Dr. Strange (1978 film)
- Peter Hooten: Dr. Stephen Strange
- Clyde Kusatsu: Wong
- Jessica Walter: Morgan Le Fay
- Anne -Marie Martin: Clea Lake
- Philip Sterling: Dr. Frank Taylor
- John Mills: Thomas Lindmer
- June Barrett: Sarah
- Larry Anderson: Magician
- Lady Rowlands: Mrs. Sullivan
Dr. Strange is an American television movie from 1978., The comic book adaptation based on the eponymous Marvel character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Action
After he had once suffered a bitter defeat on the earth against the greatest sorcerer over 500 years ago and was banished to the astral plane, the dark master sees his chance is to finally defeat the sorcerer. He has to kill before he can transfer his powers to a chosen three days around the old magician. To this end he sends his servant Morgan Le Fay in New York City that makes the magician who lives under the name of Thomas Lindmer, locate. The 700 year-old man also knows that his time has come and sends his disciples Wong going to find the elect Dr. Stephen Strange. He studied at Morgan LeFay and is thereby attacked by the hypnotized Clea Lake from behind and thrown a bridge down. As Clea awakened from the hypnosis caused by LeFay, she is haunted by guilt that plagues them later in their dreams. She flees from her home, to be followed in the delusion of LeFay, suffers an accident on the road and is rushed to the hospital for treatment of Dr. Strange. Since he previously shared the same dream with her, he protects them from to have to take medication to fall asleep again. From Lindmer he receives later visit and learns that between them there would be a special deep relationship, so he could see Clea's dream. To learn more, he invites him to his house.
And after Clea fell through the medicines of Dr. Taylor into a coma, Strange Lindmer investigated. The tells him that he must make a decision soon. Either he pays a high price in order to understand and accept his fate, or can he lead a normal life in utter naivety. As a magician he could have rescued Clea, which is why Dr. Strange agrees to have put themselves on the astral plane. There he rescues Clea and escapes the demon Bezerooth, which was sent by LeFay to stop him. Back in New York, Clea thanked Dr. Strange and both get closer. Since LeFay thus failed to stop Dr. Strange and her face a cruel punishment, she travels to New York and also can sneak into the estate of Lindmer. After she was discovered by Wong, it turns out these and defeated in a magic duel Lindmer and kidnapped him in the astral plane. She will then travel to Dr. Strange and also seduces him on the astral plane. She offers everything from wealth to power on, if he would only take his magic ring. Because Dr. Strange but refuses, she shows him their prisoner Lindmer, and it also comes to fight. For the first time Dr. Strange here uses his powers, defeated LeFay, saves Lindmer and escapes successfully Lindmers estate. There, he is informed of Lindmer that it was all a trick. He was never in real danger and has to leave only capture so Dr. Strange realizes his destiny as a wizard that accepts and saves him. Since Dr. Strange has now understood what it is, he accepts his fate, bends the leadership of the light and gives the transformation towards where all the forces of Lindmer be transferred to him.
Some time later, Dr. Strange goes back to his normal life, and meets regularly with Clea. About the news he learns that Morgan LaFey is building a cult, in which she promises to all people succeed in life, as long as they attend their seminars.
Background
After the television series The Incredible Hulk at March 10, 1978 was already running a Marveladaption on CBS, Dr. Strange was to be the pilot of another television series. But because the film probably "Five days in the shooting schedule and perhaps 50-100000 U.S. dollars over budget " and he was "better ratings would have had if he was not in competition with Roots" would have run, the series was never produced. In Germany the film was released in March 1986 directly to VHS.
Criticism
The lexicon of the International film said: " Dramatically and tricky technical level loose fantasy film, intended as a pilot of a TV series. "