herbiehancock

No 411 – Spiderman 2 Director – Sam Raimi . Disclaimer – I wrote all my notes and then I put my notes in a bag and then my friend went home with the bag and now I don’t got my notes or nuffink . So yeah…. There is a moment in Spiderman 2 which gets me excited. The great scientist Otto Octavious has been experimenting with something which is either a precious ore called Tritium or an ore called PreciousTritium (I just can’t tell.... every one says Precious Tritium…). The experiment has backfired. Giant robot tentaclaws have fused into his spine. Bugger. Doctors begin to operate, trying to prise the wires from the connections they’ ve made in the Scientist’s nervous system. The claws flicker to life and all hell breaks loose . It is here that one thing becomes evident. Sam Raimi should be making lighting fast, visceral horror. The claws are such a clear homage to his Evil Dead days. We have POV shots which echo the insane skateboard mounted shots of his first film, we even hav...

No 437 – Spiderman Director – Sam Raimi Spiderman . Spiderman . Does whatever a spider can . Ah Spiderman – a film which manages to flirt with greatness but also have a violent sexual relationship with being really really cheesy. The thing is that cheesy kind of suits the story of Peter Parker. He isn ’t the bleak dark reality of Nolan’s batman – he lives in the same (Marvel) world as Tony Stark. Bright, brash and stupid with a wisecracking hero zipping about. From the first tinkles of Danny Elfman ’s marvellous score (not his best work, but all is work can surely be classed as ‘ samey but magical to listen to ’) we know we’re in a cartoon world – we’re here for a laugh. The film does help create some wonderful moments. Once Parker has been bit by the genetic super spider we open a world full of great touches. There is the simple – yet brilliant – way that Parker’s new found Spidey Senses work – showing his reactions by slowing everything down, there is the humour in Spidey ’s wis...