Post by doomedbloodwork on Jul 18, 2004 8:15:39 GMT -5
If, like me, you were one of the people who saw the likes of SUPERMAN I and II in your early moviegoing days as a child, you probably have fond memories of the fact that these two movies were exactly the sort of visual treat that you hoped for, but I am sure you wondered whether they could do any better....
Even with special effect techniques improving throughout the 80's (a fine example: the brilliance of that one shot of the Falcon, X, Y, A Wings and TIE fighters in RETURN OF THE JEDI during the start of the Endor space battle) one of the saddest legacies of recent years was the Cannon Group's SUPERMAN IV film, which was way below what audiences expected and had some of the worst travelling matte and back projection, which didn't even come close to the first two films.
It makes you wonder how SPIDER-MAN would have looked if Cannon Films had managed to secure the rights to the film.
For the record, at one point, SPIDER-MAN was to have been directed by either Tobe Hooper or Albert Pyun (yes, the same guy who directed such visual treats as CYBORG and MEAN GUNS (hee, hee)) Hooper's version was quite a tasteful prospect and sounded like the sort of movie that would have put him finally in the big leagues. In light of the litigation that occured from the mid 80's to the late 90's, nothing happened. James Cameron became attached and the rest is part of development legend....
If SUPERMAN I and II were the film fantasy fx treats that people like myself had hoped for, then SPIDER-MAN 2 is the fx treat we have yearned for and dreamed of. It is, in my opinion, a double whammy of being the greatest comic-book adaptation I have ever seen, as well as the best sequel of it's kind.
Fans of SUPERMAN II will feel far closer to this because of the similarities, as they have a similar sense of conflict and thrills as that film and granted, the CGI makes this visually superior, but this provides the most exhilarating mix of fx, laughs, romance, tragedy and depth that I have never seen in a fantasy film since - well, the likes of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, not just in the action (which is reminiscent of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM and SUPERMAN 1 and 2) but also in terms of the depth of conflict and character that the other principals aside from Peter Parker are going through.
Refreshingly, no one dominates the proceedings or steals the film from anybody else. Everyone acquits themselves marvellously and gives balanced performances all round.
It is an even tastier morsel than expected because of this and as a moviegoing adult, rather than a moviegoing kid, it has really opened my eyes to what the future of the cinema will hold. It is the first fx extravaganza that takes the potential of CGI to it's fullest without looking like CGI, as well as compromising the story. It even finds room for director Sam Raimi to throw in the occasional homage to his horror classic THE EVIL DEAD.
In addition, it also pays a knowing nod to some of the spoofs over the years (the late English camp comedian Kenny Everett did a classic one in his VIDEO SHOW episodes back in the early 80's. Check these out if they ever turn up on PBS or BBC America).
It also has the advantage of not having the director dismissed after the first film (SUPERMAN 1 and 2 were effectively the same film split in two and Richard Donner left the project after the insurmountable pressures of finishing the film in time for it's December 1978 premiere. Source - SUPERMAN - THE MOVIE - SPECIAL FEATURES DVD)
Should I go far enough to say that this could even challenge other films for a Best Picture Oscar nod next March? Don't bet against it in light of THE RETURN OF THE KING's clean sweep.
To summarise - well, I like it....!!
Even with special effect techniques improving throughout the 80's (a fine example: the brilliance of that one shot of the Falcon, X, Y, A Wings and TIE fighters in RETURN OF THE JEDI during the start of the Endor space battle) one of the saddest legacies of recent years was the Cannon Group's SUPERMAN IV film, which was way below what audiences expected and had some of the worst travelling matte and back projection, which didn't even come close to the first two films.
It makes you wonder how SPIDER-MAN would have looked if Cannon Films had managed to secure the rights to the film.
For the record, at one point, SPIDER-MAN was to have been directed by either Tobe Hooper or Albert Pyun (yes, the same guy who directed such visual treats as CYBORG and MEAN GUNS (hee, hee)) Hooper's version was quite a tasteful prospect and sounded like the sort of movie that would have put him finally in the big leagues. In light of the litigation that occured from the mid 80's to the late 90's, nothing happened. James Cameron became attached and the rest is part of development legend....
If SUPERMAN I and II were the film fantasy fx treats that people like myself had hoped for, then SPIDER-MAN 2 is the fx treat we have yearned for and dreamed of. It is, in my opinion, a double whammy of being the greatest comic-book adaptation I have ever seen, as well as the best sequel of it's kind.
Fans of SUPERMAN II will feel far closer to this because of the similarities, as they have a similar sense of conflict and thrills as that film and granted, the CGI makes this visually superior, but this provides the most exhilarating mix of fx, laughs, romance, tragedy and depth that I have never seen in a fantasy film since - well, the likes of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, not just in the action (which is reminiscent of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM and SUPERMAN 1 and 2) but also in terms of the depth of conflict and character that the other principals aside from Peter Parker are going through.
Refreshingly, no one dominates the proceedings or steals the film from anybody else. Everyone acquits themselves marvellously and gives balanced performances all round.
It is an even tastier morsel than expected because of this and as a moviegoing adult, rather than a moviegoing kid, it has really opened my eyes to what the future of the cinema will hold. It is the first fx extravaganza that takes the potential of CGI to it's fullest without looking like CGI, as well as compromising the story. It even finds room for director Sam Raimi to throw in the occasional homage to his horror classic THE EVIL DEAD.
In addition, it also pays a knowing nod to some of the spoofs over the years (the late English camp comedian Kenny Everett did a classic one in his VIDEO SHOW episodes back in the early 80's. Check these out if they ever turn up on PBS or BBC America).
It also has the advantage of not having the director dismissed after the first film (SUPERMAN 1 and 2 were effectively the same film split in two and Richard Donner left the project after the insurmountable pressures of finishing the film in time for it's December 1978 premiere. Source - SUPERMAN - THE MOVIE - SPECIAL FEATURES DVD)
Should I go far enough to say that this could even challenge other films for a Best Picture Oscar nod next March? Don't bet against it in light of THE RETURN OF THE KING's clean sweep.
To summarise - well, I like it....!!
