Length: 85 minutes Distributor: Home Vision DVD Release Date: 07/23/2002 Director: Ron Mann
Plot: From Spiderman to Zippy the Pinhead, from the scariness of "Tales From the Crypt" to the sophisticated commentary of "Maus," this film brings you into the world of comics. Includes interviews with: Stan Lee, William M. Gaines, Lynda Barry and more.
Length: N/A minutes Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 02/11/2003
Plot: Debuting in 1994, this Spider-Man animated series introduced a whole new generation of fans to Stan Lee's web slinger. These episodes of the series introduce the villain known as Daredevil and detail his origins. Known by his alter-ego Matt Murdock, Daredevil works with Peter Parker by day and yet opposes him at night when both have turned into their respective alter-egos and work to expose the truth behind New York City's biggest criminal, Kingpin.
Length: 58 minutes Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD Release Date: 05/07/2002 Cast: Stan Lee
Plot: Stan Lee, the creator of Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk, and John Buscema, who fashioned Conan the Barbarian and Silver Surfer, present this program designed to teach the viewer, whether expert or beginner, how to draw comics like the professionals. Beginning by teaching fundamental skills such as proportion, perspective, penciling, creating a dramatic mood, and using artwork to project action and emotion, these two masters move on to teaching such advanced skills as creating panels and dramatic action using examples from Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers as a guide.
Theater Release Date: 2002 Format: Special Edition 2-Disc Set; Widescreen Version Length: 121 minutes Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 11/01/2002 Director: Sam Raimi Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Bill Nunn, Scott Schwartz, Randy Savage, Michael Papajohn, Deborah Wakeham
Plot: Based on the classic Marvel Comics series, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man deftly details the origin of the web-slinging superhero. When awkward New York City teenager Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) attends a class field trip to a laboratory, he gets bitten by a genetically altered spider while taking photos of his longtime crush, the lovely Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Soon he discovers this bite has given him remarkable powers--heightened strength, dexterity, and awareness, along with the ability to cling to walls and shoot webs from his wrists. Hoping to win Mary Jane's heart using his new talents, Peter becomes distracted from home life with his doting Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), ultimately leading to tragedy--and his new role as the crime-fighting Spider-Man. Meanwhile Harry Osborn (Willem Dafoe), the industrialist father of Peter's friend Norman (James Franco), undergoes a transformation of his own, bringing about the creation of Spider-Man's arch-nemesis: The Green Goblin. In order to save his loved ones--and all of New York City--from the devastating force of the deluded Goblin, Spider-Man must take on the villain in a series of stunning battles. By staying true to the essence of the comic book, Raimi accomplishes the rare feat of crafting a superhero movie with a real heart. Rather than focusing solely on action and explosions, Spider-Man wisely shines the spotlight on the character of Peter Parker, played with perfect bewilderment by Maguire. The special effects, of course, are dazzling, but they are topped by an excellent cast that also includes the radiant Dunst, the menacing Dafoe, the brooding Franco, and the scene-stealing J.K. Simmons as Peter's tough-talking boss. (Raimi fans will notice cameos by the director's brother, Ted Raimi, and Evil Dead series star Bruce Campbell.) The result is a charming and amazingly entertaining film unafraid to combine Cgi animation with sincere human emotion.
Theater Release Date: 2004 Format: Special Edition, Fullscreen, 2 discs Length: 127 minutes Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 11/30/2004 Director: Sam Raimi Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons
Plot: Sam Raimi's follow-up to Spider-Man finds Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) struggling to balance his everyday life with his alter ego as the web-slinging superhero. Still carrying the burden of keeping his crime-fighting identity from those closest to him--including his longtime love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), and his doting Aunt May (Rosemary Harris)--Parker must also face off against a dangerous new menace, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), a scientist driven mad by experiments involving powerful mechanical arms. When the deranged Octavius (Aka Doc Ock) forms an alliance with the vengeful Osborn, who blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, the wall-crawling hero is in for his biggest battle yet. With Spider-Man 2, Raimi retains--and improves on--all of the elements that made the first film so good, including an excellent story (crafted, in part, by acclaimed novelist Michael Chabon), tight pacing, and stunning special effects. Parker's internal conflicts are even greater than before, and Maguire adds emotional depth to every scene. Returning actors Dunst, Franco, Harris, and J.K. Simmons (once again portraying Parker's tough-talking boss, J. Jonah Jameson) are all pitch-perfect in their roles, and, as the once-noble Octavius, Molina is remarkable, relishing his villainous lines, while giving the character a surprisingly vulnerable side. Throughout the movie, Raimi expertly balances drama and humor with dynamic action sequences, making Spider-Man 2 feel more like a continuation of the original tale rather than an obligatory sequel. For a Hollywood movie, that's a real feat.
Length: N/A minutes Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 09/02/2003
Plot: This triple feature contains three collections of the Spider-Man animated series: Daredevil Vs. Spider-Man, Spider-Man: The Return Of The Green Goblin, and Spider-Man: The Ultimate Villain Showdown.
Theater Release Date: 2004 Length: N/A minutes Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 11/30/2004 Director: Sam Raimi Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina
Plot: Spider-Man: Based on the classic Marvel Comics series, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man deftly details the origin of the web-slinging superhero. When awkward New York City teenager Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) attends a class field trip to a laboratory, he gets bitten by a genetically altered spider while taking photos of his longtime crush, the lovely Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Soon he discovers this bite has given him remarkable powers--heightened strength, dexterity, and awareness, along with the ability to cling to walls and shoot webs from his wrists. Hoping to win Mary Jane's heart using his new talents, Peter becomes distracted from home life with his doting Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), ultimately leading to tragedy--and his new role as the crime-fighting Spider-Man. Meanwhile Harry Osborn (Willem Dafoe), the industrialist father of Peter's friend Norman (James Franco), undergoes a transformation of his own, bringing about the creation of Spider-Man's arch-nemesis: The Green Goblin. In order to save his loved ones--and all of New York City--from the devastating force of the deluded Goblin, Spider-Man must take on the villain in a series of stunning battles. Staying true to the essence of the comic book, Raimi accomplishes the rare feat of crafting a superhero movie with a real heart. Spider-Man 2: Sam Raimi's follow-up to Spider-Man finds Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) struggling to balance his everyday life with his alter ego as the web-slinging superhero. Still carrying the burden of keeping his crime-fighting identity from those closest to him--including his longtime love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), and his doting Aunt May (Rosemary Harris)--Parker must also face off against a dangerous new menace, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), a scientist driven mad by experiments involving powerful mechanical arms. When the deranged Octavius (Aka Doc Ock) forms an alliance with the vengeful Osborn, who blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, the wall-crawling hero is in for his biggest battle yet.
Length: 80 minutes Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 06/29/2004
Plot: Spider-Man Vs. Doc Ock features everyone' favorite arachnid superhero in action as he fights the devious Doctor Octopus, along with a other dreaded enemies.
Length: 64 minutes Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 01/25/2005 Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Loeb, Ian Ziering
Plot: A lush and beautifully animated version of the classic superhero, The New Animated Series finds the young Peter Parker trying to live life as a normal college kid. The bite he suffered a few years ago from an irradiated spider, and the resulting superhuman powers he was subsequently endowed with make this a bit challenging. However, he is still beset by the desire to act on his vigilante impulses. He tries to use his powers to promote the general wellbeing of the community, while pursuing the trust of his friends and his romance with Mary Jane. The all-star cast features the voices of singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb (Cake And Pie), Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, M.D., Starship Troopers, Undercover Brother), and Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210). This collection includes the episodes "Royal Scam," "Heroes and Villains," and "Flash Memory."
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - High Voltage Villains
Length: 64 minutes Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 06/01/2004 Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Loeb, Ian Ziering
Plot: This beautifully rendered computer animated version of Marvel Comics' beloved super hero features the voice of Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers) as Peter Parker/Spiderman. Here, Peter has graduated from high school and is attending Empire State University. Still burdened with the desire to use his incredible, spider bite-derived powers to do good, he finds it hard balancing his responsibilities of being a super hero with schoolwork and his romance with Mary Jane. This collection includes the episodes "The Party," "Keeping Secrets," and "When Sparks Fly."
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - The Ultimate Face-Off
Length: 64 minutes Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 06/01/2004 Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Loeb, Ian Ziering
Plot: This beautifully rendered computer animated version of Marvel Comics' beloved super hero features the voice of Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers) as Peter Parker/Spiderman. Here, Peter has graduated from high school and is attending Empire State University. Still burdened with the desire to use his incredible, spider bite-derived powers to do good, he finds it hard balancing his responsibilities of being a super hero with schoolwork and his romance with Mary Jane. This collection includes the episodes "Spider-Man Dis-Sabled," "Mind Games Part 1," and "Mind Games Part 2."
Length: 88 minutes Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 10/29/2002
Plot: Debuting in 1994, this Spider-Man animated series introduced a whole new generation of fans to Stan Lee's web slinger. The story of Spider-Man's origins is well known to fans: Peter Parker, a shy young budding scientist, obtains his unique abilities when an irradiated spider bites him. However, Spidey had been successful at hiding his true identity from his enemies until these episodes, when his archenemy, The Green Goblin, discovers his origins. Later, Spidey finds himself in more hot water when he has his first run-in with The Hobgoblin.
Length: 80 minutes Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 04/30/2002
Plot: Debuting in 1994, this Spider-Man animated series introduced a whole new generation of fans to Stan Lee's web slinger. The story of Spider-Man's origins is well known: Peter Parker, a shy young budding scientist, obtains his unique abilities when an irradiated spider bites him. However, this collection features episodes of the animated series that reveal the less commonly known origins of some of Spidey's most menacing nemeses including The Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, and Kingpin.
Length: 299 minutes Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 01/13/2004 Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Loeb, Ian Ziering
Plot: This beautifully rendered computer animated version of Marvel Comics' beloved super hero features the voice of Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers) as Peter Parker/Spiderman. Here, Peter has graduated from high school and is attending Empire State University. Still burdened with the desire to use his incredible, spider bite-derived powers to do good, he finds it hard balancing his responsibilities of being a super hero with schoolwork and his romance with Mary Jane.
