Wednesday, November 4
In the early '80s, an unknown director (Sam Raimi) took a miniscule budget and crafted what would become the cult horror-comedy The Evil Dead. That movie is still fun to watch today for its ingenuity and its ability to juggle both straight horror elements and hilarious satire. But the gruesome dismemberments and multi-colored bodily fluids (not to mention a very disturbing, not-so-subtly-suggestive use of tree limbs) were enough to earn the movie an X rating (changed to an NC-17 when the X rating was laid to rest in the early '90s).
Raimi has of course reached stratospheric heights since then, crafting two larger-budget sequels and helming the massively successful Spider-Man franchise. Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell went on to relative fame as a cult-movie icon, using his leading-man looks and his impeccable timing to forge a career out of schlocky comedy genre-hybrids, such as Bubba Ho-Tep and the TV show The Adventures of Brisco County Jr..
Now, fans everywhere will have a chance to relive the old days of Evil Dead on a nation-wide scale. Comicbookmovie.com writes that Grindhouse Pictures plans to re-release the movie — uncut, by the way &mdash for midnight screenings across theaters in the United States and Canada sometime in 2010.
Of course, Campbell had a witty, tongue-in-cheek statement for the press:
Nothing can prepare an audience for what they are about to see, because nothing punishes an audience like Evil Dead — especially on the big screen. I'm really glad it's back. People are gonna be hurt.
To Bruce, we say: Bring the pain!
If you're not familiar with this masterpiece of campiness, check out the official trailer.
Posted 11/4/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Bruce Campbell | Sam Raimi | The Evil Dead
Friday, September 18
For years, Evil Dead 4 has been speculated about, hinted at, and even confirmed (more or less) by Evil Dead's writer-director Sam Raimi, who said he would force Bruce Campbell to return. However, Campbell says he likely won't return, telling About.com that when it comes to Evil Dead 4, "We're probably going to do a remake." And Campbell's fine with a remake of Evil Dead?
I am because we're going to just try and make it scary, you know? We want to make it a scary movie with technology that we can now finally use where you don't see garden hoses spewing fake blood.
Campbell says they will hold on to the Evil Dead spirit: "Well, this will still be fun, too. It will." It may even be retain some of the campy nature of the original trilogy, though Campbell does say nothing is set in stone.
It depends on how we do it. We're still trying to decide what we're going to do, what the approach is.
What do you think, Dead fans? Remake or straight-up sequel? Tell us what you think with a comment below.
Posted 9/18/2009 by Ryan
Related: Bruce Campbell | Sam Raimi | The Evil Dead | Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn | Army of Darkness: Evil Dead 3
Monday, May 25
Today's generation of moviegoers is likely only familiar with the films of Sam Raimi that deal with a certain wall-crawling hero named Spider-Man. However, Raimi's origins in film are somewhat ... darker than the adventures of Peter Parker. Raimi dropped out of college in 1981 to film The Evil Dead, which effectively launched his career.
It's been seventeen years since Raimi took a turn at the genre that began it all, but many of his fans are disappointed by the PG-13 rating on his latest contribution to horror, Drag Me to Hell. Raimi defended the rating in a recent interview, saying:
...those are just letters that people have prejudices about. It's not about the rating; it's about the intent of the film. If people want to see a blood-and-guts picture, this will not satisfy them and they should see an R. In fact, why not an X-rated or unrated film? R is for wussies if you're talking about blood and guts.
Drag Me to Hell stars Alison Lohman as Christine Brown, a loan officer who angers a hell-dwelling demon by refusing to grant an elderly woman a mortgage extension.
Posted 5/25/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Sam Raimi | The Evil Dead | Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn | Alison Lohman | Army of Darkness: Evil Dead 3
Thursday, March 26
Last summer, at the San Diego Comic-Con, Sam Raimi joked around that another Evil Dead was in the works and he would start writing a draft soon. Considering Raimi is already at work on the upcoming Drag Me to Hell with Spider-Man 4 waiting next in line, and with Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell telling the Onion A.V. Club that he'd "rather disappoint with a brand new original movie" than do another Evil Dead, it sure seems like Raimi was just enjoying some wishful thinking.
However, Raimi told MTV he's not worried when Campbell says things like "I think there should be an end to everything" in regards to Evil Dead 4:
He can dream all he wants. He’s trying to get out of getting back inshape. I’m going to kick his butt in shape. I’m gonna say‘get back in the chainsaw!’
That does sound committed, and rabid Evil Dead fans may hold Raimi to it, however, as Raimi also points out, "I would really like to do [another Evil Dead]. I’ve just got a commitment to make Spider-Man 4 right now though." That means Raimi can start to work on a new Evil Dead in, oh, 2011.
Looks like it's back to wishful thinking.
Posted 3/26/2009 by Ryan
Related: Bruce Campbell | Sam Raimi | The Evil Dead | Spider-Man 4 | Drag Me to Hell
Saturday, July 26
While promoting his new flick Drag Me to Hell today at Comic-Con, director Sam Raimi revealed that he plans to begin work on a new Evil Dead flick. Raimi quipped that a new addition to the cult horror-comedy franchise is "in the wheelhouse," and that he'll be starting on the script next week with his brother/writing partner Ivan.
Posted 7/26/2008 by reelz
Related: The Evil Dead | Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn