| N O T E S |
|
Based on the well known Marvel comics series, ''The Hulk'' has been a long time coming to the big screen. For more than a decade, it was attached to producer Gale Anne Hurd, who has been behind some of the top science fiction and action movies of all time, including The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, and Armageddon. Things finally got moving when director Ang Lee (''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'') signed on. But the long delay may be a benefit, since the green giant will now be entirely CGI, thanks to recent technological advances being used by Industrial Light & Magic, which is handling the special effects.
In the film, Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is a brilliant scientist who suffers from being abused by his alcoholic father. While working on a military gamma project under the direction of tough-as-nails General Thunderbolt Ross, he develops an affection for colleague Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly). But then a catastrophic experiment occurs, transforming Banner into a giant, green creature because of his inner demons. But Betty's love for the mutated monster prevails, leading to a stunning and unexpected conclusion. Nick Nolte plays Bruce's dangerous father, while Sam Elliott portrays Betty's father, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.
Unlike in the comic book series, where Hulk always wore a pair of purple pants that magically accommodated his immense girth, Ang made the creative choice to have him naked. Comments Universal exec Mary Parent, ''He's posed in a way that's not revealing. Obviously, we're not having frontal Hulk nudity.'' Lou Ferrigno, who played Hulk for 13 years in the 1970s series and telepics, grabbed a cameo as a security guard. When asked if the ex-Mr. Universe, now 49, could still play the role, Ferrigno growled, ''Definitely! I'm 285 pounds, in the best shape of my life -- benching over 400.''
As is known to any avid comic book reader, Stan Lee created or co-created many of the greatest comic book heroes of all time, including the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, X-Men, Iron Man, and many others. Lee began his career at age sixteen when he joined what became Marvel comics. Except for a brief stint serving in the Army during World War II, Lee dedicated himself to the comic book industry, creating an enormous body of work, often producing two to five comic books per week. In recent years, Lee has focused on bringing his characters to other mediums, first TV and now to the big screen. Expect to see many more of Lee's characters make their feature film debut in the upcoming years.
|
|
![[Star Seeker Logo]](http://www.starseeker.com/logo.gif){kind=logo}
![[Go to http://www.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?AID=61996]](hulk.jpg)