Sam Raimi on UK TV show Central Weekend ( '87? ) Part 1

Sam Raimi defends horror movies against pompous politicians who haven't even seen his films. I think this was just before Evil Dead II was released.

[@theadmiral3570]

Raimi comes across extremely well here - his film is being attacked throughout, yet he remains calm and collected whilst still putting up a successful argument for his work. Respect.

[@andrewdate4955]

I love that Raimi just keeps grinning every time they mention one of his scenes. What a fun guy.

[@billykiyay]

I love the fact after years of psychological research there is no evidence to suggest violence in films and video games promote violence, Sam Rami is a legend and changed the face of horror and film in general. The Evil Dead franchise is up there with my all time favourites. Well done Sam 👏

[@horrorfanandy4647]

Precisely. Sam remained calm and polite throughout the discussion, whilst these twats behaved with an extraordinary level of disrespect, laughing at him and mocking him and generally trying to belittle him, especially Jamie Bogle at the front, who gave off the classic “I’m superior to this peasant” vibe that we all so loath, he couldn’t provide a single source to his claims, and whilst Raimi didn’t either, he actually asked for evidence to the contrary of his argument, showing he was here for an open discussion, whereas Bogle was just here to look morally superior. The guy didn’t even watch the whole fucking film and he instantly formed his opinion, and if that doesn’t tell you to ignore him, then I don’t know what will. The audience even took it to the point of baseless accusations against Sam. Utterly pathetic.

[@m1lst3r89]

Well, not really. Watching these stuff can cause mental damage.

[@RyanDelahunt]

Sam Raimi is such a champ for putting up with all this, being compared to fucking GOEBBELS sickens me. He's a really sensitive guy, and he takes a lot of criticism to heart, he avoids the internet to this day from the backlash of Spider-Man 3 and all the negativity he recieved. He's such a class act and seems like a genuinely lovely guy. I have nothing but the deepest respect and admiration for this man

[@BikiniDeathSquad]

In the U.S. Sam Raimi is a well-respected genre filmmaker but on this show they thought he was just some pervert haha.

[@nectarinedreams7208]

On the other hand, the UK was largely responsible for the success of the Evil Dead series. It was much more popular and acclaimed in the UK and Europe than in the US. TV conservatives are not exclusive to the UK.

[@SofaPop.]

Gosh I love Sam. He’s so sweet and soft spoken, yet his favourite pass time is beating the shit out of Bruce Campbell specifically. 10/10 man

[@heatrayzvideo3007]

Evil Dead Rules, the naysayers suck. Raimi was calm and clever and nice about the whole thing, a better man than me in many ways.

[@strawlaneproductions]

This makes me ashamed to be british.

[@EvanCops]

Never be ashamed to be British. YOU arent the one causing this shit

[@kildogery]

It makes me ashamed to be from the 80s.

[@kildogery]

A lot of the folk in the audience were cool. It was just the Tory twats wetting themselves.

[@kildogery]

@Sean Gorson hard drive check is required. Unless he's already killed himself in an autoerotic asphyxiation accident.

[@nathanisaksson7750]

Don’t worry, there was a lot of this stuff going on around the world. It’s not UK exclusive.

[@alexnewman5338]

I wish Sam Raimi had just said, "I made a horror film where incredibly terrible things happened. One of those things was a woman getting raped by a possessed tree. It really was one of the most terrible things I could come up with for my HORROR FILM."

[@keithlarsen7557]

He was under 30 at the time, and only had 3 movies under his belt, one of which bombed super hard (but is actually good).

[@ArsMcArs]

that one guy who compared raimi with goebbels... omg

[@frogambassador]

Arse Basterd that was ridiculous

[@Reticence9zen924]

I don't want to get into playing the whole antisemitism card and debate or Goodwin's Law, but Raimi is Jewish so it's kind of odd to equate a Jewish person with a raving antisemite.

[@frenchcoupon3391]

He looks like a Romulan

[@winstonmarlowe5254]

@@Reticence9zen924 Conservatives have a lot of audacity.

[@humbleopinion1499]

In his defense, he said the film had the same charm as a speech by Goebbels. So he wasn’t making a personal comparison of Sam to Goebbels.

[@TheSMLIFfilms]

There are few things I detest more that censorship

[@Fedaykin8]

I am a case study for what this anti-horror guy is talking about, that flies in the face of his narrative. I grew up on horror movies from a very young age. I loved the gore effects and basically my room looked like Tommy Jarvis from F13 Part 4 or Mark Petrie from Salem's Lot... but spoiler alert; Even after 40 plus years of being exposed to fantasy violence in media I still am disgusted, horrified and sad when I see REAL violence and the effects of violence on real people. I haven't been desensitized to it. Anecdotal? Sure, but I see the same or similar stories from everyone I've ever seen or met that is into horror, especially now that it's so much easier for communities to come together on the internet. I don't believe for a second that, under proper, ongoing adult supervision, a child would be effected negatively by watching fantasy violence.

[@j.b.9260]

And then he gets employed by Disney 25 years later.

[@paulelroy6650]

Disney are a millions times worse than raimi

[@BackyardPix]

Remember seeing the first Evil Dead when I was about five years old. And even at that age I knew that I wanted to become a filmmaker.

[@drhoobad]

When I first watched Evil Dead when I was 11, I was deeply moved by it. I thought it was poignant and sadly tragic.

[@clince-rx2be]

evil dead is one helluva movie.nobody makes such movie today

[@realmediummike]

The original Evil Dead is a masterpiece.

[@amirvanberghe213]

Evil dead is my favourite horror film. In fact this was the UK which caused to succeed this film. Sam Raimi is one of the biggest directors around the world .But remember “being British is a big pride. If the UK didn’t exist, many of the countries weren’t breathing.

[@heycraig]

this was great. sam is the man. interesting to hear his regrets about the tree scene. makes sense why evil dead 2 didn't rehash it.

[@andrewpittkoq1a638]

"When you're sitting in your own drawing room..." What a ponce.

[@metalthrashingmatt]

They'd all shit there pants if they saw "the human centipede 2" back then!!

[@PlaidRocker32]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[@BackyardPix]

That's such a lame film compared to the really sick shit from the 70's and 80's, though.

[@jwnj9716]

Or a Tarantino movie.

[@windyhead7960]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974 dwarves any horror movie.

[@joewhitfield5561]

"Possibly the best horror movie I've ever seen"

[@humbleopinion1499]

Those who are fans of Evil Dead and Sam Raimii should search Incredibly Strange Picture Show, where a younger Sam Ramii talks extensively about the idea, production and success of Evil Dead. I used that interview in English lessons overseas, firstly because he speaks very clearly, he speaks articulately, he answers the questions directly with simple language and above all else it’s an amazing story of determination and perseverance. I think I would have given up long before he did. It’s a great interview and an inspiring story.

[@hailtothechin955]

The irony of a guy, who has obviously modelled his look on a Nazi, comparing Evil Dead to Nazis propaganda, while stating that a select few should decide what people can watch, ie Fascism, lol

[@callycap3]

Come on mate, the guy is just wearing a suit. He's a dick but he's not dressed like a Nazi, unless you think everyone wearing a suit is modelling themselves on Nazis.

[@Cybopath]

@@callycap3 Has a very hitler hairstyle.

[@Reticence9zen924]

His hairstyle is similar to Hitler, however, most men in the early to mid 20th century had a side-parted short hair cut. Funnily enough, his haircut makes me think of Alan Turing, whose life and work in WW2 was the antithesis of Hitler and Nazism.

[@kevincooper1982]

That guy with the parting looks like comedian Jimmy Carr 😆

[@Amalekites]

So this guy thinks that no kid ever has snuck into the cinema and watched a horror movie? XD

[@philip2404]

not only that, he thinks no kid watches horror movies ... well no uncool kid would ever want to do that ... but cool kids will do it anyway ... I never heard something more dumb and false than this influence shit ... evil people are not influenced by movies or whatever ... they are either evil or influenced by evil people ...

[@shotshotshot]

Sam looks adorable here, I wanna give him a hug

[@GlennTooGrim]

Sam Raimi is the king and evil dead was what got me into horror. Thank god the audience for the most part stuck up for it

[@MrBlueinkproductions]

after watching this, i watched evil dead IN MY HOME!!!!!!

[@nai3346]

12:35 I agree with this guy that sometimes censorship is necessary, like someone should have censored his eyebrows.

[@christuffer]

Not heard the phrase 'video nastie' for a long time. A long time.

[@alexnewman5338]

I always feel super patriotic after I watch these videos. Sam Raimi is fuckin great.

[@egapnala65]

Gerald Howarth made a career out of arms dealing. He doesn't mind actual mutilations.

[@c4darkmane305]

i would love to force to this man to watch horror films every day for the rest of his life

[@kildogery]

Three cheers for Sam Raimi.

[@crustaceo5909]

i just wish Bruce Campbell was also there. Calling them phonies and saying that they're full of shit >D

[@kildogery]

This is an amazing time capsule. I wonder if he knew what he was letting himself in for.

[@senatikaijuandmore]

Imagine if they saw today's movies back then

[@ellie-kc4kj]

I feel bad for Raimi. He has no backup here, and it's obvious he's introverted and probably struggles with social anxiety. I don't know why he has to defend everything that happens in a low budget horror film.

[@pgsmith22]

ED2 remains one of my faves; the first 'video nasty' i ever blagged. :)

[@illoftsantaflavia7157]

How much I want to have subtitles for this interesting conversation.

[@AdrianMendoza23]

Poor Sam.

[@saragold6763]

Good for sam to stand up for himself, i got your back!

[@zaroffhound]

"...but when you see it quietly...just myself watching it..." He suggests that somehow most of us become depraved loons yet this upstanding citizen is merely made queasy. Ash, show this gentleman the door...

[@SockMonkey007]

I give him credit because I wouldn't handle being attacked as well as he is.

[@cfcolly]

gratuitous violence is by definition unnecessary. if he hasnt seen the film, how can he possibly know weather its necessary if he hasn't seen it

[@patriot6067]

I just realized Sam Raimi looks like a cross between David Lynch & Tarantino .

[@briansmith2163]

Up next, we discuss Life of Brian !

[@alexnewman5338]

11:37 is homeboy upset that production values got better?

[@Turok1134]

8:20 Jeff Foxworthy makes very compelling points.

[@bltvd]

I am sorry it took a year for someone to like this post. You people suck!

[@MeritlessMemes]

6:30 this guy nailed it

[@astrogames4496]

Evil Dead is my favourite film. It stands out from all the other splatter films as it’s made by a true artist. I saw it at a young age. Younger than I should have. It wasn’t the gore that scared me. It was the idea people could be possessed by evil spirits. That scene when they play cards has haunted me for years.

[@joeabernathy5402]

I am a huge fan of Sam's work, but he denies Cheryl was raped then 30 years later in Ash vs Evil Dead: "You died after you got branch banged by a demon tree 30 years ago."

[@simonmcnamee619]

Yeah, it was consensual.

[@decibelfilm]

I can't totally dismiss this guy's criticisms regarding releasing these movies on home video. I've never watched a horror movie in a drawing room, so I couldn't comment on the effect that might have on me.

[@tobyb1018]

Mate, if these can get into the hands of children once they’re in someone’s home, that’s the parents responsibility, the same parent that can make their own choice about what they want to see-

[@keithlarsen7557]

If I was Sam Raimi, I'd show up dressed like Bandit Keith, and argue on the side of the censor, saying Brits can't handle violence, or winning wars by themselves.

[@HappyCynic]

Apart from every war we've won on our own.

[@GilbertSyndrome]

Well Sam didn't say that because he's not an imbecile.

[@dantemedici8179]

The interviewer must be cringing himself inside out looking back at this

[@TheDeaditeSlayer]

Are you fucking kidding me? I was going UUGGH through this entire thing! They're slamming The Evil Dead and slamming Evil Dead II before it's even out and tons of slashers have come out before it and lots of them don't get jack shit. God that man didn't even let Sam talk near the end! Poor Sam indeed.

[@leviwashere1362]

Wait till they hear about streaming…

[@ZoneHorror.]

I'm very aware of a film called THE EVIL DEAD. In fact its my favourite film of all time. But "EVIL DEAD 1" hmm.... 🤔 Can't say I've heard of that film.

[@hailtothechin955]

Yes and as we know, well from the information we have managed to salvage from the decay, VHS tapes caused to the end of civilisation!

[@alanescareno9748]

Sam Raimi Looked like he was going to lose his cool. 14:03 Besides that man who said all that nonsense doesn’t understand.

[@XxXxXBuffyXxXxX]

Codswallop. You'd think Sam was eating raw babies.

[@childlogiclabs2]

WOW watching this in 2018!

[@PDHulme61]

Nice one Sam ! ***

[@Curttehmurt]

7:05 Godwin's Law, jesus fuck

[@leothelion19]

poor sam

[@tobyb1018]

I like horror but not a fan of gore movies or exploitation movies… but I know people who like , and deliberately seek out, the most “fucked up” the most extreme, explicit films they can see…and not one of them if violent, not one of them owns a gun or any weapons, not one of them has ever been convicted of assaulting or hurting or torturing or raping anyone…they’re just normal people with extreme tastes, family men with sweet kids, softies with Michael myers tattoos…

[@orwellianson]

It's also worth mentioning it's up to the individual mind to act upon brash and sometimes needles impulses... It's absolutely absurd to insist that movies and media influence violence and not the individuals commit such heinous acts. The fictional is just that, it is fictional, it is the irrational formulated by the individual that commits not the rational. Simple.

[@FairbrotherStudios]

Cor, I'd love to be the one to tell these scallywags about Netflix...

[@alexnewman5338]

I just realized I had commented on this video before. It truly is one of the most stupid censorship apology videos I've ever seen however.

[@Q498Blue]

Look at this dude in the blue suit shamelessly pandering to the crowd

[@alexnewman5338]

What????

[@sagepeach]

wow, I didn't know romuluns are so conservative

[@Omnicient.]

This interviewer thinks trees can rape?!

[@drewlovelyhell4892]

I don't know if there's danger of young children watching horror movies. If it's too scary for them, they'll stop watching. But I suppose when he says "children" he's refering to adolescents/teenagers. I think what it comes down to is parental irresponsibilty. They should keep any dangerous material (chemicals, firearms, pornography) hidden and out of reach, but it's not the government's job to police parental behaviour. Unfortunately there will always be shitty parents and society just has to cope with their shitty kids. The only alternative is to require people to earn a license to procreate, (which I'm all for - child-rearing is supremely important, and we'll allow any perverted, alcoholic psycho to do it), but that'd be an extremely intrusive piece of legislation.

[@iamhelloway]

I glad they re introduced tree rape scene in remake . More vurnable characters, less plot armor the better .. I mean .. if there is monster without taboos, why should it stop doing it ? it becomes less believable cause it goes out of character . Sure tree could just hang someone or put something in the mouth of character instead but It depends on creators vision which should be respected

[@bastardtubeuser]

its amazing how far the horror gimmick has came, the fans take it very seriously,

[@GilbertSyndrome]

And so do the detractors.

[@iamhelloway]

I started to watch horror movies since I was 4 and im kinda ok, especially if horror movie is not as realistic and is more artsy or scifi . Bigger problem tho I would say is porn which can reach younger audience , why dont they make bigger regulations on it ? I mean question are you 18 .. once u press no, u learn to press another button just to enter . No one does nothing about it, content is also constantly pirated . Why dont they put more regulations google to make sure you are 18 ? like adding your billing account ? .. and its also toxic for adults .. same as photoshoped image of celebrities, the looks in the ads , social media giving you info full of crap same as tiktok which is just cancer which easily burnsatleast 1 hours per day. Instead without information noise without porn and overuse of alhohol you could research something , do more hobies, sports or some good work influencing your future... Its just sad ..

[@JamesFenczik]

Everything on earth should be G rated. Otherwise a kid or small minded religious fellow might accidentally encounter it lol

[@creation5284]

bruh

[@jamesesposito37]

Trees cant rape

[@dorbid]

Tories are always gonna Tory

[@GilbertSyndrome]

Everything we do is gratuitous. This talk of gratuitous sex or violence is nothing more than cheap propaganda for things that frighten our pretend moral compass.

[@mbowman1264]

Sam Raimi in 2022: 'Man, it's great being one of the most famous directors in the world. I wonder how those English idiots are doing.'

[@ScarletWitchJakarta]

Banning guns is what causes increased crime. Violent crime is much higher per 100k people in England than the US.

[@GilbertSyndrome]

Seek help. 👍

[@winstonmarlowe5254]

@@GilbertSyndrome Damn, that is one hell of a rebuttal.

[@GilbertSyndrome]

@@winstonmarlowe5254 When you have obviously nonsensical facts like he does, pulling out intelligent rebuttals is akin to blowing up spiders in your bedroom with C4, so what I offered was sage advice, kemosabe.

[@winstonmarlowe5254]

@@GilbertSyndrome You should probably leave analogies to those who know how to use them ;)

[@GilbertSyndrome]

@@winstonmarlowe5254 I'm pretty sure what I made was a correct analogy, lol. Maybe your comprehension is a bit off, which wouldn't surprise me considering the fact that you don't seem to see any hilarious issue with the OP's ridiculous statement.