Introduction
I first learned about this independent film from my Swedish e-pal after we both seen my personal favorite film of all time, "One Hour Photo", both of which are psychological thrillers. But I was initially leery because it was done by David Cronenberg, whose independent films include such violent flicks as Scanners (about psionics who can blow people's heads up) and Shivers (a scientest uses acid to destroy a girl's internal organs), the confusing Naked Lunch (about a writer who accidentally shoots his wife, sees his typewriter transforms into a cockroach, and who becomes involved in a mysterious plot in an Islamic port called Interzone), and the sex-filled Crash (people purposely crash cars for a sexual thrill). Saw only bits of the above and don't want to see any more! Well, Naked Lunch maybe.... The only film I know he made for Hollywood was the film adaptation of Steven King's The Dead Zone, which I did saw completely. In that movie, there was no major sexual content, but you do see his other common theme, pain. So I wonder if this movie would be another 'Cronenberg'.
After months of passing it by I finally saw it. Sex and pain is in this picture (it is rated 'R' by the MPAA for sexual content, the occasional cuss word, and blood content... no violence though except for one done off screen), but it is at minimal levels. The focus instead is on the psychological horror field, as Dennis Cleg, aka Spider, gradually remember his past and when doing so comes into the threshold of sanity and insanity.
However, if you want to see Cronenberg's style film, you would probably be disappointed. This is has more in common with The Dead Zone than Crash. Many on the Internet Movie Database complained about the first act as moving too slow. This is another thinking-man's film, where the not-so-obvious 'action' has to be observed and processed or the ending won't make sense, similarly to one of my other favorite independent films, Deceiver.
The Characters
| Dennis 'Spider' Cleg | Main character |
| Mrs. Wilkinson | The manager of the half-house |
| Terrence | Simple old man at the half-house |
| Bill Cleg | Spider's father |
| Mrs. Cleg | Spider's mother |
| Yvonne | A tart who ends up being Spider's antagonist. |
The Spoiler by Chapter
Chapter 1: Start / Mold blots!
Just the credits. There is sad music playing while you see a moldy, sometimes torn wall. The damp parts though is folded and doubled, resembling those ink blots that may be used to determines ones psychological health.
Chapter 2 : Spider Cleg / Mumbling alone
The movie proper begins with a train pulling up and numerous, pain and average folks getting off and perhaps talking with someone else. At the very end, a man, Spider, comes out slowly and pause. No one else is around now. Several things about him can be considered strange: he mumbles a lot, has two coats and several shirts on, and carries some of his possessions in a sock which he stores in his crouch. One of his processions is a small mental case which contains necessary ingredients to make a cigarette. We see an outside shot with him picking things up from the side of the road. The next shot has him pulling out a sheet with an address, wondering where something is. "Peggy Street", he mumbles and continues.
Chapters 3 & 4 : Spider's new home
Chapter 3 (Mrs. Wilkinson) is so short that I combined it with chapter 4 (Terrence). I think the DVD chapters could have been better. Anyway, we see Spider is walking down a series of doors in an empty street finding the correct address. He knocks and a woman, Mrs. Wilkinson, answers and tells him to come in. She goes off some place while Spider enters a room with several tables and chairs. The audience quickly learns here that this place is for the semi-sane. Spider and everyone here reached a point where they can be considered 'sane', but still not enough to be out in regular society. The room Spider entered is what I call the gathering room where everyone sits together to do things, like eat or read.
Spider sits down to build a cigarette when an older man asks if he was familiar with scorpions and from Africa. After Spider says no, he started blabbing about Africa and scorpions. Wilkinson enters and says his name is Terrence. (This character wasn't in the novel and placed here so the audience can compare Spider with someone else and to reveal certain things easier from the book) She proceeds to gather Spider's things cigarette ingredients into the case, grabs his suitcase, and instructs him to follow her upstairs. He does so slowly while caring his cigarette kit, listening to Terrence talking about some guy in Africa who was killed by a scorpion in his shoe.
At the top, Wilkinson is gathering towels and handed over to him. With his kit still in his hands, he slowly started putting it away. Eventually she was able to put it into his hands. She then came close to picking up his suitcase again, but was quickly snatched by Spider. She walks off, taking her keys, and open a door. "You're room, Mr. Cleg."
Chapter 5 : Spider's Room / Location briefing
Spider looks under his minimal bed and then around his room and sees a gas heating unit. He looks worried and gets up, against the wall. He smells his clothes, open the window, and crouch down. There is a shot of a large structure outside (more on this later).
Wilkinson is preparing a bath for Spider and notice his is still dressed, setting on a chair. When she touches his clothes, he gets up and move away. "I'll leave you to your own devices", she tells him and leaves. He looks at the bath. We then see him in it, naked, laying on his side, appearing to be thinking.
Back in his room, he starts unpacking a few things from his suitcase: PJs and a clock. There is also several strings inside. The third thing he pulls out is a small booklet. He close the suitcase, look around paranoid like, and place it under his bed. He then opens the dresser door, which has newspaper at the bottom, and hides the booklet under the paper. He close it, turn around, stops, look around, take the booklet out and hides it again, under the carpet at the corner. He lays down in bed mumbling street names and landmarks, one of which is Kitchener Street. He then mumbles "My mum".
Before continuing, it is important to note four other places. Outside is a large, cylinder structure with an external skeleton. The audience eventually learns though Terrance (see chapter 14) that it is a gas plant. Several shots already had this in the background. There is a small river that goes under a bridge. Near the bridge is a park bench. I *think* the bridge is a railway, but I am not sure. (I'll call this the river area) There is also a small shack farther down the railway, if it is a railway, away from the river. In front of the shack is a garden of vegetables. I think in British English this is call an allotment, where people can grow plants since there isn't a place to do so at their home. The only other important locations is Spider's boyhood home and a nearby pub, "The Dog & Beggar". There is some other minor ones which isn't so important: a place where Spider drinks coffee, a field with his asylum buddies.
Chapter 6 : Breakfast Thoughts / Exploring
We see the sunrise behind the gas plant and then Wilkinson barging in saying "Wakey, Wakey". She opens the curtains and take away his cigarettes since he is still in bed. In the kitchen, Terrence and Spider are eating breakfast together, with Terrence talking about the horrible bed, saying it will become easier in a few years. Spider says he won't stay here that long. Terrence says he thought the same thing, but the loud outside world is guarded by a tyrant queen (Wilkinson) who has the power to send one back to the asylum. She then comes in and notice for the first time that Spider wears four shirts.
Next is the first scene of the river area. He picks something from the ground and sits down on the bench. Then comes the first allotment scene. When Spider sees the garden, he lays down on it crying, saying the words 'mum' and 'mother' frequently. Another quickie of him drinking coffee at some cafe. There is a poster of a field on the wall which Spider focus in at. We see Spider and two other men in a field, all wearing a dark green sweater and yellow pants. (Cronenberg explained on the DVD that they are from the asylum) Each had a shovel. Spider pulls out his sock from his crouch. The next one, a old man, pulls out a sock from his pocket and takes out dentures. The third goes into his pants, rummage around, but pulls out nothing and laughs.
Chapters 7 - 9 : Now it gets interesting
Jesh, some of these DVDs chapters are short. Chapter 7 ("Are you making progress"): Terrance observe Spider building a puzzle of a seagull. Besides the spider web, the puzzle is another motif of the film... although we haven't saw a spider web yet in this boring first act. Chapter 8 (Spider's Journal): He pulls out his booklet from the floor and started writing in his cryptic looking writings. It is curious to note here that the novel this movie is based on is this small booklet in the movie. This begins the second act, which requires some explaining.
Initially, the audience won't know this but quickly will. The second and third acts has Spider observing a family - husband, wife, and son - and a prostitute. They though don't notice him. That is because this is one continuos flashback occurring in Spider's mind. Spider, when observing, will mumble words out of his mouth and writes them down in his booklet. He is basically collecting his thoughts and memories as they come to him. The boy is him. To avoid confusion, I'll call the boy Young Spider and the present day Spider as Adult Spider. Also remember that Adult Spider is always 'present' during these flashbacks. That said, here is chapter 9 (A look into the past).
Adult Spider walks up to his boyhood home and look into a window, seeing Young Spider playing with some string and his mother. Mom tells him to go get his dad for supper is almost ready. He leaves through the back door, finds something on the ground and picks it up, and proceeds past Adult Spider.
Chapter 10 : The Dog & Beggar / You don't do that to a child actor!
Young Spider enters "The Dog & Beggar" pub. (The Adult Spider is already there, reinforcing that this is a flashback within his memories) The Young Spider sees a large breasted, blonde, smoking tart who flashes her right nipple at him. She and her female companions ("I can't believe you did that!") laughs while he appears offended. A man walks in and both Spiders says "Dad".
Cut to dinner. Young Spider, cutting some meat, accidentally scraped the plate with his knife making a sound. Bill, the father, looks at him and almost became angry. Cut to the present, as Spider started reviewing things he wrote. The audience can clearly see the words and tell they are not written in a 'normal' language.
Chapter 11 : Tales of silken webs / Something strange is going on here....
This chapter begins with the mother telling Young Spider a story of what she did when she was younger, living in Essex's countryside. She liked to go out and view the spider webs and hunt for spider eggs. During this monologue she said that after laying her eggs, the spider leaves them and die. Bill walks in and leaves with mom for the pub. Young Spider runs upstairs to his room, which has string tied up every which way (web motif), and looks out of his window. He sees his father grab his mother and put her back against a wall and started kissing her all over her face. Young Spider then gets into a crouch position and pouts.
We see mom and dad enter the pub and sit down together at a table. Bill sees the tart in the previous chapter... but she more closely resembles her brunet mother. (That is, in the previous chapter the tart was played by another actress. Now she is played by the same actress as Spider's mother). When Bill gets some beer, the bartender reveals her name: Yvonne Wilkinson . We briefly see Spider in the present, collecting his thoughts it seems. Bill gets up from the table and move closer to Yvonne. The Adult Spider sees his mother alone and rush out of the pub. (He is viewing all flashbacks as though he is there, remember! Um, should I put that word in 'quotes'? HINT HINT!) We next see Spider on the park bench at the river. "She made the first move."
Now I know what you might be thinking (or now beginning to think since I just said that!). It is important to note some of this isn't immediately noticeable in one viewing. Besides, I am not just carefully analyzing so I can write this, but I got the director's commentary too!
Chapter 12 : Trouble with her pipes / Both pipes?
We see Bill arriving an Yvonne's home. It is quickly establish that dad is a plumber by profession (CRONENBERG! YOU PERVERT!!!) Not much else happens plot wise other than a bunch of flirting... guess how. Cut to the countryside where Spider is with those other two men. (See the end of Chapter 6) The two men are talking about a French woman while Spider pulls out a small picture of two topless women from his cigarette kit. He places both hands over the women and pull them away. They appear to now be Yvonne.
Chapter 13 : Yvonne's handiwork / Why not Bill's tongue work?
Bill enters the pub and motions Yvonne to come with him. They are then shown outside, she complaining briefly about the cold and being glad she has a fur coat. Next they are at the river (Adult Spider sitting at the bench as usual) and go under the bridge. There she does a hand job on him, walks to the river, and got rid of the stuff (Pervert Cronenberg used shampoo). But when she turns around, Bill is now Adult Spider.
The next scene has the camera in the Cleg's home's hallway, approaching the kitchen. The parents are arguing because he spends too much time in the pub and noticed Young Spider. (That is, the shot is in Young Spider perspective) "You woke me up", he says. Mom escorts him to bed. We see Young Spider playing with his 'web' and fiddling with his box of little things he collects, much of it string. He hears his mom humming, get up, and finds his mom looking at herself in the mirror with a nightgown on. He runs out.
Chapter 14 : "Gas. Smell Gas" / Salisbury Hotel
We see Terrence observing Spider building that puzzle again. Spider gets mad when a piece of the puzzle refuses to fit, tears it all up, and rush outside. Wilkinson barks at him to pick it up while Terrace chases him at a slower pace. Outside, Spider froze up in paralysis while seeing the giant gas plant. Terrence helps him in while talking about a guy he knew killed himself with gas. Inside that night, Spider smells gas in his room. He checks the heating unit and believes it is coming from him. So he takes his many clothes off, take the newspapers inside the dresser, and tie them onto his body.
The flashback continues. Mom is preparing food for all three of them when Bill complains about being tired of their home and leaves. She cries. Cut to Salisbury Hotel's lobby (not the pub) as Bill enters and sees Yvonne. He ask if they can meet later, where the shack is. Meanwhile the mother leaves the house, leaving Young Spider at home.
Chapters 15 - 18 : This could have easially been ONE chapter!
The pace picks up and is very strait forward. Chapter 15 (Trysting place): Bill goes to the shack and waits. She then arrives, drunk, and stumbles into the garden. He rush out and help her in, leaving one of her shoes behind. Chapter 16 (Looking for Bill): Mom goes into the hotel and didn't find Bill. Chapter 17 (Out with the old): She arrives at their allotment, catch the two in the act, Bill gets up and bangs her head wit a shovel, she stumbles out with a bloody forehead, and collapse on the garden. Bill begins digging a grave and they bury her. They walk home drunk, and you see Spider's childhood home address: 29. Chapter 18 (In with the new): Young Spider sees Yvonne in bed with his dad instead of his mom. Useless separate chapter! >*sigh*< Now begins the third act.
Chapter 19 & 20 : Spider pays a visit to his old home
In 19 ("I am not a Spaniard!") we see a more traditional flashback: the grown Spider (this isn't Spider observing his memories) in the asylum hearing someone screaming "I am not a Spaniard, you bastards!" (???). He leaves his cell and sees a broken window. A patient / prisoner had a large, glass shard and is threatening violence to a well dressed administrator. While a pair of other people grab the screaming man, Spider notice the glass on the floor. In 20 (The missing shard), he pulls a glass shard from his left sleeve and considers suicide. Cut inside again, he turns the shard into the administrator. He takes it with relief and place it on a table where the glass has been collected as though it was a puzzle. And knowing how glass breaks, it was a good way of combining both the web and puzzle motifs.
We see Spider in the present again, in that cafe (chapter 6), putting way too much sugar in his cup. He looks outside and see the street name: Kitchener . He walks to 29 Kitchener Street and sees the current resident of his old home come out. He then returns to present day "The Dog & Beggar" pub, but couldn't get enough bravery to walk in as his paralysis returns.
Chapter 21 : "Murderer!" / The wicked stepmother?
We see Yvonne with the Young Spider. She seems confused on why he is acting unusual. Then, with her back towards him as she gets something from the stove (think - why am I saying this? Hint: there is TWO reasons!), she admits they killed his mother. The boy reacted a bit. Dad then comes in and Young Spider screams "Murderer!". With a shocked expression on his face, Bill takes out his belt, chase him around the table and out the door. He screams "Murderer!" once more as Bill yells at him to not come back.
Chapter 22 : A word with Dennis / So THATS his name!
Bill arrives at the allotment while Young Spider retreats. The only time his first name is mentioned, Bill yells "Dennis?" He finds him on the shack's side, crouched with his hands over his ears. Inside the shack they had a little talk. "Why are you so angry?" "She's not my mother!" "Who is she then?" "She's a tart!" >*SLAP*< "You killed my mother! You murderer!" Dad is so confused at this point all he can guess is that his son needs more friends. He invites him back home. Young Spider whispers "Sorry" at his mother and leaves. At home, Yvonne finished supper. Hmm.... looks like a garden snake....
Chapter 23 : Mother everywhere / This DVD chapter title is a spoiler!
Spider awakes while hearing Mrs. Wilkinson waking people up again with her "Wakey, wakey". But she sounds different. When she opens the door... its Yvonne! There is a bottle of liqueur (and a little blood) in her hands.
He is next shown going down the stairs nervously. Terrence, at the gathering room, is looking at Mrs. Wilkinson's office. Spider enters and sees her with the face of Yvonne, and hence, her mother, since they are all played by the same actress . (Figured it out yet?)
Terrified, he rush to his little booklet and destroys it. He goes outside and actively started searching for something... a rope. That night, in his room, he used it by tying one end to a wall hanger and wrapping the rope around the door knob around the corner, effectively locking it. He reaches into his pockets and started taking out a bunch of string.
Flashback again. Young Spider sees Yvonne and Bill leave. He takes out his string, a hammer, and several small tools that can be a virtual pulley... like a nail bent into a horseshoe, or a screw that has an 'O' shape on the other end. He creates an elaborate string & pulley system, with the other end terminating at the stove's gas lever.
Chapter 24 : Spider's web / Stealing is wrong
Back in the present, we see Spider with his finished, new, string-web. He 'unlocks' his door. He tries to open Wilkinson's office door, but at this time everyone is in bed, so the door is locked. Likewise the door to the kitchen. Then Spider sees Wilkinson's keys.
Chapter 25 : "I'm missing a set of keys." / Comic relief
Wilkinson, still looking like Yvonne, goes into the gathering room and asks if anybody saw her missing keys. She asks Spider specifically, and he just shakes his head no while making another cigarette.
He returns to his room, gets his crouch sock, pulled out those keys, put them in the door... and Wilkinson barges in! Spider looks really terrified. Wilkinson couldn't believe the 'web' Spider created and demanded it to come down. When touching it, Spider looked and held it as though it would come down that very instant. "I'll ask you again, where are my keys?" "Who are you?" "Don't play dumb with me." She then proceed with a body search, but all she found was all the little stuff he picks up from the street along with more string. She leaves, closing the door. Spider smiles... he sees the keys inside the keyhole!
Later, Wilkinson leaves, giving Spider another look. He gets up, went into her room, and eventually finds the same fur coat Yvonne wore in chapter 13. He unlocks another door... the one under the sink I think, but not sure... and pulls out a number of tools. He thinks what he should use in his room, and decides on a hammer and a screwdriver.
Chapter 26 : About to get hammered / ... but not quite.
Spider walks into Wilkinson's room, the two tools in hand. She is asleep in her bed, facing away. He come in near her left temple, when he seems to be psyching himself up and/or having a bit of uncertainty. That is when he remembered something....
Chapter 27 : "You murdered your mum." / History repeats, almost.
Dad and Yvonne arrive back at home, drunk. He goes to bed immediately, not noticing the string. Yvonne comes out of... an outhouse?... complaining about the toilet not working and wishing her husband, a plumber, will fix it. The Young Spider, watching the two during this time, psyches himself up and pulls the string. Yvonne is asleep on the chair near the stove.
Young Spider, smelling the gas, had a smile on his face. He jumps when his dad open the door quickly, partially damages his string-web, grab him and rushed him outside, coughing. Bill went to the stove, turned the gas off, notice the string, turn around, and developed a shocked look on his face. Outside, Young Spider moves his back to the wall. Bill pulls the dead body out (the face wasn't shown) and cries for help. Full body shot of... the blond Yvonne? Of course not! It is Spider's brunet mother! Adult Spider (he was absent so far in this flashback) replaces Young Spider. "You murdered your mum."
We jump immediately to the present. Wilkinson, looking like Wilkinson instead of Yvonne, rolls over, sees the tools in his hands, and ask, "What have you done?"
Chapter 28 : Back to the asylum / Epilogue
Terrence looks out of his window, seeing Spider in a car. The well-dressed asylum administrator is in there, asking if he is ready to come back. Spider asks for a smoke, and the administrator agrees. They drive away, Terrence leaves the window, and Young Spider replaces Adult Spider in the car just before the credits roll.
~ FIN ~