We need this hero!

[Mistopurr83]

We all know the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks occured nine months before Spider-Man 1 came out. Millions flocked to see Spider-Man because they felt we needed a hero. Now I feel millions of people may flock for Spider-Man 3 because we had many tragic events happen just last week.

First, it was the massacre at Virginia Tech University.
Second, it was the shootings at Nasa Space Station in Houston.
Third, 48 people were just killed over in Baghdad after a suicide bombing.

Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[waylayer]

We all know the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks occured nine months before Spider-Man 1 came out. Millions flocked to see Spider-Man because they felt we needed a hero. Now I feel millions of people may flock for Spider-Man 3 because we had many tragic events happen just last week.

Personally, I don't agree with the Spidey/Sept. 11th analogy, however I remember at the time that quite a few thought that the huge success of Fellowship of the Ring was due to the escapism that it gave movie-goers from our harsh reality. I tend to agree. In the end, I think many go to the movies to have fun and escape for a couple hours, not necessarily to look for inspiration (although of course some will get the effect of this in the process).

Seeing the first Spider-Man in the theater brought no memories of the Sept. 11th attacks to my mind until the awfully cheesy "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us" New Yorker line and the out of place final flag shot. I think the effect of people going to see a movie like Spider-Man will have little to do with any outside world events. Case in point: Hot Fuzz. It just got the biggest per screen average over the weekend, and that movie celebrates guns and ultra-violence (in a humorous way, but still). Obviously the people who went to see this (including me) were not connecting real world violence with the film, or else the theaters would have been empty.

So I see your point about people looking to see Spider-Man to get real life inspiration for a hero, but I think the vast majority will look at it as just entertainment; an action-packed thrill ride to watch while munching on snow-caps.

 

[OctaviusINC]

^ Well spoken and very true.

People went to see Spider-man for the fact that it was Spider-man. It was a huge movie to begin with.

 

[UltimateJustin]

I think a significant number of people feel a connection between 9/11 and the first Spiderman. I dont know if thats really what convinced anyone into seeing it, but there is an added emotional element to that film to some.

When I think back to five or so years ago, I think of September 11th, the Spiderman teaser poster and of course, Michael Jackson's Invincible.