Sam Raimi, is he back to his best?

BradSon

Primitive Screwhead
Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Hey all, my names Bradley and for a recent Uni research task I have been given the following question to answer 'Raimi, is he back to his best?'.

Now to start with I know of Sam Raimi but have never been a huge fan myself, with a question such as this the research and answer given is going to be very opinionated. Hence why I wanted to make a post of this forum and get your input as to your opinions of the matter.

What I'm really interested in is the following: with the fact that Sam Raimi first found fame with his iconic film trilogy the Evil Dead, he then moved onto more mainstream cinema and focused less on the horror genre, making films such as The Quick and the Dead (1995), A Simple Plan (1998), For Love of the Game (1999) and The Gift (2000) and then onto the Spider Man trilogy (2002-2007).

But now that he has directed a TV horror series called 'Ash vs Evil Dead', which is directly aimed at an adult audience and based after the original Evil Dead Trilogy, do you feel as though Sam Raimi has gone back to his original roots with the horror genre? Do you feel as though he is back to his best?

All opinions are welcomed! And anything else you wish to say on the matter, just please bare in mind that I will be using the responses within my University document, so by posting you are giving me permission to use your response within my document.

Cheers and I hope to get lots of opinions from you all!
 

Swofty

Hero from the Sky
Staff member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
After consultation with my legal team in Geneva Bradson, I'm free to share with you my opinions with all rights pending in Germany and Eastern Asia. Yes, I think Sam Raimi's back in his Evil Deadness because of his still comfortable approach to camera work evidenced in the first episode of Ash V Evil Dead TV series, both directed by Mr Raimi and also released primarily through the STARZ network. He has also in my opinion still deliberately not grown up by constructing and enjoying a 'fight out' between our protagonist, Ashley J. Williams and a toy doll who bites him on the nose, a scene reminiscent of the 'mini Ash' tomfoolery he also created for Army of Darkness.
 

DyD

Spinach Chin
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Location
Votuporanga, Brazil
Raimi had already successfully and marvelously returned to his Evil Deadness and horror roots when he wrote and directed Drag Me To Hell back in 2009. That movie is a lot of fun and very similar in tone and style to his Evil Dead movies. It's great. Personally, I think it's a lot better than anything in Ash vs. Evil Dead, including Sam's episode.
 

MaidOfKandar

I May Be Bad But I Feel...Good....
Staff member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
The thing about the question is that Sam is only somewhat involved in Ash vs Evil Dead. He directed and wrote the pilot, but the rest of the show he's only rubber stamped, with Bruce Campbell being the creative coal mine canary so to speak.

Drag me to Hell was fun and promising, but I'm surprised he didn't capitalize on the success of OZ the Great and Powerful more thoroughly.
 

DyD

Spinach Chin
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Location
Votuporanga, Brazil
I agree. I don't think Sam's creative influence on AvED was a big one. He wrote the first draft and directed the pilot episode, but I think that's about it.
 

MaidOfKandar

I May Be Bad But I Feel...Good....
Staff member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Yep, it's kinda like asking how wide-ranging his influence over the remake was. He apparently ordered or supervised script changes but Bruce did all of the casting and post-production audio and Tapert was the producer in charge on the ground in NZ.
 

Toxic34

S-Mart Clerk
Joined
Nov 12, 2016
"The thing about the question is that Sam is only somewhat involved in Ash vs Evil Dead. He directed and wrote the pilot, but the rest of the show he's only rubber stamped, with Bruce Campbell being the creative coal mine canary so to speak.

Drag me to Hell was fun and promising, but I'm surprised he didn't capitalize on the success of OZ the Great and Powerful more thoroughly."

After the letdown that was Spider-Man 3, Drag Me To Hell was a definite, rip-roaring comeback. Oz was also incredibly good, not to mention it also showed that Sam was capable of being great while having a very polished and professional film, whereas most of his previous films still showed-off elements of his B-movie tendencies. And while he may not be as involved in the show as Bruce, Ivan and Rob Tapert, he still clearly is integral to it, and it wouldn't have come together without him, especially as we know this was originally going to be the planned Army of Darkness 2 and fitting the universe merger.
 

MaidOfKandar

I May Be Bad But I Feel...Good....
Staff member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
I'm always sort of Meh on Oz, though I know it was pretty popular on its release. It was visually very good, but it doesn't seem to have stuck around in many people's memories plotwise, and most of the Oz fans I know aren't into it.

Apparently this season Sam just okayed various plot points and character choices this season, according to various Q&As - Bruce in general is supposed to be in charge down in NZ while Rob holds up the business end. I don't know what his latest move is going to be, apparently The Last Of Us is now stuck in developmental hell. They were talking about Don't Breathe 2 but Alvarez announced he's officially supposed to do that Steig Larson movie next.
 
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