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Ask Bruce Campbell Anything...
Bruce Campbell has a new book out (If Chins Could Kill) and I thought it would be fun
for Slashdot to interview him in our charming, enigmatic way. Bruce should be familiar to you though such films as the Evil Dead (include Army of Darkness) and ,well, anything Sam Raimi has ever done. The book
is a lot of fun. As usual, moderate up your favorite questions, and I'll pass on the highest scoring ones to Bruce so that he can reply to 8 or so. Bruce has a
website for you to check it. It's
got a FAQ and bio for you to examine.
As the voice actor (And model for the player representation) in Tachyon: The Fringe, you managed to have a starring role in a video game which succeeded in the marketplace based on its own merits and (No offense) not because of the draw of its cast. Tia Carrere's "The Daedalus Encounter" and Brent Spiner's "Chronomaster" rapidly shoot to mind as immense failures in this regard. How did you like the experience of helping to bring Tachyon to life? Was it better than working in film? Would you do it again? Can we have a Brisco County Jr. FPS? :D
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
I know you're working with Jim Carrey in an upcoming film, how did that come together and is it something you enjoy? I've always thought that his performance from "The Mask" borrowed heavily from Evil Ash, so I wondered what you thought.
What ever happened to doing a Doom movie?
Posiks
When you go out in public, do people sometimes stand clear of you or look at you like you're wielding an axe, due to your roles in Evil Dead and Army of Darkness? Reversely, do you ever sometimes walk through a crowd of people and imagine that you're fighting your way through a hoarde of zombies? (I do this sometimes in college)
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
Which role do you find you are most like....and why...?
(My bets are on Ash, but then, they would be....)
Also, did you have a little thing going with Gabrielle from Xena?
Finally, If you were asked to write a film now, what would it be about...
it's the taking apart that counts
Why did Jack of all trades get canceled? It was one of the better shows in that timeslot, and Bruce sure made it worth watching. Was it a corporate budget cut, the victim of execs without humor, what?
I am !amused.
Bruce, you've played a number of "unconventional" heroes on TV and in films. Which character was the most fun to play?
I loved Brisco County, Jr. and Jack of All Trades, and I was wondering if you had like a billion dollars to make a TV show, and there was no one else holding the purse strings, would you bring one of those two back, or make a new one (and if so, what would be it be?), or would you forget TV and make a movie, or even just lay in your bed of cash with several beautiful women?
http://www.naildrivin5.com/davec
I heard you were fairly choked when you heard Duke Nukem 3D ripped off some of your lines. Now, those lines weren't written by you presumably, but by a third party. How tied do actors feel to their lines? You seemed to take personal offense to this.
What is it like to be a b-movie star, and a very successful one at that? I assume that everyone going into acting has the fantasy that they'll be the A-list guys making $20 million a picture, so are you happy to be in that "middle ground"?
You're well-known and very liked (probably moreso than the hunk-of-the-month actors), but is it frustrating to feel typecast in that way, or fulfilling to be successful, albeit not in the stereotypical hollywood sense?
Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
I guess there's lots of ancillary questions that could go with this. Like "What do you wish you had done (but maybe turned down)?" Or "What do you wish you hadn't done?" And "How much does it take for you to do something that you're not all that interested in?" (not necessarily money, I guess -- it could be a bad part with a good director or something, right?). And one more: If you weren't an actor (or wanted to quit tomorrow or whatever), what is it you would do?
Like I said, maybe kinda lame. But I've found you can tell a lot about someone by both their desires and their regrets. Being quite a fan or yours, I'm curious.
BTW, thanks for everything you done for those of us on the other side of the screen.
-B
Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.
According to the IMDB , you're sometimes credited as "Pete Perkinson" or "Roc Sandstorm". Where did you get those names from?
Never play leapfrog with a unicorn. Or a juggernaut.
I've heard little rumor-snippets about your practical-joke relationship with the Raimi's. For example....that Sam himself threw the dirt on your face during the "burying the Evil Ash" scene in Army of Darkness.
Could you comment on working with the Raimi's? Obviously you're friends, but anecdotes, personal commentary, and so on would be great. Basically I'd like to get some insights into your friendship with them and the sort of chemistry you have with that particular dastardly duo. Comparisons (favorable and otherwise) to other people you've worked with are also more than welcome.
4-star general in a one-man army.
Bruce Campbell? Bruce "Jesus Christ" Campbell? Sweet! This guy is easily one of the coolest movie stars on the planet, just based on the strength of his autobiography alone. Those movies and stuff he did don't hurt either. If Chins Could Kill is one of the most entertaining works of nonfiction that I've ever read, and more than anything help me relate to a movie star who couldn't get a date through most of high school. Groovy!
Evil Dead II is a loose remake of Evil Dead, so that leads me to ask what do you think of Hollywood's stream of Special Editions and remakes. In the past few years we've seen classic films and TV shows re-cut with new SFX and the insertion of new scenes. At what point is a film "untouchable"? Do you have films that you wish you could re-edit more to your liking? What movie has been altered that bothers you most?
You've been an actor, director, and producer. Pick whatever hat you want to answer.
When are we going to see Brisco Country Jr. on DVD? It was a series ahead of its time. (I especially liked the anachronistic references. Timmothy Leary as the preacher was histerical!)
"Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
There has been a persistent rumor that you were up for the role of Batman before Burton was brought in (and subsequently selected the lamentable Michael Keaton). Is there any truth to this, or was it all wishful thinking on the part of your fans?
* As is generally the case, my opinions do not reflect those of my employer.
Fame just lets you strike out with a higher class of woman.
Bruce, I went to same High School as you (Birmingham MI) and graduated about 8 - 10 years ago. You and Sam Rami are somewhat of a legend there and my 10th grade Drama teacher choregraphed the skeleton dance fron Evil Dead 2. My question is rather off beat - Back in high school, what were your goals? Did you ever imagine "making it" in acting as a carrer?
Jesse Wolfe Sr. Manager Systems Integration
Any of your co starlettes?
Any of your assistants?
Any of your interns?
Gillian Anderson?
Pamela Anderson?
Jean Claude Van Damme?
Jean Luc Picard?
Xena Warrior Princess?
Catwoman?
Yvonne Craig?
Anyone remotely famous?
My sister-inlaw?
Margret Thatcher?
Anyone dead (evil or otherwise)?
Winona Ryder?
Howard Stern?
Heidi Wall?
Willow?
Buffy?
Any of your family?
Someone too drunk to notice?
The chick who turned gay with Melissa Etheridge?
This
I'm probably one of about three people who've seen the recent Love Bug TV-movie, in which Bruce plays Herbie the Love Bug's new driver.
What was it like playing second fiddle to an annoyingly cute little car?
What was it like working with Dean Jones?
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
Background: Prior to your book signing trip, you went onto excite.com's online chat. One question/response I recall was "if you've ever had a battle of wits with a fan." To which you challenged the other fan to a battle. Due to the load of questions flooding excite, the battle never took there. But recalling my memory, that fan said (in user channels) that she'd get you at your book signing.
Question: Did you ever get a chance to do battle?
Followup: You seem to be mostly stereotyped towards wise cracking blue collar type characters; what are your thoughts about the fan/cult base built around you when it seems to concentrate on the cult films as opposed to the more serious work that you've tried to do? Do you feel hindered in getting 'blockbuster' or 'artful' type roles. Do you even want to play more dramatic roles?
What's the craziest thing someones has asked you to write at a book signing?
Um, this is my sig.
A while back there was a terrific piece on "This American Life" where your literary agent - a self-confessed Bruce super fan - detailed how he worked his way into your life. His story ended with the bittersweet realization that he couldn't get over his "oh my God, I'm hanging out with Bruce!" feelings long enough to simply chill out and be friends with you.
With his experience in mind, have you become good friends with any of your fans, or is it just too weird?
PS, was he involved in your latest book project?
So if you and Jay Leno ended up in a fight to the death, who's chin would come out on top?
III.IIVIVIXIIVIVIIIVVIIIIXVIIIXIIIIIIIIVIIIIVVIII
I've heard that you're rabidly opposed to fan-fiction, going so far to call it uncreative theft.
Is this true, and if so, is there such a thing as "good fan-fiction?" What constitutes it, or if it's all bad, why is it so horrible?
Its been said and said again that Evil Dead IV will not be made, simply because the studios didn't make money on the last encounter, and are unlikely to make any profit on a further sequel.
However, have you considered doing a further sequel the old fashioned, low budget way? On, say, an Evil Dead I budget?
So, uh...can I be in one of your movies?
Many people love you, Bruce.
In fact, many of us love you so much that we rented movies we suspected would be extremely bad, solely because you were in them.
And though our suspicions were confirmed, yea, though we cringed and groaned and hooted and were just generally nonplussed by much of what we saw, still...still....
"Look, there's Bruce!"
We are the people who spotted you in Fargo. But I digress.
If you can answer honestly, and without fear of legal action by directors or producers:
What was, in your estimation, the worst movie in which you ever had a significant role?
(My personal shortlist: Moontrap, Mindwarp, and Maniac Cop 2.)
spawn_of_yog_sothoth
After reading your book (actually, my wife read it to me, while I was trying to watch Evil Dead 1&2 and Army of Darkness) I must say - you're a very odd, goofy man.
Seeing all the stunts Sam Raimi "made" you do for those three movies....some of which would make Jacki Chan wince....Was there ever anything Sam asked you to do and you just plain said "NO" (or "HEll NO!" or even "Thank you, no. I'd rather die...") because it was too dangerous/stupid/life threatening/unnatural?