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Andrew Garfield Observed Spider Behavior for 'Amazing Spider-Man'

by Ethan Anderton
August 29, 2011
Source: Hero Complex

While the reactions were certainly mixed following the first trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man, after his heartfelt speech at Comic-Con, it would be difficult for anybody to deny the fact that Andrew Garfield has a true passion and love for the character and is genuinely grateful and humbled to become everyone's favorite wall-crawler. The British actor recently sat down to talk about the role that will launch him into super-stardom, and if you need anymore convincing about his dedication to the role, his talk about incorporating spider-like behavior as both Spider-Man and Peter Parker should do the trick. Read on!

Garfield decided to put himself into Peter Parker's shoes, both literally and figuratively, asking himself, "What would having spider DNA constituting a percentage of your blood - what would that do?" And here's what he told Hero Complex about how he answered that question:

"So I studied spiders, I studied their movements and how they operate in the world and I tried to incorporate as much of that as I could. He's a boy/spider in terms of how he moves, and not just in the suit. It also shapes the way he interacts with people. A spider is so sensitive; their skin is sensitive to everything. That's the thing with the spider sense and the way he takes in everything. Imagine all of your skin was as sensitive as a spider, the slightest gust of wind would feel like a tornado going by. You'd always be rushing, that rush. What does that do to you? The idea of how he adjusts to that. And I looked at the idea of having more legs, more arms, and the spacial awareness. A spider moves up, down, side-to-side, all around. He's not linear and with the knowledge of that spatial awareness and the fact that he can be here and then over there incredibly fast. The stillness of a spider and the lightness I found all of that very interesting to explore as well."

It's really quite inspiring to see a young actor like Garfield doing this amount of homework to deliver a Spider-Man that feels as real and genuine as a fictional superhero can on the big screen. The levels to which Garfield is taking his passion for the role would be reason enough for me to be excited for this franchise reboot, but if you saw our video blog from Comic-Con in San Diego, you know there's much more to be excited about as well. In addition, we already know Sony is quite confident in their new take on the comic book hero since they've already scheduled a sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man for 2014. The summer of 2012 just can't get here soon enough.

Explore tags: Hype, Movie News

Xerxexx

I actually liked the trailer, minus the first person perspective. Garfield is gonna be great as Peter Parker/Spiderman. His dedication is great and I love that he loves the character.

Danimal

couldn't agree more
http://www.cine-escape.com Sakyo

Je..i like it too.. but I love the first person perspective ..just blow my mind.... you can feel the vertigo when he jumps off the building... anyway ..i am sure this movie will be awesome..

Xerxexx

Perhaps it will grow on me, but as of right now it wasn't something I cared for.

Anonymous

Well, I did like the FPS stuff, but I can see why others might have found it off-putting. But I agree with you about Garfield's dedication to this role. He's definitely earned my respect, and I think this casting was solid.

Xerxexx

The reason it took me out is because the scene looked like a FPS Game, not a movie, then again its a trailer so if there is indeed a first person perspective in the finished film perhaps it will kick ass in the movie itself.

Anonymous

Good point. But I gotta say--after watching the trailer I ended up pulling out and replaying my copy of MIRROR'S EDGE!

Xerxexx

But I'm optimistic for this reboot, the casting of Garfield was great news for me.

http://twitter.com/serke serke

I'm hoping they've still got some effects work to do on the first-person view, because it did kind of pull me out of it. But otherwise, I'm surprisingly hopeful for a reboot that I hadn't even cared about before.

Xerxexx

It looks impressive...the trailer did a good job.

Stacey Vohringer

A new Spider-Man. A new beginning. Times change. We need to change as well.
DAVIDPD

1st Person kind of took me out of the trailer as well, kind of like (sad to say this, as a comparison) the Doom movie (although even sadder to say, I kind of liked it in Doom). I think it will be definitely a part of the movie and it might be cool in 3D, but probably not. I will reserve total judgement, until I actually see this movie.
Quiet Observe

Wow. Observing spiders. Who cares. Like that is REALLY going to help the film. By you observing spiders and how they operate in the world, you're assuming that everyone that will watch this film is an arachnologist. It's a HUMAN. He isn't a spider.

http://profiles.google.com/snears Nick Sears

I can see what you're saying, but it can't hurt. Since his comic-con appearance, he seems to show genuine eagerness to get this right. Little nuances that he's trying to take on could be subtleties during the action scenes, but it could also bleed over a bit in his acting when its a bit more social and person to person. Sure it may sound silly to you, but it's making his dedication unquestionable. It could be worse, he could be terrorizing Poland... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCk-Eyo3KU4&feature=player_embedded
Lagoya

Lol, I thought watching a spider was a bit pointless too! I mean, do you think Nolan got Christian Bale to stare at a bat and observe it for his role? I don't think so!

J310s818

that is a little different though, spiderman is literally part spider. being aware of how spiders exist and act can subtly help you get into the role of being a part spider person. batman, however, is not actually part bat, he just uses the image of a bat in is persona.

Lagoya

That's actually a good answer

J310s818

haha i mean i do agree to some extent that observing spider bhavior isnt going to affect the way he acts THAT much, but if anything its good to hear that an actor is dedicated and doing a lot of homework, even if it seems insignificant

http://senzafineonline.net/ Yahzee

if he's so spider... where the hell are the organic webshooters? xD EPIC FAIL

peloquin

When he was bitten the spider passed along the knowledge of how to create the chemical compound of the webbing, and in the comics he used that knowledge to create his own web shooters.
NeoSlyfer

Clearly you're a fan of the Sam Raimi version.
Lagoya

Organic web shooters make more sense than ones peter parker built himself. How can do that?! And how can a spider pass him the knowledge of how to make it, the spider doesn't know its own biological make up.
Manuel

Check where in the anathomy of spiders are located your "organic" webshooters... that's why Stan Lee created for Peter Parker the artificial webshooters.

http://twitter.com/hgpataki todd flanders

Stan Lee gave him a web gun. Steve Ditko created the web shooters and the costume.
Anonymous

Heh...that's what Peter David had to deal with when he gave Miguel O'Hara (the Spider-Man of the year 2099) organic webshooters. They were on his wrists, but O'Hara quips, "Good thing I'm not shooting them out of my butt!".

Arthur Marcus

This is not the time for petty complaints. This is the time to build the franchise using every single brick available to us even if that brick comes clothed in green and gold.
Anonymous

I'm sorry, but this is bullsh*t. This is just marketing talk, how is this going to help the movie?

Anonymous

How do you know it's "just marketing talk"? Why not just have an open mind about this? Just asking....

http://twitter.com/darktaxidermist Davide Coppola

I remember reading not long ago about someone who had studied tigers and that didn't really help the movie.. This reboot is totally unnecessary and looks as generic as it gets.

Lagoya

My thoughts exactly...
http://twitter.com/Bamftiger Bamftiger

Can't wait for Nicolas Cage to set his head on fire and put it out with a fork to prepare for Ghost Rider 3.

Jez

He's supposed to be Spider man. Garfield did the right thing by studying spiders. It's not like he has to crawl around New York like a slug or simmilar animal to be Spiderman.
Kamish

Does this mean if they ever make Aquaman, the actor set to play that role will look at water? Does Christian Bale study Bats? Does Cat Woman rub her pu$$Y....?
JT

I will restate it again and again. This movie is fail because we didn't need another stupid origin story. Why does Hollywood feel like it needs to reboot the story every time, so sad.
Cracky

Lol, what? I get it, he's devoted and wants to do well in this role... but really... what the fuck? Why is this movie the only movie in years to try so fucking hard to convince people that they're REALLY serious and they REALLY love what they're doing? I see articles about all this "my love for Spidey" bullshit, and it all just looks petty and contrived. What's that? You want me to like your movie? Then let the movie do the talking and stop trying to make everyone appreciate your precious, pointless, reboot, one-upper MTV special. Sheesh.
Scared S#!tless

Andrew G. What the hell are you talking about?!
Anonymous

Has Garfield been smoking the reefer? I think he's taking it a bit too seriously.

Croniccris

naw they pay him a lot so he should be doing this...

fem!anon

I think everyone should calm their moobs. It shows his dedication, goddammit. Better that he takes it too seriously than not at all. And if you have a problem with an actor going above and beyond by doing something that could help his performance, to make the fans happy, don't watch it! Jesus H. Christ, these whiners.
Nuhvok

Finally you said it! I totally agree with you. If you don't like the reboot, simply stop checking all these posts. If you really enjoyed the older series so much, just sit down and watch those, stop trolling the internet.
Lando

wow..what a bunch of fcking clowns. Do any of you kids remember a little movie called "SILENCE OF THE LAMBS"? in it, a certain actor playing a serial killer studied REPTILES for the role of Hannibal Lecter, he studied their movements, mannerisms, gestures, etc.. that is where hiss came from in the line "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti (HISSES)" that hissing was improvised based on his studying of reptiles as was most of his physical acting for that role. YOU GUYS would say that is bullshit? Its obvious this guy takes his craft seriously and is putting his all into it, HE NEEDS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, more than you take your need to be entertained. Peter Mayhew studied the movements of large animals for his role as Chewbacca, ANDY SERKIS studied gorillas for KING KONG and for RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES! Dont post what you dont know about, I respect this actors devotion to the role and his dedication to his craft. Get a clue kids, this is how its done.

DioS

You're comparing Silence of the Lambs to Spiderman. Genius.

Lando

Im not comparing anything! Im talking about ACTING which makes a giant part of the movie experience. A great script with a weak actor sucks whereas a not so great script with a great actor can go further. Im just saying that this ACTOR is doing what other great actors do, why should it be any lesser for this being spiderman than Silence of the lambs? Should he be jerking off reading comics as preparation instead? Hey, its only spiderman?

JT

You do realize that Spiderman almost never acts like a spider besides when he climbs. The poses he takes in the comics are not even related to comics. I fail to see how studying spiders is going to help him at all in the role. I do see though how studying reptiles made Anothy Hopkins creepier. Basically this is a shitty, unnecessary example of something good actors do.

Anonymous

Nice call, Lando. I never knew about this level of Hopkin's dedication (but it sure did help him, cause Lector was one creepy m-fer). Garfield is preparing for the role--at least he's not sitting down on his @$$ doing nothing.

http://www.fuckoff.com Jimmy Love

Yeah we all know spider man studied spiders to...please! death to the sony spider. give it back to marvel!

Your Momma

YES! Death to the Sony Spider. Disney Marvel Spider...? Hmmm. Sad either way.
Your Momma

YES! Death to the Sony Spider. Disney Marvel Spider...? Hmmm. Sad either way.

Anonymous

Well, the Raimi series was Sony's Spider-Man anyway.... And guess what? THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and the upcoming THE AVENGERS are all from Disney Marvel too! Now what do we do?

Richie G

Ha! Thanks, I needed a laugh
stargazer

I think this is great. It doesn't mean that Andrew will be crawling around on all fours all the time. Maybe he'll incorporate how spiders react to their prey or to danger. And of course it'll help his Spider-man portion also. I watched Spectacular Spider-man on Youtube, and a lot of the comments said things like, "cool, he's moving like a spider." I think it'll add to the overall ambiance of the movie.