Customer Reviews

The Amazing Spider Man [VHS] (1977)

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

After days of searching the web, I was finally able to locate a video of the original spiderman video. Viewing it with my children was a blast and I was mentally transported back to those awesome after school memories of watching spidey battle the ever-losing gang of thugs from the 70s. My kids watched this spiderman video with more attention than I did when I was 8-9 years old. It occured to me that their animation expertise far exceeds my own. I want more original Spiderman videos made available. If anyone knows where they can be purchased, please e-mail me with that information.

Yes, we never see just how Peter puts together such a proffesionally crafted costume. Yes, the plot is light years away from the comic book origin (you can find that radioactive spider, but sorry, no dead Uncle Ben), and yes, most of the effects, with the exception of one building to building swing, are more unintentionally hilarious than Cindy Crawford's movie career. One the other hand, come on! This Spidey was a blast, disco boots and all. It was the seventies, waaaay before CGI, and they did the best they could with a low budget. I mean, did any of us really care that they were recycling shots when we were young and originally watching it? last, let's not forget how good Nicholas Hammond was. Not only was the guy a tremendous actor, he looked like the Jon Romita jr. comic version brought to life. There are faults here to be sure, but why destroy some great memories? Highly reccomended for children and those of us who want to remember.

What can be said about this video that others haven't already said? No Uncle Ben being shot, no guilt from Peter, no angst, no insecurites, no Mary Jane Watson, Betty Brant, or Gwen Stacy, no high-school bullies like Flash Thompson, no Green Goblin, Scorpion, Lizard, Kingpin, or Vulture! The costume looks like pajamas & this rendition of Spidey is pretty much a straight cops & robbers adventure with a guy who crawls on walls & a madman bent on mind control. To top it off, J. Jonah Jameson isn't the hypocritical, self-serving skin-flint he's supposed to be.

So why watch it? Well, if you were a 7 year-old kid when these Marvel Made-For-TV CBS Specials were released back in 1977, then that's a good enough reason to buy it! I still enjoy this video! The martial-arts fight scenes are fun to watch (he takes on three big Asian guys armed with bamboo swords!), Nicholas Hammond is likeable as Peter Parker, & the '70's theme-song for the Spider-Man Specials (which wasn't used in this pilot, but would be used in the later episodes) is really catchy! They even have Aunt May in this tv pilot!

If you're a young teen to twenty-something fan of Spider-Man, raised on computer-graphics, & expecting an accurate rendition of the comic-book character, then this isn't for you! (The current Sam Raimi directed/Tobey Maguire starring blockbuster, admittedly, is thousands of times ahead of this dated tv show.) But, if you're like me (and my age), then this is a fun, light, & enjoyable look back at the way they used to do action shows back in the '70's. And how about those '70's fashions, huh?!

The movie starts out kind of lame, then gets lamer by the second. I am a huge spiderman fan, but this movie is one of the lamest spiderman related movies ever created. I can excuse the awefull haircuts because this was made in the 70s, but if you want to see a good movie, steer clear of this piece of crud. The sequel though, is awesome, Spider-Man and the Deadly Dust.

I loved this film! I know that the special effects have a poor quality in some scenes but this is a 70's film!!! I think it's so cool to see my favorite hero climbing and really moving around that i just can't worry about the effects!

We ordered this productSpider-Man: Amazing Spider-Man [VHS] through Bearbooks. We received this itemThe Amazing Spider-Man: The Origin of Spider-Man & The Kilowatt Kaper [VHS]. Big difference. The covers aren't even close to the same.

This scared me,some as a child.I wonder if it's on DVD? Nicholas Hammond is a hunk! There were no Villians of the Spider-Man cartoons,no M.J,White cat,just people I never heard of. He was the kid who was Fredrich on The Sound Of Music.

I remember watching this when I was at school and loving it, mind you watching now I am reminded how 70's it looks. I was a huge fan of the comics and although Aunt May is in it as is the daily Bugle this tv movie was world's away from the comics. Having said that Nicholas Hammond plays a very nervous Peter Parker and is great in the role, the martial arts sequences are extremely entertaining. This is lots of fun.

I still love this movie.OK the effects are crude, the plots is not very exciting,Peter is too old but it is still great.The one thing I didnt like and still dont is the reasons for Peter creating a costume,becoming a superhero etc,all because he needs to raise$46'come on the spandex would have cost more than that!Still its concept and realism excels SUPERMAN THE MOVIE(No hammy villains),and it cost a LOT less to make!

What can be said.... Great Costume and the Special Effects are just Crud but put that together with a great 70's Soundtrack and you've got a cool film (I hated it when they gave him a pair of boots and a white utility belt later in the series though) brings back many a happy memory as a child