Bruce Campbell: You’re welcome, Jim Carrey (or fighting your own hand)
Recently, Bruce Campbell sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the practical FX in Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness and Ash vs Evil Dead. Despite being gore drenched constantly and fighting with his own hand, he is still thriving and surviving.
“Gimme back my hand…GIMME BACK MY HAND!” – Ash Williams
Look, Ma! No Hand!
Bruce Campbell – Evil Dead 2 – Hand – Courtesy of Renaissance Pictures
Bruce Campbell, or Ash Williams, of the Evil Dead trilogy and Ash vs Evil Dead to all of the Screwhead and Deadite fans out there talked to Entertainment Weekly recently about the perils of being a hero without a hand. He feels that this tragedy that befalls Ash is kind of important because “Star Wars is about the only other time that they maimed a lead character.”
So, how did this dismemberment come to pass? Apparently, Sam Raimi came to him and said, “I’m going to cut off one of your hands. Which one do you want?” So, Bruce being left handed felt that the only logical choice would be to cut off his right hand. Which makes perfect sense!
In Evil Dead 2, there is the iconic scene where Ash is battling his right hand. Jim Carrey’s “the Claw” antics in the film Liar Liar totally mirrors Campbell’s epic fight sequence. Thus, prompting Campbell’s sardonic response, “You’re welcome, Jim Carrey.”
If you need further proof, here is a video which showcases the two segments from both films.
How exactly did they achieve the illusion that Ash is missing his appendage for the audience? According to Bruce, he had to put his hand in a “horrible restraint.” This turned out to be a latex glove. “Even then it is too long and you have to tuck it away. It’s a whole big megillah. We’re still fighting that fight to this day on Ash vs Evil Dead.”
It’s All about Chainsaws, Baby
Bruce Campbell – Ash vs Evil Dead – Chainsaw – Courtesy of Lionsgate
However, chainsaw technology has vastly improved. On AVED, Ash has a rubber one for fight sequences where according to Bruce, he has an actual 12 volt which he can activate with a little trigger.
Another type of saw that they use is made of hollow graphite. “It’s the best one yet. It has a little gripper in there. You just put it on and go.” Bruce went on to explain that Army of Darkness is where you start to see Ash’s hand become more mechanized.
He can crush things with it in AOD. For the current incarnation in the franchise, AVED, Pablo has made Ash a multi-purpose hand with many functions that have yet to be explored.
Cry Me a River of Blood?
Fans of the Evil Dead trilogy and AVED know how central blood and gore is to the canon. You could almost consider it a character. One of the most impressive effects in Evil Dead 2 is the inundation of blood scene.
EW asked Campbell how the effect was achieved. It involved positioning the camera a certain way. “So, if you’re lying sideways, and we’re looking at you sideways, it looks like you’re standing up, and you’re looking straight forward.”
This particular effect called for two 55-gallon drums of blood, to be placed one on top of the other. The drum was located directly above Bruce’s face. “They’re gonna pull the plug and gravity is going to do the work. You don’t need a pump. It’s all coming out.”
The following video illustrates exactly what happened:
There is no substitute for real deal effects. Sorry, CGI geeks! However, all of that goriness did have an unpleasant aftermath for Bruce. “I was blowing red snot for easily a week.” Enough said.
Remember you can catch the season three premiere of Ash vs Evil Dead on STARZ, February 25, 2018 at 9 PM. If you don’t want this season to be the last, and you need more Ash, join the campaign for a season four renewal. Go to boomstick.com for details or Bring Back Boomstick community on Facebook. Don’t forget to #bringbackboomstick on all social media platforms.
Next: Thoughts from the Ledge: Birth of the Necronomicon Nightmare, Evil Dead
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