April 19, 2022
'Spider-Man' (2002)
With great podcast power comes great responsibility. The Ringer's Van Lathan and Charles Holmes take over 'The Rewatchables' to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 'Spider-Man,' starring Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, and Kirsten Dunst.
Cast
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin
James Franco as Harry Osborn
J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson
Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson
Macho Man Randy Savage as Bone Saw McGraw
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Written by: David Koepp
Notes
- 'Spider-Man' (2002) was the first film ever to gross $100 million in its opening weekend. Made $825 million worldwide and was the #1 domestic movie of 2002.
- Came out in an incredible year for franchise blockbusters: #2 Attack of the Clones, #3 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, #6 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
- The film arrived in a post-9/11 context – deleted scenes of 'Spider-Man' webbing on the Twin Towers had to be removed.
- Marvel went bankrupt in 1996. Brian Michael Bendis said when he was hired to write Ultimate 'Spider-Man' in 2001, he thought he might be writing 'one of the last, if not the last, Marvel Comics.'
- James Cameron's version of 'Spider-Man' never happened; he went on to make 'Titanic' instead. His script called for a love scene on the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Sam Raimi's Darkman (1990) served as a prototype for his 'Spider-Man' approach.
- The tray-catching scene in the cafeteria reportedly took 156 takes and was not CGI.
- Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst dated during the films. Amy Pascal later warned Tom Holland and Zendaya not to date because 'all the 'Spider-Man' leads start dating their co-stars.'
- The 'baby face curse' of early-2000s franchise leads: Tobey Maguire, Daniel Radcliffe, and Elijah Wood all struggled to find major roles afterward.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“Imagine Superman with the Clark Kent more charismatic than the Man of Steel and you'll understand how Spider-Man goes wrong.”
- Van: 'My hero, my idol Roger Ebert didn't like this movie.'
- Charles: 'Roger, but what the hell, bro. I love the movie more.'
Most re-watchable scene
- Charles: The Peter vs. Flash Thompson high school fight – Peter catches MJ's tray (reportedly took 156 takes, not CGI), then the fight with Flash.
- Charles: The training montage where Peter draws his costume, tests web shooters, and learns his powers. 'By the time he gets into that suit, you're like, oh, he worked for this.'
- Van: The first 'Spider-Man' montage once he has the suit on and is swinging around.
- Van: 'Spider-Man' and Green Goblin's first fight at the Big Time Gala.
- Van: The Thanksgiving scene – pivotal because Green Goblin discovers Peter is 'Spider-Man' via the glider cut.
- Van: The final fight between Green Goblin and 'Spider-Man' in the abandoned building.
- Van (winner): The upside-down kissing scene in the rain – 'the most iconic scene in this movie to me.' Won MTV Best Kiss.
What aged the best?
- Charles: The practical effects – Sam Raimi balanced CGI with practical stunt work from his Evil Dead roots. 'All of the fight scenes, it feels like Tobey is getting the shit beat out of him.'
- Van: The modern superhero movie structure – 'This is the definition of the modern superhero movie. This movie begins it.'
- Van: 'Spider-Man' as a character has aged the best – 8 subsequent films, MCU appearances, Into the Spider-Verse, video games.
- Charles: Tobey Maguire's portrayal of Peter Parker – 'He is my 'Spider-Man'. I still think he's the best actor to ever portray 'Spider-Man'.'
- Charles: The overall cast quality – 'As a cast this is the best cast of any 'Spider-Man' film in terms of quality actors acting their ass off.'
What aged the worst?
- Charles: The organic web fluid (from James Cameron's script treatment) – 'I thought that shit was whack when I was a kid... I still think it's whack.'
- Charles: Some of the CGI – the festival balloons look bad, and the skeleton disintegration effects.
- Van: Homophobia – Peter's line to the wrestler: 'That's a cute outfit. Did your husband give it to you?' 'That's not going to fly.'
- Van: The Nickelback/Saliva song 'Hero' – was a #1 hit but Nickelback has become a cultural pariah.
Casting what-ifs
- Kate Hudson turned down the role of Mary Jane Watson (wanted to do Four Feathers).
- Mena Suvari, Jaime King, and Alicia Witt were all in the running for Mary Jane.
- Elizabeth Banks auditioned for MJ but was told she was too old (only 1.5 years older than Tobey); got the consolation role of Betty Brant.
- Freddie Prinze Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio were in the running for Peter Parker. James Franco also auditioned for Peter.
- Nicolas Cage was considered for Norman Osborne. Van: 'Cage is too young. He doesn't really work as Green Goblin for me.'
- Directors considered: James Cameron, Chris Columbus, David Fincher, M. Night Shyamalan, Roland Emmerich, Barry Sonnenfeld, Michael Bay, Jan de Bont, Tony Scott.
Over-acting award
- Van: J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson – 'He's overacting, but he's still in the right movie.' Coming off his role as Beecher in Oz.
- Van and Charles agree: Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin is the runaway winner – 'He is giving it in this movie... He's snarling.'
- Charles: 'It makes Jack Nicholson's Joker look like subtlety.' Dafoe talking to himself in the mirror is 'still amazing, still funny as hell.'
Best "that guy"
- Van: Michael Papajohn (the robber who kills Uncle Ben) – 124 credits on IMDb, normally plays goons and thugs.
- Van: Joseph D'Onofrio (cop in man-on-the-street interviews) – played young Tommy in 'Goodfellas', young version of a character in 'A Bronx Tale', 114 credits.
- Charles: Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson – his first ever movie role.
Best "heat check" performance
- Van: Macho Man Randy Savage is the clear winner – in the movie for maybe 2 minutes max but completely steals the show. 'I got you for three minutes! Three minutes of playtime!'
- Charles: 'He gets 2 minutes and he's just like, I don't give a fuck. I'm stealing this show.'
Re-casting couch
- Charles: Recast Harry Osborne with Cillian Murphy.
- Charles: Recast Kirsten Dunst as MJ with either Bryce Dallas Howard or Scarlett Johansson.
- Van: Recast Norman and Harry Osborne with Samuel L. Jackson as Norman and Tyrese as Harry – adding diversity to the very white cast.
Half-assed (internet) research
- Willem Dafoe did 90% of his own stunts in the movie.
- Hugh Jackman was supposed to have a Wolverine cameo – flew to New York to film it, but they couldn't get access to the X-Men costume, so it never happened.
- Four 'Spider-Man' costumes were stolen from the set; Sony put up a $25,000 reward; recovered after 18 months; a former studio security guard was arrested.
- James Franco and Tobey Maguire had a rivalry on set – Franco joked about Maguire's 'frog-like features,' leading to a feud that reportedly persists.
- A crew member offered Joe Manganiello $100 to punch Tobey Maguire in the face for real during their fight scene.
Apex Mountain
- Van: Kirsten Dunst – yes, this is her Apex Mountain.
- Van: Tobey Maguire – yes (combined with 'Spider-Man' 2).
- Charles and Van: Sam Raimi – yes. Charles argues it will always be 'Spider-Man' even with Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness.
- Van: Not Apex Mountain for 'Spider-Man' movies overall – that's now 'Spider-Man': No Way Home.
Picking nits
- Charles: None of the high schoolers look like high schoolers – 'These are like 40-year-olds.' Tobey was about 25 at the time.
- Van: Peter fights Flash at school – the whole school saw him web a tray and do a mid-air flip, yet no one can figure out he's 'Spider-Man'.
- Van: Mary Jane saw all of Peter's abilities firsthand yet can't piece together his identity for over a year.
- Van: Peter blew up at Uncle Ben for no reason – 'Uncle Ben was just concerned and was dropping him off at the library.'
- Van: Harry pulls a gun out of a random drawer in the Osborne mansion – 'Why in the fuck would there be a gun in the drawer of the study?'
(Probably) unanswerable questions
- Van and Charles: Is this a better movie if James Cameron directs it? Charles says no.
- Van: Is Peter Parker a sociopath? He blew up at Uncle Ben, watched a man die, lied to Aunt May's face, and fabricated a conversation with 'Spider-Man' to manipulate Mary Jane.
- Charles: If you could have any other director from the shortlist (Columbus, Ang Lee, Tony Scott, Fincher, M. Night), who makes a better movie? Van picks Fincher.
Sequel, prequel, prestige TV or untouchable?
- Charles: Absolutely could be a 10-episode Netflix show. Could include Sandman and flesh out the connection to who killed Peter's parents.
- Van agrees it could work but 'it just wouldn't be as good as this movie.'
What memorabilia would you want (or not want!) from the movie?
- Charles: Green Goblin's Nike Flight Posit boots – 'Every single time you zoom in on Green Goblin's foot, it's like he's wearing Nikes.'
- Van: Green Goblin's glider.
Who won the movie?
- Charles: Sony – 'To this day Sony looks like a different company without 'Spider-Man'.'
- Van: Short-term winner is Tobey Maguire – $825 million worldwide, $100M opening weekend (first film ever), #1 domestic movie of 2002.
- Van: Long-term winner is the MCU – Marvel saw Spider-Man's success, got a $500M credit line from Merrill Lynch, and made 'Iron Man'.
- Van: Long-term loser is Martin Scorsese, who hates what superhero movies have become.