The Amazing Spider-Man (1977 TV movie)

The Amazing Spider-Man (originally aired as Spider-Man) is a 1977 action-adventure movie that aired on the CBS television network as the pilot for a proposed weekly television series. The movie was a ratings success and led to the creation of the 1978-1979 television series of the same name. The movie starred Nicholas Hammond, David White, Michael Pataki, and Lisa Eilbacher.

Plot Summary
Freelance photographer and amateur scientist Peter Parker (Hammond) is bitten by a radioactive spider, causing him to develop spider-like superpowers including enhanced strength and the ability to "wall-crawl" up and down the sides of buildings. He secretly becomes the costumed crime-fighter known as Spider-Man, using his powers and inventions to fight crime in New York City. Peter also continues his day job as a photographer for the New York Daily Bugle, providing editor Jonah Jameson (White) with exclusive photos of Spider-Man.

The city is rocked by a series of mysterious crimes in which upstanding citizens suddenly commit serious crimes, such as bank robbery, having no memory of their actions once caught. Peter and Judy (Eilbacher) investigate a shady cult leader named Edward Byron, although the two come away with different opinions of him- Peter is highly suspicious, while Judy argues that he's harmeless and even sensible. Peter turns out to be the correct one, as Byron is using mind control technology to hypnotize his followers into carrying out the crimes.

Byron decides to blackmail the city by revealing that he has brainwashed ten New Yorkers into killing themselves on a certain day and time, unless the city pays Byron $50 million to stop them. Peter, in his "street clothes," investigates the cult's headquarters, but Byron traps him in the brainwashing room and programs him into being one of the ten suicides.

Unaware that he has been programmed, Peter gathers enough evidence to pin Byron for the crimes. At the last minute, the police refuse to pay the ransom and instead arrest the men sent to collect it. Byron activates his ten sleepers, including Peter and Judy. Luckily, Peter is accidentally freed from the mind control, dons his Spidey-suit, and heads to Byron's lair to stop him before the other nine people kill themselves.