# Who did the credits for Spiderman? I want their balls! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 4, 2002, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236 "2002-05-04T11:22:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/1 "2002-05-04T11:22:22Z")
First and foremost, the film was NOT dedicated to the guy who died. How could they not acknowledge him? I don’t know his name off hand. I should. But I know they do. I’ll post it as soon as I find it. Secondly, Mr. Rilch **did not get credit**! None of the juicers (electricians) did! They credited the gaffers and best boys for first and second unit and for the rigging crew, and that was it. Why? They listed a lot of PAs and stunt people, which seems to indicate that they took care not to leave out any of those people. Why, then, did they not acknowledge the entire electric crew? Mr. Rilch laughed and said, “Well, the checks cashed the same!”, but I can tell he’s stung. It just doesn’t make sense! They listed the entire grip crew: not just the key and best, but all the hammers. Sometimes it’s the other way around: every electrician is listed, but only the keys from the grip crew. That’s also wrong. If you did your job and didn’t get fired, you get credit. Heck, I heard an anecdote about a guy who was fired, and still got credit, on the grounds that the gaffer fired him because they didn’t get along, not because he’d screwed up. WTF? Who draws up the credits for a movie, anyway. I actually don’t know. I should find out. :::moment of silence for Mr. ?::: ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/2 "2002-05-04T16:32:42Z")
Does the IATSE logo count as a credit? If it was there, and Mr. Rilch is a member, then he technically was credited. (I know a name credit is better, but, hey…) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/3 "2002-05-04T16:57:11Z")
I think Mr. Rilch should be angry at his union, not the production. _They’re_ the ones who be looking after the credits. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/4 "2002-05-04T16:59:21Z")
Who **should** be looking. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/5 "2002-05-04T22:29:07Z")
His name was Tom Holcombe. **Alessan** : Fine, then; I’m mad at the union. When I was doing my search, I kept misspelling **Spiderman**. _Spidreman_. Yeah, that’s that French guy. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/6 "2002-05-04T22:42:47Z")
[Hijack] No, it’s not like, like Phil Spiderman. He’s a spider, man. Y’know like ah, like Goldman is a last name, but there’s no Gold Man. [/Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/7 "2002-05-05T02:15:04Z")
Actually, it is correctly written as **Spider-Man**. ---
**Author:** ![dunne\_u.wurrie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@dunne\_u.wurrie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunne_u.wurrie)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/8 "2002-05-05T03:45:20Z")
I was wondering if Tom Holcombe was going to get a dedication. I’m not the least bit surprised that he didn’t. You know, it’s bad publicity to tell the world that you negligently killed a guy for no other reason than you were in a big fucking hurry. And you can never expect a production department to put principle ahead of dollars. Don’t feel bad, my people have worked on over 200 features, and we can count our credits on one hand. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/9 "2002-05-05T06:26:02Z")
Sorry to hear that, **dunne**. No, you can’t **expect** it, but I know of one incident where a crew member’s life was valued more than the production. On **Titanic** , there was an incident where the set started to submerge when it wasn’t supposed to. One of the ACs ran back for the camera, but was yanked off the set by another crew member. Afterwards, Cameron ripped him a new one: “Fuck the camera! Nobody dies on my set!” So there’s at least one instance of a director having principle. And at least one good thing that can be said about James Cameron. As far as dollars, though, I hope his family was compensated. :::Rilchiam opens the file to check Mr. Rilch’s insurance policy::: ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/10 "2002-05-05T13:49:51Z")
Well, I can state from personal experience that credits are largely a political thing. I think Mr. Rilch has the right attitude since there’s little point getting too worked up about something you can’t do anything about (although I appreciate your indignation; my wife was also in a _WTF?!?_ mode). It’s a shame everybody can’t get credited, but if you look at movies pre-1970, it was pretty well understood that filmmaking was often an extremely anonymous vocation. Sorry to hear about the non-recognition of the fatality. Are you sure it wasn’t at the very, very end? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/11 "2002-05-05T14:24:29Z")
So I don’t understand what’s so important about the credits. If you watch a movie from the 1950’s you don’t see people like the caterer credited. How come you see so many people in the credits these days? Marc ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/12 "2002-05-05T14:44:01Z")
_aside_ Can somebody please tell me, a non-Spider-man-fan, how the hell a guy DIED making that movie? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/13 "2002-05-05T17:50:19Z")
[Here’s the story](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,7917,00.html), tsarina. MGibson, I think it was just a gradual thing over time, where you’d see more and more cast members, and then more and more crew members, until it reached the levels where they’re at today. Unions have something to do with it, as does the fact that some contract stipulations require it as well, especially since the studio system involves a lot more use of outside vendors and contractors (labs, effects and sound recording houses, local/regional film offices, what have you). Every film is different and depending on how big a film promises to be, the amount of jockeying for position to get named (even in the most peripheral capacity) is very strong. It’s also nice to be publicly recognized for the work that you do, which is why some skilled craftsmen/technicians always hold out hope, even when they work amongst a sea of colleagues in largescale productions. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/14 "2002-05-05T21:16:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dunne u. wurrie \* > \*\*I was wondering if Tom Holcombe was going to get a dedication. I’m not the least bit surprised that he didn’t. > > You know, it’s bad publicity to tell the world that you negligently killed a guy for no other reason than you were in a big fucking hurry. And you can never expect a production department to put principle ahead of dollars. > > \*\* Who is the “you” and where was the negligence? Marc ---
**Author:** ![dunne\_u.wurrie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@dunne\_u.wurrie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunne_u.wurrie)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/15 "2002-05-05T22:47:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MGibson \* > \*\* > > Who is the “you” and where was the negligence? > > Marc \*\* The crane fell over, decapitating a man. Since falling over is not generally associated with normal operation of cranes, there was negligence involved, and safety guidelines which were ignored. I won’t get into who is at fault, other than to say that the people who are charged with the responsibility of making sure that no one gets hurt must have had a bad day. My experience, though, is that because time is money, there are many scenarios where we simply cross our fingers and hope that no one gets hurt, and that the pressure to do so starts at the top. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/16 "2002-05-06T00:02:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchiveGuy \* > **Well, I can state from personal experience that credits are largely a political thing. I think Mr. Rilch has the right attitude since there’s little point getting too worked up about something you can’t do anything about (although I appreciate your indignation; my wife was also in a _WTF?!?_ mode). It’s a shame everybody can’t get credited, but if you look at movies pre-1970, it was pretty well understood that filmmaking was often an extremely anonymous vocation.** True. But this is 2K2. It’s just frustrating because this could have been another listing for Mr. Rilch in the IMDB. Well, he has the call sheets, if anyone ever says, “Oh, yeah, **you** were on **Spiderman**! For one day, I bet!” \*\* > [@](#): > > Sorry to hear about the non-recognition of the fatality. Are you sure it wasn’t at the very, very end? \*\* Well, I can check again. But we were looking out for it, and none of us saw it. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/17 "2002-05-06T00:03:38Z")
Hahahaha…wheh, that’s funny. Thanks for the laugh, dunne. And you even said it with a straight face. Like you actually believe that all you need to do to prove negligence is that something unexpected happened. As if [accidents](http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=accident) don’t happen. MAN, that’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/18 "2002-05-06T00:04:53Z")
My post, of course, was directed at dunne u. wurrie, of course, not Rilch. ---
**Author:** ![dunne\_u.wurrie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@dunne\_u.wurrie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunne_u.wurrie)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/19 "2002-05-06T01:31:02Z")
Tengu, I’m glad you’re so easily amused. Are you a producer, by any chance? Or are you a lawyer (he said, expecting the answer yes)? [http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=negligence](http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=negligence) "Negligence: (Law) The omission of the care usual under the circumstances, being convertible with the Roman culpa. I would never presume to claim that I could prove negligence in court. But if you exercise the care usual under the circumstances, then the crane doesn’t fall over. There was no tornado or other unforeseeable happenstance. Moreover, if what I’m told is true, then the conditions of this accident (of course it was an accident) constitute gross negligence. You pompous fuck. ---
**Author:** ![dunne\_u.wurrie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@dunne\_u.wurrie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunne_u.wurrie)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236/20 "2002-05-06T04:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\* > > It’s just frustrating because this could have been another listing for Mr. Rilch in the IMDB. Well, he has the call sheets, if anyone ever says, “Oh, yeah, **you** were on **Spiderman**! For one day, I bet!” > > \*\* > > \*\* Rilchiam, I’m told that you can present the IMDB with proof that your hubby worked on Spiderman (pay stubs should do nicely, I imagine), and they will grant him a credit on their website. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-the-credits-for-spiderman-i-want-their-balls/107236.md?page=2)