[Nonsuch]

It's on the Apple QuickTime page now. If you haven't seen it and want to be surprised, read no further.

For those who have seen it: well, it was pretty funny. The long pullback showing the web between the World Trade Center towers was a nice visual gag. What kind of bugged me was 1) the "action" footage that followed, combined with 2) the overall tone of the trailer.

I don't know if they've done any photography on the film yet, but the shots of Spidey in action looked like nothing more than footage clipped from the latest Spider-Man video game. Too fast, over-stylized, and lacking any sense of "weight" or reality. That combined with 2), a style that at this stage seems to rely on heavy music, insanely fast cuts and computer-assisted action leads me to fear that Spider-Man is going to be an "event" film in the Charlie's Angels mode--it will look great in the commercials and everyone will want to see it, then it'll open to sh!tty reviews and disappear after three weeks.

OK, so I'm being a little paranoid. There's only so much you can conclude from a trailer blah blah blah. But the movie should reflect something of what made Spider-Man great, and what made him great was that he was always a little bit of a dork. Peter Parker is the perfect example of the nerd who got to show all the creeps who made fun of him that he could be cool too--a hero, even. So I think it'd be wrong if the movie tried to be "edgy" and ended up looking like a commercial for itself. Doesn't seem very Spider-Man to me.

[Trash]

Overanalyzing a bit, are we? I just saw it fifteen minutes ago, and the only real thought that came to me was, "wow, that outfit looks incredibly tacky."

And there's no question that Spider-man will become an event film. Think "Batman Forever".

[Nonsuch]

Originally posted by Trash:
<STRONG>Think "Batman Forever".</STRONG>

Gah!!

[anarkisst]

Originally posted by Nonsuch:
<STRONG>

Gah!! </STRONG>

Really...Finally Marvel is doing things right for its latest foray into the movie biz. Spider-Man is being directed by Sam Raimi (Darkman fame) and the cast looks promising....

Tacky costume? Maybe since Parker would have to wear that outfit under clothing. Maybe not, because many times in the comic book he'd stash the cosume webbed onto a building or carry it in a backpack. But take a look at these screen shots I grabbed. The detail here is amazing. Looks like 90 to 100% CGI!



Notice the reflectors...it's always been this way...now it's "real"...like the refection of the towers there...



Here's the webbing squirting out...when J. Cameron had the rights to the film he had some loser trying in vain to make real web shooters...thank God for new advances in technology (and a better director).



Thought I'd throw these in because all of this is CGI and a lot better than a game...really. Look at them cars and people...



Notice the end of the webbing he's holding...flapping around as he swings upwards...the details are there...



Also, as he swings by the building his shadow (and his reflection!) pass by on the building...and no capture here but the spider insignia flies right into your face in the end!

All in all I can't wait for this film to come out. I've been waiting a long time for this one!

[ 07-26-2001: Message edited by: anarkisst ]

[cpatubo]

Honestly, I wasn't impressed. I hope the movie is a lot better than the trailer. The trailer didn't tell me a damn thing, except "Hey, look at this cool CG stuff we can do!"

I do look forward to Tobey MacGuire doing something fresh and new and expanding his horizons. I hope Kirsten Dunst can do something better than shake her booty in front of the camera (I know you GUYS have no problem with that)... she hasn't done any good solid work since Interview with the Vampire (although I give her credit for voice acting in Kiki's Delivery Service...

[anarkisst]

Originally posted by cpatubo:
<STRONG>Honestly, I wasn't impressed. I hope the movie is a lot better than the trailer. The trailer didn't tell me a damn thing, except "Hey, look at this cool CG stuff we can do!"</STRONG>

Honestly, I'm surprised at your reaction. Of course this is only a trailer (actually, it's not...it's a "Teaser"). I have been a fan of Spider-Man since I was a kid and have seen many a variation of the character on TV and film (if you can, try to find the Japanese live action versions...a true masterpiece of stupidity).

Honestly, this movie will be FAR better than anyone else can do. Marvel's sucess rate has gone up a notch with their X-Men film (a very good film IMHO) and they are using the same group of people for their next projects (Ang li will be directing the Incredible Hulk film!)...I like it...because this is only a teaser of things to come.

Oh, by the way cpatubo...why does your web site look so wacky in IE 5.0 for the Mac? This is what I get...



Just wondering...

[cpatubo]

Not sure how you can be suprised by my reaction, if you don't really know me! But I never said the movie would suck, I just hoped that the movie would have more substance than this, ahem, teaser trailer. I'm giving it a chance.

On the subject of my page, I'm using IE5 as well, and it seems fine to me! *shrug*

[Nonsuch]

Originally posted by cpatubo:
<STRONG>I do look forward to Tobey MacGuire doing something fresh and new and expanding his horizons. I hope Kirsten Dunst can do something better than shake her booty in front of the camera (I know you GUYS have no problem with that)... she hasn't done any good solid work since Interview with the Vampire (although I give her credit for voice acting in Kiki's Delivery Service...</STRONG>

I've only seen MacGuire in The Ice Storm, and I thought he was excellent (though Adam Hann-bird stole that movie). And wherefore this dismissal of Kirsten Dunst? Granted, I'm male and biased , but I think she's excellent at slyly sending herself up without sacrificing her brains or integrity; her performances in Dick and Drop Dead Gorgeous were solid and very funny. I've seen less of her serious work, though her small appearances in Mother Night and Wag the Dog were good. And she's getting excellent notices for Crazy/Beautiful.

I must admit I wouldn't have pegged her for Mary Jane Watson. When I first heard she was going to be in the film, I assumed it was as Gwen Stacy. Mary Jane Watson requires someone a little further out there, like Fairuza Balk or Robin Tunney.

I myself am looking forward to the long-promised Daredevil movie ... even heard Matt Damon was interested in the lead(!).

[cashsixT8]

I think it looks like crap. The action sequences... bleh.... ok, spiderman IS a guy... in a suit. Right? Right. But in that trailer, he looks like jelly man, performing impossibly bends and just way unrealistic motion.

This movie will suck. Mark my words.

See, the problem is not in the QUALITY of the images, or the attention to detail. It's something else, but in my opinion, it looks way to 'fake' to be interesting.

- Ca$h

[Gaijin]

Saw it and thought it looked ok. It is a teaser so that might not even be in the film. Way too long to tell.

[anarkisst]

Originally posted by Gaijin:
<STRONG>Saw it and thought it looked ok. It is a teaser so that might not even be in the film. Way too long to tell.
</STRONG>

Exactly, we have a long way before the film is finished.

Originally posted by cashsixT8:
<STRONG>I think it looks like crap. The action sequences... bleh.... ok, spiderman IS a guy... in a suit. Right? Right. But in that trailer, he looks like jelly man, performing impossibly bends and just way unrealistic motion.</STRONG>

Spider-Man is a guy in a suit...who has traits and power of a spider within him. The old fashioned origin was that he was bitten by a radioactive spider...I think they'll update that in this film.

Also, look at the original artist who started drawing the comic book, Steve Ditko. He wanted the character to physically have these certain "spider" traits (inhuman bending, twisting and don't forget the ability to walk on walls). This was a way to instill fear in his opponents.

An excerpt from SPIDER-MAN: The First Thirty Years
by Peter Sanderson
(originally appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #365, August 1992)

"The eerieness of a man with spider-like abilities provided a startling contrast to other super-hero characters. Spider-Man wore a mask that completely concealed any facial expression, and that, in fact, made him look inhuman. He scurried up walls with the strange, animal-like gait which Steve Ditko endowed him. He often operated at night, frightening his criminal adversaries by catching them in the glare of the spotlight cast from his belt."

Well, I could go on but I think some should do research on this character and the artists who enterpreted him...then you'll get an idea of what Sam Raimi has to do to get this on the silver screen. I can think of no one better. Raimi is a huge comic book fan and has done other films that attest to this.

We'll see I guess...

[mrfrost]

I was really hoping this one would be good but after seeing the trailer for the 20th time....eermm...it looks kinda crappy !!