The Big Picture

• Tobey Maguire's skill in catching falling food in the Spider-Man cafeteria scene took 156 real takes to get right.
• Sam Raimi's commitment to practical effects over CGI led to a 16-hour shoot for the iconic Spider-Man scene.
• Despite the grueling 16-hour shoot, the Spider-Man tray scene remains a memorable moment showcasing Peter's powers and a creative vision from Raimi.

Although fellow Marvel alum X-Men beat the web-slinger to the silver screen by two years, in 2002, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man at long last brought the wildly popular Marvel character to life on the big screen. Raimi's epic flick remains a cornerstone of superhero cinema, and really kicked the current Golden Age of superhero films into high gear. One of the many memorable scenes in the film occurs shortly after Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) gets his powers. It happens in the school cafeteria and starts with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) slipping on some spilled juice. Peter not only prevents Mary Jane from hitting the floor but catches all the food that went flying on the tray as they fall back down. One would assume that the amazing feat was the result of some impressive CGI, only it wasn't. That was all Tobey Maguire! And it only took 156 takes.

Sam Raimi Argued With Sony Over the 'Spider-Man' Scene

Unconfirmed reports indicate they were going to create the Spider-Man scene digitally, until someone came up with the idea of standing above the camera and dropping all that stuff, hoping it landed right. It may have been Raimi, or another crew member, but regardless, Raimi didn't need convincing, becoming insistent upon performing the feat au naturel. The studio, Sony, was far less enamored with the idea. Nevertheless, Raimi and company took up the challenge. On the DVD commentary of the film, Kirsten Dunst would go on record about the only piece of "trickery" involved in the shot, commenting, "Not CGI, by the way, that's all Tobey, which is pretty impressive. They used sticky glue stuff to stick his hand to the tray." There is no record to say how close they came to success for any of the first 155, nor if there was one successful take that was ruined by the sheer amazement and jubilation of the moment. It would take an agonizing 16 hours before finally achieving their goal during take number 156.

Over those 16 hours, Raimi was engaged in a fight with Sony over whether to even keep the scene in the movie. Allegedly, Sony felt that the scene was far too time-consuming, and required too many resources to get right. But Raimi stuck to his guns, unwilling to see that painstaking, 16-hour marathon shoot be all for naught. Looking at the film now, it is definitely hard to argue with Raimi's choice. CGI wouldn't have done the scene justice, and although the CGI effects used were fantastic for the time, there are a few dodgy visual effects scattered throughout the film that haven't aged well. It remains unlikely that Sony would admit they were wrong, however.

Sam Raimi's Multiple Takes for the 'Spider-Man' Tray Scene Were Worth It

Sam Raimi getting the cast and crew through those 16 hours straight for one scene is amazing, but the most amazing part of it is how there don't seem to be many (or any) complaints from the cast and crew. Pleased they got it, yes. Stunned they got it? Absolutely. But angry? Not so much. And why is that? Because Sam Raimi has shown time and time again that his faith in practical effects is worth it.

He elevated his iconic 1981 horror The Evil Dead on a shoestring budget simply by using those effects in creative ways. For example, his famed "Raimi Zoom," achieved by running a camera attached to a two-by-four through the woods, and the makeup and prosthetics that brought the film’s Deadites to, um, life. In so doing, he revolutionized the horror genre, bringing a wealth of camera tricks and a visceral quality that is absent in the CGI-heavy features of today. It’s that same tangible quality that makes the Spider-Man tray scene so memorable. Every item that drops on the tray is given the proper balance and weight, not something that is easily captured, especially not in 2002. One has only to look at fellow 2002 film Star Wars Episode II: The Attack of the Clones for comparison. When CGI is used to make the characters jump from bucket to bucket in the Geonosian droid factory, there is nothing that makes it seem real. Nothing that gives the impression that there is heft there, weight that would rock or tip the buckets in such a way that makes it realistic. As a result, the CGI is rendered hopelessly dated in retrospect.

This 'Spider-Man' Tray Scene Was Key for Peter and Mary Jane

The tray scene in Spider-Man, even aside from the astounding number of takes to get right, is a memorable moment from a game-changing film. However, its importance to the film, and the franchise as a whole, is much deeper than it first appears. The scene is the first time that Mary Jane actually sees Peter Parker, and notices that he’s more than he appears on the outside. It’s almost like Mary Jane is being introduced to a whole new Peter, sparking that connection that grows over the course of Raimi’s trilogy. The scene proves that Raimi has an exceptional creative vision, and leaves little doubt as to why he would be so adamant about getting it right.

Spider-Man is available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.

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