Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Your Friendly Neighbourhood!

In Sam Raimi's Spiderman Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007), the characteristic of Peter Parker has an interesting psychoanalysis to talk about. He was a normal nerdy guy until a radioactive spider bite him and turn him into super human. Like normal other guy he fell in love with a girl, MJ. At first, he used his power for his own self, for his selfishness, to get money to buy car to impress MJ. But after experiencing PTSD, the death of his uncle, Ben Parker and the death of his uncle's killer in front of his eyes (even though he did not kill him) changed his purpose. Remembering his uncle words, "With great power, comes great responsibility" change him, using his gift for justice, helping people catch bad guys. He began to explore his new power and try to control it. Trained to become a Spiderman.

In Spiderman 2 (2004) from what i see, this movie even explore deeper about his psychology. Struggling between Peter Parker that has weakness, has a love life, responsible for his own life, his studies, and Spiderman who should not have any weakness against his enemies, responsible for other people's life. This movie talks about making choice. We can see how Peter Parker struggled, chose to stop being Spiderman, chose to live his normal life, go to campus, fall in love. But then, he changed his decision, realise that Spiderman is part of him that he cannot left, and he has to give up something to become a hero, even something he want the most (his love life / MJ) as what Aunt May said to him. But the problem is not just that. He fought with his best friend too, Harry Osborn. As in the first movie, Harry Osborn thought that Spiderman killed his father, and he thought that Peter Parker is Spiderman's best friend since Peter Parker provides Spiderman photos for Daily Bugle.

At the end of Spiderman 2, Harry finally knew Peter Parker true identity, and he become the New Goblin in the Spiderman 3 (2007) and continue to fight with Peter Parker, avenging his father. And as Spiderman became more famous, he became narcism, and let Gwen Stacy kissed him and hurt MJ's feeling. The mainstream question for superheroes is "who is the real identity?", Peter Parker or Spiderman? Parker even creates another alter ego after his costume is covered by the symbiote and become black spidey. He became more aggressive and cruel. He tried to kill sandman, another suspect of the death of his uncle, and he threw bomb to Harry Osborn as well which damage half of his face. But then he realise what he has done and take off his black suit from him.
  • Some interesting semiotics that i found in this movie (might not talk about psychology though) is how they used black colour as a symbol of revenge. First is New Goblin, he use all black colour suits, fight to avenge his father's death. Second is Black Spiderman, he used it to fight Sandman to avenge his uncle's death. Third is Venom, he revenged of what Spiderman did to him, break his camera, and what Peter Parker do to him /  Eddie Broke, made him fired from Daily Bugle.
Bibliography
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-Psychology-Behind-Superhero-Origin-Stories-187938991.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/narcissism
http://www.psyartjournal.com/article/show/m_peaslee-with_great_power_comes_great_responsibil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJnUYcqrvK4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAFLNXIohXI

Spiderman. 2002. film. Directed by Sam Raimi. USA: Columbia Pictures Corporation.
Spiderman 2. 2004. film. Directed by Sam Raimi. USA: Columbia Pictures Corporation.
Spiderman 3. 2007. film. Directed by Sam Raimi. USA: Columbia Pictures Corporation.

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