The Unseen Force

Includes never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes photos of "The Evil Dead and "Evil Dead 2!. Following his highly successful book AN ASKEW VIEW: THE FILMS OF KEVIN SMITH (Applause), John Kenneth Muir how turns to the life and work of legendary cult-film director Sam Raimi. Raimi exploded on the movie scene in 1982, with the audacious, independently produced horror film "The Evil Dead. Re-igniting the horror genre Raimi went on to direct two "Evil Dead sequels, his own comic-book superhero, "Darkman, and an over-the-top, post-modern Western, "The Quick and the Dead. Raimi's influence continues to be seen in the "shaky cam" shots of the Coen brothers and the early work of "Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Muir follows Raimi to his work producing three television series, including "Xena: Warrior Princess, and his return to filmmaking. The critically acclaimed "A Simple Plan starring Billy Bob Thornton (1999) and 2000's well-received "The Gift starring Cate Blanchett reinforced the impression of a dark intellect at work. In 2002, Raimi's "Spider-Man had the biggest opening weekend in history, earning more than $114 million at the box office. "The Unseen Force also features a sneak peek at the much anticipated Summer 2004 release "Spider-Man 2. Included are 30 first-person accounts and interviews from a number of eclectic sources--from the cinematographers who shot Raimi's early films to the producers, screenwriters, actors, special effects magicians, and composers who collaborated to make his films the stuff of legend, earn mainstream success, and still be the focus of obsessive cult followings.

"Muir, author of Horror Films of the 1970s, admires and enjoys Raimi's highly praised work. Examining Raimi's oeuvre, from the cult classic low-budget horror film The Evil Dead (1981) through the mega-hit Spider-Man (2002), he offers lively, behind-the-scenes accounts via interviews with many of Raimi's collaborators. For example, he divulges the trade secrets of Tom Sullivan, the man responsible for the special effects in The Evil Dead, which illustrate the resourcefulness Raimi inspires in his colleagues. Although famous for violent and unnerving films like 1990's Darkman, the director exudes a calm presence, noted for dressing in a suit and tie to indicate his respect for the craft of filmmaking. Even while exploring new terrain, such as the neo-Western The Quick and the Dead (1995) or 1999's baseball/romance film For Love of the Game, Raimi maintains a strong visual and emotional landscape. In Spider-Man, Muir says, he found the perfect vehicle to marry his love of comic books, his visual talents and his sensitivity, producing the most successful film of the genre. Muir shows how signature flourishes (e.g., his 'Point of View subjective shot') pop up in Raimi's fledgling works yet still thrill when used in Spider-Man. If there is a downside to the nonconformist director, Muir has yet to find it. B&w photos. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Raimi is part of a generation of directors whose works reflect their love of classic horror films and comic books. The author of such books as Horror Films of the 1970s (MacFarland, 2002) discusses Raimi's influences, mastery of special effects, and behind- the-scenes accounts of films from The Evil Dead (1982) to Spider-Man 2 (2004). Muir includes production photos (some newly published), a Raimi filmography and movie-making lexicon.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Following his highly successful "An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith," Muir turns to the life and work of legendary cult-film director Sam Raimi. Included are 30 first-person accounts and interviews from eclectic sources, and a sneak peak at Spider-Man 2.