The hugely inventive and ambitious Evil Dead
On a cold, windy day in December 1982, horror fans packed into cinemas to take their first look at an independent film that had been getting rave reviews from the cult movie press in America. It had already won an award in Catalonia and had made a big impression at festivals worldwide, though it was in Europe that it would prove a real hit. But nobody knew much about the director. Though it was said he'd been making films since the age of ten, he had previously released just three shorts which hardly anyone had seen. He was 33 years old and had made this first feature on a minuscule budget, but it was about to change everything.
There have been few more impressive calling cards in the history of cinema than The Evil Dead. Though its plot is pretty simplistic - a group of friends drive into the woods, summon a supernatural threat for a joke and then have to deal with the consequences - it was immensely innovative in terms of its special effects and camera techniques, pioneering processes now used throughout the industry. It breathed life back into the horror genre and made Raimi one of its most sought-after directors, as well as launching the career of his friend Bruce Campbell, who went on to appear in the bigger budget remake/sequel and Army Of Darkness, and to become a cult star. It also made Raimi a hero among independent filmmakers, as it proved that, sometimes, the little guy can beat the system.
Beating the system is one thing, but surviving within it is quite another. Although Raimi was bursting with talent and ideas, it proved difficult for him to get access to the projects he wanted to develop. Unable to obtain the rights to Batman or The Shadow, he decided to create his own superhero, casting Liam Neeson in the role of the scarred avenger Darkman. Yet whilst this film received some critical praise, it failed to live up to the promise of the Evil Dead films. The director subsequently diversified his approach, taking on the western The Quick And The Dead. This was made fun of in its time because it cast Sharon Stone in the meaty role of a lone gunslinger at a point in her career when she was best known for taking her clothes off, but in retrospect it's not a bad piece of work and it hints at the real acting abilities she would go on to demonstrate in films like Emilio Estevez's political biopic Bobby. Perhaps because of his own background, Raimi was able to see past Hollywood's expectations and draw out the potential of his stars.
Raimi's break into the mainstream came in 1998 with A Simple Plan, a taut thriller about three people who stumble upon a bag full of money in the wreckage of a plane crash. Nominated for two Oscars and a Golden Globe, it proved once and for all that he had an ability and an appeal that extended beyond cult audiences. Raimi's longstanding fans were pleased that he'd helped to break down some of the barriers that kept horror in a ghetto of its own, but concerned that he would now turn his back on the genre for big budget projects elsewhere.
When the big money came calling, though, it did so in an unexpected form, and Raimi was finally able to realise the dream of working on the comics that had inspired him as a child. In reinventing Spider-Man, he introduced the webbed wonder to a whole new generation of fans, and he made Tobey Maguire a star. Though the later film drew their share of criticism, they continued to do well at the box office, and a fourth instalment is currently in the works.
Alongside his career as a director, Raimi has helped to produce numerous films, including genre hits such as The Messengers and 30 Days Of Night. He has also been heavily involved in television, particularly in the Hercules and Xena series; and he co-wrote acclaimed Coen brothers film The Hudsucker Proxy. He also enjoys the odd spot of acting and can be seen in cameo roles in films such as Maniac Cop, Miller's Crossing and Innocent Blood.
With Drag Me To Hell, Raimi is making a welcome return to the genre where he first won his reputation, and by all accounts this new film is every bit as frightening and as gory as anything he's ever done. The difference is that this time it'll be seen by big mainstream audiences, with a major billboard advertising campaign behind it. Looking to the future, Raimi is already signed up for Spider-Man 5, he's working on horror film The Dibbuk Box and he's directing a 2010 reboot of The Evil Dead. With an astounding 15 further projects at some stage of development, he looks likely to be thrilling cinema audiences for a long time to come.
