
By Sam Tucker
Since the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, box-office records have been shattered, and an entire universe of movies and TV shows has emerged. Yet, there’s a lot of discussion regarding the interest in Marvel properties waning. While big releases like the upcoming Fantastic Four may still draw crowds, many viewers—myself included—dropped off after Endgame and the conclusion of their first Phases. Without Disney+, it’s also been easy to miss much of the newer MCU content, some of which is borderline required viewing to understand the bigger releases.
That said, as a longtime fan, I still cherish the early phases and support most Marvel films in theaters. Why? Because even the weakest MCU movie beats the bizarre, low-budget comic adaptations of my youth. Before Blade (1998), we had Roger Corman’s unreleased 1994 Fantastic Four, the corny 1990 Flash TV pilot, and the downright ludicrous 1979 Captain America TV movie starring Reb Brown of all people!
Yet there is another that honestly looks tame compared to the above examples. In 1990, B-Movie legend Albert Pyun made a relatively honest attempt at telling the Captain America story, which most people my age may have only seen as a punchline used by online personalities like the Nostalgia Critic. While there are many, MANY quirks to this film, the biggest standout was the fact that Matt Salinger – son of J.D. Salinger (yes, THAT J.D. Salinger) – was cast as the First Avenger with only a handful of credits to his name.
Suffice to say, the released cut has some…problems, and mostly lost to the sands of time, save for some VHS copies being passed around comic book fans like contraband in prison. Watching the released cut, you can see that there was SOME sort of vision behind it, likely marred by budgetary and production issues. It was a box-office bomb and critically panned as well, even though both Salinger and Pyun went on to…well…star in minor roles and make more schlock respectively.
Even with all of the negativity behind it, hints of a famed version that was truly original lingered —until now.
Much like Cap himself, the original cut is breaking out of its own glacial prison with the release of the Pyun Cut, coming to a one night only theatrical premiere at the IPH on May 24! According to legend, Pyun carried these reels with him like the Holy Grail, showing it off only to a select (lucky?) few viewers. According to my research, Pyun’s widow and his estate have worked to restore and release the 130-minute film, which until recently was extremely difficult to see.
This is a rare chance to experience a cinematic artifact—once thought lost, now resurrected. Whether you’re a film historian or a Marvel diehard, don’t miss it! The IPH, Heroes Convention, and Doomsday And Night are bringing this event to life with live music on the lawn before the screening.
So, as always, head over to the IPH, turn off your phone, and enjoy a nice beverage enjoying the 90s escapades of The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!