BY BOB STRAUSS >Film Writer

James Franco is best-known for playing the "Spider-Man" movies' tormented Harry Osborn and the troubled James Dean in a well-known TV biopic.

So it'll be nice to watch him feeling no pain in "Pineapple Express." Well, until the bad guys get their hands on him, anyway.

The latest stoner special written by co-star Seth Rogen, "Pineapple" reunites television's "Freaks and Geeks" alumni as two potheads on the run from murderous crooked cops.

Asked if there was any, um, method acting on the set, the intense actor laughs.

"I smoked a lot of fake joints," Franco says. "All mine were fake, and all of Seth's were. But I don't know, that's all I can vouch for."

"Pineapple" marks Franco's first major role in one of "Freaks and Geeks" producer Judd Apatow's outrageous movie comedies. Re-upping with the guy behind "Superbad," "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" was "fantastic," Franco declares.

"I haven't done many comedy movies - maybe none! `Freaks and Geeks' was funny, but it wasn't completely out-there comedy. So it was great to get to do that. And it was great to work with Judd and Seth again."

Big dramas ("Milk," "Nights in Rodanthe") loom in Franco's future. And - who knows? - maybe "Spider-Man 4." That all made blowing off some steam - or nonintoxicating smoke, as it were - a sweet relief indeed.

"I had a great time on `Spider-Man,' but this is a completely different process," Franco joyfully reports. "So many things need to be planned out for effects and stunts on `Spider-Man' that it can, in some ways, feel rigid. Where, just because of the nature of Judd's productions, `Pineapple' felt so incredibly free. Most movies I know of just don't give you that kind of latitude to try things."

>Bob Strauss