THE INCREDIBLE HULK: Music From The Television PILOT Movies contains original music composed for the two television pilot films, “The Incredible Hulk” and “A Death In The Family”, which helped launch the surprisingly popular television show that ran for five seasons on CBS, from 1978 to 1982 and returning again in the late 1980’s, in three more television films. Taking a page from Victor Hugo’s LES MISERABLES, the show chronicled the journey of scientist David Bruce Banner, wrongly accused of the murder of an associate in a lab explosion and doggedly pursued across the country by tabloid journalist Jack McGee and law enforcement, as he struggled to find some way to both prove his innocence and cure himself of the radiation-inspired accident that forced him to turn into the Hulk when provoked. Accompanying Banner on his travels was the music of veteran composer Joe Harnell, in particular, his Lonely Man theme, performed on solo piano, which would play out at the end of each episode as Banner, once again misunderstood and pushed aside by society despite his compassionate efforts to help his fellow Man, must take to the road and move on to the next town. Much of Joe’s music for the show had echoes of the Lonely Man theme in it, including a compelling and lyrical love theme and a well-remembered brassy horn motif that would inevitably culminate with the transformation of Banner into the Hulk. Few television shows are so strongly identified with a single theme and even now, decades later, the Lonely Man theme is fondly remembered by fans of the show, inextricably linked to the characters of Banner and the Hulk, to the extent that fans were upset that it did not make an appearance in the first HULK feature film. However, the Lonely Man theme is expected to be incorporated in the forthcoming 2008 HULK film from Marvel Studios, which is a sign of good things to come.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK: Music From The Television PILOT Movies features music composed and conducted by Joe Harnell, continuing his successful creative collaboration with Writer/Director/Producer Kenneth Johnson, a relationship that includes fondly remembered television projects such as THE BIONIC WOMAN, HOT PURSUIT, CLIFFHANGERS, V – The Original Mini-Series and ALIEN NATION. Joe Harnell has been nominated for an Emmy Award on three occasions for Best Dramatic Score. During his career, Harnell composed over 400 hours of original music for motion pictures and television. His scores for THE BIONIC WOMAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK heavily influenced the scoring of all Universal television programs in the late 1970’s. His scores used a traditional orchestral approach (influenced by his Jazz roots) using a 32 piece orchestra. He frequently conducted scores from the piano during recording sessions and he performed all the piano and keyboard solos in all of his scores.

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the first pilot film, joeharnell.com presents the original television soundtrack recording to THE INCREDIBLE HULK: Music From The Television PILOT Movies in loving memory of the great Joe Harnell. THE INCREDIBLE HULK: Music From The Television PILOT Movies is an Exclusive joeharnell.com release, limited to 1500 units, professionally mastered by Digital Outland, factory manufactured and includes liner notes by Randall Larson.

 

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