Spin time: Director Raimi has woven great relationships with actors like Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire.

ostco Connection: Both Spider-Man was interested in the soap-opera aspects of positive than I am. The truth is, I looked at films have broken box-office records. his relationships with the girl in his life, with Peter Parker as a role model. Oftentimes, Why do you think this particular his best friend, the problems with his aunt. when you write these scenes, you have to comic-book franchise has connected with so Those family drama moments were what imagine yourself as the character. So you many people? was so interesting to me. put yourself into his head—you wonder Sam Raimi: It has to do with the great pop- CC: Were you more comfortable or less what he wants, how he would deal with ularity of Stan Lee’s Marvel comic book. comfortable directing the second Spider- something—then you write the scene. It’s been around for over 40 years, and it’s Man than the first? Why? A funny thing happens when you get had a tremendous readership. People have SR: I was much more comfortable directing into the character’s head. You really have to really connected with Peter Parker and his the second Spider-Man because I had already imagine yourself as a kinder person, a more alter ego, Spider-Man. Stan Lee created him formed relationships with all of the actors. giving person, a more responsible person. as one of us. He wasn’t this man from This is really what directing movies is all You have to do all of this, and you start another planet who was like a Greek god, about: It’s about finding the truth of little thinking, “Well, why aren’t I that person who stood on a pedestal and wore a cape, moments. I had already had a friendship with anyway? Why do I have to imagine all of who just pretended to be a human being. them, so I could just jump to the next level these positive qualities about myself? Why This guy was a human being, with all of our and be much more intimate with them and don’t I just possess those qualities?” And so faults and foibles and problems. communicate on a deeper level. it makes you start to want to be more like He was bitten by this radioactive spider And fortunately we all became friends, the character. I wouldn’t say that I’m like and took on these powers. So we got to watch so it really helped the process of communica-as one of us became the superhero. It really tion that we liked each other and respected created a tremendous degree of association one another. with the character. Stan Lee and the writers at Making the second one was more like Marvel who followed him were wise enough already having the Ford factory set up and to continue to make him one of us. now we were making a different model. The He always had to return from a crime- machinery was in place to create the prod-fighting episode and do his homework for uct, so it allowed me to concentrate on a school the next day. He had money prob- much freer and deeper level on the content lems. He had an aunt whose health he had to and the emotional qualities within the film. worry about. He, like many of us, came from CC: Which Spider-Man movie do you like a broken family. Life wasn’t perfect for him. ^{Raimi’s 1998 thriller, A Simple Plan} better and why? Yet he still had this tremendous power SR: I like them both for different reasons. I and therefore this responsibility to do good. like the first one because it’s a lot of fun. I It really was a uniquely interesting way to really enjoy the high of becoming Spider- 1. Spider-Man 2 (2004) approach the superhero, and one I think we Man with Peter Parker; the beginning of his all could identify with. romance, I really love that. ^{2. Spider-Man (2002)} CC: Spider-Man 2 is clearly a character- But I think I’m more affected emotion- ^{3. The Gift (2000)} driven film, instead of being action driven. ally by the second film. I get a chance to 4. For Love of the Game (1999) Why did you take this approach, and why experience the character on a deeper level, 5. A Simple Plan (1998) does it work so well? really suffer with him and finally watch him 6. The Quick and the Dead (1995) SR: I think we chose to make it a character- get what he deserves in a very positive way driven film because that was what always by the end of the piece. ^{7. Army of Darkness (1993)} appealed to me about the comic book. The CC: You were kind of a childhood geek of ^{8. Darkman (1990)} stories always had a very human element. The sorts. Can you relate to Peter Parker on a 9. Evil Dead II (1987) human drama always interested me the most. certain level? 10. Crimewave (1985) For me the movies really are about Peter SR: (laughing) You got that right. But Peter 11. The Evil Dead (1981) Parker, not so much about Spider-Man. I is so much more dedicated and heroic and