MOVIE - SPIDER - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$1/2 (OUT OF 10)
STARRING- Ralph Fiennes (Dennis 'Spider' Cleg), Miranda Richardson (Mrs. Cleg), Gabriel Byrne (Bill Cleg), Lynn Redgrave (Mrs. Wilkinson), Bradley Hall (young Spider), John Neville (Terrence), Gary Reineke, Philip Craig & Sara Stockbridge.
DIRECTOR - David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, 1986's The Fly, Crash, The Dead Zone, Scanners, Naked Lunch & Videodrome)
Based on Patrick McGrath's 1991 novel, Spider.
A modern day examination of Freud's Oedipus Complex.
The opening sequence in Spider is a tribute to the powerfulness of imagery. Though virtually devoid of dialogue this scene provides us with great insight into the main character of this psychological drama. The camera pans the train platform full of disembarking passengers. It is only after the last of these individuals has rejoined society that Spider (Fiennes) gingerly emerges into this foreign land. Years of institutionalization and continuing mental illness combine to make the world a foreboding place.
The stark imagery is maintained throughout the movie. Spider's destination, a halfway house, is depressingly dilapidated. The state of disrepair is, in my opinion, a symbolic representation of the current state of mental health care. In response to both past institutional abuses and budgetary pressure, the Spider's of this world are often thrust unprepared and unwanted into society, a society which has failed to adequately provide for their needs.
Spider's new residence is not far from where he grew up and he spends all of his time trying to resolve the emotional dilemma that continues to haunt him. The unraveling of this web of deceit and disillusionment is brilliantly executed. The adult Spider voyeuristically retraces the events of his childhood that led to his emotional breakdown. This journey is, of course, the journey of a man whose emotional development was long ago stunted and warped. The tale that unfolds is the truth in so far as Spider the boy perceived it and to borrow a phrase from a far inferior movie, The Recruit, "nothing is as it seems".
During this journey we are treated to even more wondrous symbolic imagery. The jigsaw puzzle signifies Spider's need to fit all the pieces of his history precisely together and his frustration in being unable to do so. His notebook, which he goes to great lengths to hide despite its incomprehensiveness to outsiders, symbolizes both the depth of his mental confusion and his need to resolve the mystery of the events that changed his life forever.
Regular readers of this site know I don't like to give away too many details. However, its hard to convey the true essence of Spider without discussing his psychosis in some detail. You may want to skip the next paragraph.
What becomes readily apparent, in a movie that isn't afraid to take the time to paint a vivid portrait of insanity, is that the source of Spider's problems is unresolved Oedipus Complex issues. Spider and his father, Mr. Cleg (Gabriel Byrne) are competing for the attention and affection of Mrs. Cleg (Miranda Richardson). The situation is compounded when Mrs. Cleg, seeking to save her marriage, chooses the needs of the man over the needs of the boy. Having lost the battle, and feeling betrayed, Spider's virginal perception of his mother is no longer sustainable. However, having put his mother on a pedestal, young Spider is ill-equipped to deal with this new reality and is thus forced to construct one. It is simply unacceptable, to Spider, that his angelic mother chose his father over him. The woman his mother has become cannot be the woman she once was. The discordance between what is and what was means that what was, in the mind of a boy with a vivid imagination, can no longer exist. People who no longer exist are dead. The person responsible for his mother's "death" is his father. If his father "killed" his mother his father is a murderer. Infallible logic unfortunately based on a false premise. The false premise clouds Spider's judgment sufficiently to justify his subsequent actions. His continued mental instability springs not only from what he has done but the fervent belief, indeed need to believe, that he had and continues to perceive events accurately. For Spider, admitting he was wrong is more dangerous to his continued existence than struggling endlessly to prove he was right.
Ralph Fiennes gives a brilliant performance. He conveys the meekness and maniacal thought processes of Spider perfectly. The performance is so good that few words are required to depict the depth of Spider's internal turmoil. The rest of the cast, in particular Miranda Richardson, veteran actor John Neville and Bradley Hall as Spider as a child, give excellent supporting performances.
Spider, which has won numerous film festival awards, apparently opened for one week in December to qualify for the 75th Annual Academy Awards. The Academy then totally ignored this very deserving film. Cronenberg's direction of Spider, as well as several of the performances, were deserving of nominations in several categories. The Academy will have to make up for this slight down the road when they are forced to give Cronenberg a lifetime achievement award.
Spider is one of those movies that could be watched repeatedly, and may need to be, for the viewer to completely absorb the myriad of symbolism that fills each frame. Spider spins its tale so well that you will become trapped in its web of psychological impairment long after the movie ends.
Running time: 98 minutes
Alternative Reviews:
Peter Travers Rolling Stone Review
Roger Ebert's Review
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews
Spider Official Website
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2003
David Schwartz.
Last update:
8/9/03; 11:07:41 PM.
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