after Colin Clive and Dwight Frye, who played Henry Frankenstein and his assistant in Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein. The town, Vissaria, is named after the setting of Ghost of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (also used as a setting in House of Frankenstein, though retconned to no longer be the location of the previous two films). Clive’s equipment is meant to have a vaguely Frankenstein-movie look to it. Elizabeth Collins, of course, is a nod to the Dark Shadows horror soap opera, and IMDb says that the opening scene is a Rocky Horror Picture Show homage.
For one of the series’s biggest stories, “The First” is pretty slow getting started, due to the padded pacing of a 2-parter. But the reaction of the frightened, suspicious townsfolk is kind of evocative of the later Frankenstein movies, although it’s pretty annoying otherwise. David’s basically like Talbot in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man here -- one monster stepping into another monster’s sequel. Although we don’t get to see the monster until the end of the first part. This both is and isn’t a format-breaker, since we get the obligatory two metamorphoses, but only one of them is David’s. Maybe that’s why David’s Hulk-out is extended, to give Ferrigno more screen time. He does go a surprisingly long time before changing back.
Frye’s transformation is significant in another way: It’s the first time David has actually seen a metamorphosis happen. Okay, the pilot did indicate that he was partially aware of seeing his reflection in the water as he changed back after his first-ever metamorphosis. But this is the first time he’s seen the whole process.
By the way, when David got off the bus at the start, I recognized the up-thrusting tree branch in the foreground from the last time we saw him get off a bus -- I think it was in “Homecoming.” Either they used the same backlot location as the bus stop, or it’s an actual reuse of the same footage, I’m not sure which.
For one of the series’s biggest stories, “The First” is pretty slow getting started, due to the padded pacing of a 2-parter. But the reaction of the frightened, suspicious townsfolk is kind of evocative of the later Frankenstein movies, although it’s pretty annoying otherwise. David’s basically like Talbot in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man here -- one monster stepping into another monster’s sequel. Although we don’t get to see the monster until the end of the first part. This both is and isn’t a format-breaker, since we get the obligatory two metamorphoses, but only one of them is David’s. Maybe that’s why David’s Hulk-out is extended, to give Ferrigno more screen time. He does go a surprisingly long time before changing back.
Frye’s transformation is significant in another way: It’s the first time David has actually seen a metamorphosis happen. Okay, the pilot did indicate that he was partially aware of seeing his reflection in the water as he changed back after his first-ever metamorphosis. But this is the first time he’s seen the whole process.
By the way, when David got off the bus at the start, I recognized the up-thrusting tree branch in the foreground from the last time we saw him get off a bus -- I think it was in “Homecoming.” Either they used the same backlot location as the bus stop, or it’s an actual reuse of the same footage, I’m not sure which.
I actually find "I Can't Stand It" kind of catchy.
)
