Cinema Shock

DRAG ME TO HELL: Raimi Returns to Horror | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

After a decade spent in the world of big-budget blockbusters — including three SPIDER-MAN films — Sam Raimi returned to his horror roots with 2009’s DRAG ME TO HELL.
The result? A lean, mean, gross-out machine packed with bodily fluids, demonic goats, and Raimi’s signature mix of slapstick and sadism. But DRAG ME TO HELL wasn’t just a nostalgic exercise — it was Raimi proving he could still go toe-to-toe with the new generation of horror directors, delivering a fast-paced supernatural thrill ride with bite.
In this episode, we dive into Raimi’s motivations for returning to horror, the roots of the DRAG ME TO HELL script, and how the film’s blend of morality tale and chaos fits snugly into the filmmaker’s larger body of work.
GoFundMe for Alyssa Fowler: https://gofund.me/60e5d127
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

THE QUICK & THE DEAD: Sharon Stone’s Western Gamble | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

After the cult success of ARMY OF DARKNESS, Sam Raimi took a sharp stylistic detour — straight into the sun-drenched, bullet-riddled world of the American Western.
Released in 1995, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD brought Raimi’s hyper-stylized camera work and comic-book energy to the genre, complete with whip pans, POV bullets, and a rogue’s gallery of gunslingers. It was also a star-studded affair: a pre-TITANIC Leonardo DiCaprio, a pre-fame Russell Crowe, a grizzled Gene Hackman, and producer-star Sharon Stone, who fought to get Raimi hired in the first place.
In this episode, we explore how Raimi’s Western homage got made, why it was overlooked upon release, and how it’s since become one of the more fascinating oddities in his filmography — as well as a key pivot point toward his blockbuster future.
The Playboy Interview with Keanu Reeves: https://www.playboy.com/read/the-playboy-interview-with-keanu-reeves
GoFundMe for Alyssa Fowler: https://gofund.me/60e5d127
The Love-Alive Charity: https://love-alive.org
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

ARMY OF DARKNESS: The Comic Book Multiverse of Ash Williams | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer (Bonus)

As a bonus to our ARMY OF DARKNESS episode, we’re cracking open the Necronomicon one more time to talk about the wild and often ridiculous world of Army of Darkness comic books.
Since the early 2000s, Ash Williams has been battling Deadites across time, space, and intellectual property in a sprawling series of comics from Dynamite Entertainment and beyond. In this episode, we take a look at the many iterations of Ash in print — from crossovers with Re-Animator, Xena, and Hack/Slash, to multiverse-spanning events, time travel shenanigans, and even a team-up with Barack Obama.
We’re not doing a full deep dive, but we’ll hit the highlights, the weirdest storylines, and what these comics reveal about the enduring cult appeal of Raimi’s chainsaw-wielding antihero.

ARMY OF DARKNESS: Ash Goes Medieval | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

Following the success of DARKMAN, Sam Raimi finally had the clout — and the backing of both Universal Pictures and longtime supporter Dino De Laurentiis — to make a third EVIL DEAD film. But rather than return to the series’ roots, Raimi aimed his boomstick at something much bigger.
With ARMY OF DARKNESS, the EVIL DEAD franchise took a sharp left turn into Ray Harryhausen–inspired fantasy adventure, complete with skeleton armies, time travel, and wisecracks aplenty. The horror may have taken a back seat, but Raimi’s style — and Bruce Campbell’s chin — were bigger than ever.
In this episode, we dig into the chaotic production of ARMY OF DARKNESS, the studio meddling that delayed its release, and the alternate endings that nearly were. We’ll also explore how this oddball epic went from box office underperformer to certified cult classic.
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

DARKMAN II & III: THE RETURN OF DURANT…and Direct-to-Video Chaos | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer (Bonus)

In this bonus episode, we take a quick detour into the world of direct-to-video mayhem with a loose discussion of DARKMAN II: THE RETURN OF DURANT and DARKMAN III: DIE DARKMAN DIE.
We’re not going full deep dive here — just chatting about laser guns, Arnold Vosloo, questionable wigs, and whether these sequels hold any candle to Sam Raimi’s original cult classic.

DARKMAN: Raimi’s Original Superhero Vision | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

After cutting his teeth on low-budget horror, Sam Raimi was ready for the big leagues. The breakout success of Tim Burton’s BATMAN had launched a new wave of comic-book-inspired films, and Raimi was eager to join the fray.
But when he couldn’t secure the rights to characters like Batman or The Shadow, he did what any determined filmmaker would do: he invented his own. Enter DARKMAN — a twisted, operatic superhero tale about identity, vengeance, and science gone awry.
In this episode, we trace the development of DARKMAN from Raimi’s original pitch through a turbulent studio production at Universal, exploring how creative clashes shaped the final film. We’ll also examine the movie’s legacy, how it opened new doors for Raimi, and why it remains a fan favorite decades later.
Watch the unaired DARKMAN TV pilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgiScRY0FRA
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.
 

EVIL DEAD 2: Bruce Campbell’s Horror-Comedy Triumph | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

After the failure of CRIMEWAVE, Sam Raimi was at a crossroads. His career as a filmmaker was on shaky ground — until mentor Irvin Shapiro encouraged him to return to the film that put him on the map: THE EVIL DEAD.
But rather than play it safe with a by-the-numbers sequel, Raimi went all-in. With a bigger budget (thanks to producer Dino De Laurentiis) and a creative vision fully untethered, Raimi used EVIL DEAD II as a proving ground for everything he loved: slapstick comedy, outrageous gore, cartoon physics, and Bruce Campbell in full manic glory.
In this episode, we trace the wild road to EVIL DEAD II — from its early concept as a time-traveling horror adventure, to the fast-paced production, and its eventual legacy as a cult classic that helped redefine the horror-comedy genre.
GoFundMe for Alyssa Fowler: https://gofund.me/60e5d127
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.
Episode archives & more: www.cinemashock.net

Cinema Shock Roundtable #12: Tips on starting your own podcast from the Cinema Shock gang

For this bonus episode, we're doing something a little different: We're giving some tips and tricks for anyone who might be interesting in doing this whole podcasting thing. Ever thought about doing a podcast but didn't know how to start? Now you can get some advice from three dudes who *sort of* know how to do it.

CRIMEWAVE: Raimi's Slapstick Noir Disaster | Sam Raimi: The Entertainer

After the runaway success of THE EVIL DEAD, Sam Raimi and his Michigan crew were given the opportunity to go legit—with real money, a Hollywood cast, and a script co-written by none other than Joel and Ethan Coen.
The result? CRIMEWAVE, a screwball noir comedy that was plagued by creative interference, disastrous test screenings, and a studio that ultimately took the film away from its creators.
In this episode, we trace the chaotic making — and unmaking — of CRIMEWAVE, the one film Sam Raimi has all but disowned. We’ll also look at how the experience helped shape Raimi’s future collaborations with the Coen Brothers and influenced the creative freedom he fought for going forward.
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.
Episode archives & more: www.cinemashock.net

Cinema Shock Roundtable #11: Is MOON (2009) a STAR TREK movie?

In this bonus episode, the guys discuss things they've been watching lately and try to figure out why Todd thinks MOON is a STAR TREK-adjacent movie (a subject to be further explored on a future episode of Computer, Resume Podcast)