Film/Television Review: Spider-Man Strikes Back (Deadly Dust, 1978)

The author of this review in one of his earlier texts described the first encounter with the concept of supply and demand. It was the consequence of my home town’s cinemas inability to satisfy film viewing needs of local population, a problem which was made worse by well-organised ticket scalpers. In the days before home video, when the only ways to watch films was either the cinema or national television, such activity was quite lucrative. One of the first occurrence when me and my friends had to resort to ticket scalpers in order to watch a film was Spider-Man Strikes Back, 1978 superhero film directed by Ran Satlof.

From today’s perspective it is very difficult to imagine that anyone would have to pay extra money to watch such film. Spider-Man Strikes Back is not feature film per se, but theatrical release of “Deadly Dust”, two-part episode of The Amazing Spider-Man, television series in which Nicholas Hammond played the first live action incarnation of the famous Marvel superhero hero. The plot deals with Pete Parker working as photographer for The Daily Bugle newspaper in order to finance his studies at New York State University. He, like his fellow students, becomes concerned with his professor conducting potentially dangerous experiment with plutonium. Unlike Parker, three of his colleagues decide to do something about it and actually steal plutonium in order to show how dangerous storing this radioactive material might be. When their action fails to create proper response, they decide to go even further and use plutonium in order to build atomic bomb. Their actions, however, catch attention of music tycoon and arms dealer Mr. White (played by Robert Alda) whose goons steal the bomb. Parker now must locate the bomb and prevent White from using it for blackmailing purposes, while at the same time he must deal with Gale Hoffman (played by Joanna Cameron), attractive reporter of weekly magazine which has been tasked with interviewing Spider-man.

Just like the pilot episode (which was also released theatrically on international markets), this film shows serious limitations of 1970s US television in terms of budget and technology. Special effects are quite primitive and rather unconvincing, but unlike in previous film, producers didn’t resort to recycling scenes and instead relied more on unusual camera angles and stunt work, which at time has good results, like in the opening scene in which Spider-man rescues suicidal woman or near the end when Spider-man is left dangling from helicopter. Script by Robert Janes is unburdened by origin story and allows plot to develop more naturally, even having time for some political discussions between Parker and The Daily Bugle secretary Rita Conway (played by Chip Field). The actual plot deals with serious and intriguing concepts of nuclear safety and concerns of terrorism, but the connection with real world is compromised with introduction of Mr. White, portrayed as Bondian villain who likes to be surrounded by bikini-clad women while using two henchmen whose main tool of intimidation are martial arts. Spider-Man actually appears relatively little in the film, which allows more opportunity for Hammond to show rather decent acting ability as Parker, constantly forced to make excuses why he and his friend Spider-man can’t be seen together. Great asset of the film is Joanna Cameron, former model who starred in superhero show of her own called The Secret of Isis. She plays very convincing Lois Lane-like reporter and has good chemistry with Hammond. Her presence is even more memorable due to scenes near the end when she appears in bikini and when such fan service, unlike many similar examples of 1970s television, was actually given some sort of justification in the script. As a result, Spider-man Strikes Back is better than pilot episode and can provide sufficient hour and half of entertainment to less demanding audience, although it is hard to imagine that anyone other than most devout Spider-man fans would pay extra to see it now.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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