Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge

Last updated

Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge
Poster of Spider-Man- The Dragon's Challenge.jpeg
British theatrical release poster
Directed by Don McDougall
Written byLionel E. Siegel
Based on
Spider-Man
by
Produced byLionel E. Siegel
Starring Nicholas Hammond
Rosalind Chao
Robert F. Simon
Benson Fong
Ellen Bry
CinematographyVincent A. Martinelli
Edited byErwin Dumbrille
Fred Roth
Music byDana Kaproff
Production
company
Danchuck Productions
Distributed by Columbia Pictures Television (United States)
Columbia Pictures (International)
Release dates
  • February 3, 1981 (1981-02-03)(Europe)
  • May 9, 1981 (1981-05-09)(worldwide)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge is a 1981 American superhero film that had a theatrical release abroad, a composite of the 1979 two-parter episode "The Chinese Web" of the contemporary television series The Amazing Spider-Man , released on 9 May 1981. It was directed by Don McDougall, written by Lionel E. Siegel and stars Nicholas Hammond as the titular character, Rosalind Chao, Robert F. Simon, Benson Fong, and Ellen Bry. It is the sequel to Spider-Man (1977) and Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978).

Contents

It was the final Spider-Man film that was released theatrically outside of North America, until Columbia Pictures acquired the rights in 1999 from its license, due to licensing and financial issues with Cannon Films, Carolco Pictures and New Cannon, and finally released Spider-Man in 2002.

Plot

Min Lo Chan, the Chinese Minister of Industrial Development, who happens to be an old college friend of J. Jonah Jameson, flees China and comes to the United States to locate three men who during the war approached him and offered him money for secrets about Mao Zedong, which he refused at the time. He stays with his niece Emily Chan, who lives in New York City. However, it appears the incident is now being investigated and he needs to find one of them quickly in order to verify his innocence. He asks Mr. Jameson to help him find them, but he wants it done quietly because it seems that there are elements who want him convicted, so Jameson asks Peter Parker to find the three ex-Marines on his behalf, but also to talk to them discreetly. Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, Zeider who is a wealthy industrialist, is among the ones being considered to build a power plant for the Chinese Government worth one billion dollars. However, he knows that Min Lo Chan is considering another company but if he's convicted his successor will award the contract to him. As a result, he sends Clyde Evans to make sure he doesn't return to China alive.

As Spider-Man, Peter saves Min's life several times. However, in one of the murder attempts Min suffers a minor heart attack and has to remain under medical observation. To trick Evans, the Daily Bugle publishes the news stating that Min has died in hospital.

Peter manages to contact the last of the Marines needed to clear Min's name, Professor Dent, who agrees to help as he also wants to clear his name. Along with Peter and Min's niece Emily, Dent flies to Hong Kong to testify, but Zeider has him kidnapped to ensure his silence. During an incident while chasing the kidnappers, Emily discovers that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Finally, with Emily's help, Spider-Man traces Dent in Zeider's secret office at the top of a building. After defeating all of the henchmen, he captures Zeider and frees Dent. Peter Parker proceeds to return to the United States as Emily decides to stay in China and promises Peter not to reveal his secret identity.

Cast

Release

The film was theatrically released in European territories on 3 February 1981 and in Australia where it screened at the Pix theatre among others, distributed by Hoyts. [1] [2] It received a VHS release in 1982. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Jonah Jameson</span> Marvel Comics character

John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #1.

<i>Spider-Man 2</i> 2004 superhero film directed by Sam Raimi

Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Sam Raimi and written by Alvin Sargent from a story conceived by Michael Chabon and the writing team of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the film was produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel Enterprises and Laura Ziskin Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It is the second installment in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and the sequel to Spider-Man (2002). The film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, alongside Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, and Donna Murphy. Set two years after the events of Spider-Man, the film finds Peter Parker struggling to stop scientist Dr. Otto Octavius from recreating the dangerous experiment that killed his wife and left him neurologically fused to mechanical tentacles, while also dealing with an existential crisis between his dual identities that appears to be stripping him of his powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benson Fong</span> American actor (1916-1987)

Benson Fong was an American character actor.

<i>The Amazing Spider-Man</i> (TV series) 1977–1979 American television series

The Amazing Spider-Man is an American superhero television series based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It is the first live-action television series featuring Spider-Man and was shown on CBS in the United States from September 14, 1977 to July 6, 1979. Though it was a considerable ratings success, the CBS series was cancelled after just 13 episodes, which included a pilot film airing in autumn of 1977. Despite its storylines being set in New York City, the series was mostly filmed in Los Angeles.

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, or simply Spider-Man, is an American animated superhero television series based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and produced by Sony Pictures Television. Initially intended to serve as a continuation of Sam Raimi's film Spider-Man (2002), as well as a loose adaptation of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic books by Brian Michael Bendis, the show was made using computer generated imagery (CGI) rendered in cel shading. It ran for only one season of 13 episodes, premiering on July 11, 2003, and was broadcast on cable channels MTV in the U.S. and YTV in Canada.

<i>Spider-Man: Reign</i> 2006–07 comic book series by Kaare Andrews

Spider-Man: Reign is a four-issue comic book limited series featuring Spider-Man, written and illustrated by Kaare Andrews and published by Marvel Comics. Set 30 years into Spider-Man's future, on Earth-70237, it features a retired Spider-Man who returns to combat the injustices of a vastly different New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spider-Man in film</span> Film adaptations of the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man

Spider-Man in film dates back to 1977, the rights belonging to Marvel until 1999, when Sony bought them for $7 million. He has been Marvel's most successful character in the cinema industry ever since. After selling the Spider-Man motion picture rights to Sony, Marvel eventually founded its own studio, developing the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) based on the characters they still held the rights to. This would change in 2016, when Sony and Disney entered an agreement to include Spider-Man in the MCU. Despite some disagreements pertaining to finances and merchandising between the two parties, the agreement proved to be a successful endeavor for both companies. The following two Avengers sequels, finally with Spider-Man, crossed the two-billion-dollar mark at worldwide box office for the first time. Meanwhile, Sony in association with Marvel launched the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU), with Sony entering a three-billion-dollar streaming agreement with Netflix and Disney.

<i>Spider-Man</i> (1977 film) 1977 American TV series or program

Spider-Man is a 1977 American television superhero film that aired on CBS and had a theatrical release outside the US, which serves as the pilot to the 1977 television series titled The Amazing Spider-Man. It was directed by E. W. Swackhamer, written by Alvin Boretz and stars Nicholas Hammond as the titular character, David White, Michael Pataki, Jeff Donnell and Thayer David.

<i>Spider-Man Unlimited</i> American animated television series

Spider-Man Unlimited is an animated television series produced by Saban Entertainment which features the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man and serves as a reboot of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, which ran from 1994 to 1998. Unlimited premiered in 1999, and though it had fair ratings, it was overshadowed by Pokémon and the newly debuted Digimon, and canceled after airing only a few episodes. Fox Kids later resumed airing the show from 1999 to 2001, airing 13 episodes, the last ending on a cliffhanger.

<i>Spider-Man Strikes Back</i> 1978 American film

Spider-Man Strikes Back is a 1978 American superhero film that had a theatrical release abroad, a composite of the two-parter episode "Deadly Dust" of the contemporary television show The Amazing Spider-Man, released on 8 May 1978. It was directed by Ron Satlof, written by Robert Janes and stars Nicholas Hammond as the titular character, Robert Alda, Robert F. Simon, Joanna Cameron, and Michael Pataki. The film was preceded by Spider-Man and followed by Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge.

<i>The Romancing Star II</i> 1988 Hong Kong film

The Romancing Star II is a 1988 Hong Kong romantic comedy film written and directed by Wong Jing and starring Andy Lau, Eric Tsang, Natalis Chan and Stanley Fung. Chow Yun-fat, the star of the film's precedent The Romancing Star, makes a brief cameo in the opening scene. The film was later followed by The Romancing Star III released in the following year.

<i>Lan Kwai Fong 2</i> 2012 Hong Kong film

Lan Kwai Fong 2 is a 2012 blue comedy film directed by Wilson Chin and produced by Li Kuo Hsing. Lan Kwai Fong 2 is the sequel to Lan Kwai Fong and is the second film in the Lan Kwai Fong theatrical series. It was released in Hong Kong, Macao and New Zealand on 23 August 2012, and grossed over $11,031,668 in Hong Kong. It was followed by sequels Lan Kwai Fong 3. The film stars Shiga Lin, Sammy Sum, Izumt Liu, Avis Chan, and Boey Chan.

<i>Lan Kwai Fong 3</i> 2014 Hong Kong film

Lan Kwai Fong 3 is a 2014 blue comedy film directed by Wilson Chin and produced by Ng Kin-Hung. Lan Kwai Fong 3 is a sequel to 2011's Lan Kwai Fong and 2012's Lan Kwai Fong 2 as part of the Lan Kwai Fong theatrical series. Originally intended for a late December 2013 release it was pushed back to an early 2014 release due to production issues. The film was finally released in Hong Kong and Singapore on January 2, 2014. The film stars Whitney Hui, Ava Yu, Jeana He, Jason Chan, Alex Lam, Christine Ng, Celia Kwok, and Charles Ying. The movie is much darker than the previous two by depicting drugs and rape in club scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silk (character)</span> Marvel Comics superhero

Silk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #1. Silk is the alias of Cindy Moon, a Korean-American student who was bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave Peter Parker / Spider-Man his powers. She was a member of the Spider-Army / Web-Warriors and the Agents of Atlas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parker Industries</span> Fictional organization

Parker Industries was a former fictional multibillion-dollar conglomerate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Dan Slott, Christos Gage, and Humberto Ramos, the corporation first appeared in The Superior Spider-Man #20.

<i>Old Time Buddy</i> Hong Kong television series

Old Time Buddy is a 1997 Hong Kong period comedy television drama created and produced by TVB. The Chinese title translates to "brothers in hardship."

Spider-Man Versus Kraven the Hunter is a 1974 American superhero short film written and directed by Bruce Cardozo. It is a fan film that was endorsed by Marvel Comics and authorized by Stan Lee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Parker (Sam Raimi film series)</span> Film character played by Tobey Maguire

Peter Benjamin Parker, also known by his alter ego Spider-Man, is a superhero portrayed by Tobey Maguire, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is the protagonist of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film in 2002, its two sequels, and in tie-in video games. This version of the character was followed by Andrew Garfield's portrayal in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man duology (2012–2014), with a further iteration being portrayed by Tom Holland set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) (2016–present). Maguire reprised his role as a supporting character in the MCU film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), appearing as an older version of himself alongside his two successors' versions of the character. To distinguish himself from the two other versions of himself, he is nicknamed "Peter-Two" by them, referred to by Marvel's official website as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and in the film's script as "Raimi-Verse Peter" and "Raimi-Verse Spider-Man".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Jane Watson (Sam Raimi film series)</span> 2002-2007 Spider-Man film series character

Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a fictional character in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film series. Based on the character of the same name, she is portrayed by Kirsten Dunst. In the films, Mary Jane is Peter Parker's next-door neighbor, childhood crush, and primary love interest. Though Mary Jane dates several other men in the first two films, she ultimately falls in love with Peter and Spider-Man and discovers they are one and the same. Despite his strong feelings for her, Peter initially declines a relationship with her in order to keep her safe, but they eventually become a couple in the end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Jonah Jameson (film character)</span> 2002–07 Spider-Man film series, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Spider-Verse character

J. Jonah Jameson (JJJ) is a fictional character portrayed by J. K. Simmons in both Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and the Spider-Verse franchise produced by Sony Pictures, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise co-produced with Marvel Studios. Based on the Marvel Comics character by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he was adapted to screen by David Koepp, Sam Raimi, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, and Jon Watts.

References

  1. 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 via Google Books.
  2. Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman, Volym 1, page 695
  3. https://www.filmposter.net/en/spider-man-the-dragon-s-challenge-original-release-german-movie-poster/ https://archive.today/20180719224310/https://www.filmposter.net/en/spider-man-the-dragon-s-challenge-original-release-german-movie-poster/
  4. "Spider Man – The Dragon's Challenge 1979, directed by Don McDougall | Film review". 10 September 2012.
  5. https://www.cbr.com/every-spider-man-movie-ever-ranked/ https://archive.today/20180719225258/https://www.cbr.com/every-spider-man-movie-ever-ranked/
  6. "The evolution of 'Spider-Man' on the silver screen | Entertainment/Life | theadvocate.com". 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018.