#Ash vs Evil Dead : The Complete Third Season

[scubasitespeed]

Evil dead 4k

The Evil Dead Groovy Collection arrives on November 16 on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital, from Lionsgate. “ASH VS EVIL DEAD” THE COMPLETE COLLECTION: BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES BY SEASON

Road to Wadesboro: Revisiting the Shooting Location with Filmmaker Tony Elwood.

Cabin Fever: Behind the Scenes of Evil Dead II.

Swallowed Souls: The Making of Evil Dead II.

Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Sam Raimi, Actor Bruce Campbell, Cowriter Scott Spiegel, and Special Makeup Effects Artist Greg Nicotero.

Bloody and Groovy, Baby! - Tribute to Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II.

The Ladies of The Evil Dead Meet Bruce CampbellĮVIL DEAD II 4K ULTRA HD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:.

Life After Dead: The Ladies of The Evil Dead.

The Evil Dead: Treasures from the Cutting Room Floor.

One by One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga of The Evil Dead In Evil Dead II (4K Blu-ray + Blu-ray), a chainsaw-armed Ash is pushed to the brink of madness by unhinged evil yet again, while 'Ash vs Evil Dead' (Blu-ray) follows an older, grayer Ash over three wild seasons as he reckons with his bloody past in the face of a Deadite plague.

Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Sam Raimi, Producer Robert G.

THE EVIL DEAD 4K ULTRA HD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES Includes The Evil Dead Bonus Content DVD, with over three hours of features revisiting the film’s cast, crew, and undying legacy. In Evil Dead II (4K + Blu-ray™), a chainsaw-armed Ash is pushed to the brink of madness by unhinged evil yet again, while Ash vs Evil Dead (Blu-ray™) follows an older, grayer Ash over three wild seasons as he reckons with his bloody past in the face of a Deadite plague. Wisecracking ladies’ man Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is reborn as a slayer of Deadites in The Evil Dead (4K + Blu-ray™) after a vacation in the country is ruined by the reading of an ancient demon-summoning text. Horror fans, return to that iconic cabin in the woods, then travel decades beyond it, with this Evil Dead Groovy Collection. The ultimate collector’s edition, The Evil Dead Groovy Collection will be available on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital for the suggested retail price of $79.99. The cult horror favorite Bruce Campbell ( Army of Darkness, Bubba Ho-Tep, TV’s The Last Kids on Earth) returns in this collectible package, as well as Ellen Sandweiss ( My Name Is Bruce, TV’s Dangerous Women, The Evil Dead), and Lucy Lawless (TV’s Xena: Warrior Princess, My Life Is Murder, Spider-Man). As news from the upcoming Evil Dead sequel rises (pun intended), we’ll tell you all about it here at Collider.Who knew evil can be so groovy? The original two Evil Dead films, as well as the three-season Ash vs Evil Dead series are coming home in The Evil Dead Groovy Collection, arriving on 4K Ultra HD this November. Now that HBO Max is attached to the project, chances are production should indeed start soon, with the blessings of the Necronomicon, of course. However, earlier this year Campbell revealed production would start in 2021 in New Zealand, making an early 2022 release likely. There’s still no set date for Evil Dead Rise to hit HBO Max.

In 2013, Fede Álvarez also brought a more grounded, more brutal, but equally amazing version of Evil Dead to theaters, with Jane Levy as the lead. Evil Dead, which ran for three seasons on Starz from 2015 to 2018. The wacky and campy style of Evil Dead would live on in the series Ash vs. The second film of the original trilogy is part-sequel, part-reboot, while the third film, 1992’s Army of Darkness, takes Ash Williams to fight a skeleton army in medieval ages. The Evil Dead franchise already went through several reimaginations. RELATED:‌ ‘Evil Dead’ Reboot Director Fede Álvarez Shares Behind-the-Scenes Photos for Film’s Anniversary As Campbell is retired from his Ash William character, Evil Dead Rise will also bring in new female protagonists Alyssa Sutherland ( The Mist, Vikings) and Lily Sullivan ( Picnic at Hanging Rock, Jungle) to play two estranged sisters who need to overcome their differences in order to survive an attack of the demon-possed dead. The usual setting of a cabin in the woods will also be dropped in favor of urban scenery, a choice that should lead the franchise into an unexplored path. Little is known about the upcoming film to be helmed by The Hole in the Ground director Lee Cronin, who was handpicked by Raimi to bring the franchise back to life.

Executive produced by Evil Dead original director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead Rise is the new chapter of one of the most influential horror franchises in movie history, and if moving to a streaming platform ensures we’ll get to watch it sooner than later, so be it. The Evil Dead always looked and sounded endearingly amateurish which is part of the reason why fans love it so much. The Deadites will rise on HBO Max, as Evil Dead Rise is officially heading to the streaming platform, with no theatrical release confirmed.

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Ash vs Evil Dead : The Complete Third Season 2018

[thedeaditeslayer]

Ray Santiago On the End of Ash and the Future of Evil Dead.

Ash vs. Evil Dead was a beautiful, disgusting, hilarious and horrifying show that deserved a much bigger audience. With Bruce Campbell reprising the role of Ash Williams for what would turn out to be the last time, the show followed an aging has-been stumbling his way through a demonic assault on Earth. Along the way, he and his companions covered in blood, guts and pretty much any other fluid you can think of. If you haven’t been watching this show, you’ve been missing out. And hey, now’s the perfect time to fix that. With the first two seasons on Netflix and the third out on blu-ray and DVD today, you don’t even have to have a Starz subscription to see the whole thing.

Though Bruce Campbell was the biggest star of the show, Ray Santiago’s Pablo is the heart. Over the course of three seasons, you get to watch him grow from a nervous, directionless kid into a full-fledged horror-action hero. Santiago talked to us about his character’s growth and how he looks back at the show now that it’s all over.

“Overall, I’m just so happy that everybody sort of welcomed me into the franchise, and that Pablo made such an impact on the story,” he said. “He started as this naive loyal sidekick, and we got to really see him evolve and become his own hero. And in a weird way, it’s all because of him following Ash and idolizing this bogus guy.”

On the show, Pablo grows into a hero because he follows Ash. Things weren’t that different on set between Campbell and Santiago. The difference is real-life Campbell sounds like a much nicer guy than Ash. If you’ve ever seen Campbell speak in an interview or at a comic con, you know he always brings a show. His bombastic personality fills the stage, and it’s almost enough to make you believe he is Ash. When you work with him, Santiago says, that’s not so much the case.

“Bruce tends to amp up the personality when he’s doing the cons and interviews. He is that way, but he’s also such a warm father figure, and such a great leader. He took such good care of us, and I learned so much from him,” he said. Campbell taught Santiago technical things, like how to hit his mark so the camera could pick up what he was doing, as well as some general acting advice. “Little things like if you’re not having fun, then you’re doing it wrong. I’m so glad I got to work with Bruce on this TV cult classic.”

Santiago clearly loved being part of this show. He described filming with the rest of the cast and crew in New Zealand as feeling like being at camp. He learned not to take horror too seriously and, as we all did after the show’s sudden cancellation, that nothing good lasts forever. Playing a character like Pablo, and growing into a hero, also meant a lot to Santiago.

“As a kid, I grew up watching horror films, and I wanted to be the person being chased by the monster, and I wanted to save the world from evil. On Ash vs. Evil Dead with Pablo, we got a chance to see me become my own superhero. As a latino actor, and Pablo being an illegal immigrant, we got to see… well, I feel like both of them are heroes in their own special way,” Santiago said. “I was really happy to have that, Pablo in general, having him out there so somebody who’s younger could turn to the show, as fun as it is, and see somewhat of a role model. See that it doesn’t matter where you come from, how naive or vulnerable you might be, you might be able to save the world one day. If you believe in yourself.”

And that all comes after the show subjected Santiago to some pretty disgusting stuff. For him, nothing was quite as gross as something that happened all the way back in Season One. “I birthed demons out of my mouth,�� he said.

I’ll give you a second to let that image fully form in your head. Got it? Good, because Santiago went on to describe exactly what that scene entailed. “So… never in my life did I think I’d call my mom and say, ‘hey mom I just finished doing my birthing scene.’ But on Ash, we did. And the way that it went down, they were like ‘OK, sooo your mouth’s a portal for the demons, the baby demons, and we need you to put this in your mouth, and we need you to spit it out slowly.’ And I was like, ‘What? That was definitely not in my job description, but uh OK?”

Despite all the gross things that happened to him, Santiago says he had the most fun doing all of it. Including the time he was a Deadite and they took his fingers away. “It takes about an hour to put each hand on, so once they put those hands on, you’re not going to the bathroom,” he said. Santiago didn’t even get the worst of it. Though he feels like everyone got their share of blood and “gross torture” on the show, nothing really topped Bruce’s morgue scene in Season Two.

“Bruce was covered in shit and cum, so you can’t really beat that, can you? I almost didn’t say it, but it’s the truth! You know what? Season two, shit happens and Season Three, we blew our load.”

SPOILERS

If you’ve seen the show, you know it has a very Army of Darkness-like ending. Spoilers from here on out, so be warned. Ash ends the season by waking up in a post-apocalyptic world. Sadly we won’t get to see what Season 4 would have done with it, but Santiago told me what he was envisioning. First of all, yes, Pablo is still alive. Santiago said IO was the second person to ask, and his first reaction is “Why wouldn’t he be?” He explained what he meant.

“I think Pablo and Kelly are definitely still alive. I think what you saw was Bruce (Ash) has been taken to the future, but I still think that we exist in the present day or the past. What you would have seen in Season Four would have been the journey to get back to the same time zone. Whether it’s Bruce coming back to save us or us trying to find him,” he said.

Santiago said we’d see Pablo trying to fill Ash’s role, which would have made for great TV. “I think there would have been two parallel universes going on. You would have seen Pablo leading the Ghost Beaters in his own way, trying to keep what Ash taught him alive and doing his own thing.” He also hinted at where the love story would go, which I’m always a sucker for. “And maybe you might have seen a little Pablo and Kelly baby with, like, Pablo hair and Kelly’s voice.” That would have most likely happened in the future timeline. Man, why did Starz have to deprive us of that?

Their ideas for Season 4 got real weird too. If you wondered what Pablo would have looked like in the post-apocalypse, Santiago has an answer. “We had this idea of me in a glass case. It would just be my head and hair in a glass case. And I was like, ‘uhhhh… OK, that sounds fun.'”

It’s not quite the post-apocalyptic Mad Max version of Pablo I envisioned, but when I mentioned that, Santiago appeared to have given the matter some thought as well. “We could have gone so many different ways. In the future when we see Bruce, he could get in his car, drive somewhere and then we’re there. And we could explain how we got there, so you might have seen a Mad Max version of Pablo.” Santiago even knows exactly what that would have looked like. “In my head, if that were to happen, I would have completely shaved my head and gone full blown warrior mode. Shed the young, innocent version of Pablo and be more, sort of, kick ass.”

SPOILERS END

While the show is ending though, Santiago doesn’t necessarily think it’ll be the end for the Evil Dead franchise. “It’s been really nice to be part of a franchise that will live forever. It’s been 30-something years, and I think that we’ll, you never know, we’ll be wheeling Bruce out in 30 more years. You never know what will happen.”

Though Bruce Campbell is retiring the character of Ash, that doesn’t mean the end of Evil Dead. As the excellent 2013 remake proved, Evil Dead can (and probably will) continue on without him. “[Bruce retiring Ash] doesn’t rule out Dana and I, and the Fede Alvarez version with all the people in the remake,” Santiago said. “You never know. I think what’s going on right now is basically what happens in the Evil Dead franchise all the time. Which is giving it some time to breathe and then something will definitely be coming your way soon enough. No one’s ever truly dead in this franchise, and the franchise itself is never truly dead. I would say keep your eyes open for another version of what you might want out there.”

As far as a spinoff goes, it’s definitely a possibility. The show has been performing well on Netflix, and we know how much they like to bring back shows with dedicated cult followings. Santiago says Campbell, though he wouldn’t be in it, is all for the idea. Bruce has given us his blessing to move forward and do a spinoff if we want. I think right now, I’m working on another show and I’m working on two films. It’s nice to sort of do a different thing, but I do miss Pablo… If the offer came in for me to revive the Ghost Beaters on Netflix, I’d have a really hard time saying no,” he said.

For now, you’ll be able to catch Santiago on a new Hulu show from horror production studio Blumhouse called Into the Dark. Santiago describes it as an anthology series where every episode is basically a horror movie, each one with a different cast. Santiago is one of the leads in the first episode which premiers October 5. Despite it being a very different character from Pablo, Santiago couldn’t help bringing some of his Evil Dead mindset with him.

“I was on set and I was like, ‘We need more blood, this isn’t enough blood,’ and they were like, ‘this isn’t Evil Dead man,’ and I was like ‘yeah, but still we need more blood.’ So I’m still traumatized, and I’ve become very masochistic with blood,” he said.

Ash vs. Evil Dead may be gone, but its spirit isn’t going away anytime soon. Season Three was the wildest season of a show that went all the way from the very beginning. If you missed out, or if you just want to watch it again, it’s available on Blu-Ray and DVD August 21.

[brokehorrorfan]

Interview: Bruce Campbell (Hail to the Chin, Ash vs Evil Dead)

Bruce Campbell needs no introduction. The cult icon took some time out of his book tour to discuss his new memoir, Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor, as well as the game-changing third season of Ash vs. Evil Dead and a look back at Evil Dead 2. He also gives a peek at what it’s store for the future of his career, for which he’s noticeably excited.

In Hail to the Chin, you mention that you see your memoirs as a trilogy. What made this seem like the right time for the second installment?

A lot of weird shit's happened in the last 15 years! In 15 years, a lot can happen. The industry changed. The blue collar aspects, the middle class of the industry fell out. They don't make movies in the U.S. anymore. I also decided to get the hell out of LA, so there were a bunch of changes. Crazy new adventures: visiting the troops in Iraq in '09, making movies in Bulgaria. It seemed like there was enough for a book.

What was the writing process like this time around?

For this one, I hooked up with my buddy, [co-author] Craig Sanborn. We've worked together for 20 years. I went up to Portland, where he lives. I was busy. I was a working actor, and I was afraid that this thing was just going to keep getting pushed back. This book has been around long enough that Burn Notice was still going. I was going to end the book with Bruce Notice. You know, hit cable show! You always have to end it with something special. We kept working on it long enough that Ash vs. Evil Dead came around, so it seemed to go full circle. So we sat down and recorded for a week solid, anything that I could remember, and then he would kind of interview me, ask me questions. Then he transcribed it all, and we just started to figure out our outline.

You kicked off your book tour a few days ago. How has the response been so far?

It's good! We're about twice of what we were with the first Chins book. That's the direction you want to go in. It's been good so far.

You're hosting Last Fan Standing a few of the tour stops, including tonight. What can we look forward to from that?

A hell of a damn good time! We're speaking their lingo. We're asking, like, how much does Thor's hammer weigh? What is Harry Potter's wand made out of? Crap like that. And everybody gets a shot to win! We're not vetting anybody. So they're not coming in to watch people that have already qualified. Anybody who walks in there could win. You take a few early rounds, and then the best four are brought up, and then you whittle it down to one. And then they get a certificate of useless knowledge. You don't win a car or anything. [laughs] You don't get shit!

You mentioned coming full circle with Ash vs. Evil Dead. Do you have any insight as to when we'll see the third season?

You tell me when you hear something! Look, here's some realities: Starz was purchased by Lionsgate last year, so eventually the corporations crash into each other and they have to figure it out. "Our bosses have bosses now. Our bosses didn't used to have bosses." Everyone's singing for their supper right now, so we'll see. They might shift the date to the first quarter of 2018 to get out of the noise of the fall. Fall is an incredibly nightmarish time. It's great for horror, Halloween - but if it's too busy, it's too busy.

I know you can't give anything away, but what can fans expect from the new season?

Last season, we met Ash's father. We meet more of his family this year - perhaps a daughter. So Ash not only has to save the world, he has to raise an unruly daughter in a very shitty way. Everything she sees makes it seem like he's a serial killer, and everything he says makes it seem like he's insane, and yet he never lies to her. He has a line where he says, "I may be a crappy father, but I'm also a crappy liar." There's a little bit of that bond. It's all hands on deck in season three.

And we're doing a lot more of the mythology. Who is Ash? A drawing of him is in the ancient book, so he's not just some loser in a trailer park. Why him? There's a lot more of that. And, at the end, we crack it wide open. We take that egg and smash it on the sidewalk. Nothing will ever be the same by the end of episode 10. Nothing!

In the book, you write about your tenuous experience working on the two movies you directed. Do you think you'll get behind the camera again? Have you been tempted to do an episode of Ash vs. Evil Dead?

No, Ash vs. Evil Dead is too difficult just being an actor. I've got my hands full.

After Ash vs. Evil Dead, I'm engaging in what I call Act 3 mentality. Act 1, there are not bad jobs. Maniac Cop? Man, let me do that! No bad scripts, no bad contracts, no bad directors, no bad co-stars. It's all good. Act 2, which is sort of what I finished up - the book really represents the end of Act 2 - you start to be a little more discerning. You go, "Well, that didn't work out so well on that type of a movie," or if a movie is shot too quickly, or if a director is a first-timer. You start to know what a good script is. Who knows what a good story is when you first start in this business. You start to learn that. And then you start to go, "Oh, that guy's a hack!" and you realize that there's some people who are not qualified, and you know as much as anybody. You start to learn what a shitty deal is. You get better lawyers, and you get better deals. Everything improves, in theory. You don't say yes all the time. I used to just love working, and it makes sense to just do anything to get into it. But, after a while, you go, "I'm kind of tired of that shit."

So Act 3, I'm only doing stuff that means the full-on Act 3 self-developed mode. It's getting off the hamster wheel, including the TV hamster wheel. I'm dragging my ass to the southern hemisphere for five months every year for the last three years. It gets old. Auckland is a great place, the crews are great. I think the work we're doing is good, it's solid, but I live in Oregon. I want to make movies in Oregon. When I knew Burn Notice was going to be canceled - we had, like, a year warning - I just started to develop scripts. I have about a dozen projects that I own. My wife and I are looking at each other going, "Well, if not now, when?" I'm pushing 60, so I want to do stuff that's way more personal while I have the energy. I've got a western, I've got comedies, some horror.

And I'm going to get back into books, because you get a lot more respect as an author than you do as an actor. As an actor, people love capitalizing on, "Oh, he's a B-lister!" Instead of B-movie, it's B-lister. You can sort of stigmatize yourself in that same process, but with a book, it's a little more out of left field. They figure, "Oh, maybe you have a brain." And there's not as many chefs, so creatively, in my experience, almost nothing beats writing a book. I work with my editor, and when he's got opinion we'll talk it over, but it's not a committee. The difference is books don't cost that much. If you're spending $200 million on a movie, you bet your ass there's going to be strong opinions from a lot of people who are afraid of losing their jobs. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Are you thinking more non-fiction or fiction?

More non-fiction and more fiction. More of both. It's interesting to think about, "What would you do next?" It's exciting. What I want to do is create a low budget closed loop. It's one thing to be in the Marvel movies and you're opening in 4,300 theaters, and you're shooting that thing for 9 months, you're promoting it for 3 months. Those actors don't know hit them.

I know a bunch of smaller theater chains. There's the Alamo [Drafthouse] guys, who are great, and I'm doing some work with them on this tour. They've been totally open to the whole thing. They get it. They get what fans are all about. They know what they want. "Give me my beer and pizza, and show me movies that I want!" The Landmark theater chain has also been very friendly. I've shown a couples through those guys. You start developing official relationships with them and really get to know these guys on a much more personal level.

Get to know who owns the VOD companies. Put a face and a name and a handshake. Go meet the Netflix guys. I don't know any of these people, because I've just been working with all the different entities, but they don't necessarily represent the future of what's happening now. Meet those guys, and then find some foreign sales guys. I've worked with various over the years here and there, but really sit down with them and go, "Who are you guys?" Find the best one that can sell that type of movie, a lower-budget indie type of deal.

And, even though I've never really played this game, you start getting to know the festivals. If you don't have a mass distribution plan, you still have to figure out a way to be seen, to be noticed, to get articles, reviews. I'm going to kind of relearn current Hollywood. Even go meet with the studios again; not about big projects, just, "What are you guys looking for? What budget range do you do these days?" That's exciting, because I'm reintroducing myself to everybody in a completely independent way. Instead of hooking up with a [creator] Matt Nix from Burn Notice, I am Matt Nix. Instead of everything that's involved in Ash vs. Evil Dead, it's my project.

My wife will basically be my partner. She's earned her keep, letting me drag her around the world. Now it's time to settle down. Here's the thing: a lot of times, because of random factors, you end up shooting in a part of the world at the wrong time. You're in Auckland, New Zealand in June, which sounds great - but not in the southern hemisphere. The rain is going sideways in June. It's getting to a high of a 55 and a low of 42. Or you find yourself shooting in the northern hemisphere is January, because of random decisions that people have made that are not me. I wouldn't be in Auckland, New Zealand if it wasn't for decisions made by other people. I'm kind of done with that now.

I know I can always do conventions until I die - and I probably will. You look at the [William] Shatners and the Stan Lees. They don't stop. Stan Lee is 92, Shatner's 86, Adam West was 88. Those guys are a great example. I know from my parents who aged and died, use it or lose it. Stan Lee gets up out of bed, keeps him physically moving, he has a Twitter feed and all his crazy merchandising empire - and he does it! It keeps him alive. I think Shatner too. He's doing one-man shows. It's impressive.

Retirement is actually not the issue; I'm retiring from certain things and certain types of acting. When you get in the horror world that has effects and stuff, you're acting with tennis balls on sticks. You're in stunt harnesses so they can hoist you up. They're hitting you with blood rigs and stuff like that. Your whole life consists of: "Three... two... one... Go! [explosion noises]" You set up to do one shot at a time. There's none of this sitting down having a long conversation, where you can get a sense of drama or to build up a scene. It's so far apart from theatrical. It's broken up into little, tiny pieces. Even when we do the fights, it's like, "Bing, bang, boom, duck, cut!" We just want to keep it short, sweet, safe, and move on to the next piece. That too gets old.

I was crabby talking to my wife on the phone one time, and she goes, "You just have poopy diaper syndrome." I'm like, "What does that mean?" She says, "You're sitting around in a poopy diaper all day! You've got blood on you, dirt on you. You're in these dirty caves all the time, darkly-lit basements. It's the wintertime in New Zealand. It's going to fuck with your head." I'm a generally cheery guy, but by the end of the season, I'm like, "Somebody kill me." So it's time for other stuff, mix it up. I'm excited for the future.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Evil Dead 2, which remains a classic of the genre. How do you feel reflecting back on that time in your life?

A lot of people like Evil Dead 2. Some of them like it as much as Army of Darkness. It's a personal taste. If you don't really like the gore and stuff, you're gonna like Army of Darkness. It's a little more of a Ray Harryhausen adventure story. But if you still want gore and maybe a little bit of humor, Evil Dead 2 is pretty good. There's a good 20 minutes of that movie where there's nobody else in the movie. I remember Dino De Laurentiis, who financed the movie, he was really worried. He's like, "You can't do that." In my opinion, it's the best part of the movie: Ash running around, being tormented and blowing holes in the wall. It's insane! I had a sense it was going to do pretty well. We had a screening of a rough version of it in Burbank, and when we tracked in and I said "Groovy," everyone just applauded it. I was like, "Okay, we got 'em. We're good."

Our previous movie was Crimewave, which went over budget, they took the movie away, they re-cut it, they renamed it, the thing didn't get released, it went from $2.5 million to $4 million. It was really a miserable fucking experience. So we went back to Evil Dead 2, even though Ash was dead. Lest we forget, Ash was dead [at the end of The Evil Dead], credits roll. We were like, "No. Maybe he's not dead." [laughs] It was kind of a knee-jerk reaction to a failed second movie. When your $4 million bombs, we were concerned that that was it for us. "Oh, these guys don't know what they're doing." Where do you go from there? It was $3.5 million, I think, for Evil Dead 2. We did not go over budget, we did not go over time, and we were actually in profit before the movie started shooting. [Producer] Rob Tapert walked onto the set while everyone was doing construction and tells us we're in profit, because of the pre-sales based on the strength of the first Evil Dead. It was a happy place to come back to. It was our comfort zone. We wanted to try some different stuff.

Scott Spiegel co-wrote it with Sam [Raimi, director], and Scott is a huge Three Stooges fan. We had an office in suburban Detroit at an old dentist's office, and these guys would fucking cackle - I mean cackle, not laugh! - at the end of the hallway when they would write. Rob and I, we'd look at each other and go, "What are the doing?! Are they writing a horror movie or a Mack Sennett comedy?" It's because they combined all that crazy stuff. Scott Spiegel just has a wicked imagination, and they fed off each other horribly! We'd have to pound on the door for them to give us the pages.

The overall experience for Evil Dead 2 was probably the most pleasant of the three. The first Evil Dead was a nightmare. It took four years to finish. Army of Darkness, same thing. It went over budget, the studio got pissed, took it away, re-cut it. Then we had to put our own money into it, and we only got a little of it back. It was a nightmare, the whole thing - so I'm glad people like it! [laughs] My wife and I both worked on it. She was the costume designer. Still to this day, we both shudder when we think of about Army of Darkness.

Evil Dead 2 is definitely one of my favorite experiences, and I think it plays well. It's a loopy movie. There's some crazy shit in there, but it's good. We were still young and supple. I was like 28, still made out of rubber.

To wrap up, why should someone pick up Hail to the Chin?

Buy a book if you want to see a little bit of how the sausage is made, if you want a bit of a reality check, if you want to go on some kooky adventures. It's the other side of the tracks. I'm not talking about the big movies, although I dip my feet into big movies. The last 15 years saw the rise of Sam Raimi from schmoe director to Mr. Hollywood. It's been really great to see all my friends blossom. Not everybody makes it. The third [memoir] will be 15 years from now. I figure the next 15 years should be pretty interesting too, to see what happens with the industry. It will be the final confessions, so then you've got your trilogy. Put that next to War and Peace.

[brundleflyforawhiteguy]

This sucks now we have both Friday the 13th and Halloween both in limbo is there any good news in regards to any of our favorite old school franchises?

Cult of Chucky is currently filming with release date set for this October.

Hellraiser: Judgment is finished with a limited theatrical/VOD release set for October as well.

Leatherface is complete and is expected to have a release date set shortly. 

Suspiria has completed filming and has revealed that it is not a remake but a semi-sequel, which means fans can rest easy knowing that it doesn’t retread the first and can fit comfortably as a spinoff of the Three Mothers trilogy.

Ash vs. Evil Dead is expected to launch its third season by the end of the year. 

Scream will also be heading into a third, albeit shorter, season. 

Puppet Master: Axis Termination has completed filming and might be a step-up over recent entries, as crowdfunding money is being put into the effects. 

Children of the Corn: Runaway has completed production, if that’s your thing. Worth noting that this sequel was actually directed by Feast’s John Gulager. 

Bates Motel will go full Psycho with its final season, debuting later this month, I believe. 

IT has completed filming, has confirmed its R-rating and will hit theaters on September 8th.  

Saw: Legacy will hit theaters on October 27th. It has also completed filming and is worth noting because the franchise is 13 years old at this point. 

There’s still plenty going on right now to keep the love of these classic horror franchises and characters alive. None of these things above are rumored. They’re all things that are completing production or have already been made. With that in mind, plus all of the promising original horror on the horizon, it’s looking like a really solid year for the genre even without Friday the 13th or Halloween. 

UPDATE:

Blumhouse’s Halloween reboot will be directed by David Gordon Green from a script co-written by Green and Danny McBride. This news comes from announcements just made via Blumhouse and from John Carpenter himself via his Facebook page. Release date set for October 19 of next year.

[thepeoplesmovies]

Ash vs Evil Dead - The Best One-Liners!

Ash vs Evil Dead – The Best One-Liners!

Ever wondered what happened to Ash Williams after Army of Darkness? Well, all these years later, he’s accidentally unleashed a Deadite plague again! Revving his iconic chainsaw hand one last time, horror legend Bruce Campbell wraps up Sam Raimi’s beloved horror franchise with a blood-splattered bow in The Complete Third Season of Ash vs Evil Dead, out now on DVD and Blu-ray.

What made us admire…

[fantastica-daily]

Ash Vs Evil Dead Blasts onto Blu

The inimitable Bruce Campbell is back to his old tricks as Ash Williams, the chainsaw-wielding anti-hero tasked with saving the world from evil. All three Seasons of the slashy show are now on Blu-ray in one fine package. Season One introduced us to a downtrodden, drunken Ash, languishing in a trailer park until he got called back into action. Season Two pulled him even deeper into the melee, while the third and final season reveals Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill), the tough-as-tacks teenage daughter Ash never knew he had; a fanboy in the form of Dalton (Lindsay Farris), leader of an ancient order called the Knights of Sumeria; Ash’s deceased dad Brock (Lee Majors) in the form of a ghost; Ruby (Lucy Lawless) as unpredictable as ever; and his sidekicks Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) back for more deadite abuse too. We love this show and while we’re sorry to see it go, it’s always good to quit while you’re a head.

 OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), the chainsaw-wielding, wisecracking antihero of the legendary The Evil Dead films, is back for more gore-filled adventure in this complete 30-episode collection of the “Ash vs Evil Dead” TV series. Follow Ash’s journey as he returns home to Elk Grove, Michigan, meets his long-lost daughter, and unites with former enemy Ruby (Lucy Lawless) and fellow demon fighters Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) for a final blood-splattering stand to save the world!

   SEASON 1 BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

 “Inside the World of Ash” Featurette

“How to Kill a Deadite” Featurette

“Best of Ash” Featurette

Audio Commentaries

 SEASON 2 BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

 “Season 2 First Look” Featurette

“Inside the World of Ash vs Evil Dead” Featurette

“Up Your Ash” Featurette

“Women Who Kick Ash” Featurette

“Puppets Are Cute” Featurette

“Dawn of the Spawn” Featurette

“Bringing Henrietta Back” Featurette

“The Delta” Featurette

“How to Kill a Deadite” Featurette

“Fatality Mash-Up” Featurette

Audio Commentaries

SEASON 3 BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

 “Season Overview” Featurette

“Inside the World of Ash vs Evil Dead” Featurette

Audio Commentaries

[comicbookfanzevad]

IT CAME FROM AMAZON!

Gravity Falls The Complete Series

Big Guy And Rusty The Boy Robot

Viper Complete Series

Black Panther

Avengers Infinity War

Deadpool 2

Suicide Squad Hell To Pay

Batman Ninja

Death of Superman

Pacific Rim Uprising

Ready Player One

Upgrade

The Invisible Man Complete Legacy Collection

Creature From The Black Lagoon Complete Legacy Collection

Ash vs Evil Dead Complete Third Season

[beautifulballad]

COMIC-CON UNLEASHED!

FRIDAY, JULY 21

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. iZOMBIE Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Everyone’s favorite Zom-Com-Rom-Dram is back! After the heart-stopping events of the iZOMBIEseason finale, the secret is out: The public is no longer in the dark about the existence of zombies. With Seattle now under zombie control at the hands of Fillmore Graves, Ravi’s search for a cure and vaccine for zombie-ism is now more dire than ever. Be among the first to get the scoop on what’s in store for Liv and the gang in season four. Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars Rose McIver, Malcolm Goodwin, Rahul Kohli, Robert Buckley, David Anders and Aly Michalka, as well as executive producers Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright (Veronica Mars). From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Spondoolie Productions and Warner Bros. Television and based upon characters created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred for Vertigo from DC Entertainment, iZOMBIE returns midseason with all-new episodes on The CW. iZOMBIE: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD this fall. Become a fan of iZOMBIE on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cwizombie, and follow the show on Twitter at @CWiZombie.  Ballroom 20

12:30–1:30 p.m. The 100 Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Following the surprising events of the season finale, join The 100 as the critically acclaimed series returns to San Diego for its annual appearance at Comic-Con. More than six years have passed since Praimfaya ravaged the planet, and killed most of the human race. As Clarke waits to hear from the group on the Ark, or in the bunker, a new mystery drops from the sky. Who is in the arriving ship, and are they friends or enemies? One thing is certain, Clarke is now the Grounder! Be among the first to find out what’s in store for season five. Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars Eliza Taylor, Bob Morley, Marie Avgeropoulos, Lindsey Morgan, Christopher Larkin, Richard Harmon and executive producer Jason Rothenberg. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television, The 100 returns midseason with all-new episodes on The CW. The 100: The Complete Fourth Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on July 18. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWThe100, and follow the show on Twitter at @CWThe100.  Ballroom 20

SATURDAY, JULY 22

‪11:00–11:45 p.m. Riverdale Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Following the shocking first season finale, don’t miss Riverdale when it returns to San Diego for its second appearance at Comic-Con! Join Archie and the gang as they dive into the secrets that continue to loom over what once looked like a quiet, sleepy town. The circumstances surrounding Fred’s shooting kick off the mystery of season two. Based on the characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Supergirl, Blindspot, Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) in association with Warner Bros. Television, this one-hour drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life. Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Madelaine Petsch, Ashleigh Murray, Casey Cott, Haley Law, Asha Bromfield and producers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater. Riverdale’s season two premiere airs Wednesday, October 11, at 9/8c on The CW Riverdale: The Complete First Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 15. Become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CWRiverdale, and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_Riverdale.  Ballroom 20

‪12:00–1:00 p.m. The Originals Special Video Presentation and Q&A — The Originals returns for a fifth season with more supernatural intrigue, romance and bloodshed in The Big Easy. Join executive producer Julie Plec and series stars Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin, Charles Michael Davis, Yusuf Gatewood and Riley Voelkelfor a special video presentation followed by a Q&A. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with My So-Called Company, Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Originals will air midseason on The CW. The Originals: The Complete Fourth Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 29. Become a fan of The Originals on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cworiginals, and follow the show on Twitter at @cworiginals.  Indigo Ballroom

‪1:15–1:45 p.m. Krypton Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Set two generations before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel’s home planet, Krypton follows Superman’s grandfather (Cameron Cuffe) — whose House of El was ostracized and shamed — as he fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos. Join series star Cameron Cuffe (The Halcyon, Florence Foster Jenkins) and executive producers Damian Kindler (Sleepy Hollow) and Cameron Welsh (Ash vs Evil Dead, Constantine) for a sneak peek at the upcoming series followed by an out-of-this-world Q&A. Based on DC characters, Krypton is from Warner Horizon Scripted Television and is executive produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight trilogy) through his Phantom Four banner, along with Damian Kindler and Cameron Welsh. Krypton is based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by DC, and will debut in 2018 on SYFY. Follow the show on Twitter at @KryptonSYFY.  Indigo Ballroom

1:50–2:50 p.m. Lucifer Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Lucifer returns to San Diego to heat things up. The climactic events of the season finale left us wondering, where in the world is Lucifer and how did he get his wings back? Join the series stars Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Rachael Harris, Kevin Alejandro, Aimee Garcia, Tricia Helferand executive producers Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich for a special video presentation and Q&A where they’ll discuss the sizzling second season and what’s in store for Lucifer in season three! From Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Bros. Television and based upon characters created by Neal Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg for Vertigo from DC Entertainment, Lucifer returns for its third season on October 2, airing Mondays 8/7c on FOX. Lucifer: The Complete Second Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 22. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LuciferonFOX, and follow the show on Twitter at @LuciferonFOX.  Indigo Ballroom

2:50–3:50 p.m. Gotham Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Gotham’s origin story continues to unfold, and as the show enters its fourth season, the stakes will be higher than ever! With the Court of Owls decimated, the aftermath of the Tetch virus crippling the city, and every (surviving) villain in Gotham’s underworld jockeying for power, Jim Gordon and the GCPD will have their hands full. And that’s just the beginning! What threat does Ra’s al Ghul pose, and will Penguin regain his title as the King of Gotham? What new villains are in store for season four, and what does Bruce Wayne’s season finale reveal mean for Gotham City — and his ultimate destiny? Be among the first to see what’s in store for season four as Gotham returns to Comic-Con for a special video presentation, followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Warner Bros. Television, Gotham returns September 28 with all-new episodes on its new night, Thursdays at 8/7c on FOX. Gotham: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 29. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GOTHAMonFOX, and follow the show on Twitter at @Gotham.  Indigo Ballroom

3:30–4:10 p.m. Supergirl Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Ridding National City of Queen Rhea and her Daxamite army was a major win for Supergirl, but one that came at a significant cost, as Kara was forced to sacrifice her budding relationship with Mon-El. When season three returns with all-new supercharged adventures this fall on The CW, Kara and team will come up against a new threat in the form of DC Worldkiller, Reign. Want to know more about Reign and what she has in store for the Girl of Steel? Join the series’ cast and creative team for a special video presentation, followed by a Q&A where they’ll discuss this hot topic and more! From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supergirl’s third season will debut Monday, October 9, at 8/7c on The CW. Supergirl: The Complete Second Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 22. Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheCWSupergirl, and follow the show on Twitter at @TheCWSupergirl.  Ballroom 20

4:10–4:50 p.m. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A — After crash landing the Waverider in a version of 2017 Los Angeles where dinosaurs roam the streets and the skyline is adorned with London’s iconic Big Ben clock tower, the Legends were quick to realize that “we broke time.” Last year, the loveable band of misfit heroes traveled throughout the timeline fixing a series of Aberrations. This year, they’ll be turning the crazy up to 11, as a wave of Anachronisms turns History on its head, leaving the Legends responsible for piecing it back together. What is an Anachronism you ask? For the answer to that, and many other questions, join cast members Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell, Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh, Nick Zano, Maisie Richardson-Sellers and producers at their annual Comic-Con panel. From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s season premiere airs Tuesday, October 10, at 9/8c on The CW. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 15. Become a fan of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWLegendsofTomorrow, and follow the show on Twitter at @TheCW_Legends.  Ballroom 20

4:50–5:10 p.m. Black Lightning Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Black Lightning makes its Comic-Con debut! Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of two daughters and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe haven for young people in a neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero to his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life on the line, and seeing the effects of the damage and loss that his alter ego was inflicting on his family, he left his Super Hero days behind and settled into being a principal and a dad. Choosing to help his city without using his superpowers, he watched his daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) grow into strong young women, even though his marriage to their mother, Lynn (Christine Adams), suffered. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community. Join series stars Cress Williams (Hart of Dixie, Friday Night Lights), Nafessa Williams (Twin Peaks), China Anne McClain (House of Payne) and Christine Adams (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), along with executive producers Salim Akil & Mara Brock Akil (Being Mary Jane, The Game, Jumping the Broom, Girlfriends) for an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming series along with an electrifying Q&A session. Based on the characters from DC, Black Lightning is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Supergirl), Salim & Mara Brock Akil, and Sarah Schechter (Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Supergirl). Black Lightning premieres midseason on The CW. Become a fan of Black Lighting on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CWBlackLightning, and follow the show on Twitter @BlackLightning.  Ballroom 20

5:10–5:50 p.m. The Flash Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Running up against an evil time remnant version of yourself is something no one should ever have to do, but that’s exactly what faced Barry Allen (aka The Flash) as he fought to save the life of fiancée Iris West from the God of Speed known as Savitar. Barry’s victory was short-lived, however, as an unbalanced Speed Force began to wreak havoc on Central City, forcing Barry to sacrifice himself for the greater good. With The Fastest Man Alive now trapped inside an extra-dimensional energy, and unknown dangers lurking in the shadows, it will be up to Team Flash to free Barry from his own personal Hell. Join cast members Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Tom Cavanagh, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Keiynan Lonsdale and producers of The CW’s highest-rated series at their annual Comic-Con panel, and be among the first to find out where things will pick up when season four returns this fall. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, The Flash season four premiere airs Tuesday, October 10, at 8/7c on The CW. The Flash: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 5. Become a fan of The Flash on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWTheFlash, and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_TheFlash.  Ballroom 20

5:50–6:30 p.m. Arrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A — With the future of the team left hanging in the balance, Arrow gave new definition to the phrase “blowing up the show.” The emotional showdown between Oliver Queen and Adrian Chase was the perfect conclusion to a stellar fifth season of The CW’s gritty DC Super Hero series. Now, the focus shifts to uncovering the fate of each and every member of Team Arrow. Could anyone have possibly survived an island-wide explosion, or has the book closed on them, as it has on Oliver’s five-year flashback story? Returning to San Diego Comic-Con for a sixth consecutive year, cast members Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Paul Blackthorne, Katie Cassidy, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy, Rick Gonzalez and producers will be on-hand for an eye-opening conversation about the upcoming season. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow’s season six premiere moves to its new night on  Thursday, October 12, at 9/8c on The CW. Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season is available now on Digital and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 19. Become a fan of Arrow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWArrow, and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_Arrow.  Ballroom 20

SUNDAY, JULY 23

10:30 –11:30 a.m. Supernatural Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Join the series’ stars and executive producers in Hall H to answer questions about the shocking events in last season’s intense two-part finale, as well as what’s in store for lucky season 13 of this exciting series! Fans will also be treated to an exclusive video presentation featuring series highlights of your favorite guys from Kansas, and maybe a surprise or two! The 13th season of Supernatural will return to Thursdays on October 12 in its new 8/7c time period on The CW. The series is produced by Kripke Enterprises Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Supernatural, and follow the show on Twitter at @cw_spn.  Hall H

[thedeaditeslayer]

Dana DeLorenzo set for new beginning as 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' comes to an end.

While the news broke last week that the horror comedy "Ash vs. Evil Dead" is coming to an end after its third season on STARZ, it also marked a new beginning for the series' breakout star, Dana DeLorenzo. Not only has DeLorenzo's turn as Deadite slayer Kelly Maxwell earned her respect and loyalty from fans of the series, it, in a serendipitous bit of timing, has also brought her the prestigious Artemis Action Next Wave award from the Artemis Women in Action Film Festival.

And with that, the next wave of DeLorenzo's career begins when she accepts the honor Thursday night in Los Angeles.

"I am ecstatic and incredibly humbled to be an Artemis Women in Action honoree," DeLorenzo said. "The timing of the awards gala -- days before the series finale of 'Ash Vs Evil Dead' -- is a staggering example of synchronicity; the most wonderful bookend to the most insane and glorious time of my life thus far. Receiving a Women in Action award is a real tribute to the character Kelly Maxwell, as well as all the unsung heroes involved in bringing her to life."

In a phone conversation from LA just a couple days before STARZ's announcement about the fate of the show, DeLorenzo was aware of the possibility that "Ash vs. Evil Dead" could come to an end this season. Was she mentally preparing herself for the possible news of cancellation? Yes, but truth be told, she had been mentally preparing herself since the first season, as there were never any guarantees with the series.

"I think everyone involved in making this show mentally prepared that every season could be our last," DeLorenzo said. "There's a lot of competition out there, more so than ever. And in this era of television the longevity of any show is especially unpredictable. So, I think we all treated every episode -- and every season -- as our last, but in the best way. I can only speak for myself, but whenever an episode or scene was a particularly epic -- like the colon fight (in season two) -- it was hard to imagine how it could ever be matched, let alone topped. But I think we pushed ourselves to a new level every season; and I believe that's a result of treating each one as if it's the last."

On top of that, DeLorenzo also knew from day one that pretty much every character apart from Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) was vulnerable and could be killed off the series.

"It was all made very clear to us before we started shooting when we were told, 'Just so you guys know, you won't know ahead of time if your character is going to die. You're going to have to find out with everybody else. None of you are safe,'" DeLorenzo recalled. "So, that was understood. Still, it caught you off-guard when people like Jill Marie Jones' character (Detective Amanda Fisher) were killed off (in season one). It was still shocking."

The interesting thing is, while Kelly was killed off by the villain-turned-ally-turned-villain Ruby Knowby (Lucy Lawless) in episode six this season (but her soul and life form, at least for the time being -- or perhaps forever -- lives on in a parallel universe known as “The Rift”), she was still very much a part "Ash vs. Evil Dead." Whether she was playing Kelly in life or in the afterlife, the series gave DeLorenzo the best experience she's had as an actor to date.

"It has been such an epic milestone in my life -- from the fans to the role to all I've learned -- everything about it," DeLorenzo said. "This was my first series regular role that continued beyond the pilot as a green-lit series. So, even if 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' would have lasted one season, it would have held a special place for me. This show is such a part of me and a part of my heart, whether it leads to many more things or not."

Always one to give credit to behind-the-scenes people on the show, DeLorenzo is sincerely grateful to the writers for finding a way to keep Kelly around for the duration of the series.

"I've been lucky enough to have lasted this long as Kelly, and even when I'm dead to still be playing her or other characters … if this is all where it ends, what I can say personally is, 'Man, what a wild, groovylicious, bloody, insane f---in' ride it has been.' I am so honored, lucky and grateful to be tied to this franchise for the rest of my life. It will never get old to me. It will always be a great love of my life."

Unbridled passion

A native of Youngstown, Ohio, DeLorenzo first attended college and worked in Chicago before she headed out to Los Angeles seeking a career on-screen. Her first speaking role on TV was as "Girl #2" on the hit CBS sitcom "2 Broke Girls" in 2011. Other opportunities followed, including a recurring skit where she played Beth the CBS executive on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"; while other promising chances to be on shows like Fox's "The Mindy Project" slipped through her grasps.

"That experience and others like it would be best described with this analogy: I was jockey on my horse, prepared and ready to run the Kentucky Derby -- but when the race started my gate wouldn't open. So, I never got to run the race," DeLorenzo said, humbly. "In other cases, I got out of the gate but fell off my horse; or my horse ran in the other direction. Sure, it broke my spirit for a while -- but it never broke my back. I always got back on the proverbial horse, no matter what. I hope that doesn't sound too trite, because it's the truth. It's an idiom for a reason!  Always get back on the horse. I'm grateful I did, because I eventually got to run the race … and finally made it all the way to the finish line."

The silver lining for viewers is, as difficult as missed opportunities have been for DeLorenzo, those heartbreaks also helped build character. Because of her misfortunes she became resilient and never lost sight of her integrity; traits, that combined with her passion for life and her work, have served her well as she found her way to what has been the ride of a lifetime on "Ash vs. Evil Dead."

Initially billed in what could have become the thankless role as a foil for Campbell's chainsaw-wielding, boomstick-slinging, Shemp's Beer-chugging antihero Ash Williams in "Ash vs. Evil Dead," DeLorenzo quickly defined the role of Kelly as somebody much more than a "sidekick." Getting into just as many blood-and-guts-soaked mishaps as the show's namesake, it didn't take long for DeLorenzo to become a fan favorite that has rivaled the popularity of Campbell himself. That's a monumental feat, considering Campbell is the actor who made the role of Ash legendary in director Sam Raimi's cult classic "Evil Dead" film trilogy.

The amazing part of fandom, as DeLorenzo has discovered, is that the adoration fans have for Kelly Maxwell and "Ash vs. Evil Dead" isn't limited to U.S. borders. True, DeLorenzo has fans following her on her social media channels from all over the world, but she for the first time felt the true reach of the show meeting people from all over Europe when attended the horror-themed convention Weekend of Hell in Dortmund, Germany. Joining cast mates Campbell and Ray Santiago (who plays Ash and Kelly's fellow Deadite hunter, Pablo) at the convention earlier this month, DeLorenzo immediately found out that there was just as much an affinity for Kelly's F-bomb-laced dialogue in Europe as there is stateside.

"When I would sign photos, they kept saying -- even though they couldn't speak much English and I unfortunately couldn't speak German, I learned a few things – they would say, 'Kelly, write f--k evil!'”

Weekend of Hell was definitely an eye-opener for DeLorenzo. She got to meet people who've been entertained by Kelly in places she never could have imagined.

"Germany was one of the greatest experiences of my life," DeLorenzo said. "Going overseas, it was very apparent that, even in spite of the language barrier that the love was there. People were waiting two hours to talk, to say 'hi' and to get an autograph. I kept getting into trouble because I kept wanting to talk with everybody for five minutes. I was like, 'You waited two hours? I want to give you enough time!'"

Despite the awakening, don't think for a second that DeLorenzo has forgotten her U.S. fan base.

"I just get overwhelmed meeting people in the States -- it is such a symbiotic relationship -- some people say this is just fan service, but this is all very new to me and I'm just so happy to be doing what I love, that anything else on top of it is gravy and icing and cherries, and all the wonderful things in life. Donuts? Can we put donuts on top because I love donuts? So, even in America alone, if I meet a fan, I'm the one freaking them out by the end of the interaction, because I am so passionate and intense."

Just Dana

Whether you've met DeLorenzo at a convention or merely exchanged a tweet, it's easy to see that she's just Dana, not Kelly (although she admits slipping into character time and again at conventions), and that she's completely genuine and humbled over the fortunate position she's found herself in life. And while it's nice knowing that her work to fans in person and online have inspired people, that's not why she does it. If anything, DeLorenzo she's the one who is inspired, and her overtures to fans are a reflection of her gratitude.

"People have said to me, 'You're so normal and humble.' That's just because of the kind of parents I've had. My parents have kept me very grounded my whole life," DeLorenzo said. "Also, I've had to work very hard my whole life. Not only have I had to work hard and persevere, but I have been through the wringer and that makes you appreciate anything you get that's positive.

"So, for me, it's not about being on TV, but just the fact that I have a steady job that I can go to, day in and day out, getting up every day to do what I love," she added. "It's the only thing I've worked for and wanted my entire life, so the transition from dream to reality is the greatest reward."

Relating a story of how her parents have kept her level-headed, DeLorenzo noted, "An acquaintance said to them once the show was on the air, 'Oh, my goodness, your daughter is on billboards and she has fans and people are dressing up like her.' Then they said something along the lines of, 'Do you realize that she's a name?' and my mom just looked at her and said so matter-of-factly, 'No. She's just Dana.' It's funny because to everybody else things look different. But at the end of the day, if you get a promotion at an office job, you got a promotion, but you're still you. Your situation has changed, but you are still you."

Anchors aweigh

There's been a theme enveloping the character of Kelly Maxwell since the very beginning of "Ash vs. Evil Dead," in that her character has been anchored, so to speak, in the Ernest Hemingway literary classic "The Old Man and the Sea." It began to take shape when Ash, Kelly and Pablo made their fateful trip to Kelly's parents' house in episode two of season one. In a pivotal exchange, Ash tries to coax the Deadite out of Kelly, and Kelly's mother, (Mimi Rogers) said she was a teacher and her favorite book was "The Old Man and the Sea."

From there, sharp-eyed viewers may have noticed that in addition to Kelly's favorite color being purple, the wardrobe or jewelry that costume designer Barbara Darragh conceived for DeLorenzo in every episode, in one way or another, incorporates an anchor.

Fast-forward to episode six this season, when the "The Old Man and the Sea" motif comes full-circle. Kelly decides to confront Ruby alone to destroy evil, even though she's aware that the odds of survival are not in her favor.

"There's a famous quote from that book that I think perfectly applies to Kelly's final moments in episode six, which is, 'A man can be destroyed, but not defeated,' which really just gives me chills every time that I think of it," DeLorenzo said. "It's so important to me to draw the parallel because I love how it ties into Kelly's journey. She went into battle because she, No. 1, took advantage of an opportunity that evil would never see coming; and No. 2, she thought since Ash and Pablo were off doing their own things, 'If I go into this right now while evil's not expecting it, I could potentially end this battle once and for all and no one has to die.'”

Third, and most importantly, DeLorenzo said, the motivating factor behind Kelly's actions in the episode is how evil destroyed her family. Kelly could have moved on after evil was seemingly vanquished at the end of season two or chosen to not get back into the fight when it reemerges to begin season three, but that is not her purpose.

"We all know that Kelly is out for revenge, but she's also at the start of season three a warrior without a war. She needs to stay in the fight against evil," DeLorenzo said. "She also needs to follow her heart to forge her path, which is what mortal Ruby encouraged her to do in season two. What I've learned from playing Kelly it that it's OK to be afraid, but the strength comes from having the courage to go for it in spite of that fear. You can assess the risks, but if the reward excites your spirit, you've got to go for it every time -- and when you do, you've already won."

While fans will have to wait until this Sunday to find out whether Kelly's soul will remain adrift for all eternity in “The Rift,” they will be happy to know this: No matter the outcome of the character, DeLorenzo will push off from "Ash vs. Evil Dead," hands firmly gripped on the ship's wheel (or horse's reigns, per her earlier analogy), charting her own course. It's a course that began with a casting director named Julie Ashton, who cast DeLorenzo in her first LA pilot out of Chicago and later her first television speaking role on "2 Broke Girls"; and whose keen sensibilities prompted her to eventually cast the actor in her first guest-starring role on NBC's smash hit "Will & Grace" in February. It's also a course that reunited her with the first person she met in Los Angeles, Ross Marquand (who, ironically went on to battle evil himself in "The Walking Dead") for his 2015 comedy series "Impress Me"; and it's a course that led her to a tender independent movie, 2017’s "The Mad Ones."

Sure, in between those sunny beaches were rough waters, and DeLorenzo knows she'll encounter them again. But risking those waters is how she fatefully arrived at "Ash vs. Evil Dead." As for what's next, it's not a matter of if, but when DeLorenzo finds her way back.

[thedeaditeslayer]

Interview: Ray Santiago ready for the next chapter in life – whatever that is.

Ray Santiago (aka Pablo Simon Bolivar from Ash vs Evil Dead) stopped by to chat with us at 1428 Elm about his memories of the show, what is going on in his world and the future.

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie

Along Came Pablo

The heart and soul of the Ghostbeaters on Ash vs Evil Dead was Pablo Simon Bolivar, played for three seasons by the always engaging actor, Ray Santiago. We fell in love with him as the shy clerk at Value Stop who carried a torch for the beautiful Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo). We watched him grow into the self-confident El Brujo Especial who helped his Jefe (Bruce Campbell) save the world.

It was the role of a lifetime in a legendary franchise and Santiago played it to perfection. At 1428 Elm, we were fortunate enough to sit down with the actor to discuss his memories of the show, what is going on in his world and his hopes for the future.

The Interview

In the Rearview of the Delta

1428 Elm: Hi, Ray! It’s a pleasure to be speaking with you again. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us at 1428 Elm. We loved the finale and the entire journey of the third season.  What was the mood on the set the very last day of shooting? Was it difficult not knowing the fate of the show or is that just business as usual nowadays in tv?

Ray Santiago: I think it was just one of those moments. It was difficult. No one knew if we were coming back. We did our best with the finale so that it could ultimately be the last episode while setting it up for a great fourth season if that is what happened.

For all of us, we were more than a little bit sad that we didn’t really know. If you know the show is done, you can close the chapter and walk away.

We were going through the same thing the fans went through waiting for an answer as to whether or not we would be coming back. So, we were in a very similar place to them.

Looking at a Legacy

1428 Elm: In LA, we talked about the possibility of a spin off happening. Bruce has given you and Dana his blessing. How do you see the series continuing in the future? There has been some interest in an animated version of the show on the part of fans.

RS: I mean, listen, it’s really flattering that people want to keep these characters alive and that they generated such a fan base that people want to continue it. For me, bringing life to Pablo changed my life as Ray in a lot of ways.

So, I will always want to keep Pablo alive and keep the Ghostbeaters alive, as well as the franchise. If they call me in 30 years to do another version of this show, I would. It’s one of those series that is timeless.

I’ll be the voice of Pablo for an animated program, go for it!

1428 Elm: Were you pleased with Pablo’s story arc this season? Is there anything you wished the writers would have considered or done differently?

RS: I was very pleased with my arc. I had no idea that it would culminate in the way that it did. It was great that we got to see the evolution of a guy that started off as a sidekick and became a significant part of the team.

He became his own hero by embracing who he really is and by understanding the power he had within himself to bring to the group and to help save the world from evil. So, I was very pleased with my arc.

Ghostbeaters Never Leave a Man or Woman Behind

RS (Cont.):  Do I wish that the Ghostbeaters were there for the final fight? Yeah. Even though it was emotional for each person in that car when Ash sent us off, I really did feel like it would have been nice to see us in the battle with him or to see where we ended up.

Because it wasn’t like us to leave Jefe. For me, he spent three seasons grooming the Ghostbeaters so that they finally have all their strengths and they’re ready to do this and then Ash does it by himself.

It is called Ash vs Evil Dead but I would have loved to see the battle if we would have been a part of it. With that being said, it did make sense the way that they did it.

You know people want to see Ash kill that monster. I just felt bad that we left him.

Acknowledging the Journey

1428 Elm: I want to talk about that scene in the truck. It was very emotional. Watching you looking at Ash was heartbreaking. Were you caught up in the moment? Was that your real reaction?

RS: I think for me since I spent so much time shooting with Bruce what you saw were tears of joy and tears of sadness. They were also tears of recognition and acknowledging the journey that we had been on together as actors and as these characters.

What we started out to do, we did and we did it in a way that was beautiful and satisfying to the fans and to ourselves. For me, it was a moment of “Oh, you may not come back to this.”

You now know that you can walk alone in your next journey because you went through this. So, yeah, that moment that you saw, it was a tough moment for me.

I was pretty mad that we had to share that window because it wasn’t very easy. When I envisioned it, the doors of the vehicle were open and you could really see us.

You’re the Jefe Now

RS (Cont.): You sort of had to find that small window. For me it was hard because I knew I had like two seconds to find it. Originally, Bruce didn’t say anything to me in the last moment.

I said, “I think it’s bizarre that you say something to Kelly, and that you say something to your daughter but you don’t say anything to me.” He said, “Well, what do you think I should say?” I answered, “I don’t know. You’re the Jefe now?”

Bruce liked it and kept it. There was a lot of that between him and I where we would play and things would happen. I was glad that he threw that in because it makes sense when he gives us the final farewell.

It was emotional for all of us. I am glad that the moment worked and that the fans felt it.

Reflections of a Brujo

1428 Elm: Do you have any memories about life on the AVED set that you could share with the fans?

RS: I have a beautiful family at home that raised me but my tv family, my tv Dad and my tv Aunt (Lucy Lawless) and my tv hot stepsister, it was a beautiful thing. We were really a family unit.

Some of the memories I think about are Bruce chartering a boat and taking us out on Easter for Seasons 1 and 2. He also took us out to fancy dinners. We always wanted to hang out on our days off.

It’s not a thing that really happens when you’re around people all the time. There was that and there were wonderful dinners at Rob Tapert’s house where they had sommeliers and chefs that made beautiful meals.

Other great memories for me were becoming friends with the crew. By taking me and showing me their country, that meant a lot but they were also my moral support.

I became really good friends with my hair and makeup team and my wardrobe dresser. Being able to collaborate with everyone was terrific. The costume designer was very hands on with us. It was really nice having that experience.

Welcome to the Evil Dead

RS (Cont.): I will never forget the look I shared with Bruce whenever we showed up and they would tell us what we were doing and they would explain it. We would just look at each other in whatever dark basement we were in and in the midst of shooting and things being set up, we would just find each other’s eyes and start laughing.

It happened once and I thought am I the only one seeing the absurdity of the situation? Then as episodes went on and on, it became this thing that we did. “Yep. This is the Evil Dead. This is our life.”

I remember we hated the blood or we complained about the blood and I’m on this other horror shoot now and I’m thinking there is not enough blood! I am wondering where the rig is and what are we doing? We need more blood!

I am so used to the craziness of Ash vs Evil Dead. The other thing we experienced was we got to travel around the world with Bruce and meet our fans. He is such a showman.

Bruce is number one on that call sheet and he showed me how to be a leader. He has more energy than Dana and I and we’re much younger than he is!

We had a blast making the show and I had a blast watching it. Whenever it would premiere I would be like a little kid.

Now for Something Completely Different, Yet Somehow the Same

1428 Elm: You will be appearing in the very first episode of Blumhouse’s new horror anthology series, Into the Dark on Hulu this October. I know that each segment is going to be the length of a movie.  What can you tell us about The Body? Can you tease anything?

RS: I play a young Hollywood wannabe visual effects maker who is also creating a virtual reality experience. He’s a trust fund kid. There is a party on Halloween and a bunch of crazy things happen to him and his friends.

There is a body, it’s Halloween and it’s happening to me and my friends. This has been really fun because the action takes place all in the course of one night. We’re shooting in Los Angeles so I can just pop over to the set really quickly from my place.

We have this great, young horror director named Paul Davis who really knows his shit. He’s thrown a bunch of Easter eggs in the film and we have a great cast, it’s really fast paced.

It has an 80s really culty, Prom Night type of feel to it. It’s really beautiful the way we’re shooting it so I’m excited for it to be coming out. I’m excited to be working with Hulu and Blumhouse.

They’ve been really supportive in allowing us to do what we want to do. My character is sort of high strung, kind of an asshole. He reminds me of Matthew Lillard in Scream.

He’s a little bit different but you’re going to see my eyes bulging out of my head, just like Pablo. In the sense that I am trying to escape being tortured.

1428 Elm: Are you done shooting Speed of Life now?

RS: Yeah. We finished. That was a very amazing experience. I got to work with Ann Dowd. I had my first sex scene with her so I am super excited for the world to see.

It was a bizarre movie and it was nice to not rely on things that weren’t there. In other words, it was nice to act with another person. To have someone there and to have a conversation and let the action be in the words and not practical effects or CGI.

There are some of those things in this movie because it is about a guy who falls into a time warp and he comes back to the future. It seems like I am being followed by this strange portal and time zone kind of film taking me to different places.

I am excited to see where things go. Working with Ann and Allison Tollman was really wonderful because they’re such pros and leading ladies of this industry.

1428 Elm: How is the character that you are playing in Speed of Life different from the one that you are playing in the Body?

RS: The Body is a horror movie. In Speed of Life, it is a romantic comedy. My character loves cracking jokes. He doesn’t take anything seriously.

Then he becomes shaken up when he is thrown into a different time zone. He has to step up to the plate and be a man by trying to save his relationship in a way that he never thought he would have to.

Possibly Getting the Band Back Together in a Different Way

1428 Elm: Could you foresee a non-Ash collaboration with any of your former co-stars?

RS: Certainly! I told Bruce that I wanted to remake Fantasy Island with him. We would laugh about it.

1428 Elm: Is there anything else that you would like to experience in the future career wise? When you sang ‘At the Ballet’ from A Chorus Line at Dortmund, it was surprising! You have such a beautiful voice! Is there something you would like to do where people would say, wow! We didn’t know Ray could do that!

RS: Yeah! I do like to sing. There was talk of them making “In the Heights” (Broadway show by Lin-Manuel Miranda) a film so I would love to do that kind of thing. I would love to be on Broadway whether it be a musical or just a straight play.

I have had a couple people say if there was a chance to do a Prince biopic would I jump at it? Absolutely. I have also been told that I remind people of Freddy Mercury and Jim Croce.

If the opportunity came up to do a multiple camera sitcom, that would be great. I learned so much from doing AVED exploring so many different avenues in a half hour. So, I am really ready for whatever the next chapter is.

It’s fascinating that Blumhouse went for someone like me to play the asshole and the trust fund kid. I don’t know very many Latino trust fund kids so I thought it was a real interesting play and I was happy to do it.

Saying So Long

1428 Elm: Do you have a message for AVED fans?

RS: I would like to thank them for accepting me into their households and into a franchise and for loving me. I love them! I would like them to continuously support and keep their eye on me because I am going to make more stuff. This is just the beginning.

What got me this far was making the choice everyday to believe in myself. When you look in the mirror, that’s all you have is yourself. If you believe, the world will believe in you.

I say to the fans that whatever they do, if they stay true to themselves, the world will speak to them, the same way it has spoken to me.

I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I’m happy that they are down with me because this lets me know that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

It’s All about Heart

This last part was a special message to Bruce Campbell and Lucy Lawless from Ray. It is touching and I am glad that he shared it with us. This is precisely why Ghostbeaters are for life.

RS: I learned a lot of things from my Dad but I learned more from Bruce. He was the best leader I could have ever had and it makes me sad that this great adventure has come to an end. The saddest thing about my job was when they said, “That’s a wrap,” and I had to go home.

People like Bruce and Lucy who have been in the industry for so long taught me how to do it and how to be happy doing it and what is the right way to do it.

I am so thankful for them and I am also thankful for the fans because without them, we would be nothing.

[thedeaditeslayer]

The Time that Sam Raimi saved Dana DeLorenzo from a Demonically Possessed Escalator.

Sadly, it’s the end of the road for “Ash vs. Evil Dead” when the series finale airs Sunday night on STARZ, but before fans start mourning the loss the show, they can take comfort in knowing that the amazing memories of it will live on not only in the episodes of the horror comedy, but in the stories about it from the likes of its bloody great cast members.

For Dana DeLorenzo, who made the ass-kicking role of Kelly Maxwell her own, she’ll always hold dear the pilot episode of the series, because it gave her the unique opportunity to work with director Sam Raimi, the architect of the “Evil Dead” universe. For a glorious 22 days, DeLorenzo and her fellow cast members shot the pilot in New Zealand, which would be the production home for the show for the entirety of its three seasons; and where she marveled at Raimi’s passion for the craft of making the impossible possible and giving “Ash vs. Evil Dead” its crucial first breaths of life.

The wonderful thing DeLorenzo discovered about the “Spider-Man” trilogy filmmaker was that he was just as much of a superhero and person off the set as he was on. In one instance, she was a first-person witness to his heroic actions as he rescued her from, appropriately, a demonically-possessed escalator in Auckland, New Zealand.

In a recent phone conversation from Los Angeles, DeLorenzo said it all occurred at SkyCity, which includes a massive tower like the Seattle Space Needle, after Raimi wrapped up his work on the “Ash vs. Evil Dead” pilot.

“It was Sam’s last night in New Zealand and we were all celebrating. Bruce and his wife, Ida, were there, me, Jill (Marie Jones) and Ray (Santiago), as well as Sam,” DeLorenzo recalled. “We were at the Sky Tower and in the center of it — I can’t even give you the scale of it because it is so big – there were two escalators that were the biggest things I’ve ever seen in my life. They went on for days.”

At the end of the night, DeLorenzo said, the group was coming down one of the monster escalators when suddenly the jovial atmosphere turned into something that you would see in, well, “Ash vs. Evil Dead.”

“We were goofing around and dancing on the way down, and I’m the first one off the first of the escalators to turn and go down the final escalator. I was wearing this very loose, stretchy, spandex-y, very wide-legged jumpsuit, and when we got to the bottom I was starting to walk, and something pulled by leg back,” DeLorenzo said. “All of a sudden, because the jumpsuit was all connected, the elastic top – strapless, by the way – starts pulling down. It’s was truly like Kelly trying to get through The Rift and I couldn’t move forward, and the jumpsuit is slowly being ripped off me from the top to the bottom. This all happened in a split-second, but it was very slow in my mind as things very terrifying at the moment are, and I screamed instinctively.  I screamed because in a second I was going to be standing in the middle of Sky Tower for all to see, naked!”

DeLorenzo said as she tried to hold her top on, Jones hopped in front of her to cover her chest, and “then comes this hero Sam Raimi.”

“He jumped off the escalator in his suit and gets down on the floor on his hands and knees and starts yanking the bottom of my jumpsuit from the evil, possessed escalator,” DeLorenzo said while literally acting out the madness of the moment. “He was pulling with all his might. He was ripping and grunting because it would not rip, and finally, on the third tug, they did, and half of my pants went up the escalator – they’re gone – but luckily, Sam Raimi saved my life. I was physically being pulled into the escalator because it was that strong. I was not only about to be dragged up the escalator, but humiliation-wise, I was about to be butt-ass naked in front of half the city of Auckland, New Zealand. After saving the day, Sam slowly stood up and started brushing himself off and said, ‘Well that was sobering!’ and everyone laughed.”

Pure class

While she can laugh now about the time Raimi selflessly jumped in and saved her from the demonically-possessed escalator, DeLorenzo is completely serious about the pure class of the filmmaker from the day she auditioned for “Ash vs. Evil Dead.”

“I’ve said from Day 1 since I had my screen test with Sam and Bruce, and Sam was the man behind the camera – it was an actual camcorder on a little tripod, which I loved – and in a three-piece suit, that he is both the most and least intimidating person in the room,” DeLorenzo said. “When talks to you, he is so disarming and looks at you as if no one is there, no matter what else is going on. So, I’m in this room full of producers, shaking this man’s hand who I know is the great Sam Raimi, and he is just asking me about my shoes, he’s asking how my day was, and it felt more like that I was talking to Sam the butcher at the grocery store. He then walked away, and I realized, ‘Holy shit! That was Sam Raimi!'”

​DeLorenzo said she is also grateful to “Ash vs. Evil Dead” casting director Lauren Grey, who brought her in for the initial audition and callback. In addition to Grey and showrunner Craig DiGregorio, DeLorenzo feels Raimi is one of the main reasons she was cast as Kelly Maxwell.

“It was because he made me feel so comfortable,” DeLorenzo said, admirably. “Comfortable enough to do something I’ve never done in any audition – even for a commercial, let alone a production as big as this – and ask for another take and do it again.”​

As fate would have it, asking for that second take is the reason fans had the opportunity to watch DeLorenzo not just play – but define – who Kelly Maxwell was through three seasons of “Ash vs. Evil Dead.”

“I owe so much to Sam, and I have taken so much away from not only the screen test with him,” she said. “He set the bar for the show for me and for the character of Kelly, and he showed so much class because of the way he collaborates with people.”

DeLorenzo said that because Raimi is such a high-profile filmmaker, he could have just said, “‘We’re going to do it this way’ and everybody would have said, ‘Yes! Sure! Fine!'”

But he didn’t.

“Instead, he set the bar and not only learned everyone’s names – and go up to everyone in-between shots, to the people doing the thankless jobs that no one ever credits them for – and ask them how their day was,” DeLorenzo said. “With me, regarding Kelly, h​e asked me to sit down and said, ‘I want you to help me write this scene. I want to rework this thing,’ and I said, ‘Uh, Sam, I’ll just do whatever you want!’​ And he corrected me and said, ‘No. I asked you because I want you to help me.’ I was just so blown away by that.

“Sam Raimi was willing to take his baby and say, ‘I want you to have some input. I want to hear you say what you think Kelly’s backstory is and what do you think happened Kelly’s mom. Why did she die six months ago in a car accident?'” DeLorenzo added. “Because of that, it informed Kelly for me for the rest of her journey. It was so vital because that stuff matters. You might ever see that backstory on screen, but that matters and informs who I am playing. I am so indebted to Sam.”

[thedeaditeslayer]

‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ finds more bloody fun each season.

Bruce Campbell and other members of the cast of the Starz series “Ash vs Evil Dead” have gathered at the London Hotel to talk about the upcoming opener for the 10-part third season. Take a moment to think about that. This is a horror/humor story that started 40 years ago when director Sam Raimi made the short film “Within the Woods” for a whopping $1,600.

From that less-than-humble start, Raimi’s short film has spawned three feature films and the cable series. And it allowed Campbell the chance to play one of the best known characters in horror/fantasy in Ash Williams. Campbell argues the tales of Ash — the anti-hero with a chainsaw for a hand — was never a franchise, but is more a series of stories that blend horror and dark comedy that keeps entertaining the fans.

“The first one was so distant that we had original investors who are dead now,” Campbell says with that wicked Ash smile that lets his character get away with murderous acts while keeping a twinkle in his eye.

“That first film gave us everything. We learned the film business by making it and learned how to sell it around the world.

“It taught us how to make a movie, crudely. It taught me how to do something in front of the camera, crudely,” he says. “We did it all because there was no one else to do it.”

Campbell and Raimi (who is an executive producer on the Starz series) don’t have to do as much with “Ash vs Evil Dead.” They can concentrate on making the kind of program where the laughs flow as freely as the blood. In the third season opener, Ash is living a heroic moment in Elk Grove after destroying the Deadites. He faces an even bigger terror when he learns he has a long-lost daughter, Brandy Barr (Arielle Carver-O’Neill).

Carver-O’Neill calls being part of the series a form of craziness for which no actor can full prepare. She learned about the wild ride that is “Ash vs Evil Dead” through reading the first few scripts.

“One thing is certain. You never get bored,” Carver-O’Neill says. “I would have been disappointed if this character had been just a damsel in distress and nothing more. They have done a really good job of creating some depth to her where she on an incredible journey from being a pretty normal kid to being able to fight demons.

“She’s going through grief and trauma while trying to make sense of this whole new world. It’s a fight or flight thing with her, and she definitely fights.”

Also returning for season three are Lucy Lawless, Ray Santiago and Dana DeLorenzo. Joining the group is Lindsay Farris, who plays the leader of an ancient order called the Knights of Sumeria, who seek Ash to lead their fight against the Dark Ones.

No one has gone through more physical abuse than Santiago as Pablo, the right-hand man to Ash. It’s hard to top being sliced in two along the belt line, but that was only a start for what happens to Pablo in season three.

Santiago is often amazed at what the script writers have them do.

“We have a great team of writers,” Santiago says. He pauses, smiles and then adds in a tone that is somewhere between dead serious and completely a joke that he had an abusive childhood so now he’s having an abusive adult life.

“I get a lot of abuse, but I think it is evenly spread around the other cast members. I made a promise to Sam Raimi that I would do whatever I had to make sure the show was as good as it can be,” he says. “So, I have taken the abuse. This season we have some newbies on the show who will be abused and that eliminated me from some of it.”

There might be a slight decrease, but if the early episodes are any indication, Santiago’s character is in for a world of hurt in the third season. Even when he’s not being abused, he will become an abuser, especially in a unique way this season with Dana DeLorenzo’s tough-as-hell character of Kelly Maxwell. Let’s just say she gets a skin condition from Pablo no dermatologist would touch.

DeLorenzo echoes Santiago’s feelings about how there seems to be no limits in the scripts when it comes to battling demons, whether the weapon be a chainsaw or a quick retort.

“I am stunned and at the same time I’m not because we have such passionate, talent people on all fronts of the show,” DeLorenzo says. “Every year, I think people believe I am just doing a tease of ‘expect the unexpected’ but every year I know that we will do something bigger.

“In what world do you ever think you could top a fight with a colon? But, that’s what makes this franchise so magnificent. You would think that something with such a long history would not age well. But this keeps aging well and continues to grow. We under-promise and over-deliver every time.”

The new and old cast members get to keep working on a production that is as sharp and entertaining as it was four decades ago. Campbell’s theory on why Ash keeps on going is a simple one.

“Ash is us. He’s you. He’s me. He’s nobody special,” Campbell says. “So when you watch this schlub of a guy eating a Subway tuna sandwich, you think ‘You stupid son of a (expletive), I could have done that.’ He’s the guy you are stuck with.

“Ash has no special skills. He is not a Navy SEAL. Ash has no appreciable skills. I think that’s why people like him so much.”

"Ash vs Evil Dead" airs at 9 p.m. Sundays on Starz.