Spawn is a film adaptation of Todd McFarlane's creator-owned Image comic book of the same name. It was released in the United States on August 1, 1997. The film was directed and co-written by Mark A. Z. Dippé (a former animator at Industrial Light and Magic) and executive produced by McFarlane and Alan Blomquist. The movie starred Michael Jai White as Al Simmons/Spawn, John Leguizamo as Al's demonic guide and antagonist Clown, veteran voice actor Frank Welker as the voice of Malebolgia, Melinda Clarke as the assassin Jessica Priest, Nicol Williamson as Al's mentor Cogliostro, Theresa Randle as Al's widow Wanda Blake, D.B. Sweeney as Wanda's husband Terry Fitzgerald, and Martin Sheen as Jason Wynn, Al's former government employer.
Cast
Cameos
At the government-hosted gala, a red-headed sexy woman. This cameo, albeit brief, is generally considered to be a nod to the angelic Spawn-hunter Angela. Despite her popularity in the comic series, she may have been absent from the film because of ongoing legal disputes between Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and Neil Gaiman, who was hired as a guest writer for Angela's debut issue, Spawn #9. Also, two detectives resembling Sam and Twitch arrest Jason Wynn towards the end of the film.
McFarlane himself makes a cameo appearance as one of the bums running away during the alley fight between Spawn and the Violator.
Difference from comic
Although the film was based on the comic book series, some details were changed for the theatrical version of Spawn. Terry Fitzgerald, Al Simmons's best friend in his former life, a black man in the comic, was played by D. B. Sweeney, a white man, in the film. McFarlane has explained that this was done by the studio to avoid having too many black leads and creating a perception the film was aimed at just a black target audience.[citation needed]. Also, in the comics Cyan is clearly Terry's daughter, introduced in the third issue as being roughly a year and a half old. As Al was in hell for five years, it is impossible for him to be Cyan's father. In the movie it is implied that the reverse is true. Lastly the comic had Al striking Wanda, however the movie did not.
It is also revealed in the film that Jessica Priest was Al Simmons's murderer. In the comic book series, however, Al Simmon's murderer was originally Chapel, character originally created by Rob Liefeld for the comic Youngblood. However, due to the eventual severing of professional ties between Liefeld and McFarlane, the story may have been altered for the purposes of the film. Chapel remained in the Spawn television series, which premiered on HBO months before the film was released. Additionally, it was later revealed in the comic book series, in a case of questionable retcon, that Jessica Priest was indeed Al Simmons's murderer after all. Also in the film, Simmons worked for an agency called A6, while in the comic book he worked for the CIA.
The nature of Spawn's powers and allies are also different. Cogliostro, for example, while revealed to be Cain in the comics, is here portrayed as an assassin for the church in the fifteenth century, who has forsaken most of his Spawn-based powers apart from a blade that comes from his right wrist and is his favored weapon in battle. Also, while Cogliostro does warn Spawn that he will die if his powers are drained, no reference is ever made to Spawn possessing a 'counter' like in the comics, which makes the precise limits of Spawn's powers unclear.
Reception
Roger Ebert praised the film, awarding it 3½ out of 4 stars, ending his review with, "As a visual experience, Spawn is unforgettable."[1] However, on television, his co-host (at the time), Gene Siskel, said the film lost him a mere 2 minutes after its introduction. The two had a rather heated debate over the film on screen.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film is rated at 21% on the Tomatometer, based on 33 reviews.[2]
Spawn featured, for its time, impressive special effects courtesy of Industrial Light and Magic. Though it received mixed reviews, it was considered a modest box-office success, earning $54.9 million domestically, a little over $87 million worldwide.
DVD release
There are two versions of the film, the PG-13 version and the R-rated Director's Cut.
Sequel
A sequel, tentatively titled Spawn 2, has been in development hell since 1998.[3][4][5] Michael Jai White confirmed himself to be a part of the project in 2001, as did producer Don Murphy,[6][7] though their current involvement has not been confirmed. McFarlane has stated that the film will be primarily centered around the detective characters Sam and Twitch, leaving Spawn without a speaking part.[4][5] During a FanboyRadio.com interview, Todd McFarlane confirmed that the sequel is a franchise reboot - not a direct sequel - similar to Batman Begins and both the 2004 version of The Punisher and 2008's Punisher: War Zone.[8] In 2007 plans were made for Todd McFarlane Funding to make a new Spawn movie, scheduled for release in 2008.[9] The movie may simply be called Spawn, according to Home Media Magazine. Instead of a dark gritty approach, the film will focus more on the fantasy element of Spawn.[10] While a guest on the Scott Ferrall show on Sirius radio, a caller asked if he had any plans to do the sequel. He said "It's coming out no matter what. Even if I have to produce, direct and finance it myself, it's going to come out."
Soundtrack
Spawn: The Album was released in July 1997 and brought together popular rock bands at the time including Metallica, Korn, Slayer, Marilyn Manson and Silverchair with well known DJs and electronic producers such as The Crystal Method, Roni Size, and Atari Teenage Riot. A similar concept was previously implemented on the rock/hip-hop fused Judgment Night soundtrack. The album debuted at #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and stayed in the chart for 25 weeks. The album is certified Gold for selling over 500,000 copies in America.[citation needed]
There are several limited editions of the soundtrack.[citation needed] A US version featuring different cover artwork, an Australian version featuring yet another cover (with the same image as on Spawn #39) plus a bonus track "This Is Not A Dream (UK Mix)" by Apollo 440 & Morphine; and a Japanese version with identical cover as the Australian, including a bonus disc containing three remixes and the bonus track from Australian version. The McFarlane Collector's Club also made an LP release available to members featuring the standard album art and translucent red discs.
Track listing
- "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do" - Filter & The Crystal Method – 4:28
- "Long Hard Road Out of Hell" - Marilyn Manson & Sneaker Pimps – 4:21
- "Satan" - Orbital with Kirk Hammett of Metallica – 3:45
- "Kick the P.A." - Korn & The Dust Brothers – 3:21
- "Tiny Rubberband" - Butthole Surfers & Moby – 4:12
- "For Whom the Bell Tolls (The Irony of it All)" - Metallica & DJ Spooky – 4:39
- "Torn Apart" - Stabbing Westward & Wink – 4:53
- "Skin Up Pin Up" - Mansun & 808 State – 5:27
- "One Man Army" - The Prodigy & Tom Morello/Rage Against the Machine – 4:14
- "Spawn" - Silverchair & Vitro – 4:28
- "T-4 Strain" - Henry Rollins & Goldie – 5:19
- "Familiar" - Incubus & DJ Greyboy – 3:22
- "No Remorse (I Wanna Die)" - Slayer & Atari Teenage Riot – 4:16
- "A Plane Scraped Its Belly On A Sooty Yellow Moon" - Soul Coughing & Roni Size – 5:26
- Bonus tracks
- "This Is Not a Dream" (UK Mix) - Apollo 440 & Morphine
References
External links
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