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The Evil Dead (Cultographies)
By Kate Egan
Over the last twenty years, Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981) has been celebrated as a rollercoaster ride of terror; a classic horror video hit; an exemplar of the 1980s cycle of tongue-in-cheek and excessively gory horror films; and as the film that introduced the now-iconic character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell). This study considers the range of factors that have contributed to the film’s continuingly evolving cult reputation – the story of the film’s gruelling production, its journey from Cannes to video and DVD, the film’s play with the conventions of the horror genre, and its status, for fans and critics alike, as one of the grungiest, gutsiest and most inventive films in horror movie history.
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The Evil Dead Companion
By Bill Warren
Don’t you see, Ash, they’re alive!
Rigorously made on an almost absent budget in the backwoods of Tennessee, the film was a phenomenal success – the true definition of “cult film” — launching the careers of its director, Sam Raimi; producer, Bob Tapert; and star, Bruce Campbell. It also spawned two deliriously different and wildly inventive sequels, The Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness, which have won over legions of fright-fans around the globe. At last, acclaimed film critic Bill Warren takes us on a no-holds-barred behind-the-scenes tour of the making of the three films, including exclusive interviews with key cast and crew; rare and previously unpublished photographs, storyboards, and concept sketches; harrowing tales of hardship, discomfort, and practical jokes; and much more. Enough to keep any puss-oozing deadite drooling through the night.
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Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi
By John Kenneth Muir
Following his highly successful An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith (Applause), John Kenneth Muir now turns to the life and work of legendary cult-film director Sam Raimi. Raimi exploded on the movie scene in 1982, when he was 23 years old, with the audacious, independently produced horror film The Evil Dead. Re-igniting the horror genre to such a degree that Wes Craven credited Raimi on-screen in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Raimi went on to direct two Evil Dead sequels, his own comic-book superhero, Darkman, and an over-the-top, post-modern western, The Quick and the Dead. Raimi’s influence on other filmmakers continues to be enormous – from the “shaky cam” shots of the Coen brothers to the early oeuvre of Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, both of whom have been termed the “direct progeny” of Raimi’s works.In 2002, Raimi’s Spider-Man had the biggest opening weekend in history, earning more than $114 million at the box office. The Unseen Force also features a sneak peek at the much anticipated Spider-Man 2. Included are 30 first-person accounts and interviews from a number of eclectic sources – from the cinematographers who shot Raimi’s early films to the producers, screenwriters, actors, special effects magicians and composers who collaborated to make his films the stuff of legend, earn mainstream success, and still be the focus of obsessive cult followings.
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If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor
By Bruce Campbell
If Chins Could Kill is a delightfully irreverent, yet oddly touching, epic of ambition and disappointment, fame and anonymity, and lots of fake blood. Told in Bruce’s wry, sarcastic voice, it is a “Hollywood from the bleacher seats” look at his experiences in film and TV and at his status as a cult horror and sci-fi movie god. This man with the face of a matinee idol and the heart of a Three Stooge first attracted what has grown into an enormous cult following as the star of Sam Raimi’s legendary Evil Dead trilogy of thriller-comedies. With tireless good humor and biting wit, Bruce acted, produced, and directed his way through a baker’s dozen of “B” horror films and space operas before finally enjoying mainstream stardom on prime-time TV. Deeply earnest and fiercely funny, this book tells the story of an unlikely star who continues to lead a unique double life as cult movie icon and regular Joe.
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Make Love The Bruce Campbell Way
By Bruce Campbell
In this autobiographical novel, the King of B movie actors gives his legions of fans the inside view of his hilarious attempt to become an A list actor. Bruce imagines that he is cast in the big-budget film Lets Make Love. His Homeric attempt to break through the glass ceiling of B-grade genre fare is hampered by a vengeful studio executive and a production that becomes infected by something called the B movie virus, symptoms of which include excessive use of cheesy special effects, slapstick comedy, and projectile vomiting. From a violent fistfight with a Buddhist to a life-altering stint in federal prison, this novel has it all. Including graphics, photo essays, newspaper clippings, and a chart (or two), Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way is a masterwork from one of Americas most sly entertainers.
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The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Filmmaking
By Josh Becker
Most books about film production assume that you have an idea and a script to shoot. Most screenwriting books are geared to how to write a script that you can sell to Hollywood (as though the authors of these books had the slightest clue) and do not take into consideration that you might be shooting the script yourself, possibly with your own money. This book is about how to write a script properly that you can rationally shoot, how to shoot it, how to finish it, how to sell it and also how to get it shown.
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The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Filmmaking
By Josh Becker
Josh Becker has been making movies since he was a teenager. His first film was made at age thirteen, and by 9th grade he was tackling Oedipus Rex with future cult-icon Bruce Campbell. Since then he has written and directed numerous short films, four feature films, several television movies and worked on successful tv shows. RUSHES is at heart a passionate, honest and opinionated look behind the scenes of writing, producing and directing low-budget movies. From Josh’s early days working with future Spider-Man director Sam Raimi on his original Evil Dead to his days writing and directing Xena: Warrior Princess in New Zealand and beyond, RUSHES is filled with stories. Whether you’re a budding thespian, scriptwriter, director or you simply just love movies, you’ll find insights, frustrations and answers to your questions in the experiences Josh has enjoyed and endured in his three and a half decades of filmmaking trenches. His supporting cast in these adventures include aforementioned Sam Raimi and frequent collaborator Bruce Campbell, as well as stars small and great like Anthony Quinn, Lucy Lawless, Rob Tapert, Renee O’Connor, Gary Jones, Scott Spiegel, Joe LoDuca, Rick Sandford, Mariah Carey, Stephen Baldwin, John Cassavetes and many, many others.
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Going Hollywood
By Josh Becker
Before Josh Becker made movies with some of the past giants of the silver screen like Anthony Quinn, Josh grew up making movies with some of the current giants of the silver screen, namely his childhood buddies Sam Raimi (of Spider-Man fame) and B-movie legend Bruce Campbell. Today Josh is a well respected film and tv director-writer, and the author of two other books. When he left his home in Michigan in 1976 at the age of 17 and moved to Hollywood, all he knew was that he was pursuing his dream – to be in the film business. Arriving, he found that dreams don’t always work out like they do up on the silver screen. Gaining a foothold in this notoriously difficult line of work requires as much passion, luck and ambition as it does frustration, heartbreak and folly. GOING HOLLYWOOD is the true story of a driven young man willing to go to the ends of the earth in order to fulfill his dreams.