Evil Dead film series
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| Evil Dead film series | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Sam Raimi |
| Produced by | Robert Tapert |
| Written by | Sam Raimi Scott Spiegel (Evil Dead II) Ivan Raimi (Army of Darkness) |
| Starring | Bruce Campbell as Ash |
| Music by | Joseph LoDuca |
| Cinematography | Tim Philo (The Evil Dead) Peter Deming (Evil Dead II) Bill Pope (Army of Darkness) |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema (The Evil Dead) Rosebud Releasing Corporation (Evil Dead II) Universal Pictures (Army of Darkness) |
| Release date(s) | 1981 – 1992 |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
The Evil Dead film series currently consists of three horror films centered on the protagonist Ash, portrayed by Bruce Campbell. The idea of the film was first coined in January 1979 by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Bruce Campbell, all of which had little experience in the film industry at the time. It eventually spread into two other films with a more submissive use of comedy and slapstick.
Sam Raimi directed all three films, which began with The Evil Dead in 1981, continued with Evil Dead II in 1987, and became a trilogy with the release of Army of Darkness in 1992. Throughout the films, Ash fights against evil spirits, zombies and demons, known as "Deadites."
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[edit] Development
[edit] Within The Woods
- See also: Within the Woods and Clockwork (1978 film)
In January 1979 Bruce Campbell was then three years out of high school, while being a college dropout and then quit his job as a taxi driver. Sam Raimi was studying literature at Michigan State University with Robert Tapert finishing his economics degree. While finishing the remaining touches of It's Murder! Tapert suggested to Raimi on doing a feature length film. Raimi felt it to be impossible citing that they could never pull off the funding. Campbell didn't mind stating that "I could always move back home." Tapert was fearing that he would become an expert in fisheries / wildlife while Raimi was afraid that he would go back to work at his dad's home furnishing store. These were the practical reasons that convinced the three to put forth a feature length film.[1] The three were highly valued fans of the comedy genre, though they decided not to do such a film as they felt "a feature-length yuck fest just didn't compute." To to the film as a horror was put fourth after they were inspired by a well noted scene from It's Murder! This promoted Raimi to write the short film Clockwork. The three felt the end result was very effective, thinking that it would represent a new direction that their films could take, that of a semi-successful horror film.[2]
This would later ensue for research of low-budget horror films at the local drive-in theater. The many films that were seen were the "two films for two dollars," as they got the chance to document the behavior of what would become their target audience. Campbell quoted, "the message was very clear. Keep the pace fast and furious, and once the horror starts, never let up. 'The gore the merrier' became our prime directive." Films that were witnessed amongst them included Massacre at Central High and Revenge of the Cheerleaders. The idea to do a "prototype" was then commissioned as to not only prove to themselves they were capable of doing a full length horror film but also to potential investors. At Michigan State of the same year, Raimi had been studying H.P. Lovecraft and was most impressed with Necronomicon, or simply The Book of the Dead. From these rough concepts, he concocted a shorty story where a group of four friends unwittingly dig up an ancient Indian burial ground and unleash horrific spirits and demons.[3] In the spring of 1979 filming of Within the Woods started over a three day weekend on a budget of $1,600.[4]
During the course of the film, Campbell had to sleep in his extensive make-up. He didn't rally care which way or another, though when filming was over he realized that his skin had genetically altered with the latex appliances. This caused serious rashes for months and then the situation went further. Campbell found out the liquid his character was drooling was actual black latex paint, meaning he could have died of chemical poisoning, though somehow he survived, which he claims he doesn't know how or why. Even though Within the Woods had served as a prototype, it still impressed the filmmakers. For a marketing strategy a screening was arranged at their former high school, with positive response.[5]
[edit] Financing
Filming was first commissioned for the summer of 1979 in Michigan. In order to organize the budget, Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Bruce Campbell bought a few "how to make an independent film" guide publications. The budget was originally centered on $150,000 while shooting with a Super 8 camera. However due to technical difficulties, it was decided to move it up to 16 mm format, as they wanted to film the project in the style of the many low-budget films at the time that had come out in the 1970s.[6] Since they had little experience in the film industry, the three felt they should buy business suits and briefcases as a means to convince investors that they "had all the answers." A man named Andy Grainger who was a friend of Tapert and owner of a series of movie theatres was the first primary investor. Grainger stated, "Fellas, no matter what, just keep the blood running." As a tribute to him specifically there's a scene in the finished film where an old film projector whirs to life and "projects" blood running down the screen.[7]
Most importantly, Grainger provided the name of a distributor in New York City whom they could approach for possible distribution. The company was Levitt-Pickman Films, who most recently was famous for Groove Tube, starring a very young Chevy Chase. The filmmakers took a train at $40 each, as they knew none of their cars couldn't make an entire round trip road trip. One of Campbell's old girlfriends named Andrea allowed them to stay at her apartment. Campbell slept with her while Raimi and Tapert where in the living room. Andrea's cat fell asleep on Raimi's face without even disturbing him. Raimi, who's allergic to cats had his eyes swollen shut.[7]
[edit] Film series
After this long development history, all of the Evil Dead films were produced by . They were all directed by Spider-Man director Sam Raimi.
[edit] The Evil Dead (1981)
Five friends go to a cabin in the woods for a vacation. They discover The Book of the Dead and a tape recorder belonging to a professor, who also owns the cabin. One of them plays back what is recorded on the tape. It happens to be Candarian resurrection passages translated from the Necronomicon (Book of the Dead) by the professor, which unleashes an evil force from the woods. The people start turning into evil deadites, and the others soon learn from the tape that the only way to kill a person who is turned is by total body dismemberment. People are dying left and right in this horrific battle.
[edit] Evil Dead II (1987)
A comedic and slapstick sequel/remake of The Evil Dead. A young man named Ash takes his girlfriend Linda to a secluded cabin, and plays back a professor's tape recorded recitation of passages from the Book of the Dead. The spell calls up an evil force from the woods which turns Linda into a monstrous Deadite, and threatens to do the same to Ash. When the professor's daughter and her entourage show up at the cabin, the night turns into a non-stop, grotesquely comic battle with chainsaw and shotgun on one side, demon horde and flying eyeball on the other.
[edit] Army of Darkness (1992)
The third installment was commissioned in the same manner and style of Evil Dead II. Discount-store employee Ash is time-warped to a medieval castle beset by monstrous forces. Initially mistaken for an enemy, he is soon revealed as the prophesied savior who can quest for the Necronomicon, a book which can dispel the evil. Unfortunately, he screws up the magic words while collecting the tome, and releases an army of skeletons, led by his own Deadite counterpart. What follows is a thrilling, yet tongue-in-cheek battle between Ash's 20th Century tactics and the minions of darkness.
[edit] References
- ^ Bruce Campbell (August 2002). If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor. LA Weekly Books, p.63-4. ISBN 0-312-29145-0.
- ^ Campbell, p.65
- ^ Campbell, p.66-7
- ^ Campbell, p.69-70
- ^ Campbell, p.71-2
- ^ Campbell, p.73-5
- ^ a b Campbell, p.77-9
