Spider (2002)

A mentally-disturbed man takes residence in a halfway house. His mind gradually slips back into the realm created by his illness, where he replays a key part of his childhood.

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

Patrick McGrath (novel), Patrick McGrath

Stars:

Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne

12 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ralph Fiennes	...	Spider
Miranda Richardson	...	Yvonne / Mrs. Cleg
Gabriel Byrne	...	Bill Cleg
Lynn Redgrave	...	Mrs. Wilkinson
John Neville	...	Terrence
Bradley Hall	...	Spider Boy
Gary Reineke	...	Freddy
Philip Craig	...	John
Cliff Saunders	...	Bob
Tara Ellis	...	Nora
Sara Stockbridge	...	Gladys
Arthur Whybrow	...	Ernie
Nicola Duffett	...	Barmaid
Jake Nightingale	...	Large Man
Alison Egan	...	Flashing Yvonne

Storyline

Dennis Clegg is in his thirties and lives in a halfway house for the mentally ill in London. Dennis, nicknamed "Spider" by his mother has been institutionalized with acute schizophrenia for some 20 years. He has never truly recovered, however, and as the story progresses we vicariously experience his increasingly fragile grip on reality.

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Plot Keywords:

halfway house | reality | schizophrenia | key | spider | 

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Taglines:

The only thing worse than losing your mind... is finding it again.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, brief violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 2002 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Pajak

Filming Locations:

Cinespace Film Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$189,350 (USA) (28 February 2003)

Gross:

$1,641,788 (USA) (25 July 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Odeon Films, Capitol Films, Artists Independent Network

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 94 min (DVD edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director David Cronenberg deferred his own salary to make this film.

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Goofs

There is a reflection of a crewmember in the building window while Spider walks on Kitchener street.

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Quotes

Yvonne: What you say your name was? Now don't tell me... Bill. Always been one of my favorites. I had a cat called Bill once.

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Connections

Referenced in High Chaparall: Robert Englund (2004)

User Reviews

My failed, boring and patronising attempt to help reveal the cinematic brilliance in this film

I've read a few of the other user comments about this film and often words and phrases like pretentious, dull, boring, lacking in entertainment are used. All fair comments, it is definitely not a film for a fantastical exciting escapist experience - however, I would suggest that a little effort on the part of the viewer will pay big dividends.

The first thing to say is that the actual plot of the film is not the main focus of the film. This is all about the madness, and subtle questions that are raised and need to be held in your mind throughout.

Every scene provides vital information, but do not forget we are seeing inside the 30 or 40 year old memories of a man who has spent most of his life in a mental asylum. I would not advise taking any scene at face value, particularly the flashbacks.

It is a challenging film and may at first seem to lack coherence, or be artsy for the sake of it. However, like the jigsaws that appear in the film in various forms it is the final pieces that are the hardest to deal with and potentially the most dangerous.

And at the end we are left with a question - is Spider's trauma the cause of his insanity, or is his insanity the cause of the trauma.