Longtime fans know that Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead originally began its life as a short proof-of-concept film titled Within the Woods, but did you know that the 1981 horror classic was almost never titled The Evil Dead at all? Sam Raimi’s original title for the feature length version of Within the Woods was The Book of the Dead, and it wasn’t his decision to change it.
Raimi explains to Empire Magazine during a chat about new movie Evil Dead Rise, “The original title of the [original] movie was The Book of the Dead. But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob [Tapert], Bruce [Campbell] and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it 101% Dead, or Evil Dead.
Raimi explains to Empire Magazine during a chat about new movie Evil Dead Rise, “The original title of the [original] movie was The Book of the Dead. But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob [Tapert], Bruce [Campbell] and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it 101% Dead, or Evil Dead.
- 3/24/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Not only did The Evil Dead bring Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell into our lives, but it started an iconic horror franchise that’s still going strong. However, if Sam Raimi had his way, we wouldn’t have the Evil Dead franchise… we’d have The Book of the Dead franchise.
Sam Raimi recently spoke with Empire and revealed that he had a different title in mind for The Evil Dead. “The original title of the [original] movie was ‘The Book Of The Dead’,” Raimi recalled. “But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob, Bruce and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it ‘101% Dead’, or ‘Evil Dead’.” Raimi wasn’t a fan of either of those possible titles,...
Sam Raimi recently spoke with Empire and revealed that he had a different title in mind for The Evil Dead. “The original title of the [original] movie was ‘The Book Of The Dead’,” Raimi recalled. “But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob, Bruce and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it ‘101% Dead’, or ‘Evil Dead’.” Raimi wasn’t a fan of either of those possible titles,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Few horror franchises have the cultural staying power that the “Evil Dead” series has enjoyed, and even fewer are able to keep their original creators in the fold for this long. While Sam Raimi handed directing duties on the upcoming “Evil Dead Rise” over to Lee Cronin and Bruce Campbell is not starring as Ash, both men are continuing to oversee the franchise as executive producers.
The franchise has been able to survive four decades while spawning five feature films and three seasons of a TV show due in large part to the unique blend of horror and comedy that Raimi and Campbell introduced in 1981’s “The Evil Dead.” The campiness extends to the film’s nonsensically reductive title, which you’d be forgiven for thinking was a stroke of marketing genius on their part. But as it turns out, Raimi and Campbell originally had a different title in mind...
The franchise has been able to survive four decades while spawning five feature films and three seasons of a TV show due in large part to the unique blend of horror and comedy that Raimi and Campbell introduced in 1981’s “The Evil Dead.” The campiness extends to the film’s nonsensically reductive title, which you’d be forgiven for thinking was a stroke of marketing genius on their part. But as it turns out, Raimi and Campbell originally had a different title in mind...
- 3/18/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
"Evil Dead" is one of the most recognizable and straightforward titles in horror, conjuring up images of the sort of demonic reanimated corpses that do, indeed, fit the descriptor. There's nothing that quite blatantly advertises itself as a horror movie like smashing these two words together. However, director Sam Raimi wasn't initially fond of the title, and the only reason he relented and accepted the name was, like almost everything else in that original film, due to budgetary restraints.
There are few films that capture the same raw, DIY ethos of "The Evil Dead". Raimi filmed a short film called "Within the Woods" in 1978 with the hopes of raising money to turn his project into a feature-length film. With the help of producers and friends Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell, the latter of who also starred in "The Evil Dead," Raimi scraped up enough cash to make a movie. The...
There are few films that capture the same raw, DIY ethos of "The Evil Dead". Raimi filmed a short film called "Within the Woods" in 1978 with the hopes of raising money to turn his project into a feature-length film. With the help of producers and friends Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell, the latter of who also starred in "The Evil Dead," Raimi scraped up enough cash to make a movie. The...
- 3/17/2023
- by Andrew Housman
- Slash Film
When director Sam Raimi was creating the now-iconic horror film The Evil Dead in 1981, he had no idea how huge the franchise would grow to be — in fact, he didn’t even know the franchise would be called Evil Dead. As he revealed to Empire this week, film sales agent Irvin Shapiro came up with the title, and, at first, Raimi hated it.
“The original title of the [original] movie was The Book of the Dead,” Raimi said. “But Shapiro sat Rob [Tapert], Bruce [Campbell], and I down and said: ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. “Dead” can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it 101% Dead or Evil Dead.’”
Faced with those two options, Raimi went with what seemed like, well, the lesser of two evils. “’101% Dead?’ I thought,...
“The original title of the [original] movie was The Book of the Dead,” Raimi said. “But Shapiro sat Rob [Tapert], Bruce [Campbell], and I down and said: ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. “Dead” can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it 101% Dead or Evil Dead.’”
Faced with those two options, Raimi went with what seemed like, well, the lesser of two evils. “’101% Dead?’ I thought,...
- 3/16/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Film News
Sam Raimi Initially Hated The Title The Evil Dead: ‘How Can Something Be Evil And Dead?’ – Exclusive
These days, the combined power of the words ‘Evil’ and ‘Dead’ conjures up some of the most iconic, entertaining horror movies of all time – from Sam Raimi too. But if _The Evil Dead is the stuff of scary-movie legend these days, back in the day its creator was far from convinced by that title.
As he recounts to Empire in a major new joint interview with Cronin, Raimi initially had a different idea for the film’s name. “The original title of the [original] movie was ‘The Book Of The Dead’,” he recalls. “But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob, Bruce and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it ‘101% Dead’, or ‘Evil Dead’.’” Fair to say,...
As he recounts to Empire in a major new joint interview with Cronin, Raimi initially had a different idea for the film’s name. “The original title of the [original] movie was ‘The Book Of The Dead’,” he recalls. “But film-sales agent Irvin Shapiro sat Rob, Bruce and I down and said, ‘We’re changing the title, boys. Advertising space in the newspaper is paid for by the inch, kid. We’re not going to have a five-word title. ‘Dead’ can stay. You can have one other word. You can call it ‘101% Dead’, or ‘Evil Dead’.’” Fair to say,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
If you think two independent, ultra-gory, unrated horror movies getting a big(ger) budget third sequel made by a major Hollywood studio sounds unlikely, then let me remind you of a little movie called "Army of Darkness?" Strange but true — the follow-up to "The Evil Dead" and "Evil Dead 2" (subtitled "Dead By Dawn" if ya nasty) is a lightly-r-rated affair that sees hapless hero Ash (Bruce Campbell) thrust into a fantasized version of the Middle Ages, one that tones down the gushing blood and bodily dismemberment of the prior films before replacing them with rampaging skeletons and exploding catapults ... and it was made by Universal Pictures.
It's a sequel that is equal parts expensive as it is expansive, especially for a franchise that began as the quintessential "cabin in the woods" horror film. In addition to Universal footing the bills for the movie, they were also in charge of distributing and marketing it.
It's a sequel that is equal parts expensive as it is expansive, especially for a franchise that began as the quintessential "cabin in the woods" horror film. In addition to Universal footing the bills for the movie, they were also in charge of distributing and marketing it.
- 9/7/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
In the marketing for the notorious 1981 horror film "The Evil Dead," director Sam Raimi skewed happily away from modesty, describing his film as "The ultimate experience in grueling terror." As there would be two sequels, it proved to be the antepenultimate experience in grueling terror.
Given the size and power of the cult behind it, it seems almost churlish to put a film like "Evil Dead II" (called "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn" on the posters) into an introductory context. "Evil Dead II" remains one of the finest horror comedies cinema has yet offered, presenting extreme horror visuals with the slapstick timing of Buster Keaton or the Three Stooges. "Evil Dead II" has long been standard viewing for any ninth grade would-be horror fanatic, eager to chuckle at death, and persists at midnight screenings the world over.
Raimi and his crew famously made the "Evil Dead" movies on the cheap.
Given the size and power of the cult behind it, it seems almost churlish to put a film like "Evil Dead II" (called "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn" on the posters) into an introductory context. "Evil Dead II" remains one of the finest horror comedies cinema has yet offered, presenting extreme horror visuals with the slapstick timing of Buster Keaton or the Three Stooges. "Evil Dead II" has long been standard viewing for any ninth grade would-be horror fanatic, eager to chuckle at death, and persists at midnight screenings the world over.
Raimi and his crew famously made the "Evil Dead" movies on the cheap.
- 8/21/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Robbie Little, a familiar and well-loved figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, died en route to Cannes this May.
Robbie Little
Robbie Little’s Celebration of Life
will be held Saturday, June 30 at 2:30pm
at Ahrya Fine Arts Laemmle Theater
8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Robbie and his wife Ellen worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including Waking Ned Devine, The Secret of Roan Inish, Mrs. Dalloway and Before Night Falls.
Little executive produced Tsotsi, which won the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for South Africa.
He was the co-president of The Little Film Company, an worldwide film sales and marketing company that he founded with his wife of 44 years, Ellen. Little also executive-produced and sold the Leo Tolstoy drama The Last Station, The Eye of the Storm starring Charlotte Ramping and Geoffrey Rush, Scott Glenn vehicle The...
Robbie Little
Robbie Little’s Celebration of Life
will be held Saturday, June 30 at 2:30pm
at Ahrya Fine Arts Laemmle Theater
8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Robbie and his wife Ellen worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including Waking Ned Devine, The Secret of Roan Inish, Mrs. Dalloway and Before Night Falls.
Little executive produced Tsotsi, which won the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for South Africa.
He was the co-president of The Little Film Company, an worldwide film sales and marketing company that he founded with his wife of 44 years, Ellen. Little also executive-produced and sold the Leo Tolstoy drama The Last Station, The Eye of the Storm starring Charlotte Ramping and Geoffrey Rush, Scott Glenn vehicle The...
- 6/15/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Robbie Little, a familiar and well-loved figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, has died.
“Thank you, Sydney, for this loving tribute. You know, I remembered at some point that Robbie had called me around 1 am my time to say that he was up and getting ready to leave (and he sounded fine). So I realized he must have been awake and not asleep when he died so I e-mailed the police officer who found him and he confirmed to me that Robbie was on the floor and not in bed. It must have happened very fast because he didn’t have time to call for help. Love, Ellen”
Ellen Little became concerned when she had not heard from him four hours after he was to arrive in Cannes and called the hotel where he was staying in London. When they said he had checked out,...
“Thank you, Sydney, for this loving tribute. You know, I remembered at some point that Robbie had called me around 1 am my time to say that he was up and getting ready to leave (and he sounded fine). So I realized he must have been awake and not asleep when he died so I e-mailed the police officer who found him and he confirmed to me that Robbie was on the floor and not in bed. It must have happened very fast because he didn’t have time to call for help. Love, Ellen”
Ellen Little became concerned when she had not heard from him four hours after he was to arrive in Cannes and called the hotel where he was staying in London. When they said he had checked out,...
- 5/6/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Robbie Little, a British producer and familiar figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, has died.
Little had been traveling to the Cannes Film Festival from London when he died unexpectedly, according to Screen International.
He was working on the drama “Mrs Lowry & Son” with Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave, as well as on “The More You Ignore Me.”
Little, together with his wife, has worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including “Waking Ned Devine,” “The Secret of Roan Inish,” “Mrs. Dalloway” and “Before Night Falls.”
After moving from Italy to Los Angeles, he founded Overseas Film Group, and later First Look Media. As a founding member of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, he was active at the American Film Market since its beginning in the 1980s.
Together with his wife, Little was also a founding member of The Archive Council,...
Little had been traveling to the Cannes Film Festival from London when he died unexpectedly, according to Screen International.
He was working on the drama “Mrs Lowry & Son” with Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave, as well as on “The More You Ignore Me.”
Little, together with his wife, has worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including “Waking Ned Devine,” “The Secret of Roan Inish,” “Mrs. Dalloway” and “Before Night Falls.”
After moving from Italy to Los Angeles, he founded Overseas Film Group, and later First Look Media. As a founding member of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, he was active at the American Film Market since its beginning in the 1980s.
Together with his wife, Little was also a founding member of The Archive Council,...
- 5/5/2018
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend Cannes with Mrs Lowry & Son.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
- 5/5/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend Cannes.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Little...
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Little...
- 5/5/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.