The Geek Beat: Elisabeth and Scott Discuss 'The Incredible Hulk'

Elisabeth: It IS unique. I think his "selfish" motivation (if you can call it that) is pretty appealing, a change of pace from the guys who are determined to be hero. Did you read the comics, or were you exposed to him through the show? Because a lot of people I know seem to think he was only a TV show, not a comic character.

Scott: Well a lot of people must be dumb. I was a fan of the comic before and during the TV show, which I never missed.

Elisabeth: Do you remember any of your favorite storylines? Is there something from his mythology you're dying to see onscreen?

Scott: Not really, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast today, and I don't read old comic books, although I should seek out an old-school Hulk omnibus.

Elisabeth: You should. It's kind of depressing though, the old stories are dorky, but they give you more bang for your buck.

Scott: I know Rhino battled Hulk and Spidey. I wouldn't mind seeing that nutjob in a movie.

Elisabeth: I think if Hulk ever gets a solo sequel, they should just go nutjob insane.

Scott: Some say they have.

Elisabeth: Well, of the two movies, I think Ang Lee's was actually the crazier one. And it is strange even saying that.

Scott: Less conventional, absolutely.

Elisabeth: It was the emotion that got me. Everyone was either in hysterics (in the Victorian sense) or suicidal. Watching Incredible, it was a relief. It was kind of relaxing just to have a few tears, and some anger. I thought the first 20 minutes, just the credit sequence, was so much better than the whole of Ang Lee's.

Scott: You think a credit sequence is better than the whole of Ang Lee's film? Ouch.

Elisabeth: Yeah, that'll get me flamed.

Scott: Hey who cares. If that's what you think, so be it. I think you're loopy for saying it, but oh well.

Elisabeth: It was just so much tighter, and truer to the character.

Scott: The credit sequence?

Elisabeth: The origin. That's what I mean, the origin story going on behind the sequence. :P

Scott: Ah yes. Well, that montage was put together from an intended sequence. I think they did a fine job by truncating it.

Elisabeth: It was funny, I was knitting and realized it wasn't just credits. I had to stop and pay attention.

Scott: Oh yeah, it definitely pays to look at the TV when a DVD is on.

Elisabeth: Hey, I knit and watch at the same time! But credit sequences are when I gather my pieces and go get caffeine.

Scott: Do you knit and write at the same time? No. Then you should just watch the movie.

Elisabeth: Well, writing requires my hands. Knitting doesn't require my eyes, I just do it by feel. It's like using the Force.

Scott: Curse you. We're digressing stupidly.

Elisabeth: I know. ANYWAY ... I'm exaggerating, I didn't really think just that montage was better than all of Ang Lee's Hulk.

Scott: I know. But it's that sort of off-hand hyperbole that runs rampant around Lee's film, which is full of good stuff, but perhaps too many conflicting ingredients. For example, I love the comic book frame transitions, but those belong in a lighter film.

Elisabeth: I do too! But, I do think Incredible Hulk was superior in most ways. I was surprised. I had low expectations and walked away thinking it was pretty darn good.

Scott: This is a pretty dark movie.

Elisabeth: Yes, and I honestly thought of the two, Incredible was smarter. Maybe I've been spoiled by The Dark Knight and Iron Man now -- but for being "intellectual," I think Lee's comes off as a lot more flippant than he was hoping.

Scott: I don't see flippancy in that film. Or any film in history, for that matter

Elisabeth: Come on, Hulk jumping around and into outer space? That's just being goofy. It's fun.

Scott: When does he jump into outer space?

Elisabeth: He bounces into the atmosphere when he's running around in the desert. That really long jump sequence.

Scott: He's not in space though. This ain't Jason X.

Elisabeth: It's that kind of stuff I found flippant -- and not in a bad sense of the word. I should have said whimsical.

Scott: I know from the books, I think, but do they ever SAY why bullets cant hurt him? Even if his muscles are that strong, he's still organic.

Elisabeth: His skin is really thick. It's something about the radiation, I guess, but nothing can penetrate his skin. Not even atomic bombs, or Wolverine's claws.

Scott: Or your mom's meatloaf.

Elisabeth: Hahahahaha. My mom's meatloaf is freakishly buttery so I would argue it would, because Hulk would stop for how delicious it is.

Scott: Hulk Diet.

Elisabeth: Gamma goodness. Ok, which of the two movies did you like better, or do you like them both, equally, for different reasons? I bet it's the latter.

Scott: No I prefer the second film a bit. It's looser and more fun. But the first one has some solid FX, a few very cool ideas, some decent action, and uhhhh Jennifer effin Connelly. I find it strange that Betty Ross has now been played by both of my big actress crush-girls.

Elisabeth: Betty Ross has really ended up being the prettiest of Marvel ladies...

Scott: Liv Tyler is so pretty it makes me want to smack a wall and howl like a wolf in a '30s cartoon

Elisabeth: She was my favorite Betty Ross. I love her. And I liked that she got Banner so hot and bothered -- that was sexy, and a fun scene. Poor Hulk can't get excited.

Scott: Yeah, no wonder he wants a cure.

Elisabeth: I know -- I don't remember that ever coming up in the comics, but if it didn't, it should have. Joe Fixit Hulk was super popular with ladies, though.

Scott: So like, what would happen if Hulk punched Superman right in the face?

Elisabeth: Good question. I think Superman would go flying, but he would be unharmed.

Scott: But Hulk is green, so he could cover himself with kryptonite.

Elisabeth: Think how big the pockets are on the pants. He could just put a huge chunk in his pocket and walk up to Superman.

Scott: Screw Superman. What a boring character he is. Can do anything and can never been hurt.
Zzzzzz.

Elisabeth: Some would say that of Hulk.

Scott: Well no. If Superman suddenly morphed into Clark Kent when he was bored, that's interesting.

Elisabeth: I don't disagree.

Scott: Does that mean you do agree, senator?

Elisabeth: My friends...let me put it to you this way. Honestly -- I think Hulk is more interesting than Superman, but that's because I like him as a secondary character. Like, when he pops up with Wolverine, or he makes trouble for the Avengers. Or he can star as a gladiator in his own series. He's flexible.

Scott: Unfortunately I think Hulk is too expensive a character to create to be a real side-character

Elisabeth: I was going to ask, do you think he's the kind of character to have a whole trilogy of stand alone films?

Scott: Well, he warranted two in 6 years. That says something.

Elisabeth: But they were both origin stories.

Scott: I wouldn't expect to see Hulk again for a while. But hopefully he'll be avenging.

Elisabeth: I'm glad they can cross him with Iron Man and Avengers. I wish they could bring Wolverine in -- you don't know how I geeked out seeing him in Canada at the end. I loved those little nods to Hulk's mythology. In fact, I thought the crossover stuff was handled really smoothly...I expected that to be so much clunkier. That was the one part my mom came in to watch -- Tony Stark! You should have heard her arguing about crossover potential.

Scott: Well, it is a bit clunky. In Hulk, it's the final scene. In Iron Man, it's after the credits, like they're hedging their bets.

Elisabeth: But they mentioned Stark Industries at the beginning, so I thought it felt like it was full circle, and worked within the plot.

Scott: True. And Iron Man did the SHIELD thing a few times, pretty cleverly.

Elisabeth: I didn't think it was as much of a nudge-nudge wink wink. I expected it to feel like they were whacking me over the head with an Avengers collection. And the little mentions here and there, the Nick Fury correspondence. I thought it felt like a nice little puzzle. If you saw both movies or were familiar with the comics, it was a treat. If not, it didn't bother you. Now, do you want to see Hulk as a bad guy? Because I do.

Scott: No, I don't. Because Banner is a good man, that's what makes Hulk a superhero.

Elisabeth: I never think of Hulk as heroic though, just tragic. He spends too much time fighting himself to fight a lot of bad guys. The show made him heroic which was cool -- I think that's the way you have to use him.

Scott: Banner jumps out of the helicopter to stop Abomination. Not Hulk.

Elisabeth: But ...they are talking about making Hulk the villain of Avengers. I don't want to see him be a bad guy, but that glance he gave the camera? What if the "cure" introduced something more unpredictable into his system? I could see that making a compelling movie, actually -- do you kill him, if you can, or do you try to save him?

At this point, Weinberg's super Cinematical serum kicked in, and he went rampaging across Philly before we got to discuss producer Gale Ann Hurd's sequel talk. Hurd (who loves Hulk as much as Weinberg) is dying to make an Incredible Hulk too -- and revealed Tim Blake Nelson was mutating into The Leader, her pick for the next villain. "When I think of all the many, many, many villains in the Hulk universe, we've now done the Abomination, so wouldn't it be great to tackle the Leader? It's a completely different type of cerebral villain, which would give the movie a terrific new take on the character."

The floor is yours, readers. Feel free to disagree the Ang Lee hyperbole, our mutual love of Lee's comic book panels, run with this Leader idea, or throw in your two cents on Hulk vs Superman. Let's have some fun this week!