Stan Lee Movies
In addition to being the man who crafted both the "Marvel Universe" as well as some of the most popular comic book superheroes of modern times, longtime artist and writer Stan Lee played a pivotal role in bringing genuine human emotion into comic book characters, a trait that, up until the creation of such characters as the enduring Spider-Man, was sorely lacking in comics. Born in New York in 1922, it was at the age of 17 that Lee began work as an assistant editor for Timely Comics. Promoted to editor soon thereafter, Lee remained with the company as it changed its name to Atlas and fought slumping sales in the following years. At first simply carrying on with the stories of the characters that had already been created, the company got a fresh burst of creativity when, in 1961, it changed its name from Atlas to Marvel Comics. Soon carrying stories of emotionally complex and multi-dimensional characters such as Spider-Man, The Hulk, and Daredevil, Lee's intelligent story lines -- coupled with artist Jack Kirby's impressive images -- helped Marvel's popularity surge during the '60s. Advancing to the position of publisher and editorial director in 1972, it was during this decade that such popular television series as The Incredible Hulk and The Amazing Spider-Man truly came to life on the small screen. Though many of the characters had appeared in cartoon form on television in the previous decade, their transformation from animated characters to living, breathing humans truly brought comics into a new light and exposed them to audiences who otherwise might have scoffed at such fiction. Of course, this was only the beginning, and throughout subsequent years, Lee's characters made the leap to feature films in such blockbusters as Bryan Singer's X-Men (2000) and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002). In addition to his role as a popular writer in comics, Lee also played a pivotal role in reducing censorship in the medium. Addressing the issue of drug addition in an issue of The Amazing Spider-Man at the request of public health officials, Lee defied the strict rules set by the Comics Code Authority (which banned any portrayal of drug use whether it be in a positive or negative light) and ultimately put the downfall of the CCA into motion. In the decades since, Lee's creations have not only graced the pages of comic books, but have sprung to life as never before with numerous film and television adaptations most successfully in the box-office smash The Avengers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2003
- Add Countdown to Wednesday: An Inside Look at the Comic Book Biz & How to Break In to Queue Add Countdown to Wednesday: An Inside Look at the Comic Book Biz & How to Break In to top of Queue
Wednesday is the day when comic-book shops receive the week's newly released titles, and more than one aspiring artist has watched fresh titles hit the racks while wondering how they can get their own book on the shelves as well. Countdown to Wednesday: An Inside Look at the Comic Book Biz and How to Break In is a documentary which offers a light-hearted but practical look at the inner workings of the comics industry, the chain of command and production at major comic-book publishers, and ways in which a newcomer can get his or her foot in the door. Countdown to Wednesday includes interviews with Stan Lee (creator of Spider-Man), Marc Silvestri (of Top Cow Comics), artists Paul Dini, Jim McLaughlin, Matt Hawkins, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
One of Marvel Comics' most popular characters comes to the screen for the first time in this sci-fi action-thriller. Matthew Murdock (Ben Affleck) is a lawyer whose father, a prizefighter, was killed by gangsters when Murdock was just a boy. Since then, Murdock has devoted his life to bringing wrongdoers to justice and is willing to help others by taking on cases no other attorney will touch. Murdock is also blind, after being struck down by a truck while trying to save a man from being hit. What no one knows is that Murdock was also doused with an unusual radioactive isotope which had a strange effect on him -- while Murdock's sight may be gone, his other senses have been raised to such a keen pitch that they act like radar, allowing him to tell where he's going and what happens around him, both near and far away. Murdock puts his gifts to use at night as the costumed crime-fighter Daredevil, whose pursuit of justice has earned him the wrath of underworld leader Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan). Kingpin wants Daredevil out of his way once and for all, and hires Bullseye (Colin Farrell), a super-assassin with an uncanny ability to throw blades, to do the job. Daredevil also makes the acquaintance of Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner), a woman with super-heroic talents who is also on Kingpin's bad side, though it remains to be seen if she has aligned herself with the forces of good as Daredevil has done. Jon Favreau, Joe Pantoliano, and David Keith highlight Daredevil's supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, (more)
- 2003
- PG13
- Add Hulk to Queue Add Hulk to top of Queue
Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionally stunted Dr. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is part of a research team at the University of California at Berkeley. Corporate hustler Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) takes notice of the lab and makes plans to take it over. Then Bruce accidentally gets hit by an experimental ray and grows into a huge beast, destroying the lab in the process. A creepy janitor who claims to be his real father, Dr. David Banner (Nick Nolte), starts to secretly use the experimental ray on himself. He creates some mutant dogs and sends them after Bruce's lab mate and ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly). After Bruce saves her life in the form of the Hulk, she lets her distant father, General Ross (Sam Elliott), take him to an abandoned army base in the desert. However, Glenn Talbot takes over the operation and wants to patent the creature's superpowers for his own profit, so he holds Bruce unconscious in an isolation tank. When provoked, Bruce turns into the Hulk and makes a break for San Francisco, leading to a desert chase sequence involving military aircraft, tanks, and bombs. Only the sight of Betty can make him turn back to his human form. When he is eventually captured, Dr. David Banner shows up for a final confrontation with his son and his old adversary, General Ross. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, (more)
- 2003
- Add Time Machine: Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked to Queue Add Time Machine: Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked to top of Queue
Hosted by Peta Wilson, this breezy cable TV documentary chronicles the history of comic-book superheroes, from the introduction of Superman in 1938 to the present day. The producers were given unprecedented access to the files of DC and Marvel, the foremost purveyors of funny-paper protagonists with "powers far beyond those of mortal men." Among the topics covered are the neurosis-ridden heroes created under the aegis of Marvel's Stan Lee, and the kinkier aspects of DC's superheroine Wonder Woman. And of course, there is ample time afforded to the clean-up-comics campaign of the 1950s, sparked by the specious findings of psychologist Frederick Wertham (Seduction of the Innocent). In addition to the ubiquitous Stan Lee, artist/writers Jim Steranko and Will Eisner are interviewed. Released around the same time as the theatrical premiere of the Marvel-inspired movie The Hulk, Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked first aired on June 23, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peta Wilson
After incorporating elements of comic book style and design into many of his films, director Sam Raimi helms this straight-ahead, big-budget comic book adaptation, which also marks acclaimed young actor Tobey Maguire's first dip into live-action blockbuster filmmaking. Spider-Man follows the template of the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko source material, with hero Peter Parker an orphaned, intellectual teen loner living in Queens with his aunt (Rosemary Harris) and uncle (Cliff Robertson), and dreaming of the girl next door, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). On a field trip to a Columbia University lab, Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider and overnight he gains superhuman strength, agility, and perception. At first, Peter uses his powers for material gain, winning a wrestling match with a purportedly lucrative prize. But when Peter apathetically fails to stop a burglar from robbing the wrestling arena, a tragedy follows that compels him to devote his powers to fighting crime -- as the superhero Spider-Man. When he's not busy fighting crime in a spider suit, Peter moves into an apartment with his best friend, Harry (James Franco), and begins work as a photographer at the Daily Bugle. Meanwhile, his do-gooder alter ego finds a nemesis in the form of the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), a super-powered, megalomaniacal villain who happens to be the alter ego of Harry's father, weapons-manufacturing mogul Norman Osborn. Spider-Man was written by the prolific blockbuster scribe David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Panic Room). ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, (more)
Four years after scoring a box-office touchdown with Blade (1998), actor Wesley Snipes returns to portray the Marvel Comics character again in this sequel that teams him with Mexican horror director Guillermo del Toro. A half-vampire, half-human hybrid, Blade (Snipes) is a merciless vampire hunter bent on destroying the bloodsuckers that feed on humanity. The keys to Blade's success are a serum that allows him to resist the urge for blood and an array of inventive, deadly weapons, both of which were once supplied by his mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Since Whistler's death, Blade has relocated to Prague and recruited the pot-smoking slacker Scud (Norman Reedus) to take the place of his father figure, but then he discovers that Whistler's not dead after all: He's been infected with the vampire virus. Reunited with Whistler, Blade is dealt an even bigger surprise: His greatest enemy, vampire leader Damaskinos (Thomas Kretschmann), wants to make peace with him. It seems that the vampires are facing a greater threat than Blade and hope to persuade him to fight the Reapers, a mutated super-race of vampires on a rampage of murder, indiscriminately killing both humans and their fellow bloodsuckers while sucking their victims dry. Blade agrees to a truce and joins the Bloodpack, an elite squad of commandos originally formed to fight Blade himself. Soon, the vampire soldiers discover that the virus responsible for creating their enemies is spreading rapidly and can be traced back to a mysterious "Patient Zero." Blade 2 (2002) co-stars Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Donnie Yen, and Matt Schulze. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, (more)
Experience the best of the web in this collection of Flash animations from some of the most skilled internet artists and studios around. With thirty animated shorts by such prolific web-based talents as Camp Caos, Stan Lee Media, Doug Powell, Scream Therapy, Marina Zurkow, and more, this release offers the opportunity to view the animations in their original form and without the need for a broadband connection. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2002
- NR
- Add Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels to Queue Add Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels to top of Queue
The two-part Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters, and Marvels is basically an intimate discussion with filmmaker Kevin Smith interviewing legendary artist Stan Lee about the last 40 years of Marvel comics. Released on video a few days before the feature-length Spider-Man movie hit theatres, this documentary from Columbia TriStar Home Video investigates the history of the famous web-slinger as well as other Marvel superheroes. In the part one, "Creating Spider-Man," Stan Lee talks about getting the original idea, collaborating with Steve Ditko, developing side characters, and the eventual TV and film adaptations. Part two, "Here Come the Heroes," explores his other creations, including the birth of the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men. Both parts are presented in a widescreen transfer with Dolby Digital Stereo sound. This disc includes Stan Lee's original poem God Woke, and a previously unreleased Fantastic Four short. Extra features include a two-minute behind-the-scenes featurette; an interview with the artist's wife, Joan Lee; and home movie footage. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, (more)
- 2000
- PG13
- Add X-Men to Queue Add X-Men to top of Queue
One of the most popular superhero teams in comic book history finally comes to the screen in this big-budget adaptation of the long-running Marvel Comics series. Psychic Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) leads a school of skilled mutants called X-Men, a peacekeeping force to safeguard the world against a race of genetically mutated humans known as Homo Sapiens Superior. However, Magneto (Ian McKellen), a mutant with a powerful magnetic charge, has also begun to organize a team to strike first against what he believes to be a threat from humanity. When he kidnaps Rogue (Anna Paquin) from the X-Men's compound, Xavier and his forces must rescue her, even as they continue to vie with Magneto for the fearsomely strong mutant battler Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Both Xavier and Magneto also have to contend with Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison), a heartless political leader who wants a final solution against mutants on both sides. Fighting for the forces of virtue with the X-Men are Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, Halle Berry as Storm, and James Marsden as Cyclops; Rebecca Romjin-Stamos as Mystique, Ray Park as the Toad, and Tyler Mane as Sabretooth are the minions of Magneto. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, (more)
British director Stephen Norrington helmed this David S. Goyer adaptation of the Marvel Comics character created in 1973 by scripter Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan. In the Tomb of Dracula comic book origin, just before Blade's mother gave birth to Blade, she was bitten by a vampire, which made Blade immune to vampires. Now a vampire hunter, Blade, joined by vampire detective Hannibal King and Dracula-descendent Frank Drake, stalks vampires. In the 1990s (in Marvel's Nightstalkers), Blade teamed with Drake and King in an agency created to fight a variety of supernatural beings. The Marvel origin is retold in this 1998 Norrington film, with Blade's mother dying as he is born. Thirty-some years later, Blade now exists somewhere between the two worlds, not human but not fully vampire. He has become a relentless and superhuman vampire hunter, out to avenge the death of his mother and protect the rest of humankind from the evil vampire race. In this pursuit, Blade storms a notorious vampire nightclub and in a virtual bloodbath manages to wipe out most of the blood-lusting denizens. But the burnt corpse of vampire Quinn (Donal Logue) is reanimated at the hospital morgue and bites hematologist Karen Jenson (N'Bushe Wright). Blade magically appears at the hospital just in time to whisk Karen to his hideaway, a machine-shop run by his mentor Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), who once rescued Blade and who now produces a antidote to keep Blade from turning into a full-fledged vampire and who builds custom weapons for Blade to use against his evil foes. Meanwhile, Blade's vampire arch-nemesis Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) uses computers to translate the Book of Erebus, with the ultimate aim of bringing down the old-guard vampire council, headed by Dragonetti (Udo Kier), and triggering the Blood Tide -- an event in which everyone in the world becomes a vampire. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, (more)
- 1998
Based on the popular Marvel Comics franchise, the made-for-TV Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD stars David Hasselhoff in the title role. Having retired from active duty upon the end of the Cold War, war veteran and secret agent Col. Nick Fury squirrels himself away in his Yukon retreat. Meanwhile, enemy organization Hydra is taken over by the progeny of Fury's perennial enemy, ex-Nazi Baron Von Stucker. Under the leadership of Von Stucker's daughter, "Lady Viper" (Sandra Hess), the bad guys have gotten their mitts on a deadly virus, and intend to destroy America within 48 hours. Summoned from his hideaway by his old bosses at SHIELD, Nick Fury quickly reunites his familiar band of heroes -- the Contessa (Lisa Rinna), Dum-Dum (Garry Chalk), Gabriel (Ron Canada), et al. -- along with a newcomer to the ranks, Britisher Alexander Goodwin (Neil Roberts). Clearly the pilot for a proposed TV series, Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD never quite makes up its mind to be taken seriously or to be enjoyed as high camp. The film was first shown over the Fox network on May 26, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Hasselhoff, Lisa Rinna, (more)
Kevin Smith's follow-up to his unexpected hit Clerks details the pointless story of T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee), two suburban New Jersey slackers who decide to head to the mall in search of solace after being dumped by their girlfriends (Shannon Doherty and Claire Forlani, respectively). There the two young men machinate to appear on a game show being staged and also manage to meet comic-book magnate Stan Lee. However, complications arise when the girls show up. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, (more)
- 1990
This paranoid thriller begins as Eric Roberts' girlfriend (Janine Turner) is taken away in an ambulance and he can't find her. She's been taken prisoner by Eric Braeden, a crazed doctor who kidnaps people and sells their bodies for spare parts. Roberts hooks up with pretty cop Megan Gallagher to solve the mystery. A campy, action-packed thriller from cult director Larry Cohen (It's Alive), The Ambulance features a cameo by Marvel Comics prez Stan Lee and lots of tongue-in-cheek humor. It's as quirky as Cohen's other genre forays, and is entertaining enough for a rainy day rental, with clever photography by Jacques Haitkin and a tense score by Jay Chattaway. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, (more)
Though aimed at those fastidious comic book collectors who spend exorbitant sums for old DC first editions (only to leave them unread and wrapped in plastic), Comic Book Confidential manages to convey the fanaticism and fun of this hobby to non-aficionados. Canadian director Ron Mann traces the history of the comic book industry, the idiotic purging of so-called violent comics in the 1950s, and the growth of the collectibles industry. Throughout the film, any comic book which does not meet Mann's exacting standards is trashed (Dell and Harvey, beware!) Among those interviewed are Marvel Comics mavens Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and EC mentors William M. Gaines and Will Elder. The underground "comix" movement is represented by Robert Crumb. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lynda Barry, Robert Crumb, (more)
- 1989
This half-hour episode of the syndicated cartoon anthology The Marvel Action Universe was the pilot film for a proposed series based on the popular comic book X-Men. The title referred to Kitty Pryde, a 14-year-old girl who happened to be a mutant "phaser." Shunned by her peers, Kitty finds a home with the X-Men, who likewise are mutants with extra-special powers. Under the guidance of her new mentor Professor X (aka Dr. Charles Xavier), Kitty joins such X-ers as Cyclops, Colossus, Wolverine, Storm and Nightcrawler in their ongoing battle against the evil Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists. Written by Larry Parr and narrated by Marvel Comics maven Stan Lee, "Pryde of the X-Men" was well designed and animated, but much too confused and cluttered for anyone unfamiliar with the X-Men canon. Though it failed to develop into a series, X-Men ultimately did become a weekly animated program in 1992 -- though Kitty Pryde was not one of the characters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This is an adaptation of a popular, violent Marvel Comics series about a character who's a frontier-style vigilante in modern-day urban America. Dolph Lundgren stars as Frank Castle, once a crusading police officer whose family was murdered by a car bomb planted by the Mob. Believed to be killed in the explosion, Castle has gone underground, building a subterranean lair in the sewer system and vengefully assassinating various criminals, wracking up an impressive body count of 125 slain in five years. Castle's former partner, Jake Berkowitz (Louis Gossett, Jr.) rightly suspects that he knows the true identity of the motorcycle-riding avenger dubbed "the Punisher." Meanwhile, Castle's bloody campaign has had the intended effect of weakening organized crime, creating an opportunity to consolidate power for the ambitious Gianni Franco (Jeroen Krabbe), the man responsible for the Castle family hit. Sensing an opportunity to muscle in on new lucrative turf, foreign competitors threaten Franco's empire. When the Japanese yakuza has the crime boss' innocent son kidnapped, Castle finds himself in the ironic position of helping a man he'd like to kill. Filmed in Australia, this low-budget action thriller did not get a theatrical release in the U.S., instead going directly to video. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dolph Lundgren, Louis Gossett, Jr., (more)
- 1988
- Add How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way to Queue Add How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way to top of Queue
Aspiring cartoonists with a flair for action, drama, and humor may want to watch this program featuring two of Marvel Comic's top artists. John Buscema, the man responsible for Conan the Barbarian and Silver Surfer, teaches a few of the basic drawing skills while Stan Lee demonstrates several others. Lee is best known to comic book fans as the creator of both Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. The two men present each lesson at levels appropriate for both beginners and experienced cartoonists. They discuss such topics as perspective, proportion, penciling, and finding new ways to help drawings convey a sense of excitement and drama. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
On his 81st birthday, grandpa George Burns, bemoans the fact that he's wasted his life, and wishes he had it to do all over again. He gets his wish when he and his 18-year-old grandson Charles Schlatter are involved in an auto accident. When he awakens, Burns' personality has been transferred to Schlatter's body, and vice versa! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Burns, Charlie Schlatter, (more)
Follow filmmaker Hasko Baumann as he takes viewers on a mind-bending journey into the world of famed French comic book artist Jean Giraud - aka Moebius - the man behind such popular comics as Blueberry and Le Monde d'Edena. Interviews with such contemporaries and collaborators as American comic book artists Jim Lee and Mike Mignola, writer and filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowski, and Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee offer unique insight into Giraud's past, present, and future as the music of ex-Kraftwork member Karl Bartos sets a surreal tone for the proceedings. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- TVY7
- Add Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard to Queue Add Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard to top of Queue
Witness the original web-slinger's mythology from the beginning! Peter Parker is a not so typical high school junior, fresh off an exciting summer engaging common criminals with his new found powers. But now he must conceal his secret identity as "Spider-Man", while engaging a new level of terror: the multi-leveled pressures of teenage life at home/school with combating bigger, badder super-villains in the real world! Movie comprised of 3 episodes tied seamlessly.
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.