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The origins
of the Evil Dead lie in Raimi's university days. It was here that
Raimi and his filmmaking cohorts first made horror movies as opposed
to comedies and sowed the seeds that would lead to the movies financing
incentive - Within the Woods - and a few experimental movies made
with a few thousand dollars in dormitory bedrooms.
The 'MSUCF' or the Michigan State University
Society of Creative Filmmaking
was set up by Raimi and Robert Tapert whilst they were studying
together at Michigan State University. The MSUSCF was formed as
a creative outlet for their new independant films and also served
to distribute some o fthe old Raimi/Bruce Campbell collaborations
made during their high school days.
As
time passed the society grew to include new members such as amateur
effects artist Tom Sullivan, cinematographer Tim Philo and movie
fan/long time friend Scott Spiegel all of whom would come to play
their part during the 'The Evil Dead' process. They knew Spiegel
but who were the new guys: Sullivan was a self taught make-up effects
artist, Philo was an enterprising cinematographer. Spiegel was an
old friend of Bruce Campbell's and had been making short films in
various capacities along with the rest of the guys. Of course when
I say 'short movies' what I mean by that are amatuer 8mm movies
made with Kodak reel-to-reel cameras, common in the 60s and 70s.
The
films the MSUSCF started to make fresh were mostly comedic culminating
in the big budget flop 'It's Murder!': slapstick buffoning with
Nazi's and other crazy characters (don't ask). Other notable features
made included:
The
Happy Valley Kid (1977)
Story:
A student abused by his professors and dumped by his girlfriend
who goes mad a week before his final exmas
Cast:
Rob
Tapert (credited as 'Rip Tapert', ivan Raimi, Scott Spiegel,
Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Ruth Taubman, John Cameron, Pierre
LaBlanc, Josh Becker, John Kata.
Trivia
/ Production Notes:
-
Title role was to be played by Ivan Raimi but he said he was
too busy
- Made for $750, it made $1500 with on campus screenings
- Was announced as a future project by Renaissance pictures
after 'The Evil Dead'.
Stills
/ Images:
(Thumbnailed)
Raimi and Tapert
It's
Murder! (1978)
Story:
A
slapstick, murder mystery
Cast:
Sam
Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Richard Smith, Cheryl Gutteridge,
Bill Aaron, Matt Taylor, Tim Quill, John Cameron and Monty the
Bulldog
Trivia
/ Production Notes:
-
Sullivan drew up fliers to promote the film
- Film cost $2000..it bombed financially
- First collaboration between Raimi and f/x man Tom Sullivan
