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- You Have Never Seen Spider-Man Like This
- Captain American Isn’t Much Better
As a longtime comic book enthusiast and moviegoer, I must say that the Turkish film “3 Dev Adam” is a unique and bizarre take on the Spider-Man legend. Having followed the adventures of our friendly neighborhood superhero for decades, it’s safe to say that this unauthorized adaptation has veered far from the original source material.
If you believe that we’re discussing the 1978 live-action Tokusatsu series from Japan featuring Spider-Man, which is renowned for its Leopardon mech or spider bracelet, you are incorrect. A year before that, the short-lived CBS series titled “The Amazing Spider-Man” isn’t what we’re talking about either. So, what are we focusing on instead? And perhaps more significantly, why is it that Disney (and Sony too) have never acknowledged this lesser-known version of the superhero?
In this 1973 adaptation of the well-known Marvel character, Spider-Man is portrayed not as a superhero, but as a ruthless gang leader with sinister intentions. Instead of saving lives, he plots to steal vast sums of money using his own fake currency and commits horrific, inhumane killings. To put an end to this menace, Captain America and the renowned luchador El Santo are dispatched by none other than Turkey.
The movie titled “3 Dev Adam” (meaning “Three Strong Men” in English), which hails from a Middle Eastern nation, was known for blatantly disregarding copyright laws during its time. This practice, called Turksploitation, ran from the early ’70s to the late ’80s and involved creating unauthorized, budget-friendly films based on well-known American franchises such as Star Wars, Batman, Superman, James Bond, etc. Interestingly, “3 Dev Adam” was the pioneer of this obscure genre and left a lasting impression due to its chilling opening scene.
3 Dev Adam reimagines Marvel-related characters in unexpected and unconventional ways that Disney might find challenging, even in the context of a non-official production.
You Have Never Seen Spider-Man Like This
In various instances, Captain America is shown not carrying his iconic shield, while El Santo is spotted without his mask on in public. Spider-Man exhibits an unusual power set, being able to resurrect multiple times when necessary, with his former deceased bodies remaining intact. It’s surprising to observe someone famous for acrobatically traversing the city streets simply getting into a car and driving instead.
It’s clear that director T. Fikret Ucak seemed unfamiliar with the character of Spider-Man in America. The only thing he appeared to grasp was that the superhero name symbolized profit. Unfortunately, the film starts with a woman’s face being severely cut, and later, a trusted ally of Spider-Man is bound to a wall and blinded by aggressive guinea pigs. In this interpretation, a hero who turns villainous strangles an innocent woman in a shower and manages to kill two people with a single stab (he always carries a switchblade). This certainly isn’t the gentle Spider-Man we know from the neighborhood.
Amongst the “three towering figures,” American viewers might find El Santo the least recognized. In Mexico, however, he is one of the most legendary luchadores, much like Superman in terms of his justice-oriented persona. Outside the wrestling ring, spanning over 50 years, El Santo has a notable film career, appearing in more than 52 movies across 24 years. It’s quite astonishing to picture this muscular masked wrestler sharing screen time with Captain America, battling bad guys and performing feats typical of superheroes. Interestingly, El Santo’s costume, consisting of a mask, trunks, and a cape, becomes a comedic sight when the character uses his pocket (located in the crotch area) as if it were a kangaroo pouch, storing incriminating evidence within.
Captain American Isn’t Much Better
Regarding Cap, Turkish actor Aytekin Akkaya’s portrayal of the American superhero is generally praiseworthy, but there’s an awkward and unscripted scene where he struggles to hang from the ceiling during a rescue attempt. This scene, along with an unexpected appearance of some nameless old-man puppets and an unusual moment between Spider-Man and his girlfriend, seems to lead 3 Dev Adam into a realm that no Disney executive would want it to be in.
In the comic books, at least the Japanese version of Spiderman was mentioned. However, in this unauthorized superhero film, Spider-Man meets a tragic end similar to his enemies. His head gets stuck between rail tracks, and a large box filled with cinder blocks deals with the villain permanently.
In a possible twist, Marvel could reunite Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield for “Avengers: Secret Wars,” while Sony has showcased various Spidermen in the animated “Spider-Verse” films. However, a Spider-Man who uses knives, enjoys torture, and engages in money laundering is unlikely to appear in today’s superhero narratives, which might be beneficial for the genre. If you’re curious about the movie “3 Dev Adam,” it can be watched on YouTube without charge.
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2024-11-12 03:31