Movies from Stan Lee

Spider-Man

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, nerdy high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the Amazing superhero known as Spider-Man.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Through his official Facebook page, Stan Lee told fans that his favorite film so far, "was the first one that was such a hit, the first Spider-Man."
Movies from Stan Lee

Pinocchio

Lonely toymaker Geppetto has his wishes answered when the Blue Fairy arrives to bring his wooden puppet Pinocchio to life. Before becoming a real boy, however, Pinocchio must prove he's worthy as he sets off on an adventure with his whistling sidekick and conscience, Jiminy Cricket.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
When I was a kid, Disney was one of my gods. I just loved movies like Snow White and Pinocchio. I remember telling Martin Goodman, "Our books and characters are so popular; if only we could do a movie…we could be another Disney!"
Movies from Stan Lee

Snow-White

Trouble starts when the queen's magic mirror says Betty Boop is fairest.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
When I was a kid, Disney was one of my gods. I just loved movies like Snow White and Pinocchio. I remember telling Martin Goodman, "Our books and characters are so popular; if only we could do a movie…we could be another Disney!"
Movies from Stan Lee

The Scarlet Pimpernel

18th century English aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney leads a double life. He appears to be merely the effete aristocrat, but in reality is part of an underground effort to free French nobles from Robespierre's Reign of Terror.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
What was your first superhero inspiration? The Scarlet Pimpernel was the first superhero I had read about. The first character who could be called a superhero. (0 m 9 s)
Movies from Stan Lee

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. Bringing the extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother and his little sister, Gertie, and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Soon, however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both Elliott and the alien.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I loved E.T. Believe it or not, I don’t go to the movies. I don’t have the time, so I wait the six months or so until the DVD comes out.
Movies from Stan Lee

Young Frankenstein

A young neurosurgeon inherits the castle of his grandfather, the famous Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. In the castle he finds a funny hunchback, a pretty lab assistant and the elderly housekeeper. Young Frankenstein believes that the work of his grandfather was delusional, but when he discovers the book where the mad doctor described his reanimation experiment, he suddenly changes his mind.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I love comedy, too. Anything Mel Brooks did — The Producers, Young Frankenstein. I’ve got so many favorites. It’s eclectic; it’s not any one type of movie.
Movies from Stan Lee

The Producers

Broadway producer, Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ask for their money back – and what can be a more certain flop than a tasteless musical celebrating Hitler.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I love comedy, too. Anything Mel Brooks did — The Producers, Young Frankenstein. I’ve got so many favorites. It’s eclectic; it’s not any one type of movie.
Movies from Stan Lee

Frankenstein

Dr. Henry Frankenstein attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of the deceased. Aided by his loyal misshapen assistant, Fritz, Frankenstein succeeds in animating his monster, but, confused and traumatized, it escapes into the countryside and begins to wreak havoc. Frankenstein searches for the elusive being, and eventually must confront his tormented creation.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I like Frankenstein. I liked all the adventure movies; I can’t even remember their names now.
Movies from Stan Lee

King Kong

Adventurous filmmaker, Carl Denham, sets out to produce a motion picture unlike anything the world has seen before. Alongside his leading lady Ann Darrow and his first mate Jack Driscoll, they arrive on an island and discover a legendary creature said to be neither beast nor man. Denham captures the monster to displayed on Broadway as Kong, the eighth wonder of the world.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
And then, I like King Kong.
Movies from Stan Lee

The Adventures of Robin Hood

Robin Hood fights nobly for justice against the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne while striving to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marian.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
When I was young, anything Errol Flynn was in. Captain Blood. We can start with Captain Blood. And [The Adventures of] Robin Hood.
Books from Stan Lee

Tom Swift and His Airline Express, or, From Ocean to Ocean by Daylight

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Tom Swift and His Airline Express, or, From Ocean to Ocean by Daylight" by Howard R. Garis. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Stan once called Tom Swift, the creative boy inventor protagonist of over 100 volumes, one of his role models when he was young.
Books from Stan Lee

Tarzan of the Apes

Experience the legend of Tarzan in this thrilling adventure from Edgar Rice Burroughs. Set amid the vibrant colors and sounds of the African jungle, this classic work, rich in suspense and action, has beckoned generations of readers on a glorious journey to romance and pure adventure. This is the story of the ape-man Tarzan, raised in the wild by the great ape Kala, and how he learns the secrets of the jungle to survive—how to talk with the animals, swing through the trees, and fight the great predators. As Tarzan grows up, he makes many friends, including Tantor the elephant and Numa the lion. When this paradise is invaded by white men, Tarzan’s life changes, for in this group is Jane, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Speaking directly to our childhood fantasies, this exhilarating work takes us to that faraway place in our minds where dreams prevail, and where we too can be masters of our own domain. With an Introduction by Gore Vidal And an Afterword by Michael Meyer
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
In an interview, Stan once said of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ iconic character, “I wanted to be like Tarzan.”
Books from Stan Lee

Jerry Todd and the Talking Frog

Edward Edson Lee (1884-1944), who wrote under the pen name of Leo Edwards, was a popular children's literature author in the 1920s and 1930s.He wrote five series of books, including the Jerry Todd series of sixteen books and the Poppy Ott series of eleven books, and both series were wildly popular. All of the series were inter-related in some way; the Todd and Ott stories took place in the town of Tutter, Illinois, a fictional town modeled on the town of Utica, which Lee experienced in his childhood. The supporting characters in the Todd and Ott books -- "Red" Meyers, "Scoop" Ellery, and "Peg" Shaw -- were real boys that Lee befriended around the time he began writing the stories.In his autobiography, Where's the Rest of Me? Ronald Reagan wrote that, growing up in Tampico, Illinois, he had a boyhood much like Jerry Todd."When I was a kid, there was this series of hardcover juvenile adventure books featuring a character named Jerry Todd. They were something like the Hardy Boys but they had a lot of humor mixed in with the adventure"--Stan Lee Rediscover the wonderful classic adventure stories of Jerry Todd in this reprint edition!
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
When I was a kid, I was a voracious reader. I read a book called "The adventures of Jerry Todd" nobody has ever heard of it except me, it is a series of books like "The Hardy boys" or "Nancy Drew". One thing the author did in the end of the book, he had a couple of pages in the end of the book, where he would talk to a reader and asked how the reader liked it and told how he happened to write it. And all the books (from the series) I read, I felt I knew this writer because of these pages.
Books from Stan Lee

Poems and Essays of Edgar Allan Poe



Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Or he’d quote from one of his two favorite Edgar Allan Poe poems, Annabel Lee and of course, The Raven.
Books from Stan Lee

The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám



Stan Lee
Director, Writer
He adored reciting passages from Edward Fitzgerald’s 1859 translation of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám during long signing sessions, quoting each verse to help him power through autographing hundreds of comics or posters.
Books from Stan Lee

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Enriched Classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work.Stark, skillfully woven, this fascinating novel explores the curious turnings of human character through the strange case of Dr. Jekyll, a kindly scientist who by night takes on his stunted evil self, Mr. Hyde. Anticipating modern psychology, Jekyll and Hyde is a brilliantly original study of man’s dual nature—as well as an immortal tale of suspense and terror. Published in 1866, Jekyll and Hyde was an instant success and brought Stevenson his first taste of fame. Though sometimes dismissed as a mere mystery story, the book has evoked much literary admirations. Vladimir Nabokov likened it to Madame Bovary and Dead Souls as “a fable that lies nearer to poetry than to ordinary prose fiction.” Enriched Classics enhance your engagement by introducing and explaining the historical and cultural significance of the work, the author’s personal history, and what impact this book had on subsequent scholarship. Each book includes discussion questions that help clarify and reinforce major themes and reading recommendations for further research. Read with confidence.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Lee’s next character, the Hulk, was inspired by a combination of Jekyll and Hyde and the notion of the misunderstood monster exemplified by Boris Karloff’s depiction of Frankenstein’s creation. Lee and Kirby created the Incredible Hulk in 1962. Lee was influenced by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in creating the character. "I had been wracking my brain for days, looking for a different superhero type, something never seen before."¹
Books from Stan Lee

Frankenstein, Or the Modern Prometheus

'I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion.' A summer evening's ghost stories, lonely insomnia in a moonlit Alpine's room, and a runaway imagination -- fired by philosophical discussions with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley about science, galvanism, and the origins of life -- conspired to produce for Mary Shelley this haunting night specter. By morning, it had become the germ of her Romantic masterpiece, "Frankenstein." Written in 1816 when she was only 19, Mary Shelley's novel of 'The Modern Prometheus' chillingly dramatized the dangerous potential of life begotten upon a laboratory table. A frightening creation myth for our own time, "Frankenstein" remains one of the greatest horror stories ever written and is an undisputed classic of its kind.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Lee’s next character, the Hulk, was inspired by a combination of Jekyll and Hyde and the notion of the misunderstood monster exemplified by Boris Karloff’s depiction of Frankenstein’s creation. Lee and Kirby created the Incredible Hulk in 1962. Lee was influenced by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in creating the character. "I had been wracking my brain for days, looking for a different superhero type, something never seen before."¹
Music from Stan Lee

Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I dunno that any one particular song inspired me, I grew up listening to love songs & ballads & heroic songs. I like Man of La Mancha, Camelot was a great example of heroic music, I dug it a lot.
Music from Stan Lee

Corinne Bailey Rae

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
It’s the theme from ‘Stan Lee’s Lucky Man’. She has a magical voice and the song captures the spirit of the show.
Music from Stan Lee

Ti Pi Tin

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
The song I can’t get out of my head The Andrews Sisters - ‘Ti-Pi-Tin’ I woke up singing it this morning and I don’t know why. It’s an old romantic song that’s about a million years old.
Music from Stan Lee

Theme (from "Spider Man") [Original Television Series]

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
The Marvel cartoons were all great. [Sings] “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can/Is he strong, listen bud, he’s got radioactive blood…” It goes on and on. That’s the one I remember the best.
Music from Stan Lee

The Way You Look Tonight

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
It’s been a long time since I’ve been dancing, but anything from an old Fred Astaire movie gets my feet moving. I like them all.
Music from Stan Lee

Camelot (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
The songs I listened to while creating Marvel characters Showtunes I’m a romantic guy; mostly I loved songs from shows. I would listen to showtunes from Camelot, for example. Anything from a show I loved. I wasn’t really much into rock ‘n’ roll – I like songs with good lyrics!
Music from Stan Lee

Merry Christmas: Bing Crosby

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I was a big fan of Bing Crosby when I was a kid. I bought this one at Christmas and played it for my mother and father.
Music from Stan Lee

KISS

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
The last concert I went to KISS They invited me to sit near the stage and I was deafened. The music was so loud I had to run out screaming. It was quite a while ago, the ‘70s probably. They did a Marvel comic back then, and I got friendly with the guys. They made up to look like superheroes. I remember Gene [Simmons, bassist/singer] coming up to my office wearing those big shoes of his when he was getting his costume together. He said, ‘What do you think Stan, do these look right?’ I said, ‘People will certainly remember you...
Music from Stan Lee

Rose-Marie (From 'Rose-Marie')

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
I guess there was an actor and an actress that made a bunch of movies, Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, and they had one called Rose Marie that registered with me. What did I like about? Jesus, it was just a good song! How can you say why you like something? You like a song or you don’t, right?
Music from Stan Lee

Whistle While You Work

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
The first song I remember hearing - Adriana Caselotti ‘Whistle While You Work’ I think the first songs I remember are from Disney’s Snow White, ‘Whistle While You Work’ and all the rest. I watched at the movies when I was a little kid – I was a big Disney fan.
People recommended by Stan Lee
4 people

Stan Lee's Favorite Authors

Lee's favourite books as a child were titles by authors like Mark Twain, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Lee's favourite books as a child were titles by authors like Mark Twain, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
People from Stan Lee

Errol Flynn

Stan Lee
Director, Writer
Now, would you say that Errol Flynn’s movies may have influenced some of your work? Absolutely. Errol Flynn was my god. I wanted to be Errol Flynn. I mean, most people want to be George W. Bush. [laughs] I wanted to be Errol Flynn, and I used to — I mention this to people — I used to… I was about ten years old, I don’t know. I’d walk out of the theater after an Errol Flynn movie; I’d have a crooked little smile on my face, the way I thought he smiled, and an imaginary sword at my side, and I’d be hoping that I could find some bully picking on a little girl so I could come to her rescue, you know?