Bruce Campbell retro: The King of the B movies meets the A list

At 1428 Elm we are doing a Bruce Campbell retro in honor of Ash Wednesday. Did you ever wonder how different Iron Man would have been if Bruce would’ve played Tony Stark? Well, we have a little preview.

Quick! Grab the Delta and let’s go back in time to 2015.

Hey, YouTube, Kill the Ads!

Sure. We all know what a versatile actor Bruce Campbell is and how effortlessly he glides from genre to genre. However, when he stopped by the Nerdist two years ago he filmed a little comedic video where he discussed, “the roles that got away.”

I love YouTube. It is a treasure trove for offbeat finds. When I stumbled upon this one it was like hitting the lottery. If you have read Bruce’s books, Hail to the Chin, If Chins Could Kill and Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way, then you know just how amusing and tongue in cheek he can be.

Bruce Takes on the Blockbusters

Campbell takes us through the what if scenarios movie by movie. First up is Iron Man. Apparently, at the audition, Robert Downey Jr. needed someone to run lines with him in a back alley (LOL) and Bruce volunteered.

In this uproariously funny video Bruce states that RDJ clearly stole his performance. The whole reenactment of Campbell as the iconic comic book character is hysterical.

The Matrix is the next target. What if Neo were played by Bruce? I would give anything to see him square off against Laurence Fishburne in a Kung Fu match set to the Propellerhead’s Spybreak! This is another role that Bruce aced but alas never came to fruition.

Last on the list is Oliver Stone’s JFK. Just watching Bruce do the famous, “back and to the left,” scene is sheer perfection and his mock seriousness made this writer crack up. Plus, picturing Stone approaching Campbell with tears in his eyes about how he has to recast the role of Jim Garrison, well, take my word for it, you just have to see Bruce recount it to believe it!

The King of Comedy

One thing that sets Campbell apart from his acting contemporaries is his ability to effortlessly add a humorous twist to his lines even if the situation is unorthodox. His innate sense of comedic timing is a gift that continues to serve him well even as a writer. Hopefully, we will be the beneficiaries of his quirky sense of humor for many years to come!

If you want to see Bruce in person he is touring the country promoting his new book, Hail to the Chin. You can check out his schedule at bruce-campbell.com. His book is available at us.macmillan.com and you can follow his antics @GroovyBruce on Twitter.

Next: Bruce Campbell has a theme song courtesy of Psychostick

What did you think of the video? Could you imagine Bruce in these roles? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. We want to hear from you!