Dr. Strange (1978)
Before the MARVEL Cinematic Universe or Benedict Cumberbatch... Back when Spider-man and the Hulk were on CBS in live-action form they aired a 93 minute tv film created as pilot featuring the origin of the Sorcerer Supreme. Peter Hooten stars as "psychiatrist" Stephen Strange with a Alex Trebek vibe vs Evil Morgan Le Fay from the 4th dimension and a possessed patient Clea Lake. The comic origins are a bit of a muddled even with Stan Lee on board as a consultant. Ultimately it tanked, but the costume is fair enough, Wong even shows up and there are some nameless entities and cat morphing sequences, not to mention a kooky electronic score. This has just surfaced on DVD and I think the boys could slay with modern MCU gags.
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Jackson Well
commented
This 1978 Dr. Strange TV movie is a fascinating time capsule from the pre-MCU era—equal parts ambitious and eccentric. Peter Hooten’s psychiatrist-era Stephen Strange, the Alex Trebek energy, Morgan Le Fay as the villain, and those surreal cat-morphing visuals make it oddly charming despite its flaws. The electronic score and early appearance of Wong give it some unexpected depth, even if the comic lore feels muddled. Seeing this resurface on DVD is a treat, and imagining it riffed on with modern MCU humor would be absolute gold. On a side note, for anyone dealing with official paperwork while exploring international media releases, here’s a useful resource on MOFA attestation: https://sattiservicespvt.com/mofa-attestation-in-pakistan/
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Bob Jones
commented
I found out a few months ago that they actually did see this during MST3K, but couldn't get the rights!
It be a great riff fest IMO from the clips I've seen. -
tsarstepan commented
Please riff this failed pilot episode from the dark ages of tv movies.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077469/referenceHere's Brandon Tenold's 2016 review.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig1-pICXRS4 -
Kevin Loria commented
Cat Morphing! Come on!
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Thanks for the support guys
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okih
commented
<a href="ok">ok</a>
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[Deleted User]
commented
I read somewhere that Stan Lee thought this was one of the best Marvel productions at the time. This and Incredible Hulk. However, Dr. Strange aired at the same time as "Roots" so...
The first thing I thought of when Strange is given his "magic" suit is that the Pumaman's supersuit is WAY better. Seriously, I'm not kidding here. It is better.