With Spider-Man due to return to our screens in Homecoming, now felt like as good a time as any to take a look back at the very first live action spider-man: Nicholas Hammond.
The Amazing Spider-Man is the first of three 'movies' which were adapted from the 1977 live action TV show. It came out roughly around the same time as the Incredible Hulk TV series. But while the exploits of David Banner have been repeated, the Spider-Man TV show has rarely been broadcast in the UK at leasts. Most people know about this show through the VHS releases in the 80s and 90s.
Adaptions always make changes, sometimes for necessity and other times because of the whims of creators. The origin story for this Spider-Man is somewhat different. Peter is already a college student when he gets bitten by a radioactive spider. There's no high school setting and no Uncle Ben. Peter decides to become Spider-Man because he can, and because he can make money selling photos of himself as Spider-Man to the Daily Bugle. Only J Jonah Jameson and Robbie are somewhat reminiscent of the originals. May Parker is in this, but with no Uncle Ben her plight is diminished.
Trying to make Spider-Man look convincing on a 1970s TV budget, does prove to be a struggle. Spider-Man climbing up and down the wall was achieved as well as possible, but is obviously using back projection. Webbing is basically just a rope and Spider-Man can't really web swing around the city. In fairness the production team do try to make the effort.
The plot revolves around a self-help guru, who is brainwashes his patients. At one point these people are brainwashed to jump off the Empire State Building, a very similar scene to one in the Doctor Who story, The Christmas Invasion. Ultimately Spider-Man saves the day. It''s a pity that Spider-Man could not have been given better enemy to fight. None of the live action series had any supervillains but they could at least have used someone like the Kingpin or Silvermane.
Nicholas Hammond is pretty good as Peter Parker. He has the kind of awkwardness that is needed for the role. It was also nice to see that his image was recycled for the 1994 animated series. The rest of the cast are decent in their roles.
7/10
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