Forgotten Flix: Spider-Man (1977)

Before we go into the Spider-Verse, let's see how it all really began!  People think of the first Spider-Man Film as being Sam Raimi's.  Wrong!  Spider-Man had a few Films before this, even though it is only in the technical sense.  A couple were released only in Europe- and featured in sadly-lost Project Terrible Reviews- and were just 2-Part Episodes of the Show.  Before that, however, the Pilot was *also* made Feature-Length and released in Theaters.  So before we look at the latest Spider-Man Film, here is the first...

A Doctor and a Lawyer suddenly stop work and go rob a Bank.  What could make them do this?

Elsewhere, Peter Parker is trying to get $46 for some Photos.  Ha ha ha- inflation.

A mysterious man called The Extortiontist- sadly he's not an extraordinary contortionist- demands $50 million or he'll make 10 people kill themselves in one week's time.

After being bitten by the spider, Peter is chased down an alley by a mind-controlled man.  His natural instinct when cornered- run up the wall.

I'm glad it worked this time, but the other 99 times you did it, you just broke your nose!

When Peter realizes that he has powers, he makes this face.  I just wanted to immortalize that.

It all comes down to a mysterious man putting pins on people that allow him to control them from miles away via microwave transmissions from a computer with coded messages.

I feel like I both know enough Science to question this, but also too little Science to explain why.

After accidentally getting caught using his powers, Peter makes up a story about the so-called Spider-Man wearing an outfit...and makes it off-screen.  The Origin Story is complete when he makes web shooters.

He eventually makes the connection between this Self-Help Guru and the events.  When he goes inside, he's attacked by...3 guys with Kendo Sticks.  Spider-Man's first villains, folks!

As a bonus, his swing away to a nearby building bit is REUSED later in the Film, just with his web line being burned at the end.  Gotta pinch those pennies!

Peter himself is targeted, but get saved by dumb luck (the pin is knocked off).  Spider-Man destroys the transmitter, which somehow makes the machine backfire and zombifies the bad guy.

He saves the day and a Hero is born.  Watch him on CBS (4 Decades ago).   The End.

It's not always easy being the first person/people to do something.  The original Spider-Man Film- which was also the Pilot for the Show- has many issues.  Right off the bat, the Budget is clearly an issue.  The climbing effects are good, but the web ones are done haphazardly and one shot of Spider-Man jumping a two-foot gap is done with Editing.  I do like the suit.  Granted- they change/update nothing here.  That said, I still like it.  The biggest problem is the lack of stakes and drama.  Our Villain isn't Doctor Octopus, The Vulture, Sandman or even The Kingpin.  Explain to me why Kingpin couldn't be the criminal funding the whole thing.  Would that have really been too much?  I guess Hulk had the Character on lockdown...or something.  Instead of anyone interesting, it is just this old white guy who mind-controls people with chips and microwaves.  His henchmen are just 3 guys with TRAINING WEAPONS, but they somehow pose a threat to a guy who claims at one point to be '1,000x stronger than a normal man.'  That's always kind of an issue with him though, to be fair.  If you can get past the awkward seams holding this together, it is a decent origin Story and you get some neat visuals.  Just don't confuse it with a Raimi Film or anything.  It was ahead of the curve by adding a Post-Credits Scene- a Teaser for the Show (with only Clips you already saw).

Next time, more random stuff to close out 2018.  Will anything be bad or good enough to make a List?  Stay tuned...