Spider-Man

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 05 03 (USA)

UPC: 043396061903

Studio: Columbia TriStar

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Violence, Questionable for Children, Suitable for Teens]

Summary: After incorporating elements of comic book style and design into many of his films, director Sam Raimi helms this straight-ahead, big-budget comic book adaptation, which also marks acclaimed young actor Tobey Maguire's first dip into live-action blockbuster filmmaking. Spider-Man follows the template of the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko source material, with hero Peter Parker an orphaned, intellectual teen loner living in Queens with his aunt (Rosemary Harris) and uncle (Cliff Robertson), and dreaming of the girl next door, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). On a field trip to a Columbia University lab, Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider and overnight he gains superhuman strength, agility, and perception. At first, Peter uses his powers for material gain, winning a wrestling match with a purportedly lucrative prize. But when Peter apathetically fails to stop a burglar from robbing the wrestling arena, a tragedy follows that compels him to devote his powers to fighting crime -- as the superhero Spider-Man. When he's not busy fighting crime in a spider suit, Peter moves into an apartment with his best friend, Harry (James Franco), and begins work as a photographer at the Daily Bugle. Meanwhile, his do-gooder alter ego finds a nemesis in the form of the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), a super-powered, megalomaniacal villain who happens to be the alter ego of Harry's father, weapons-manufacturing mogul Norman Osborn. Spider-Man was written by the prolific blockbuster scribe David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Panic Room). ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Category: Action

Awards: Best Song – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Features: ccDisc One:
Full screen presentation
English & French 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Weaving the Web: Subtitled factoids (Pop-on production notes and historical facts)
Commentary: Sam Raimi (director), Kirsten Dunst, Laura Ziskin (producer) & Grant Curtis (co-producer)
SFX commentary: John Dykstra & visual-effects crew
Branching Web-i-sodes
TV spots
Theatrical trailers
Filmographies & character files
Music videos
Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott "Hero" music video
Sum 41 "What We're all About" music video
DVD-ROM features: comic/feature comparison, record your own commentary, countdown to Spider-Man 2, and Weblinks
Disc Two:
"HBO Making-of Spider-Man"
"Spider-Mania" E! Entertainment Special
Director Profile: Sam Raimi
Toby Maguire, J.K. Simmons, and CGI Spider-Man screen tests
Costume and Makeup tests
Gag/Outtake reel
Conceptual art and production design gallery
"Spider-Man: The Mythology of the 21st Century" historical documentary
Spider-Man comic archives
Rogues gallery
The Loves of Peter Parker
Comic book artist gallery
Hints and tips for the Activision game
DVD-ROM: Playable Activision game demo, 3 exclusive Marvel dot.comics, Spider-Man: Blue #1, Black Cat #1, & Peter Parker: Return of the Goblin Spider-Man visualizer

Spider-Man

Format: DVD

Release Date: 11/01/2002

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 121 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 2

Language(s) English,French

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Start
2. Columbia University Research Lab
3. Bitten by a Spider
4. Norman Tests the Performance Enhancers
5. A Big Change
6. Great Reflexes
7. Fight With Flash
8. Scaling the Heights
9. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
10. The Wrestling Match
11. Enter the Thief
12. The Death of Uncle Ben
13. Chasing Uncle Ben's Killer
14. Spider-Man to the Rescue
15. J. Jonah Jameson
16. Peter's Photos of Spider-Man
17. World Unity Festival
18. Battle Over Times Square
19. Norman Meets the Goblin
20. Goblin Terrorizes the Bugle
21. The Goblin's Proposal
22. The Alley Kiss
23. Hot Time With the Goblin
24. Thanksgiving Dinner
25. Goblin Attacks Aunt May
26. The Queensboro Bridge
27. A Final Battle
28. Norman's Funeral
Side #2 -- DVD-ROM
1. Web of Spider-Man the Comic [40:28]
2. Goblin's Lair: The Movie

Michael Hastings

Following through on the promise of director Bryan Singer's engagingly earnest but scattershot X-Men, Sam Raimi's big-budget, high-stakes screen version of Spider-Man represents a welcome return to some of the qualities found in the best Hollywood entertainments: satisfying character development, a palpable sense of wonder and amazement, and genuine, unironic good humor. After years of numbing, frenetic action pictures -- from the latter efforts in the Batman series to The Mummy Returns and its ilk -- the care and attention paid to Spider-Man's source material seems almost old-fashioned, in the best possible way. Raimi and ace screenwriter David Koepp retain the best elements of comic-book grammar and syntax -- in the dialogue as well as the pulpy, colorful montage sequences -- as they take minor but justified liberties with the comic's physical details. What's more, the once-controversial casting of talented young actor Tobey Maguire pays off in a big way: his pensive, quizzical nature is a perfect fit for the character. Rarely has there been a more believable everyman (or everygeek, as it were) in a superhero lead, and Maguire's fun with the role is infectious. If minor gripes can be made about the design and execution of the film -- there's an inconsistency in the look of some of the action scenes, for one -- they're quickly forgotten; this is one blockbuster where talk and interpersonal action go hand-in-hand with the thrills. More than just a victory of maximum-saturation marketing, Spider-Man's record-breaking success at the box office can only be interpreted as a sign of audiences responding to a blockbuster that for once follows through on its promise, with characters actually worth caring about. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Myk Watford  Actor 
Michael Papajohn  Actor 
Ted Raimi  Actor 
Randy Savage  Actor 
Bruce Campbell  Actor 
Elizabeth Banks  Actor 
Ian Bryce  Producer 
Danny Elfman  Composer (Music Score) 
David Koepp  Screenwriter 
Stan Lee  Executive Producer 
Sam Raimi  Director 
Laura Ziskin  Producer 
Avi Arad  Executive Producer 
Tobey Maguire  Actor 
Willem Dafoe  Actor 
Kirsten Dunst  Actor 
James Franco  Actor 
Cliff Robertson  Actor 
Rosemary Harris  Actor 
J.K. Simmons  Actor 
Joe Manganiello  Actor 
Gerry Becker  Actor 
Bill Nunn  Actor 
Jack Betts  Actor 
Stanley Anderson  Actor 
Ron Perkins  Actor 

Country: USA