Researches

 

The Army of Darkness Books - The search Story

 

My entire search has begun with an Army of Darkness scene. You can see the car luggage when Ash take some books, and I searched the names on the web for find these books. In the scene, you can clearly see 4 books: a Steam Plant Operation Book, a Fangoria Magazine, a DHP Comic Book and a Chemistry Book. I own now 3 of these books. I find the Steam Plant Operation Book on e-Bay. When I seen the cover illustration, I bid on it, and win the auction. The steam Plant Operation Book is the 5th Edition. I searched the web at the Fangoria website; browse the entire little images preview under 1992... And I find a Fangoria issue, with the title in red, on a white background, and (very important fact) a human face on the left side and a little yellow star on the other side. The issue is the #107, and the human face is Arnold Schwarzenegger from the Terminator 2 movie. The DHP is also difficult to find when you don't know what it is. DHP is an abbreviation for Dark Horse Present. I searched the web for find a website with full DHP cover, and I find a cover with the same character on it. This is the 5th Anniversary Edition, very rare issue now. I always search for that Chemistry 101 book, write by Bernard Garnell... I find the A Farewell to Arms book, but search for find the name of the other book in Evil Dead 2...

The Steam Plant Operation Book

[Main Title] Steam-Plant Operation.

[Edition] 5th ed.

[Type] Book.

[Authors] Woodruff, Everett B.; Lammers, Herbert B.; Lammers, Thomas F.

[Published] New York: McGraw-Hill, ©1984.

[Description] xiii, 621 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.

[Notes] Includes index.

[Subjects] Steam power plants.

[Hi-Quality Pictures] Click the pictures for enlarge it.


Why it's in the movie?
Ash uses the book for transform the Oldsmobile 1973 - Delta 88 in the "Deathcoaster" machine. In the movie, Ash opens the page 9, a map for a steam construction. The "Deathcoaster" is a steam vehicle.

The Fangoria #107

[Main Title] Fangoria.

[Issue] #107 - October 1991.

[Type] Magazine.

[Authors] Starlog Communication International, Inc.

[Published] New York: Starlog Communication International, Inc., ©1991.

[Description] 84 p. : ill. ; 27 cm.

[Notes] Includes index.

[Subjects] Horror Movies.

[Hi-Quality Pictures] Click the picture for enlarge it.


Why it's in the movie?
Fangoria is a great magazine on Sci-Fi and mainly on Horror movies. Fangoria have promoted the two first Evil Dead movies, and Sam Raimi made homage with the publication of this issue. Plus, the cover figure Freddy: villain from Nightmare on ELM Street (Directed by Wes Craven) for continued a long reference between the Sam Raimi and Wes Craven movies...

The DHP Comic Book

[Main Title] DHP Dark Horse Present.

[Issue] Fifth Anniversary Special - April 1991.

[Type] Comic Book.

[Authors] Collective.

[Published] Milwaukie: Dark Horse Comics, Inc., ©1991.

[Description] 116 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

[Subjects] Comic Books.

[Hi-Quality Pictures] Click the picture for enlarge it.


Why it's in the movie?
DHP is the official publisher for the Army of Darkness Comic Books (3 volumes). The movies made homage and publicity for that company. You can see the comic books covers in my collection section.

The Chemistry 101 Book - I still search this Book

[Main Title] Chemistry 101

[Edition] Unknown.

[Type] Book.

[Authors] Garnell, Bernard.

[Published] Unknown.

[Description] Unknown, probably 24 cm.

[Subjects] Chemistry.

[Hi-Quality Pictures] When I'll find the book.


Why it's in the movie?
Ash uses the book for make explosives.

Unknown Title - I still search this Book

[Main Title] Unknown. (??? ***ing Together Around the World ???)

[Edition] Unknown.

[Type] Book.

[Authors] Unknown.

[Published] Unknown.

[Description] Unknown, probably 24 cm.

[Subjects] Novel - Unknown.

[Hi-Quality Pictures] When I'll find the book.


Why it's in the movie?
Ash use the book for blocked the metallic container with his possessed hand.

A Farewell to Arms Book

[Main Title] A Farewell to Arms

[Edition] 1949 Edition.

[Collection] Modern Standard Authors

[Type] Book.

[Authors] Hemingway, Ernest.

[Published] New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1949.

[Description] xxxvii, 342, [1] p. ; 22 cm.

[Subjects] Novel - World War 1914-1918.

[Notes] The Evil Dead II Dust Cover is simply a Fake. If you look above the dust sleeve in the movie, you can read RENAISSANCE PICTURES. You can see the real Hard Cover under the fake Dust Cover: Black with a large White-Green band. The sole Edition with a similar Hard Cover colour is the 1949 Edition. And the Real Dust Cover is very similar to the Fake Evil Dead II Cover. The "Classic Authors" Collection in Evil Dead II resembles to the real collection title "Modern Standard Authors".

 

[Real Book Cover]

This picture shows the real dust cover of this book. The fake dust cover in Evil Dead II replaces this one. You'll see the little "Black & Green" Hard Cover under the dust covers and, thrust me; the 1949 Edition is the sole book with this kind of Hard Cover. I searched the entire web many times, and this book is surely the book used in Evil Dead II. The producers are simply changed the dust cover for not made any publicity, I think! Also, you can notice the comparison in the Cover design...

 

[Fake Book Cover]

I made a replica cover for this book. It look like the same used in the movie! On the bottom green line, you can read "Renaissance Picture" !!!


Why it's in the movie?
Ash use the book for blocked the metallic container with his possessed hand. The title is an humoristic farewell to the Ash's hand.

 

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Morsoth's Evil Dead Site is a personal Deadites Online member site, and is strictly a non-profit resource web site. All original Evil Dead images and logos are copyright of their respected companies: Evil Dead ©1982 Newline Cinema/Renaissance Pictures; Evil Dead 2 - Dead By Dawn ©1987 Renaissance Pictures; Army of Darkness ©1993 Universal Pictures [aka MCA/Universal Pictures] / Dino de Laurentiis.