Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes

Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes is a 2004 independent film directed by Mike Donahue and starring Vincent J. Roth, John T. Venturini, Joey Bourgeois, and Robert Hurt.

Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes
Directed byMike Donahue
Produced byVincent J. Roth
Written byVincent J. Roth
StarringVincent J. Roth
John T. Venturini
Joey Bourgeois
Robert Hurt
Music byKen Fix
CinematographyMatt McFarland
Greg Kimble
Edited byPeter Gahan
Production
company
Surge of Power Enterprises LLC
Distributed byAriztical Entertainment
Release date
  • 2004 (2004)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The plot concerns corporate attorney and comic fan Gavin Lucas being caught in a laboratory explosion engineered by embittered scientist Hector Harris. Lucas develops the power to channel energy into powerful blasts, sense approaching people and detect energy flows nearby. He uses these abilities to become Surge, a superhero. Harris's former partner, Ronald Richards, develops a number of gadgets for Surge such as a bulletproof costume and gauntlets that have concealed blades for escaping ropes and spray strands to restrain criminals. Harris also develops superpowers from the explosion and is able to control metal objects via magnetism and takes the name Metal Master. Surge constantly encounters a nameless "Young Man" whom he repeatedly needs to save from danger and who is implied to be attracted to Surge.

Parodies/homages

The film is mainly a collection of homages and parodies of well-known superheroes and cliches surrounding their stories, personalities and powers.

  • Gavin's favorite superhero team, the Justice Brigade, seems to be a parody of the Justice League of America and its three depicted members, Captain Meteor, Splendorella and Blue Beacon appear to be parodies of Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.
  • Several "real" superheroes are mentioned in conversations that are obvious pastiches of famous superheroes such as The Amazing Silkworm, Wombat and his sidekick Pigeon (as well Wombat and Pigeon's "ambiguous" relationship).
  • Richards invents a pole that Lucas can slide down to get into costume, a send-up of the poles used in the Batman television series.
  • The film makes fun of superheroes who were saddled with "lame" weaknesses to their powers, such as Green Lantern's inability to affect anything yellow. Surge's powers are ineffective in the presence of dance music which always seems to play at critical moments.
  • Likewise the film satirizes characters who become villains because of seemingly silly perceived wrongs and their grandiose plans. Metal Master's primary plan is to disable all the electronic equipment in the city to force people to buy replacements from him which will make him rich, but he'll also never have to hear dance music again and be reminded that he was the worst dancer to come from his school.
  • Ronald Richards is likely to be a play on Reed Richards.
  • After capturing Metal Master, Surge gives the Young Man a special ring to summon Surge for help if he gets in trouble again, leading Young Man to ask, "Am I your Jimmy Olsen?"

Celebrity Cameos

Surge of Power featured a large number of celebrity cameos.

  • Noel Neill appears as a bystander when Surge foils a bank robbery. The Young Man tells her, "I take after you Aunt Lois" when she admonishes him to stay out of trouble in the aftermath.
  • Surge bumps into Lou Ferrigno when out on patrol, and observes that with muscles like his Ferrigno could be a superhero as well. {This was an in joke reference to Ferrigno appearance on The Incredible Hulk}
  • Len Wein and Marv Wolfman appear as the writers of the Justice Brigade comic book who discuss ideas for the characters, such as a spin-off series about the heroes' teenage sidekicks.
  • Nichelle Nichols plays the retired superhero The Omen to give Surge advice and encouragement when he's frustrated at his lack of success tracking down Metal Master.

Other celebrity guest stars include Forrest J. Ackerman, Marty Krofft, Bernard Fox, Lisa Loring, Rose Marie, Bobby Trendy and Butch Patrick.

  • This is Bernard Fox's final film role before his retirement and death in 2016.
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