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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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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
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
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