Army of Darkness (1993) - Episode 38 - Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond

"Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my BOOMSTICK!" One of many unforgettable one liners that Ash (Bruce Campbell) spouts in Army of Darkness. The third in writer/director Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy is the cult favorite. For many, it's the first film in the franchise they saw. It gave us the most recurring pop culture variation on Ash as a character. The strapping hero with a quippy zinger and a chainsaw hand at the ready. Now, with Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 in full swing, it's only natural to take a look back at the film that makes many a fan scream "Hail to the King, Baby."

Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 38 – Army of Darkness (1993)

After the first Evil Dead was made for peanuts and Evil Dead II raised the production up to a modest low budget, Army of Darkness is a true studio blockbuster. Which is pretty odd considering the meager cult status of the first two. Yet, Universal and Dino De Laurentiis allowed Sam Raimi to go hog wild. And hog wild he did go. Pit demons, man eating books and an army of evil skeletons. All while having B movie sharp chin Campbell at the center. Between the surreal imagery and cartoonish slapstick, Army of Darkness is either your favorite of the trilogy or the one where it goes too far.

To debate this very topic, Thomas Mariani counts on the steel of Chad Hunt, Christopher G. Moore and Sam Brutuxan to break it down. Sam initially started with Army of Darkness and fell in love with the over the top comedy of the series. Christopher appreciated the darker roots of the original two and felt Army of Darkness went off the rails. Chad and Thomas just appreciate the weird Sam Raimi fly by the seat of your pants with the whole trilogy. The four ask the important questions about Army of Darkness. How did Ash get so buff within the span of a week in which the trilogy takes place? Does Ash vs Evil Dead carry on the legacy of the franchise well? Do skeletons have sex drives? All the answers are a click away!

We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans:  leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.

The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.

In The Mouth of Madness (1995)