Oscar-nominated Stan

[dlw66]

I saw a still from the FF2 flick with Stan Lee in a tuxedo for his cameo. In your opinion, what has been the best Stan "role" in Marvel's films?

It has to be his portrayal of Willie Lumpkin, just for the history of the character. However, it escapes me as to where it was! Hulk or FF?

[Engage]

It was in the Fantastic Four. They met him at the elevators and he showed off the legendary powers of Lumpkin. I think he was a security guard in the Hulk movie.

I agree that Willie Lumpkin was the best. As its an actual small role, I'd expect to see him again in FF2: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

[dlw66]

A little ear-wiggling? Truly one of the great scenes from Perez's run on the book.

[Engage]

You know it. Look for him in the new FF! I hear they have some open spots!

[Shiryu]

Let's see if we found him in every movie:

Spider-Man 1: he saves a kid when Goblin attacks the Oscorp members

Spider-Man 2: ??

X-Men 1: ?

X-Men 2: ?

X-Men 3: At the beginning, when Jean shows her telecinetic power he is watering the garden

Daredevil: Young Matt stops him from crossing the road when a car is coming

Elektra: ?

Hulk: ?

Fantastic Four: he is the postman at the Baxter Building

Any other ?
I'm sure he is somewhere in X1, 2 and Spider-Man 2, I just haven't seen the movies in a while, and I've never watched Elektra.

[Yellowjacket]

Hmm, a quick glimps into Wikipedia reveals this:

Marvel film properties

In the TV-movie The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989), Lee's first appearance in a Marvel movie or TV project is as jury foreman in the trial of Dr. David Banner.

Lee has cameo roles in the Fox Broadcasting Company telefilms Generation X (1996) and Nick Fury: Agent of Shield (1998)

In X-Men (2000), Lee appears as a hotdog vendor on the beach when Senator Kelly materializes naked onshore after escaping from Magneto.

He narrated the Troma film Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger Part IV (2001) under the pseudonym "Peter Parker".

In Spider-Man (2002), he appeared during Spider-Man's first battle with the Green Goblin, pulling a little girl away from falling debris.
In Daredevil (2003), the blind child Matt Murdock stops Lee from crossing the street and getting hit by a car.

In Hulk (2003), he appears walking alongside former TV-series Hulk Lou Ferrigno in an early scene, both as security guards at Bruce Banner's lab.

In Spider-Man 2 (2004), Lee again pulls an innocent person away from danger during Spider-Man's first battle with Doctor Octopus. He is also seen in the background while Peter is walking down the street during the "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" sequence.

In Fantastic Four (2005), Lee appears for the first time as a character from the comics, in a role credited as Willie Lumpkin, the mail carrier who greets the Fantastic Four as they enter the Baxter Building elevator.

In X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Lee and Chris Claremont appear as two of Jean Grey's neighbors in the opening scenes set 20 years ago. Lee, credited as "Waterhose man," is watering the lawn when Jean telekinetically lifts the water from the hose into the air.

PS: No, that´s not cheating, it´s research.

[Shiryu]

I had completely missed him in the Hulk then (which isn's surprise, I've seen that movie just once and I still wish I hadn't).
Nothing from X2 and Elektra though

[Yellowjacket]

Interesting, so you didn´t like the Hulk movie, did you?
That was my initial reaction, too. That one did grow on me and meanwhile I really like the film. The CGI Hulk is great (though I still don´t like the dogs/dog fight) but most of all I like the ambiance of the film. The soundtrack and acting support that effect strongly.
I´d say it did take 4 - 5 views for me...

On my personal hit list Hulk is on position 3, after DD (I like both versions) on first and X1 on second place.
The only films I still don´t like are SM 1 and 2, though they´re technically well made and have some really good actors for the villains.

[Shiryu]

My story with the Hulk movie is a bit strange. I didn't have time to go and watch it at the cinema, so I asked a friend who went, who said it was the worse film he had ever seen. Trouble is, in the past I had always liked the movies he didn't like and vice versa, so I brought it on dvd the week it came out.
Turned out that, for the first (and, movie wise, probably last) time ever, I agreed on him. Even tried to sell the dvd on ebay, but no one wanted it
As for the movies, my top 3 is: Spidey 2, X2, Spidey 1 (X1 and Daredevil would be 4th and 5th).

[Doctor Bong]

I have to agree; I waited for a long time to see it, I WANTED to like it, but I came out of the theatre feeling bored, frustrated, confused & with the sense that I was robbed... I also think it's one of the worse films I've ever seen, period. Especially when we consider the amount of money that went into it's production...
IMO, the worst mistake of the movie was the decision to go with an all-CGI Hulk; it just didn't work for me... Somehow, it felt more fake than Lou Ferrigno with green paint on (and I was never too much of a fan of the series to begin with). For me, the scenes where the Hulk trashed the army tanks, which I always found terrific in the comic books (& still do, to this day), somehow didn't translate well into a live movie & seemed ridiculous, farsical to me.
Another thing: while the way they try to mimic & follow the structure of comic book pages & their panels was fresh & interesting at the beginning, after a while it became tired & annoying, IMO.

[dlw66]

ua2 said:

IMO, the worst mistake of the movie was the decision to go with an all-CGI Hulk; it just didn't work for me... Somehow, it felt more fake than Lou Ferrigno with green paint on (and I was never too much of a fan of the series to begin with). For me, the scenes where the Hulk trashed the army tanks, which I always found terrific in the comic books (& still do, to this day), somehow didn't translate well into a live movie & seemed ridiculous, farsical to me.
Another thing: while the way they try to mimic & follow the structure of comic book pages & their panels was fresh & interesting at the beginning, after a while it became tired & annoying, IMO.

I actually thought the CGI Hulk was good, albeit too big. The scene right before the dog fight, where he is obscured by the large tree, seemed to be way out of scaled with Betty. I agree about the "panel layout" aspect of the film. My biggest complaint, however, was that it was basically over and then went into this 20-minute coda where Nick Nolte goes bonkers. It should have ended much sooner.

[Shiryu]

I definitely agree on the panels thing. I liked it the first time, thinking it was a part of the introduction, and in grew more and more annoying till I couldn't stand it anymore by the first 45 minutes or so.
The CGI Hulk wasn't too bed IMO (albeit occasionally out of proportions), but the whole thing was way too boring for a lot of the movie, without any real excitement except the short scenes with the army.
I have heard that the next Hulk movie should be more towards "Hulk smash !" which may make it more interesting at least from that perspective.

[uberwolf]

The first time I saw the Hulk was on cable, Cinamax or something. Seemed like they played it every other hour. I just leave the TV on while I do other things and I think it played continously for a month straight. It was burned into my mind and I've never watched it again. It was by no means a great movie but I'm a big fan of B-movies so I kind of liked it. It's easily MST-3000 material.

[dlw66]

In a sports vein, and speaking of MST-3000, do those of you in the States who have ESPN Classic ever watch Cheap Seats? Similar concept, only with old sports broadcasts.

[steed]

Nothing from X2 and Elektra though

He was the executive producer for both movies but no cameo appearances.

And how come nobody has mentioned 1991's Captain America movie as one of their favorites. I loved it. I laughed, I cried, I kissed $6.50 goodbye.

[Yellowjacket]

dlw66 said:

I actually thought the CGI Hulk was good, albeit too big.

Yeah, you´re right, he´s (a little) too big. But I think that´s better than the other way round.
Which means: After I´ve seen FV on DVD (in English) I like the film quite well. Especially the characters of Human Torch, Doom and Thing - my only problem with Thing is, he´s simply not big enough.

[Yellowjacket]

shiryu said:

I definitely agree on the panels thing. I liked it the first time, thinking it was a part of the introduction, and in grew more and more annoying till I couldn't stand it anymore by the first 45 minutes or so.
The CGI Hulk wasn't too bed IMO (albeit occasionally out of proportions), but the whole thing was way too boring for a lot of the movie, without any real excitement except the short scenes with the army.
I have heard that the next Hulk movie should be more towards "Hulk smash !" which may make it more interesting at least from that perspective.

I think the point is Lee did make a drama movie with (lots of) action, not an entirely action film. Whereas the other movies are mainly or entirely action films.
Of course, that doesn´t necessarily mean you have to like the Hulk film.

[dlw66]

Concerning the Thing, keep in mind that the Handbook lists him at 6 feet tall (which I have always thought too short). Most artists don't draw him that way -- many draw him closer to 7 feet if not larger. Given that the Hulk is listed as 7 feet, this gives a perspective problem. The same can be said for Wolverine, listed at 5'3". Of course, he's rarely drawn that way...

[Yellowjacket]

Somewhere there lies my imagination problem. In my memory Thing is not as tall as Hulk, but a big guy (I´d think certainly taller than in the movie), which fits your statement and the handbook specification.