Spider-Man R1 DVD

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Travis Willock reviews

Spider-Man
Distributed by
Columbia TriStar

    CoverBuy the R2 DVD from

  • Cert: PG-13
  • Cat.no: 09661
  • Running time: 120 minutes
  • Year: 2002
  • Pressing: 2002
  • Region(s): 1, NTSC
  • Chapters: 28
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Languages: English, French
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Widescreen: 1.85:1
  • 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
  • Macrovision: Yes
  • Disc Format: 2 * DVD 9
  • Price: $29.98
  • Extras:Pop-Up Factoids, 2 Audio Commentaries, Branching Web-i-soudes, 2Music Videos, TV Spots, Theatrical Trailers, Filmographies, 2 Making-OfFeaturettes, Director and Composer Profiles, Screen Tests, Gag Reel,Conceptual Art Gallery, Historical Documentary, Comic Archives, RoguesGallery, Loves of Peter Parker, Activision Game: Hints & Tips, DVD-ROMextras including a record your own commentary feature, countdown toSpider-Man 2, and full dot-comics.

    Director:

      Sam Raimi

Screenplay:

    David Koepp

Cast:

    Peter Parker / Spider-Man: Tobey Maguire
    Mary Jane Watson: Kirsten Dunst
    Aunt May: Rosemarry Harris
    Norman Osborn / Green Goblin: Willem Dafoe
    J. Jonah Jameson: J.K. Simmons
    Uncle Ben: Cliff Robertson

I was never impressed with this film.Granted the projector shook the entire time and the place was chock full ofkids who cannot sit through a two hour movie. I went in expecting more than Ishould have but 5 months later (and $400 million dollars later) the DVD hasslightly changed my views.

Bookworm Peter Parker suddenly turns stronger and faster after being bitby a genetically enhanced super spider. He can also climb walls andswing on webs that sometimes seem to connect to nothing. After abusinghis powers Peter creates his suit and becomes the Spider-Man we knowtoday.

Meanwhile, OsCorp chairman Norman Osborn is fired from his place. He wasworking on an experimetal glider and power suit. Donning it he becomesthe Green Goblin. He’s out to destroy the ones who fired him and isafter Spidey. Little does he know that Peter, his son’s best friend, isactually the web-slinger himself. Now Goblin must find Peter’s weakness,his long time love Mary Jane Watson.

Many praise this as the best comic book movie to date. I have to agreewith them on some level because it does feel like the comic minus a fewevents that would have changed the plot considerably. But the film fallsshort of greatness on many levels. One the pacing is not right, it feelslike this could have been a quick summer movie at 90 minutes. An actionscene and then some dialouge and more dialouge. While I’m a fan ofdialouge driven movies Spider-Man’s dialouge scenes are sometimeunberable. There are many other gnaring mistakes that many will noticeand it somewhat diminishes the quality of the film.

Now for the good aspects, each actor does a fine job and Sam Raimi(watch for Bruce “don’t call me Ash” Campbell’s cameo) has done a greatjob with the film. Raimi’s vision can be seen and felt all over thisfilm. Even the Matrix like fight scenes are decent. But overallSpider-Man is a good, just not great film.

Columbia Tristar has delivered a nice transfer here. Presented inanamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen it captures the look of the film perfectly.Colors are sharp and vivid when needed and blacks are deep. Some scenesexhibit minimal pixelization and color moire on clothes and far offobjects can be seen. But these blemishes do not hurt the overallquality. Given that nearly every hit that Columbia has had is availablein Superbit form (Resident Evil is due on Decmber 17th) this will be eventuallytoo if the you’re not that impressed. A seperate full frame edtion isalso available.

Sound is presented in a good Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The standardscenes won’t knock your socks off but the action scenes can get prettyintense.

It’s wierd, they’ve been working on the extras for the film for over ayear and there’s nothing notable here except a few features. Where’s thefootage shot at Comic-Con or any other features I’ve been hearing about?If this weren’t two discs I’d say I smell a rehash coming soon. Anyway,here’s how it stacks up:

Disc 1:

  • Audio Commentaries: One features the filmmakers and cast and the other features the visual effects designer and crew.
  • Spider Sense: Opens links to various featurettes during the film.Similar to the follow-the-white rabbit feature on The Matrix.
  • Pop-Up Factoids: Bubbles of info pop up during the movie. More trivia then you’ll know what to do with.
  • Character Files: Basic Filmographies for the cast.
  • Marketing Campaign: Trailers for Spider-Man (strangely only one thoughthere were more), Mr. Deeds, xXx, Men in Black II, Stan Lee’s Mutants,Monsters, and Marvels, and Stuart Little 2. Each are anamoprhic exceptStan Lee’s. 2 Music videos are also included here. 11 TV spots forSpider-Man round off this section.

Disc 2:

  • Spider-Man: The Mythology of the 21st Century: Interesting documentary on the Spider-Man comics. Features interviews withStan Lee and more. Runs about 24 minutes and is presented in full frame.
  • Spider-Man Archives: Unique way to show stills. Select and era and displays info and covers oncertain issues of the comics.
  • Rogues Gallery: Select a villain (comic form) and info with a cool 3D model for each selectionappears.
  • Artists’ Gallery: By selecting a picture you will be taken to a series of slides containing sketches,covers, and panels by certain comic book artists.
  • The Loves of Peter Parker: Displays info on all of Peter’s love interests over the years. Betty Brandt,the infamous Gwen Stacey, Black Cat, and of couse Mary Jane Watson.
  • Activision Game: Hints & Tips: Seeing as how this PS2 (and Xbox and Gamecube) game has been out since lastApril this might be too late. 3 videos of hints are here for those who are interested.
  • HBO First Look: The Making of Spider-Man: A 24 minute long standard featurette. Includes the usual movie clips withinterviews, boring info, and at least a bit of info on the comics. Studio shotfeaturettes are usually better as these are really just promotional tools whenHBO uses them.
  • “Spider-Mania” an E! Entertainment Special: Includes interviews with the…wait for it….movie clips! There is really notmuch difference between this and the HBO feature.
  • Director Profile: Sam Raimi: Seven minutes lon and presented in non-anamorphic widescreen. Examines Raimi’strademark stule and manner of directing through interviews with the cast and crew.
  • Composer Profile: Danny Elfman: Features interviews with Raimi and Elfman. Seven minutes.
  • Screen Tests: 4 in all. Tobey Maguire, J.K. Simmons, CGI Spider-Man,and the makeup and costumes. Tobey and CGI Spider-Man tests are shown innon-anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen.
  • Gag / Outtake Reel: 3 minutes and non-anamorphic. The standard mistakes and gags you can’t help but laugh at.

Though the extras may seem extensive you’ll find it’s pretty shallowonce you dive in. I did like how a whole section on disc 2 was devotedsoley to the comics. Also, go to the DVD ROM link on disc 2, while it isstill in you player not the computer, and click up to find a hiddeninterview with Todd McFarlane.

Packaging is the same for both widescreen and full frame editions. Theyboth have different covers. There are 28 chaptes and the menus arenicely animated.

Overall, the DVD is good in terms of quality but the extras feel rushedand slapped together. Fans will eat this up but those not intoSpider-Man will find a decent rental in this.

FILM CONTENT
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS


OVERALL
Review copyright © Travis Willock, 2002.

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