Psst - This section will contain some inside trivia about the film.
Quotes - Good one liners from the movie.
Oops - Goofs From the movie.
Spider Man
Director - Sam Raimi
Screenplay - Stan Lee, Steve Ditko & David Koepp.
All of the current generation (people in their 20's and mid 20's) have grown up watching Spiderman Cartoon series on TV. Possibly the most loved superhero not only in India but also worldwide. This movie is about a shy smart nerd Peter parker (Tobby macguire) who is a punching bag of his high school. He is in love with neighboura nd school colleague Mary Jane Dunston (Kirsten Dunst) but somehow just cant express his feelings to her (Trust me people atleast the romantic part of spiderman is my own life story). Once in a scince lab when the class is learning about spiders, Peter is bitten by a genatically altered spider which will soon change his life forever. He starts to grow muscular the next day and has the ability to climb walls, jump buildings and most importantly spin the web. After an accident in which he looses his uncle Ben Parker (Cliff Robertson) he decides to use his superhuma powers for betterment of humanity. There is a parallel track where Business Tycoon Norman Osborne's (William Dafoe) company is about to stop getting funds from the US military as all his experiments have not had trials on humans. His company makes products for the militaryt where human power is enhanced. In a fit Norman has the formnulae on himself and slowly develops in to the powerful green goblin (which is nothing but his alter ego). The rest of the movie is about fight betwen the good spiderman and the eviul goblin. The good point about Spiderman is that the dramatic side is very subtle and heart warming and very real life. I am sure so many of us could identify with the character of peter parker which is perhaps why he is the most loved superhero in the world. Excellent movie worth repeated viewings (I am proud to say that I saw spiderman 3 times in within one week of release in India). Watch out for an excellent performance by J.K. Simmons as fast talking editor of Daily Bugule.''J.Jonah Jameson''.
Amazing special effects, superb editing and overall wonderful and subtle performance by everyone especially Tobby Macguire.
Psst -
1) Nicholas Cage and Jon Malkovich were tried for the part of Norman Osborne/Goblin before it eventually went to William Dafoe.
2) James Franco auditioned to play Peter Parker, but was cast as Harry Osborn instead.
3) Originally the movie was to be directed by James Cameroon but since he was involved in many big budget productions (True Lies - 2, Terminator - 3) he walked out. Jean DeBont, Ang Lee and David Fincher were other directors who were considered.
4) Freddie Prinze Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio were both considered for the role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Leonardao Di Caprio was considered when James Cameron was the director.
5) Several Spider-Man costumes were created at a cost of up to $100,000 each. Four were stolen from the set in early April of 2001 and Columbia Pictures offered a $25,000 reward for their return. The costumes were not returned.
6) The 2 differences between the original spiderman series was that the spider that bit peter parker in this movie was a genetically altered spider and NOT a radioactive spider. The spider shown biting parker is an actual black widow which was painted red and blue. In the original comic and cartoon seriesa , Peter Parker designed and made Spider-Man's synthetic spider web and the mechanical wrist guns that fire it. In the movie he shoots the web from his own body.
7) The original trailer for the movie depicted a theft of a bank, with the robbers making a getaway in a helicopter. A close-up of the helicopter was shown, until the helicopter stopped, apparently caught in mid-air. As the camera zoomed out, it was shown that the helicopter was caught in a spider web, suspended between the two towers of the World Trade Center. After the attacks on the Twin towers on 11 September 2001, however, the trailer was changed.
8) Tobey Maguire claims tro have never read a spiderman comic book in his life.
9) Stan Lee :creator of Spider-Man cameos in the scene where the Green Goblin attacks the balcony at the world unity festival.
10) The film made $114 million in the opening weekend in USA alone. This is the highest opening in the history of films. The film also grossed more then Rs 50 million in India. It was released in a record number of theatre worldwide.
11) If you are wondering why they did not play the spiderman theme song from the original cartoon series..during the ending credits, the theme of the original Spider-Man animated series is played.
12) The movie released in same time as the 40th anniversary of spiderman comic.
13) The name of norman osborne was a refernece to Norman Bates of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. We Can see traditional mannerism of Noraman bates in osborne which is that of split personality.
Quotes
1) ''Did you know that some spiders can change their color to blend in with their surroundings? Its a form of defence mechanism. Why would I even want to know that? Who wouldn't?''
2) ''Yep. Big Change''
3) ''You're taller than you look; I hunch.''
4) ''These are the times when you are what you will be for the rest of your life.''
5) ''What's your name kid?; The Human Spider;That's the stupidest name I've ever heard of.''
6) ''That's a nice suit. Did your husband buy it for you?''
7) '' Mr.Jameson they are very important clients, they can't wait; They're about to.''
8) ''If we can get a picture of Julia Roberts in a thong, we can get a picture of this weirdo.''
9) ''We have a page 1 problem here''
10) ''Give them page 7 and a 10 percent discount. No mae that 5.''
11) ''But I never said you are hired.''
12) ''Freelancing. Thats where kids your age should be.''
13) ''I trust my barber''
14) ''I forgot the part where that's my problem.''
15) ''No matter what you do for them, they will wind up hating you.''
16) ''They love to see their hero fail.''
17) ''The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the Goblin and took the spider out.''
18) ''He is bug. We would like to give him a hug. Watch out. Here comes the spider man.''
19) ''Sorry I am late. Work was murder.''
20) ''You do too much. You're not Superman you know.''
21) ''Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: With great power comes great responsibility.'' This is my gift, it is my curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man.''
Oops
There was a record 169 flaws in the movie. I could not see all of them but here are a few which I did see.
1) Mary Jane's jacket collar changes when she's talking to Peter outside the diner the first time.
2) It is clearly visible that the web that spiderman throws are computer generated effect because they disappear later.
3) In the cage wrestling match, Peter Parker spins the web but in the subsequent scene it disappears.
4) The hole which Spider-Man punches in the roof of a car disappears and reappears between shots.
5) When Peter is in the newspaper office talking to the secretary, his camera disappears and reappears between shots.
6) When Peter is spinning the web in the room and he breask the lamshade before answering the door to his aunt, the next scene has the lampshade back.
7) Boom Mikes are visible in several scenes. This can be possibly be due to different screen formats in different countries. But nevertheless it is a flaw.
8) When Peter is visiting Aunt May in the hospital, the sweater on the back of his chair changes position.
