Sam Raimi

Samuel Marshall “Sam” Raimi

Sam Raimi is one of the most significant horror filmmakers, he is best known for directing the Evil Dead series movies and Spider-Man films. Sam Raimi has an active career in directing, writing, producing and finally acting in a large number of film projects and TV programs among them as I have mentioned the Evil Dead, Spider - man, Darkman (superhero action genre), A Simple Plan (crime film), Drag Me to Hell (supernatural horror), Hercules (TV series), Legend of the Seeker (TV series), Spartacus: Blood and Sand (TV series) and his latest project is the production of the film “The Possession”.

Sam Raimi as child and student

Sam Raimi was born and grown in Michigan State (USA) he attended Groves High School and Michigan State University. As a child wanted to became filmmaker, he started by shooting short “super 8” films. During his studies at Michigan State University he has created the Association of Creative Film making and he met Robert Tapert and Bruce Campell.  

Sam Raimi the beginning

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Bruce Campell wanted to film a horror film to launch their film making career. The initial idea was the plot structure of “Evil Dead”. They had to secure financial resources to produce “Evil Dead”. Their idea was to produce a short horror film with similar plot elements and film making horror techniques and use it as a model for their finance raising campaign.

As result the first film of Sam Raimi is the film “Within the woods” (1978) a 32 minute short supernatural film. Within the woods is a one shot location film and the plot structure of the film is about a group of teenagers (university students) trapped somewhere in the countryside (woods) in an isolated place (cabin) and they are under the attack of an supernatural, deadly, unstoppable and evil force. In the case of “Within the woods” film, the reason for the demonic attack is the desecration of an Indian tube then an unexplained force transformed one of the young students into a zombie and he started killing the others.

“Within the woods” was produced to demonstrate and to present to possible investors the film making skills, ability and professional attitude of Sam Raimi and his team to produce a horror feature. The short film was shown to friends, family members and a network of investors. Finally Sam Raimi had risen $ 375,000 and then he directed and produced one of the best horror films ever the “Evil Dead” (1981).  Evil Dead was one of the most successful commercially films and it became one of the most cult hits. Then he directed the Crimewave (1985) but  it was not a success. Then Sam Raimi returned to already known area the horror genre by directing the “Evill Dead II”, which has beyond horror genre elements a strong slapstick humor.   

You can see a part of the “Within the woods” film on youtube

to be continued 

Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles 

Evil Dead

Evil Dead II

The possession

Halloween Movie

The Devil Inside

Resources

Sam Raimi - Internet Movies Database

Sam Raimi - Wikipedia

Ghost House Pictures

I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.             

Evil Dead “The Book of the Dead”

Evil Dead the beginning of the Evil Dead franchise

The film Evil Dead “Book of the Dead” is the first film of Sam Raimi, it’s a supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi in 1981. The film Evil Dead “Book of the Dead” is a low budget but big impact and huge commercial success film and actually is the start up for a successful horror films franchise and for launching great careersin film industry.

The plot of the film is about a group of young students who rent an isolated cabin in the woods of Tennessee. Unfortunately for them in the cabin there is an unstoppable, supernatural and deadly demonic force.

The Evil Dead “Book of the Dead” had a great impact in horror cinema and it became a great box office success and then it was developed into a cult phenomenon.  After the release of the Evil Dead there were another two sequel films Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992).

The pre - Book of the Dead period

Sam Raimi wanted to be a filmmaker and he started shooting his own “Super 8” films from his school years. Finally, he had the same ideas about a low budget but unforgettable film project. He was one of the founders of “The Society of Creative Film Making” during his studies at the Michigan State University.

In the Society of Creative Film Making Sam Raimi met John Campell and Robert Tapert and they share the same interests and ideas. They formed a film making group and started to launch their careers. Their first film project was a short horror film “Within the Woods”. In my opinion this short film is very significant and important because this short film offered to young filmmakers an opportunity to learn by doing and offer them the change to avoid possible mistakes later.

You can read a full article about the film “Within the woods” click here

The Cast of the Evil Dead “Book of the Dead”

The film Evil Dead produced on low budget and a best for value approach. It was a  non union production and Sam Raimi had to be innovative and to make clever cast decisions.

The main character of the film is Ashley “Ash” Williams who wants to take his friends on a trip into the forest. Ash had an idea about the possible danger in the woods. The part of Ashley “Ash” Williams was played by Bruce Campell.

Lind is Ash’s girlfriend and her part is played by Besty Baker. Scotty is Ash’s friend abd during the film the character is transformed from a happy student into a serious man, this happens after Shelly’s death. The part of Scotty is played by Richard De Manincor.

Scotty has a girlfriend Shelly, she is the most innocent of all characters in the film and she has no idea about the incidents in the cabin and is the first member of the students group to be killed. The part of Shelly was played by Theresa Tillyy.

The voice on the tape recorder is performed by Bob Dorian.       

The plot structure of the Evil Dead

The film Evil Dead is about five students from Michigan State University who go for a short vacation in a Cabin in Tennessee hills. The Cabin is isolated and during vacation they found a book titled “Naturan Demanto” which means the “Book of the dead” in is Sumerian language and a tape recorder with a tape. In the tape are recorded demonic voices.

Cheryl hears strange and inhuman voices she gets out of the cabin to search for the source of the voices. She believes that is under attack by possessed trees. She returns to the cabin and tells her story to others. She is very afraid but her story is not believed and they suppose that Cheryl was attacked by wild animals.  Cheryl wants to leave from cabin and go to find a place to sleep in an nearby town. Ash decides to drive her to the nearby town. Unfortunately for her the only bridge connecting the cabin with civilization has been destroyed. Latter, Cheryl under the influence and the control of a demon run into the trees she is possessed and then stabs with  a pencil Linda in the neck. Linda is Scotty’s girlfriend after Linda’s death Scotty is more serious about the situation.

Ash, realise that Linda is possessed but she does not attack him. At the same time Scotty returns from the woods, having been injured badly by trees. He said to Ash that there is an escape root through the woods and then he faints. The two girls Linda and Cheryl are launching at him.

After few minutes the two girls  Linda and Cheryl seem to be normal and that they escaped from demons. Ash, release Cheryl from cellar but she attacks him immediately. Ash locks Linda outside from the Cabin and tries to tend Scotty’s injuries. Scotty is badly injured and cause of the extreme bleeding looses his life. Linda finds a way through cabins backdoor and attacks Ash withe a ceremonial dagger. Ash uses the dagger and impales Linda. Then Ash tries to dismember Linda’s body he can not, then he buries her body. After few minutes Linda returns from the dead and tries to struggle Ash. Ash uses a shovel and lops her head off.

At the same time Cheryl escapes from the cellar, Ash shots her, but there is no result. He returns to cabin searching for shells. Then strange phenomenon accure Scotty’s body is alive and it attacks Ash. Cheryl returns to cabin and through cabin’s backdoor enters into the cabin and attacks Ash.

Ash fights at the same time Scotty and Cheryl, he realease that a part of “the book of dead” is on fire. He believes that if he throughs the book into fireplace he can win the demons. He thoughts the book into fireplace and Cheryl and Scotty fall apart.

Ash believing that he has escape from demons goes outside of the cabin. He believes that he is the winner and that he has escaped from the demos. Then a demon from the woods attacks him.          

You can see Evil Dead theatrical trailer

Relative horror 2112 articles

The possession

The Devil Inside

The last Exorcism

The Halloween (1978)

The Exorcist

Relative Articles

The Evil Dead Official

Resources

Evil Dead on Internet Movies database

The Evil Dead - Wikipedia

Evil Dead fans site

Evil Dead Official Music

Scientific Research about the Book of the Dead

Egyptian Book of the Dead

Tibetan Book of the Dead



I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.