Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 12, 2017

Spider-Man is no stranger to Blu-ray, and the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man flicks in particular. Sam Raimi's trio of web-slinging films have been released to the 1080p format on numerous occasions, with each mainline release adding something new to the pot. Hardcore fans have undoubtedly dropped a small fortune on the franchise on Blu-ray, and here's one more to add to the growing collection. This set brings together nearly everything that's been released before, with a few minor exceptions, all packaged in a very handsome and collectible DigiBook package.

For full film reviews, please click through the links below:

• Spider-Man
• Spider-Man 2
• Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The first and third Spider-Man films in this set appear to be sourced from the "Mastered in 4K" releases while the second appears sourced from the 2007/2012/2014 releases, likely to accommodate both cuts of the film. Click through the links below for video reviews.

• Spider-Man
• Spider-Man 2
• Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All three films feature DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks sourced from the 2012/2014 releases. Please click below for full reviews:

• Spider-Man
• Spider-Man 2
• Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection contains a monumental assortment of new, new to Blu-ray, and returning-to-Blu-ray extras. Note that, with various core releases in the past -- the original boxed set from 2007, the individual releases with new-to-Blu-ray extras in 2012, the 2014 DigiBook trilogy release that brought back the 2007 set's fourth disc, the "Mastered in 4K" discs with no extras -- it's been a bit of a task to figure out what's new, what's been cut, and what's been carried over, and from what release or releases. Below is a breakdown of what's included with, as best as I can tell, reviews of what's new, indications of what's been cut, and a note from where a previously released extra can be found. These new discs are essentially "FrankenBlu" discs that have been pieced together from bits and pieces -- supplements as well as video and audio -- from previous releases in addition to new content. Missing supplements, if any, are also noted at the beginning of each movie's space. At the very end, find links to all of the previous releases to access reviews of the various supplements that have been reissued for this set.

The set comes housed in one of the more robust and attractive DigiBook releases on the marketplace today. The outer shell is thick, heavy-duty, with simple artwork on the front featuring Spider-Man in the foreground and a quartet of villains depicted more by shape than detail in the background, and in a solid golden color. The rear panel offers a simple image collage, a sampling of special features included, a basic franchise plot recap, and tech info clusters. Inside, the first half of the book contains full-color pages with a number of images from the film and some fun candid shots from the set, including one featuring Spider-Man resting on a chair while in a bathrobe. It includes a few essays, including 'Spider-Man:' The Journey from Comic Book to Celluloid, 'Spider-Man 2:' The Evolution of a Superhero, and 'Spider-Man 3:' Old Friends...And New Faces. The essays are very well written, insightful, and lengthy. The four discs are each housed in their own rugged sleeves with full-color, two-page images with some credits clusters appearing in small, vertical print on the left-hand edge and the film's title and Blu-ray disc logo on the bottom right. A UV digital copy code for all three films is included with purchase.

Spider-Man (MISSING: Spider Sense Trivia Challenge, The Spider-Man Cutting Room, TV Spots).

• Audio Commentary: Filmmakers and Cast: Sam Raimi, Grant Curtis, Laura Ziskin, and Kirsten Dunst. From the 2012/2104 Blu-ray.
• Audio Commentary: Tobey Maguire & J.K. Simmons. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Audio Commentary: Visual Effects Designer & Crew. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Spider-Man: The Mythology of the 21st Century From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• HBO Making of Spider-Man From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• "Spider-Mania" An E! Entertainment Special From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Gags & Outtakes From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Director & Composer Profiles From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Behind the Scenes of Spider-Man From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Screen Tests From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Music Videos: "Hero" Performed by Chad Kroeger and Featuring Josey Scott and "What We're All About" by Sum 41. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Easter Eggs (480i, 9:12 total runtime): Some digital gags, digital renderings, and a couple of featurettes on Spider-Man comic art and artists. Included are CGI Gags & Outtakes, A New Twist on the Webs, The Romitas, Full Frame Electro Rotation, Full Frame Scorpion Rotation, and Full Frame Venom Rotation.
• NEW! Theatrical Trailer 1 (1080p, 2:33).
• Theatrical Trailer 2: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Spider-Man Homecoming Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:17).

Spider-Man 2

• Two Versions of the Film: Theatrical (2:07:27) and 2.1 (2:15:47).
• Audio Commentary: Cast & Crew (Theatrical Version): Actor Tobey Maguire, Director Sam Raimi, Producer Avi Arad, and Co-Producer Grant Curtis. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Audio Commentary: Technical (Theatrical Version): Steve Johnson from Edge FX, Puppet Master Eric Hayden, Visual Effects Designer John Dykstra, Animation Supervisor Anthony LaMolinara, Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Stokdyk, and Visual Effects Producer Lydia Bottegoni. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Audio Commentary: Laura Ziskin, and Alvin Sargent (Extended Version). From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! VH1 Goes Inside Spider-Man (480i, 20:14): The music channel looks at the movie, including cast and performances, fun stories from the set, making key scenes, a look back at Stan Lee's original creations and remaining faithful to them, and much more.
• Hero in Crisis: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Interwoven: The Women of Spider-Man (480i, 15:35): A closer look at a number of the key female characters who have appeared throughout the series, both in comics and in the film, including Aunt May, MJ, Betty Brant, Gwen Stacy, and Ursula.
• Visual Effects Breakdown: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Danny Elfman Scores Spider-Man 2 (480i, 5:09 each): A raw glimpse into the recording process with some film scenes juxtaposed against images of the orchestra in "Angle 1." Elfman commentary is available in "Angle 2."
• Bloopers Reel: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Inside 2.1 (480i, 13:36): As the title suggests, this piece explores how and why the filmmakers restructured the film for its "2.1" version. It looks at a few key moments that have been expanded or in some way changed for this version.
• NEW! With Great Effort, Comes Great Recognition (480i, 7:52): A discussion of how the film's visual effects were rewarded at the Oscars.
• NEW! Music Video (480i, 3:51): "Ordinary" by Train.
• NEW! Willem Dafoe/"Doc Ock" On-Set Gag (480i, 1:21): Dafoe pops in for a funny moment on-set.
• NEW! Alfred Molina/"Doc Ock" Green-Screen Gag (480i, 0:45): Molina breaks into song on-set.
• NEW! Teaser Trailer (1080p, 2:03).
• NEW! Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:35).
• NEW! 2.1 Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 1:55).
• NEW! Spider-Man Homecoming Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:17).
• NEW! Villains of Spider-Man (480i, 13:34): As the title suggests, this piece looks at plucking villains from the comic for the film, with an in-depth look at both versions of The Green Goblin, Sandman, and Venom.

Spider-Man 3 (MISSING: Galleries)

• Audio Commentary: Director Sam Raimi and Actors James Franco, Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Thomas Haden Church. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Audio Commentary: Producers Avi Arad, Producer Grant Curtis, and Laura Ziskin, Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Stokdyk, and Editor Bob Murawski. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Grains of Sand -- Building Sandman: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Re-Imagining The Goblin: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Covered in Black -- Creating Venom: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Hanging On...Gwen Stacy & The Collapsing Floor: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Fighting, Flying & Driving -- The Stunts: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Tangled Web: The Love Triangles of Spider-Man 3: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Wall of Water: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Inside the Editing Room: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• The Science of Sound -- Optimized Audio: From the 2007/2014 Blu-ray.
• Bloopers From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Music Video: "Signal Fire" by Snow Patrol. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Teaser Trailer: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Theatrical Trailer 1: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Theatrical Trailer 2: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Theatrical Trailer 3: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.

Bonus Disc

• Spider-Man 3: Director's Cut (1080p, DTS-HD MA 5.1, 2:17:48)
• NEW! The Stan Lee Legacy: From Comic Book to Homecoming (1080p, 11:57): The revered Stan Lee, creator (or co-creator, as he says) of Spider-Man, discusses the artists who collaborated with him, telling stories from the character's real life and superhero life, building villains that seem impossible to defeat, visual effects evolutions that have allowed Spider-Man to come to life on the screen, the actors who have played Peter Parker, the new film Homecoming, and the character's legacy.
• Spider-Man Special Features:
• Webisodes Spider-Man (480i, 19:59 total runtime): Spider-Wrangler, Bone Saw McGraw, The Model Maker, Production Designer, Set Design, and Set Builder. From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Spider-Man 2 Special Features:
• Making the Amazing: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• Ock-Umentary: Eight Arms to Hold You: From the 2012/2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Enter the Web (480i, 14:26 each): Making a few scenes as seen from various angles, four in total, the final being a "composite" that simultaneously shows the previous three full-screen features in small boxes on the screen.
• NEW! Webisodes Spider-Man 2 (480i): Additional quick-burst featurettes. Included are Costume Design (1:23) which explores the Spider-Man costume for the film; Comic-Con Q&A (2:33) in which fans talk up the movie in 2003, followed by snippets from the cast and crew panel; J. Jonah Jameson (1:48) which features Stan Lee and others talking up J.K. Simmons and Simmons discussing role preparations; and Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson (2:36) which offers a look at the relationship between the characters.
• Spider-Man 3 Special Features:
• NEW! On the Set: Spider-Man 3 (480i, 29:08): A detailed exploration of the franchise and the Spider-Man 3 plot, Spider-Man's character evolution, new villains, life on the set and returning for a third film, visual effects and making key moments, and more.
• NEW! A Conversation with Tobey Maguire (480i, 2:54): A short discussion about life as Spider-Man, his character's arc in the third film, Simmon's character, Maguire's commitment to the franchise, and more.
• On Location Cleveland -- The Chase on Euclid Avenue: From the 2014 Blu-ray.
• On Location New York -- From Rooftops to Backstreets: From the 2014 Blu-ray.
• NEW! Webisodes Spider-Man 3: Sam Raimi Intro; E.J. Kris, Illustrator: On Sandman & Venom; Elizabeth Banks, "Betty Brant"; Laura Ziskin, The Love Triangle, Eddie/Venom; Grant Curtis, Armored Car Stunt; Spydercam; Bob Mano, Goblin Weapons; Scott Rogers, Creating a Sandstorm; Trailer Tours; Tobey Maguire on Black-Suited Spider-Man; Aaron Lam, Assistant to Sam Raimi; The Stunts of 'Spider-Man 3'; James Acheson, Costume Designer: On Harry Osborn & Sandman; Topher Grace, "Eddie Brock"; Eric Heffron & Michael Moore: Assistant Directors; The Light Stage; Rachel Watkins, Greystone; John Frazier, Water Dump; Rosemary Harris, "Aunt May"; Bryce Dallas Howard, "Gwen Stacy", Thomas Haden Church, "Flint Marko"; Armored Car Crash; Doug Harlocker, A New Generation of Glider; Ted Raimi, "Hoffman", Shownee Smith: Head Specialty Costumer; Rigging Crew; Grant Curtis, Inside the Goblin Lair; George Stevens, "Webmaster"; Bruce Campbell, "The Maître D'"; Chasing Flint Marko; and Cleveland Rocks.
• NEW! Easter Egg: Grant Curtis ADR Session (480i, 2:47): An interesting look at looping dialogue back in from a day of shooting where no sound was recorded.
• NEW! Easter Egg: Scoring the Blooper Reel (480i, 1:33): Bloopers need music, too.

For convenience, links to necessary previous releases:

• 2007 Trilogy
• 2012 Spider-Man
• 2012 Spider-Man 2
• 2012 Spider-Man 3
• 2014 Trilogy

Spider-Man Limited Edition Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Aside from the slight annoyance that Spider-Man 2 doesn't feature the "Mastered in 4K" transfer (and it's not like the transfer from the older release is any slouch), this is a first-class, must-own set. Really, it's jam-packed full of content, enough that, with the movies, the commentaries, and the gargantuan pile of extras, it would take days to sift through (and for the purpose of this, and all the other Spider-Man reviews, it has). The awesome DigiBook packaging is icing on the cake. Very highly recommended.