The Amazing Spider-Man Spidey body language

[The Slang]

I just had a thought. I think a big part of the spider-man character should be his body language. It, along with the quipping were the things I felt were really missing from him in the movies. He should talk with his hands sometimes, not excessively but wagging a finger at the person he's talking to and such.

Also, when ever possible they should avoid having an actor/stuntman just standing in an open area in costume. Think of the fire scene in the first movie when the cops run over to spidey and one of them say 'I'm taking you in."
Spider-man just stands there a few feet from the guy and it seems kind of corny to me. I know that personally I'd feel alittle vulnerable standing in a crowded street wearing the spider-man suit. A way to make it less awkward would be to jump to the nearest street light/traffic light etc as soon as the cops approach. Perched just out of reach, making the cop look up when he says "I'm taking you in."

He should almost instinctively jump to high points when ever in public. Like how he'd go see connors and they'd talk while spidey hangs upside down in the corner or perched with his back to a wall. I always kind of saw that as a way of Parker feeling secure around people and even avoiding embarrasment while in the suit. Sticking to a wall or balancing on a narrow point is what seperates Spider-man from some guy in tights standing in the middle of the room. Not to mention you'd have to feel less vulnerable in a fight when your like 2 meters off the ground.
Also think of the scene in spider-man 3 when he jumps out of the over turned van after fighting sand-man. Again, seeing the actor standing there in the open with that suit looks corny to me. Partly because his movements were alittle too dramatic and didn't look at all like someone with super-human abilities. By which I mean, the manner in which he crawls and gets to his feet looks in no way assisted by super-human strength. I would've preffered to see something along the lines of him swinging around the doorframe and perching on top of the van. The nearest high point.

So yeah, body language is a big part of his personality and a requirement in they're not going to have any emotion show through the mask.

 

[SpeterMan3]

Hmm. Good point.

 

[MrSpyder]

Perhaps they wanted to use Tobey in suit other than CGi. But yeah his body language could be more active so to speak

 

[The Slang]

Perhaps they wanted to use Tobey in suit other than CGi. But yeah his body language could be more active so to speak

If your talking about the scene in SM3, I'm not so sure that was tobey in the suit. I don't know though.

I think its pretty ridiculous that Raimi didn't hire any traceurs, people well trained in Parkour during his movies. Raimi probably doesn't even know what Parkour is. For everyone here who doesn't, go to youtube. A good example is the chase scene near the beginning of james bond (yes those stunts were done without effects). I've seen people that can do things that Raimi used cgi to accomplish. Getting one of these people and attaching them to wires with a blue screen could get some amazing results. The fact that Raimi didn't incorporate any Parkour into the movie to me shows that he's alittle out of touch with the world, or doesn't have that same love for Spidey's acrobatic prowess.

 

[Eggyman]

I can't remember which artist it was, but it was on one of the special feature disks.... He said that if you're drawing Spidey on his feet, then you're waisting the character. I guess it's similar on film, too. I mean, how much would it add to a scene having Spidey stuck to a wall or hanging from something, rather than just standing there looking like a guy in a costume...? It sounds minor but I personally think that things like this should be addressed. Sometimes it's the little things that count. Think about how in the first film he hangs upside down when MJ kisses him, and think how less impactful it would've been to have him just standing there instead.

Good thread.

 

[spider-neil]

I can't remember which artist it was, but it was on one of the special feature disks.... He said that if you're drawing Spidey on his feet, then you're waisting the character. I guess it's similar on film, too. I mean, how much would it add to a scene having Spidey stuck to a wall or hanging from something, rather than just standing there looking like a guy in a costume...? It sounds minor but I personally think that things like this should be addressed. Sometimes it's the little things that count. Think about how in the first film he hangs upside down when MJ kisses him, and think how less impactful it would've been to have him just standing there instead.

Good thread.

there definately should have been more shots of peter/spidey on walls and ceilings. there is a classic scene in 'the fly' where goldblum is walking up the of his bedroom, its such a simple shot but its so effect because its just a normal camera angle, too often when spidey is walling up a wall the camera is tilted or at an odd angle so it looks like he (spidey) is on the floor (which is the case) but a better camera angle would give more weight to the scene.

as for body language I'm not really fussed but spidey should definately have a 'personality'.
superheroes on the big screen basically play the same guy in and out of camera, I only felt the difference with reeves' clark/superman and bale's bruce/batman 'SWEAR TO ME!!!'

 

[©KAW]

If your talking about the scene in SM3, I'm not so sure that was tobey in the suit. I don't know though.

I think its pretty ridiculous that Raimi didn't hire any traceurs, people well trained in Parkour during his movies. Raimi probably doesn't even know what Parkour is. For everyone here who doesn't, go to youtube. A good example is the chase scene near the beginning of james bond (yes those stunts were done without effects). I've seen people that can do things that Raimi used cgi to accomplish. Getting one of these people and attaching them to wires with a blue screen could get some amazing results. The fact that Raimi didn't incorporate any Parkour into the movie to me shows that he's alittle out of touch with the world, or doesn't have that same love for Spidey's acrobatic prowess.

Yet, another problem I have with Raimi's films, he uses CGI where traditional visual effects can do a much better and more realistic job. I also don't know why contortionists wasn't hired, look at some of the insane things "Cirque du Soleil" can do without CGI, they're like real living breathing Spider-Men.

 

[El Payaso]

I'm sure I heard back in 2000 or 2001 they hired one or more than one Cirque du Soleil guy for screentests and/or CGI tests. I remember they did those to show the producers what they were going after. Now, why they didn't keep them for the actual movie - or whether they did it or not - I ignore.

 

[©KAW]

Nope, they didn't hire them. I personally emailed "Cirque du Soleil" from their site during Spider-Man 2, they stated that they were not involved.

 

[The Slang]

For the next movie, they need to hire Parkour experts, contortionists, an expert gymnast/acrobat, a martial artist and also a physicist to oversee the special effects and keep all the super-human stuff consistent. Tell them things like no, a human this weight with this much strength would acend/decend at this rate. Or a car colliding with this obstacle at this speed would get this much air etc

 

[©KAW]

double...

 

[©KAW]

That would be called smart directing, good luck with getting that with this production team, whom only seem interested in how much money they can make off Spider-Man.

 

[MrSpyder]

For the next movie, they need to hire Parkour experts, contortionists, an expert gymnast/acrobat, a martial artist and also a physicist to oversee the special effects and keep all the super-human stuff consistent. Tell them things like no, a human this weight with this much strength would acend/decend at this rate. Or a car colliding with this obstacle at this speed would get this much air etc

Agreed with that