1979 American TV series or program
Captain America
|
---|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Captain_America_1979_TV_Movie.jpg/220px-Captain_America_1979_TV_Movie.jpg) DVD cover
|
Genre
| Superhero
|
---|
Based on
| |
---|
Written by
| Don Ingalls
|
---|
Directed by
| Rod Holcomb
|
---|
Starring
| Reb Brown
|
---|
Theme music composer
| |
---|
Country of origin
| United States
|
---|
Original language
| English
|
---|
|
Executive producer
| Allan Balter
|
---|
Producer
| Martin M. Goldstein
|
---|
Cinematography
| Ronald W. Browne
|
---|
Editor
| Michael S. Murphy
|
---|
Running time
| 97 minutes
|
---|
Production company
| Universal Television
|
---|
Budget
| $150,000
|
---|
|
Network
| CBS
|
---|
Release
| January 19, 1979
(
1979-01-19
)
|
---|
|
|
Captain America
is a 1979 American
made-for-television
superhero film
loosely based on the
Marvel Comics
character of the same name
, directed by
Rod Holcomb
and starring
Reb Brown
. The film was followed by the sequel
Captain America II: Death Too Soon
, also released in the same year.
[1]
Although this was not a widely seen made for television film, it influenced the comic books in a few ways, such as Steve Rogers's choice of personal vehicles and his skill as a talented and educated artist in
penciling
illustration
.
Plot
[
edit
]
Steve Rogers (
Reb Brown
) is a former
Marine
whose father is a 1940s government agent. His father's patriotic attitude earns him the nickname "Captain America". His father is later murdered.
Rogers, now making a living as an artist and traveling the countryside in a
conversion van
, is inspired by his father's story to sketch a superhero. He is critically injured from an attempt on his life that is set up to seem like an accident.
He is administered an experimental serum called the FLAG formula, an acronym for "Full Latent Ability Gain" ? a kind of "super-steroid" ? which Rogers' father had developed from his own glands. The formula not only saves his life, but enhances his strength and reflexes. These new abilities inspire Dr. Simon Mills (
Len Birman
), the research biochemist and intelligence official behind FLAG who was once a friend of Steve's father, to recruit Steve and give him a costume based on his drawing.
As Captain America, Steve's conversion van is re-configured so that it can launch a high-tech motorcycle. The bike features rocket thrust ? a jet booster for rapid acceleration ? and a stealth setting that reduces engine and road noise. In the sequel,
Captain America II: Death Too Soon
it also possesses a detachable wing resembling a hang glider that allows limited gravity-powered flight. In addition, the bike has a detachable round windscreen that becomes Rogers' shield when he goes on foot, resembling the comics' shield with the white stripes being transparent. It is bulletproof, and can be thrown as a returning weapon without having to be ricocheted off surfaces.
It soon is revealed that the villain intends to threaten to destroy a community with a
neutron bomb
. Unfortunately, when Captain America stops the truck transporting it and diverts an exhaust into the trailer to subdue any guards inside, he finds out that villain himself was inside wearing a
deadman's switch
detonator to the bomb measuring his heartbeat and is seriously affected by
carbon monoxide poisoning
. As a result, Captain America and Dr. Mills have to apply emergency first aid and are successful in keeping the villain alive so that detonator could be safely removed in custody.
In the final act of the film, Rogers decides to become the same Captain America as his father had been, donning a uniform identical to the one his father had worn: the "classic" Captain America uniform.
Cast
[
edit
]
Release
[
edit
]
The film was released theatrically in Colombia in 1981.
[2]
Reception
[
edit
]
The movie received a mixed reception from critics.
[3]
[4]
Adaptation of elements in other media
[
edit
]
The elements of the TV movies were slightly emulated in the
Captain America
comic book series.
In issue #237, Rogers establishes himself as a commercial artist.
[5]
Although his professional career has waxed and waned in its depiction, it is permanently established in later works like
The Adventures of Captain America
that Rogers was a
Fine Arts
student specializing in illustration in the 1930s, working in the
Works Progress Administration
's
Federal Arts Project
before he was recruited into Project Rebirth.
[6]
In issue #259, a young man that Captain America redeemed from associating with a criminal gang built a custom high-performance motorcycle in gratitude, which became a signature vehicle of the character for years. Apart from having considerable speed, the design is standard apart from its
American Flag
paint motif.
[7]
In issue #318, Rogers receives a specially customized conversion van courtesy of King T'Challa of
Wakanda
aka
The Black Panther
. The van has special communications equipment, an extendable
periscope
, a sleeping bunk when Rogers is travelling, a special frame so Rogers can launch from the van while riding his motorcycle, and has a special paint that can instantly change colors when Rogers desires it for stealth purposes.
[8]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Cord Scott, Robert G. Weiner (2009),
Captain America and the struggle of the superhero
, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, p. 221,
ISBN
978-0-7864-3703-0
- ^
McEniry, Matthew J.; Peaslee, Robert Moses; Weiner, Robert G. (30 March 2016).
Marvel Comics into Film: Essays on Adaptations Since the 1940s
. McFarland.
ISBN
9780786443048
. Retrieved
29 March
2017
– via Google Books.
- ^
"MARVEL IN THE 1970S: DR STRANGE AND CAPTAIN AMERICA"
.
Twitch Film
. Archived from
the original
on 2011-10-06
. Retrieved
2012-02-03
.
- ^
"ANether Regions: 07.12.11: Captain America - The 1979 TV Movies"
.
411
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-04-04
. Retrieved
2012-02-03
.
- ^
Claremont, Chris; McKenzie, R (1979). "From the Ashes...".
Captain America
.
1
(237): 6.
- ^
Nicieza, Fabian; Maguire, Kevin (September 1991).
The Adventures of Captain America
(1): 9.
- ^
Michelini, David (1986). "Rite of Passage".
Captain America
.
1
(259).
- ^
Guenwald, Mark (1986). "Justice is Served".
Captain America
.
1
(318).
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
TV series
| Ended
| |
---|
Current
| |
---|
Upcoming
| |
---|
Unaired pilots
| |
---|
|
---|
TV films and
specials
| |
---|
See also
| |
---|