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Page 2 of 2 4. Bruce’s ex-wife in the film is played by Ellen Sandweiss, who played Ash’s sister Cheryl (also her name in this movie), in the first Evil Dead film. I think it is no coincidence that they only speak on the phone, and have no actual scenes together. 5. The gay couple who talk about Jake from Evil Dead 2 and the Blacksmith from Army of Darkness actually are...well...I'm not going to tell you. You should be able to piece that mystery together for yourself. 6. All three Stooges are reference in the movie (Larry, Moe, and Shemp), as they were a huge influence on Bruce and his movie making friends when they were kids. Now that I have dropped that bug in your ear, I will let you keep on the lookout for them. Hey, I can’t do everything for you! 7. There is a scene towards the beginning of the film where Bruce is mobbed by some fans wanting to ask him questions and have him sign things. All of those interactions are culled from actual experiences he has had. His reactions to them is fictional, a case of being able to say what he wishes he could say in real life. | Okay, I think that is enough for now. Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to go into the movie with a little confidence that you will get some of the more obscure jokes, and that will allow you to be freer to enjoy the good old Bruce Campbell charm, which needs no fanboy status to be funny and engaging. I defy you to go into this film not being familiar with the man, and not walk out a reborn Campbellite. From his slapsticking around, to his self-deprecating humor, to his obnoxious mock machismo, he is the everyman that the everyman wishes he could be. As far as the nuts and bolts of the film, I will say that the acting, taking care of by friends and previous collaborators of Bruce as well as local Oregonians hired on location, is largely uneven. Obviously Raimi and Sandweiss and Hicks (oh my!) are fabulous as always, and The Chin goes without saying, but the teens and the background locals are a little iffy. But the Mayor and Grace Thorsen as the female lead are really good. The FX are gorier than I had expected (a good thing) even if the action scenes are choppy (I love Bruce, but he isn’t a whiz bang director). | |
 | But faults and all, My Name is Bruce is a wonderful love letter from Bruce to his fans, delivered in typical BC fashion: taped to the front of his boot, sailing straight into our collective nuts. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. |
Also, feel free to check out my Video Dead Blog about the Q and A session that followed the screening. You can even hear me ask him a stupid question. What fun.
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