ARMY OF DARKNESS: Ash Goes Medieval | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

2022-12-06

Following the success of DARKMAN, Sam Raimi finally had the clout — and the backing of both Universal Pictures and longtime supporter Dino De Laurentiis — to make a third EVIL DEAD film. But rather than return to the series’ roots, Raimi aimed his boomstick at something much bigger. With ARMY OF DARKNESS, the EVIL DEAD franchise took a sharp left turn into Ray Harryhausen–inspired fantasy adventure, complete with skeleton armies, time travel, and wisecracks aplenty. The horror may have taken a back seat, but Raimi’s style — and Bruce Campbell’s chin — were bigger than ever.

Following the success of DARKMAN, Sam Raimi finally had the clout — and the backing of both Universal Pictures and longtime supporter Dino De Laurentiis — to make a third EVIL DEAD film. But rather than return to the series’ roots, Raimi aimed his boomstick at something much bigger.

With ARMY OF DARKNESS, the EVIL DEAD franchise took a sharp left turn into Ray Harryhausen–inspired fantasy adventure, complete with skeleton armies, time travel, and wisecracks aplenty. The horror may have taken a back seat, but Raimi’s style — and Bruce Campbell’s chin — were bigger than ever.

In this episode, we dig into the chaotic production of ARMY OF DARKNESS, the studio meddling that delayed its release, and the alternate endings that nearly were. We’ll also explore how this oddball epic went from box office underperformer to certified cult classic.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

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