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Spider
Stars:
Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, John Neville, Bradley Hall,
and Lynn Redgrave
Writer:
Patrick McGrath
Based
On The Novel By: Patrick McGrath
Director:
David Cronenberg
Feature
length: 98 minutes
Extras:
Feature Length Director’s Commentary, Featurettes, Filmographies, and Trailers
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 28
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2002/DVD Release: 2003
Theatrical
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Home
Video Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Canadian
Auteur David Cronenberg is one of my favorite filmmakers. He has made some of
the boldest and most inspired genre films to ever grace the big and small
screens. In between some of his more commercial releases like “Stephen
King’s The Dead Zone” or his 1986 remake of “The Fly,” Cronenberg has
proved unafraid to tackle more complex and darker films that often are not so
much genre films in terms of ideas that could or could not be seen as science
fiction or even horror, but are actually far more dramatic than most people give
him credit for. “Crash,” “M. Butterfly,” and “Dead Ringers” are just
a few of those films that deal with various themes that touch upon sexuality,
psychology, and perception among the many others that serve as an undercurrent
that both fans and scholars can follow regardless of whether or not they were
intentionally placed there or not.
So
“SPIDER” is definitely a step closer toward drama from Cronenberg than say
“eXistenZ” and is another triumph for him as a filmmaker as well. Now let me
be clear that “SPIDER” is not a feel good picture with a moody edge. In fact
it is a dark film, but an interesting film that offers some interesting
revelations regarding the central character that fits together like a puzzle.
However since this is the web that “Spider” (Ralph Fiennes) built, we are
never completely certain if all of the events in the story are exactly as they
occurred or whether they are another construct of Spider’s mind.
Spider
is schizophrenic recently released from an institution for the criminally insane
and sent to a halfway house in London near where Spider lived as a boy. The
house is run by the stern Mrs. Likenson (Lynn Redgrave), who has an emasculating
power over all of the male outpatients that live under her roof and intimidates
Spider. Spider finds solace through his cryptic scrawling in his memoir notebook
while he tries to piece together his memories of his parents (Miranda
Richardson) and (Gabriel Byrne) and their role if any in Spider’s development
into the man he is today.
Be
clear that this is not some “Norman Bates” like story and definitely a
darker portrayal of the plight of a schizophrenic man than one is likely to see
elsewhere. Ralph Fiennes is barely understandable through much of the film with
mutterings and whatnot that only become clear when we see him relive his
memories as a child and yet through body language alone we can understand that
this is a man who is stripped to the bone internally with no real attachments to
anyone. Gabriel Byrne delivers a
solid performance, but Miranda Richardson truly shines as a talented and
versatile actress with three different roles in the film that make sense by the
time we get to film’s final possible revelation.
Presented
in an anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) aspect ratio down converted from a high
definition master, the transfer captures the monotone bleakness beautifully
throughout. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound makes great use of the
surround channels and subwoofer to create a discrete experience that helps to
draw the viewer closer into Spider’s world. English Captions and Closed
Captions for the hearing impaired are encoded onto the DVD as options. Director
David Cronenberg provides an informative feature length audio commentary track
that is both introspective regarding the nature of the characters and screen
specific, but not technical. Sometimes it almost feels like he is narrating the
action, but in doing so he does point out certain aspects of the story viewers
might miss the first time around. The commentary does contain spoilers pretty
early on so it is best to watch the film first to get the full effect and then
watch it again with the Cronenberg commentary track on. (I know that may seem
odd, but there are people who like the read the last chapter of a novel to find
out how a book ends before they begin to read it the first chapter so it is not
an unreasonable warning.)
There
are three featurettes that support the commentary and even touch upon some
details not mentioned on the commentary audio track. “In The Beginning: How
SPIDER Came To Be” (8:09) covers the unusual means by how Cronenberg became
involved with the screen adaptation of the novel, which had Fiennes already
attached to play the lead. Cronenberg covers in a very candid fashion the
financing troubles that almost caused the film not to be made and what the
Director, Writer, and Stars did to help the film get made. “Weaving The Web:
The Making Of SPIDER” (9:10) goes into the expressionistic style Cronenberg
utilized for the film and features various cast interview clips. “Caught In
SIDER’S Web: The Cast” (12:23) covers both the initial casting of the film
and the Stars’ own point of view of their respective roles in the production.
Ralph Fiennes seems quite straightforward and honest in this featurette
regarding how he likes to work with a Director and in doing so reveals perhaps a
more personal side to his persona as an Actor that many in his field rarely
allow to be expressed.
Select
Director, Writer, and Cast Filmographies and trailers for “SPIDER” (2:14),
“Adaptation” (2:38), “Punch-Drunk Love” (2:33), and “The Devil’s
Backbone” wrap up the extra features on this DVD release. The menus feature
full motion scenes from the film integrated into the menus and transitions and
of the interactive menus all are easy to navigate.
“SPIDER”
is a compelling drama worth seeing when it debuts on DVD-Video on Tuesday, July
29, 2003 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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Spider