What do you think?
Rate this book
If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor
Most Hollywood biographies are little more than 500-page musings on the 'when-I-met...' theme, filled with famous names, love affairs and cliches of a 'meteoric rise' or 'tragic fall'. Bruce Campbell's If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor is the boisterous antidote to such convention.
Campbell is the ultimate ‘B’ Movie actor. Star of the cult Evil Dead trilogy, with a CV that ranges from buddy Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, through The X-Files and Xena: Warrior Princess, to the less-than-glamorous Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, you’ve probably never heard of him. But his is one heck of a story!
The popularity of Bruce, the cult hero of cable TV and Hollywood’s second rung, is burning brighter than ever, his legion of fans undiminished after over thirty years. Insightful, encouraging and brilliantly funny, If Chins Could Kill! is a brilliant place to start for those unfamiliar with his work. For everyone else, it acts as a wonderful reminder for just why they fell in love with him in the first place.
Campbell is the ultimate ‘B’ Movie actor. Star of the cult Evil Dead trilogy, with a CV that ranges from buddy Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, through The X-Files and Xena: Warrior Princess, to the less-than-glamorous Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, you’ve probably never heard of him. But his is one heck of a story!
The popularity of Bruce, the cult hero of cable TV and Hollywood’s second rung, is burning brighter than ever, his legion of fans undiminished after over thirty years. Insightful, encouraging and brilliantly funny, If Chins Could Kill! is a brilliant place to start for those unfamiliar with his work. For everyone else, it acts as a wonderful reminder for just why they fell in love with him in the first place.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2001
329 people are currently reading
12104 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Campbell
157 books750 followersBruce Lorne Campbell is an American actor, producer, writer and director. He is best known for his starring role as Ash in the Evil Dead trilogy of horror/slapstick movies, and has since become a B-movie icon.
His acting style is an "over-the-top" machismo that lends itself well to roles such as that of Ash Williams, whom Campbell himself has dubbed "an idiot and a jerk like the rest of us". This style is parodied in the film The Majestic where Campbell appears as Roland the Intrepid Explorer in the B movie Sand Pirates of the Sahara, written by Jim Carrey's screenwriter character. Campbell also excels at "reverse acting", a frequent filming technique of Sam Raimi's where action sequences are filmed in reverse of how they will appear in the film. Campbell offers advice about getting into the film industry on his website.
Campbell is well-known for his trademark sense of humor, which he often couples with deadpan (and somewhat sarcastic) comic delivery.
His acting style is an "over-the-top" machismo that lends itself well to roles such as that of Ash Williams, whom Campbell himself has dubbed "an idiot and a jerk like the rest of us". This style is parodied in the film The Majestic where Campbell appears as Roland the Intrepid Explorer in the B movie Sand Pirates of the Sahara, written by Jim Carrey's screenwriter character. Campbell also excels at "reverse acting", a frequent filming technique of Sam Raimi's where action sequences are filmed in reverse of how they will appear in the film. Campbell offers advice about getting into the film industry on his website.
Campbell is well-known for his trademark sense of humor, which he often couples with deadpan (and somewhat sarcastic) comic delivery.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 995 reviews
November 20, 2023
This book is refreshing in many, many ways--how to count them? For one, it is refreshing to see ample proof of the rumors that Bruce Campbell is a friendly and considerate man--how pleasant it is to see an autobiography of someone in the movie biz who seems as concerned about the crew and those he has worked with as with relating the story of his own climb. Campbell shows a real fascination for the process of filming stories as with his own stardom. A lot of time in this book is spent on the making of the first _Evil Dead_, and with good reason, since this was his gateway into the celebrity he has achieved, but it seems that the making of some other movies gets rushed through a little bit--but this is merely personal preference. Had I my druthers, I would have signed Campbell to a three-volume deal, but it's clear that Campbell is not taking the stance of a bigwig gracing the little people with details into his personal life, and that's another refreshing item about this book, in that it is full of warm self-deprecation and even a little bit of amazement at where he has come to. From the blurbs on the back of the book, it will become apparent that Campbell has a good sense of his fanbase and wants to communicate with both the avid reader and the not-so avid.
It is also refreshing to hear how Campbell aspires towards serious acting as well as appreciating the fun of doing _Hercules_, because it shows how Campbell has branched out into his own style of actor. Rather than be easily categorized into A or B, Campbell has spawned a brand new creature, a whole new blood type of actor: AB+. His role as Elvis in _Bubba Ho-Tep_ is probably the best example of this: the movie is of course quite a lark and laugh--an aged Elvis pairs with a delusional black JFK to combat a cowboy-hat-sporting mummy who has been sucking out old people's through their anuses (ani?)--but there are also some tender moments with the King and his desire to redeem himself and his legacy.
Campbell has achieved the status of being an actor who may be mostly known for B-grade movies, but conveys himself in this book to have a more than A-grade wit and personality, and this is hands-down the best autobiography of a star I have ever read. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been able to finish any star's autobiography, simply because of the smarm and conceit that laces the pages, and my simple nauseating ethics that keep making me wonder if this person really NEEDS me to contribute another dozen bucks or so to his or her estate.
But Campbell has earned my money, and I read this book with great pleasure. Were I to pursue acting, I would want a career like Campbell's, though I would hope that some tips in the book would get me past some of the bumps in the road...but maybe the bumps in the road were things that helped Campbell keep his ego in check and helped him to be the wise and compassionate man that he is.
Don't cheat Bruce--BUY THIS BOOK. Forget signing it out from the library--own your own, and be comforted that you're giving your money to someone who deserves it.
It is also refreshing to hear how Campbell aspires towards serious acting as well as appreciating the fun of doing _Hercules_, because it shows how Campbell has branched out into his own style of actor. Rather than be easily categorized into A or B, Campbell has spawned a brand new creature, a whole new blood type of actor: AB+. His role as Elvis in _Bubba Ho-Tep_ is probably the best example of this: the movie is of course quite a lark and laugh--an aged Elvis pairs with a delusional black JFK to combat a cowboy-hat-sporting mummy who has been sucking out old people's through their anuses (ani?)--but there are also some tender moments with the King and his desire to redeem himself and his legacy.
Campbell has achieved the status of being an actor who may be mostly known for B-grade movies, but conveys himself in this book to have a more than A-grade wit and personality, and this is hands-down the best autobiography of a star I have ever read. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been able to finish any star's autobiography, simply because of the smarm and conceit that laces the pages, and my simple nauseating ethics that keep making me wonder if this person really NEEDS me to contribute another dozen bucks or so to his or her estate.
But Campbell has earned my money, and I read this book with great pleasure. Were I to pursue acting, I would want a career like Campbell's, though I would hope that some tips in the book would get me past some of the bumps in the road...but maybe the bumps in the road were things that helped Campbell keep his ego in check and helped him to be the wise and compassionate man that he is.
Don't cheat Bruce--BUY THIS BOOK. Forget signing it out from the library--own your own, and be comforted that you're giving your money to someone who deserves it.
November 16, 2015
I like the Evil Dead movies, and the campy humor of Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness are my favorites. I really liked The Adventures of Brisco County Jr when I was younger, too. I don't know why, really, except that it was on TV and stuff. I don't remember much about it except the title. Whatever, I liked it.
Bruce Campbell is like Stephen King in that the thing that he's best known and most loved for happened super early in his career. King has The Shining and The Stand, his two big hits, and Bruce Campbell has the Evil Dead franchise and Brisco County Jr.
But other than those things, I probably couldn't have named one other thing that Bruce Campbell was in. But looking at his IMDB page, it's like a mile long. Go figure. He's been in everything! Or close to it. And he talks about much of it in this book.
I couldn't really rate this 5 stars though, because there were some parts of it that I was just like "Ehhh, ok then" about - like a lot of the stuff about his childhood with his brothers, which was funny at times, but didn't really interest me much. I wanted to know about his work, not how many toy soldiers he mutilated.
But man, the work stuff was good, especially about the start of his career and Evil Dead. So fascinating. I really enjoyed it.
Anyway, pretty good book. Bruce is charming and relateable and funny, and I loved how he started each section with fan or hate mail. Ya can't please 'em all! :D
Bruce Campbell is like Stephen King in that the thing that he's best known and most loved for happened super early in his career. King has The Shining and The Stand, his two big hits, and Bruce Campbell has the Evil Dead franchise and Brisco County Jr.
But other than those things, I probably couldn't have named one other thing that Bruce Campbell was in. But looking at his IMDB page, it's like a mile long. Go figure. He's been in everything! Or close to it. And he talks about much of it in this book.
I couldn't really rate this 5 stars though, because there were some parts of it that I was just like "Ehhh, ok then" about - like a lot of the stuff about his childhood with his brothers, which was funny at times, but didn't really interest me much. I wanted to know about his work, not how many toy soldiers he mutilated.
But man, the work stuff was good, especially about the start of his career and Evil Dead. So fascinating. I really enjoyed it.
Anyway, pretty good book. Bruce is charming and relateable and funny, and I loved how he started each section with fan or hate mail. Ya can't please 'em all! :D
April 14, 2024
An entertaining and insightful memoir.
October 22, 2014
I finally got all the Quarry books & was dying to read them, so why did I read this instead? Am I a FAN? A Deadite? Yeah, sort of. I've loved the Evil Dead movies since... well, a really long time, and I've liked Bruce Campbell's acting. He doesn't seem to take himself too seriously & his on-screen sense of humor seems to mesh well with mine. After reading this book, I understand why.
Let me qualify this by saying I'm not much for following actors or famous people. When I heard Mel Gibson got a DUI, I shrugged & flipped the channel. I've seen plenty of drunks go back out & that saddens me, but I really don't care about his personal life - it's none of my business. It's not like he's a friend or anything. I watch his movies for entertainment - nothing else.
If you like the typical glitzy Hollywood story, this isn't for you. Campbell writes, "St. Martin's Press, in their wisdom/foolishness decided to give me a shot on this tale of Hollywood's unrecognized lower middle class." He succeeded in showing that to me. From the importance of the guy that cleans up the lot to all the techs & extras. I was also surprised by the breadth of his experience & the number of roles he has had. Very cool.
I was quite surprised by some of the things he was subjected to, often because his boyhood friend, Sam Raimi (Spiderman director) was delighting in torturing him while in the throes of yet another artistic vision & short on cash. I can't wait to watch the ED trilogy again with the knowledge that this book imparted. It was a neat glimpse into Raimi's early career, too. Great directors & actors don't spring out of the earth, but work their tails off & are gambling the whole way. It gives me a new respect for them. Self-employment is scary enough. To do it in the face of the whimsical executives of Hollywood is down right terrifying. To have a sense of humor about it is just fantastic. Campbell has both my thanks for all the entertainment he's provided me & my respect for having the courage to make a decent living in this weird industry.
Check him out at
http://www.bruce-campbell.com/
Let me qualify this by saying I'm not much for following actors or famous people. When I heard Mel Gibson got a DUI, I shrugged & flipped the channel. I've seen plenty of drunks go back out & that saddens me, but I really don't care about his personal life - it's none of my business. It's not like he's a friend or anything. I watch his movies for entertainment - nothing else.
If you like the typical glitzy Hollywood story, this isn't for you. Campbell writes, "St. Martin's Press, in their wisdom/foolishness decided to give me a shot on this tale of Hollywood's unrecognized lower middle class." He succeeded in showing that to me. From the importance of the guy that cleans up the lot to all the techs & extras. I was also surprised by the breadth of his experience & the number of roles he has had. Very cool.
I was quite surprised by some of the things he was subjected to, often because his boyhood friend, Sam Raimi (Spiderman director) was delighting in torturing him while in the throes of yet another artistic vision & short on cash. I can't wait to watch the ED trilogy again with the knowledge that this book imparted. It was a neat glimpse into Raimi's early career, too. Great directors & actors don't spring out of the earth, but work their tails off & are gambling the whole way. It gives me a new respect for them. Self-employment is scary enough. To do it in the face of the whimsical executives of Hollywood is down right terrifying. To have a sense of humor about it is just fantastic. Campbell has both my thanks for all the entertainment he's provided me & my respect for having the courage to make a decent living in this weird industry.
Check him out at
http://www.bruce-campbell.com/
November 6, 2015
This is a good book. It's a "pre-Burn Notice" "memoir" from Bruce Campbell (the only person to ever "almost" convince me to try Old Spice). I'm not big on "showbiz", movie-star, "my climb to fame" or "my crash from fame" books. That's not what this is. It's just what Campbell says it is, the story of a "work-a-day actor"...and it includes a lot of laughs.
I think I was sold on this book early on as I could identify with a lot of the "childhood" stories BC related here. (When I was a kid the "green army-men" were made of a different plastic than they are today. In fielding "realistic battles" it was at times necessary to use actual fire...in secret of course as parents didn't seem to understand the need and felt playing with matches [the ones you'd sneaked out of that drawer in the kitchen you weren't supposed to get into] was "dangerous". Silly huh? Anyway, Campbell mentions the great zzzllliiippp noise that the burning plastic made as it dripped... Oh and the way if leaves a lasting impression when the burning plastic lands on, and sticks to skin. [I almost burned our barn down once while fielding a battle. Happily I managed to "stomp the flames out before they got much more than a foot...or two high. Other than the smell of smoke which I allowed to "air out" of my clothes before I went back inside later in the evening I was barely singed and my parents never knew about the "near disaster". Childhood ain't what it used to be.]) I'm apparently about the same age as Campbell's oldest brother. Like him I was (and really I suppose still am) a Man From U.N.C.L.E. fan, like BC I liked the TV show Combat...I adventured outside with fireworks, sharp objects, personal building projects and other assorted life and limb risking projects.
While not a big fan of many of his films (I was never really a Deadite) I do like others and find his take here interesting, readable and often humorous. Pretty good read.
Oh, I almost forgot...
Groovy.
I think I was sold on this book early on as I could identify with a lot of the "childhood" stories BC related here. (When I was a kid the "green army-men" were made of a different plastic than they are today. In fielding "realistic battles" it was at times necessary to use actual fire...in secret of course as parents didn't seem to understand the need and felt playing with matches [the ones you'd sneaked out of that drawer in the kitchen you weren't supposed to get into] was "dangerous". Silly huh? Anyway, Campbell mentions the great zzzllliiippp noise that the burning plastic made as it dripped... Oh and the way if leaves a lasting impression when the burning plastic lands on, and sticks to skin. [I almost burned our barn down once while fielding a battle. Happily I managed to "stomp the flames out before they got much more than a foot...or two high. Other than the smell of smoke which I allowed to "air out" of my clothes before I went back inside later in the evening I was barely singed and my parents never knew about the "near disaster". Childhood ain't what it used to be.]) I'm apparently about the same age as Campbell's oldest brother. Like him I was (and really I suppose still am) a Man From U.N.C.L.E. fan, like BC I liked the TV show Combat...I adventured outside with fireworks, sharp objects, personal building projects and other assorted life and limb risking projects.
While not a big fan of many of his films (I was never really a Deadite) I do like others and find his take here interesting, readable and often humorous. Pretty good read.
Oh, I almost forgot...
Groovy.
April 30, 2016
This is a review of the audiobook version - The King of the Bs takes a breezey, light-hearted trip down memory lane. Anecdote rich and often funny, this account covers Bruce's career up until 2001, from his early years making Super 8 shorts with Sam Raimi and Robert Taipert, through the arduous but ultimately career launching production of The Evil Dead and on through the occasional ups and frequent downs of life as a member of 'the Hollywood lower-middle class'. Hercules and Xena fans will find plenty to enjoy in the later chapters and the addendum provides an insight into the difficulties of undertaking a book-tour in the aftermath of 9/11.
August 28, 2017
November 14, the race began.
Right from the get go, filming was a comedy of errors, or terrors, if you will. Within minutes of leaving for the first location, an abandoned bridge, the production van got lost and we spent a half-hour trying to locate it. No sooner had we found it than Sam drove his “Classic” into a ditch and we had to get a towtruck to haul it out.
The next location was an isolated dirt road. Sam felt that a high, wide shot would be best. We weren’t versed in the etiquette of location shooting, so no effort was made to get permission of any kind. We just hopped the fence and set up the camera. Things were going pretty well, until Josh spotted a large bull glaring at the crew.
"Sam... there’s a bull,” Josh stated, flatly.
“Yeah, hang on,” Sam replied, focused on the shot at hand.
“No, Sam, you don’t get it. The bull is coming this way.”
Sam got it in a hurry and he was chased about a hundred yards by the angry bovine.
Man, what next? I thought.
A cliff was next. About two hours later, Brother Don, scouting for an additional vantage point, lost his footing and tumbled headfirst off a nearby cliff. Apparently he was well enough to get up under his own power, but he was taken to the hospital for some tests.
Other than that, day one was very productive.
A week later, shooting a night scene at the same bridge location, Sam had a little run-in with a tree branch. A construction winch was drawn around the side of the bridge to bend a steel girder into position. Unbeknownst to anyone, the cable was also around a large tree branch that promptly snapped when tension was applied to the cable. It flattened Sam—a limb of easily fifty pounds. He staggered back and sat on the wrecker, dazed.
"Sam, you okay?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked back, a blank look on his face.
At first glance he seemed fine, but upon closer inspection he was pale, his lips werewhite and crusty, and a small amount of blood trickled from his left nostril.
“Well, you don’t look so good. What the hell happened?”
“Oh, I just needed to sit down for a... for a little bit...”
With that, he rallied himself and carried on shooting. On the way home that night, he passed out cold.
During the next three months, Evil Dead left a path of destruction through the South as wide as Sherman’s march to the sea.
Among other things, we destroyed the paint job of a white pickup truck, bent the housing of our 16mm camera, ripped the roof off a rental truck with the help of a low-slung tree branch, and crushed the septic system of my folks’ house in northern Michigan.
3 1/2 stars
Right from the get go, filming was a comedy of errors, or terrors, if you will. Within minutes of leaving for the first location, an abandoned bridge, the production van got lost and we spent a half-hour trying to locate it. No sooner had we found it than Sam drove his “Classic” into a ditch and we had to get a towtruck to haul it out.
The next location was an isolated dirt road. Sam felt that a high, wide shot would be best. We weren’t versed in the etiquette of location shooting, so no effort was made to get permission of any kind. We just hopped the fence and set up the camera. Things were going pretty well, until Josh spotted a large bull glaring at the crew.
"Sam... there’s a bull,” Josh stated, flatly.
“Yeah, hang on,” Sam replied, focused on the shot at hand.
“No, Sam, you don’t get it. The bull is coming this way.”
Sam got it in a hurry and he was chased about a hundred yards by the angry bovine.
Man, what next? I thought.
A cliff was next. About two hours later, Brother Don, scouting for an additional vantage point, lost his footing and tumbled headfirst off a nearby cliff. Apparently he was well enough to get up under his own power, but he was taken to the hospital for some tests.
Other than that, day one was very productive.
A week later, shooting a night scene at the same bridge location, Sam had a little run-in with a tree branch. A construction winch was drawn around the side of the bridge to bend a steel girder into position. Unbeknownst to anyone, the cable was also around a large tree branch that promptly snapped when tension was applied to the cable. It flattened Sam—a limb of easily fifty pounds. He staggered back and sat on the wrecker, dazed.
"Sam, you okay?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked back, a blank look on his face.
At first glance he seemed fine, but upon closer inspection he was pale, his lips werewhite and crusty, and a small amount of blood trickled from his left nostril.
“Well, you don’t look so good. What the hell happened?”
“Oh, I just needed to sit down for a... for a little bit...”
With that, he rallied himself and carried on shooting. On the way home that night, he passed out cold.
During the next three months, Evil Dead left a path of destruction through the South as wide as Sherman’s march to the sea.
Among other things, we destroyed the paint job of a white pickup truck, bent the housing of our 16mm camera, ripped the roof off a rental truck with the help of a low-slung tree branch, and crushed the septic system of my folks’ house in northern Michigan.
3 1/2 stars
April 15, 2008
So I met Bruce Campbell. He came to my high school because it was close to where he and Sam Rami would make 8mm films back when they were kids. Infact, areas that I grew up in were actually in the book. I have read a handful of biographies and most of them at some point were pompous and these writers spoke about themselves in a way to separate themselves from common people... with that said Bruce does not do that. He does not see himself as a huge star and pokes fun at himself along the way. His ups and downs, his friends and family. This Bio is something unlike anything else ever written because it seems that Bruce is just a common man whos done common things in a uncommon way.
February 27, 2020
I first read this when it came out back in 2002 and was charmed by Campbell's presentation and humor. I'm not an Evil Dead fan--I think I've only seen Army of Darkness--but the story of how that first film was made wowed me. And the book only got better from there. (I was one of Brisco County, Jr.'s only fans, and I was upset when it was cancelled. And Autolycus was my second favorite thing about Xena and Hercules, right after Joxer the Mighty. So there's my fangirl cred right there.)
Fast forward almost twenty years, and I'm telling my kids about the book. One of them said, "You should see if there's an audiobook--I bet he reads it himself." And there is. And he does. So I listened to it this time, and was charmed all over again. Campbell occasionally drops in comments about what's changed since he wrote the book; I can't remember when he did the audiobook, but I think it was 2014 or 2015, right in the middle of Burn Notice. So the comments are fairly up to date.
At any rate, I think this is my very favorite celebrity autobiography, because it's the story of someone who has a great career without ever quite reaching A-list status. Campbell has been involved in many different aspects of filmmaking and television, including directing, and his insider's take is refreshing as well as funny.
I bought the sequel, Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor, and now I have to decide if I'm going to read it, or get the audiobook as well. I'm a fangirl. Probably both.
Fast forward almost twenty years, and I'm telling my kids about the book. One of them said, "You should see if there's an audiobook--I bet he reads it himself." And there is. And he does. So I listened to it this time, and was charmed all over again. Campbell occasionally drops in comments about what's changed since he wrote the book; I can't remember when he did the audiobook, but I think it was 2014 or 2015, right in the middle of Burn Notice. So the comments are fairly up to date.
At any rate, I think this is my very favorite celebrity autobiography, because it's the story of someone who has a great career without ever quite reaching A-list status. Campbell has been involved in many different aspects of filmmaking and television, including directing, and his insider's take is refreshing as well as funny.
I bought the sequel, Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor, and now I have to decide if I'm going to read it, or get the audiobook as well. I'm a fangirl. Probably both.
January 11, 2009
Excellent. Of course it's funny. Of course it's brilliant. But here's the rub. Campbell has starred in B-movies, been a bit actor in blockbusters, and has also both directed and written for film/t.v. Even more, his first films are on Super-8. Shot by himself and a group of friends, including Sam Raimi (Spiderman), starting at the ages of 18-21.
The book outlines the gangs' career from their garage,s to raising their own money for theatrically released independent films (Evil Dead et al), to being given $$$ budget by the big movie houses for Hollywood smash hits (Spiderman, Quick and the Dead). Also, Campbell's career and commentary covers the surprisingly very different world of television (Hercules, Xena). The man has perspective and a wealth of knowledge to go along with it. Even if a reader isn't a fan of Campbell's, his behind the scenes look at a bit actor's life, director's life, television vs film actor's life, and the PROCESS of making film and television productions is fascinating. Book also includes Evil Dead's homemade recipe for fake blood.
The book outlines the gangs' career from their garage,s to raising their own money for theatrically released independent films (Evil Dead et al), to being given $$$ budget by the big movie houses for Hollywood smash hits (Spiderman, Quick and the Dead). Also, Campbell's career and commentary covers the surprisingly very different world of television (Hercules, Xena). The man has perspective and a wealth of knowledge to go along with it. Even if a reader isn't a fan of Campbell's, his behind the scenes look at a bit actor's life, director's life, television vs film actor's life, and the PROCESS of making film and television productions is fascinating. Book also includes Evil Dead's homemade recipe for fake blood.
March 22, 2009
After hearing Bruce kick all this @$$ on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, was reminded to put this on at the top of the to-reads.
Having been raised on the Evil Dead (culminating in my official designation by Bruce Campbell himself as the "#1 fan", in writing, on my VHS copy), I was excited to read those parts of the book, and Bruce didn't disappoint. Fake blood recipe, dentist investment cabal, and all.
What I wasn't expecting, and really enjoyed, were the origin stories about himself, his group of childhood friends, and the other humble film aspirants they met along the way (including the Raimi and Coen brothers). The amount of work they put in, their relentless curiosity about all stages of the process, their willingness to put themselves out there no matter how undignified the situation to keep learning, experimenting, and keeping one ear peeled to hear opportunity knocking -- it would have fit very nicely into "The 10,000 hour rule" chapter of Outliers.
That kind of spunk would have made me dig Bruce Campbell even if his good humor, wit, Evil Dead pedigree, and bite-sized chapter layout hadn't already done the job. Bruce, you had me at hello.
Having been raised on the Evil Dead (culminating in my official designation by Bruce Campbell himself as the "#1 fan", in writing, on my VHS copy), I was excited to read those parts of the book, and Bruce didn't disappoint. Fake blood recipe, dentist investment cabal, and all.
What I wasn't expecting, and really enjoyed, were the origin stories about himself, his group of childhood friends, and the other humble film aspirants they met along the way (including the Raimi and Coen brothers). The amount of work they put in, their relentless curiosity about all stages of the process, their willingness to put themselves out there no matter how undignified the situation to keep learning, experimenting, and keeping one ear peeled to hear opportunity knocking -- it would have fit very nicely into "The 10,000 hour rule" chapter of Outliers.
That kind of spunk would have made me dig Bruce Campbell even if his good humor, wit, Evil Dead pedigree, and bite-sized chapter layout hadn't already done the job. Bruce, you had me at hello.
March 29, 2020
Hey its the dude from Evil Dead writing about his life and his friend Sam Raimi (who went on to direct Spiderman) and how in college they made Evil Dead. No money, colored mashed potato for gore and eventually a funny horror movie too.
This book is the same. A funny horror movie. Bruce is a funny man and his life sort of sucks but he'll tell you about it anyway. Loved it!
This book is the same. A funny horror movie. Bruce is a funny man and his life sort of sucks but he'll tell you about it anyway. Loved it!
September 2, 2018
Great book! Bruce Campbell's storytelling of how he made it in the behind the scenes of Hollywood was funny and entertaining. Even if you don't know who Bruce Campbell is (which I know you've seen him in something) read this book.
January 11, 2023
Really fucking groovy.
I have loved Bruce Campbell for as long as I can remember. This book was a delight. It was funny and left me wanting more. Plus the pictures were great.
I will def read his other books.
I have loved Bruce Campbell for as long as I can remember. This book was a delight. It was funny and left me wanting more. Plus the pictures were great.
I will def read his other books.
November 8, 2017
If you are not clear right now on who Bruce Campbell (the actor) is, then you don't need to read this. Bruce Campbell has a bit of a cult following from a number of things he's done (Evil Dead / Army of Darkness, Brisco County Jr., Xena, and possibly even Burn Notice even if that happened after the time covered in this memoir), and if you were a fan of his you'd know. That said, possibly you are just generically interested in how someone with no direct connection to Hollywood becomes a B-level actor?
Bruce's first chapters are a bit stilted and rough and it's pretty clear he's finding his voice a bit. It doesn't matter a ton -- most people's childhoods are not that interesting -- but it takes some work to get to the point where it's less work to read. The writing remains choppy, but it's readable and conversational.
Campbell reveals some things that are definitely of interest. I'm always interested in what the life of an actor is like (how movies are made when it's winter and what kinds of things have to happen behind the scenes to make a movie), including what kind of variation there is to actors' behavior (Bruce mentions a few actors who stay on the set even when they don't have to, and some who disappear into their trailer as soon as the director yells cut). He talks about how some actors memorize their lines completely and how some almost don't at all, and how it took four years to make his first movie and some time after that before it broke even, money-wise. If you enjoyed this kind of information from Cary Elwes' As You Wish or Penny Marshall's My Mother Was Nuts, you might also like it here.
Bruce is personable and seems like a very nice guy. He also seems to have his feet on the ground; you can tell in some actors' memoirs their idea of reality and normal behavior is not the same as most peoples', and Bruce isn't like that. I look forward to the sequel!
Bruce's first chapters are a bit stilted and rough and it's pretty clear he's finding his voice a bit. It doesn't matter a ton -- most people's childhoods are not that interesting -- but it takes some work to get to the point where it's less work to read. The writing remains choppy, but it's readable and conversational.
Campbell reveals some things that are definitely of interest. I'm always interested in what the life of an actor is like (how movies are made when it's winter and what kinds of things have to happen behind the scenes to make a movie), including what kind of variation there is to actors' behavior (Bruce mentions a few actors who stay on the set even when they don't have to, and some who disappear into their trailer as soon as the director yells cut). He talks about how some actors memorize their lines completely and how some almost don't at all, and how it took four years to make his first movie and some time after that before it broke even, money-wise. If you enjoyed this kind of information from Cary Elwes' As You Wish or Penny Marshall's My Mother Was Nuts, you might also like it here.
Bruce is personable and seems like a very nice guy. He also seems to have his feet on the ground; you can tell in some actors' memoirs their idea of reality and normal behavior is not the same as most peoples', and Bruce isn't like that. I look forward to the sequel!
November 1, 2014
Love it. Listened this one on audio and it was very cool to hear Bruce read his book (with the occasional update). I am a big fan of Bruce’s movies and it was cool to hear him talk about some behind the scenes stuff and how him and some of his friends, like Sam Raimi, got started.
December 10, 2015
I read this years ago, but I really enjoyed it. And having met Bruce yesterday, reminded me that I needed to add it to my shelf.
March 12, 2021
Unusually modest, self-depreciating account of the ups and downs of (near) stardom, charged with wit and even a kind of glee.
Groovy.
Groovy.
Read
May 26, 2016It's Bruce Campbell. 'nuff said. If you need more, suffice to say that I still to this day paraphrase anecdotes from the bit about filming Evil Dead (I &II)... --MK
June 19, 2017
Let me begin by saying that I'm a lifelong Bruce Campbell fan, ever since I caught Army of Darkness on the SciFi Channel as a kid, and I get irrationally happy when he shows up in places I least expected him, where he's typically playing a minor character with outsized resonance (like his brief turn as presidential hopeful Ronald Reagan in season two of Fargo, the gipper himself being perhaps the most successful B-Movie actor of all time and thus the ultimate role for Campbell). To learn more about this enigmatic schlock artist at the center of cheesy horror movies from the 80s and always seemingly on the periphery of the Coens felt like a worthwhile way to spend a handful of hours, and I was not left totally disappointed. At the same time this biography falls into several traps that many celebrity autobiographies seem to.
First and foremost would be Campbell's willingness to give each of the periods of his life equal air time, as if he built his outline by the half-decade and assigned an equal page count goal to each era. As happy as I am that he had a normal, if mischievous, suburban Midwest childhood, for instance, the story doesn't really begin until he starts making movies with his high school friends and in the mean time the details are thorough to the point of inhibiting forward progress. Later he'll spend a dozen pages talking about the shitty cars he and close friends have had. On the other hand he'll also occasionally bring up a life event that seems very ripe for exploration, his parents' divorce, his first marriage failing, and his children being born among them, but never really gets into the topic at hand - a typically very short chapter will end and he won't mention the shift in his life again, or indicate that it in any way altered his worldview or caused him to doubt himself or his chosen career path. His focus is always one of "what happened" more so than any recounting of the journey he was on, intellectually, artistically, or emotionally. In all, we see a man single-minded in his dedication to his passion, but we never get a backstage pass to see what's driving that passion. He talks about his various trials and tribulations and makes his decisions seem like the most obvious choices despite the struggle, and that's fine so long as it's true, but his life's story would be more compelling if we could get a better picture of why he did these things instead of just how. An adolescent fear of the fun ever stopping can get one through one's early twenties living on a pipe dream, but something deeper has to be going on for one to base one's entire professional life on such a risky, unstable endeavor, right?
Then, in what felt like an interminable afterward, Campbell recounts the tale of the book tour for the book you're currently reading, as well as his reaction to the events of 9/11. Nothing feels more like padding in a celebrity autobiography than open discussion of the book you're holding in your hands, whether that discussion pertains to its writing, its marketing, or its success. If you really felt like you need fifty more pages, my dear celebrity-authors, try adding depth and nuance to your recounting of the pivotal events of your life, not a transcription of your most recent experiences as if they're what's most relevant just by nature of proximity.
Finally, knowing that there's now an Evil Dead series starring Campbell out there, and that he spent about a decade as a main character on TNT's Burn Notice, it would have been interesting to see what his life was like more recently than just in the aftermath of the release of this book. In my opinion, his getting to a point of regular work and financial stability by his fourth decade in front of a camera would have been a good way to close out the story, or at least a way better than talking about an afternoon on the Appalachian Trail and unexpectedly getting dinner at a Baltimore Oriels game.
To end on some high notes: I did very much enjoy learning details of the technological limits faced by amateur and independent filmmakers of his era, as well as the trial-and-error methods by which he and colleagues would fabricate sets, make-up, props, and filming gear. There's also the interesting dynamic of the contrast between the financial struggles and yet total creative freedom of being independent, versus the larger budgets and professional help but constant surveillance and micro-management when studios are involved. Also, perhaps most revealing, unglamorous, and disenchanting, was his breakdown of how little money he was actually making, even when the 1/3rd creator and ostensible star of Army of Darkness and thereby getting a lump sum payment of 500,000 dollars. (You'll have to read it to get the exact details, but with the added financial hit of alimony and child support payments in the wake of a recent divorce, and after all other obligations, taxes, and fees, that particular movie netted him only around 46k per year for the two years the film took to make. Yikes. There's a reason such a famous and well-liked guy only invited 20 people to his second wedding, I'm guessing.)
In any case, this is a must read if you're the type of person to re-watch Evil Dead 2 on occasion. If you're looking for a literary autobiography or a deep dive into the world of independent filmmaking, you may want to look elsewhere.
First and foremost would be Campbell's willingness to give each of the periods of his life equal air time, as if he built his outline by the half-decade and assigned an equal page count goal to each era. As happy as I am that he had a normal, if mischievous, suburban Midwest childhood, for instance, the story doesn't really begin until he starts making movies with his high school friends and in the mean time the details are thorough to the point of inhibiting forward progress. Later he'll spend a dozen pages talking about the shitty cars he and close friends have had. On the other hand he'll also occasionally bring up a life event that seems very ripe for exploration, his parents' divorce, his first marriage failing, and his children being born among them, but never really gets into the topic at hand - a typically very short chapter will end and he won't mention the shift in his life again, or indicate that it in any way altered his worldview or caused him to doubt himself or his chosen career path. His focus is always one of "what happened" more so than any recounting of the journey he was on, intellectually, artistically, or emotionally. In all, we see a man single-minded in his dedication to his passion, but we never get a backstage pass to see what's driving that passion. He talks about his various trials and tribulations and makes his decisions seem like the most obvious choices despite the struggle, and that's fine so long as it's true, but his life's story would be more compelling if we could get a better picture of why he did these things instead of just how. An adolescent fear of the fun ever stopping can get one through one's early twenties living on a pipe dream, but something deeper has to be going on for one to base one's entire professional life on such a risky, unstable endeavor, right?
Then, in what felt like an interminable afterward, Campbell recounts the tale of the book tour for the book you're currently reading, as well as his reaction to the events of 9/11. Nothing feels more like padding in a celebrity autobiography than open discussion of the book you're holding in your hands, whether that discussion pertains to its writing, its marketing, or its success. If you really felt like you need fifty more pages, my dear celebrity-authors, try adding depth and nuance to your recounting of the pivotal events of your life, not a transcription of your most recent experiences as if they're what's most relevant just by nature of proximity.
Finally, knowing that there's now an Evil Dead series starring Campbell out there, and that he spent about a decade as a main character on TNT's Burn Notice, it would have been interesting to see what his life was like more recently than just in the aftermath of the release of this book. In my opinion, his getting to a point of regular work and financial stability by his fourth decade in front of a camera would have been a good way to close out the story, or at least a way better than talking about an afternoon on the Appalachian Trail and unexpectedly getting dinner at a Baltimore Oriels game.
To end on some high notes: I did very much enjoy learning details of the technological limits faced by amateur and independent filmmakers of his era, as well as the trial-and-error methods by which he and colleagues would fabricate sets, make-up, props, and filming gear. There's also the interesting dynamic of the contrast between the financial struggles and yet total creative freedom of being independent, versus the larger budgets and professional help but constant surveillance and micro-management when studios are involved. Also, perhaps most revealing, unglamorous, and disenchanting, was his breakdown of how little money he was actually making, even when the 1/3rd creator and ostensible star of Army of Darkness and thereby getting a lump sum payment of 500,000 dollars. (You'll have to read it to get the exact details, but with the added financial hit of alimony and child support payments in the wake of a recent divorce, and after all other obligations, taxes, and fees, that particular movie netted him only around 46k per year for the two years the film took to make. Yikes. There's a reason such a famous and well-liked guy only invited 20 people to his second wedding, I'm guessing.)
In any case, this is a must read if you're the type of person to re-watch Evil Dead 2 on occasion. If you're looking for a literary autobiography or a deep dive into the world of independent filmmaking, you may want to look elsewhere.
April 25, 2023
A really fun read of how Bruce got his start in acting and directing. His school friends just happen to become famous directors as well: Sam Rami etc. He goes into detail of the making of the first Evil dead movie which was the real launching pad for him and his friends into the movie/TV business.
I get the feeling Bruce is a real down-to-earth friendly guy who I’d like to meet. This book was out in 2001 so I need to check and see if he has an other book out by now.
I get the feeling Bruce is a real down-to-earth friendly guy who I’d like to meet. This book was out in 2001 so I need to check and see if he has an other book out by now.
April 30, 2023
This book was entertaining enough. I must preface by saying if you aren’t a fan of Bruce Campbell or the Evil Dead franchise this may be a bit niche for you.
I feel like the stories were great and his personality shined in this book. He did well to give insight on how a movie gets made before and after filming. Marketing and being a salesman. Bruce is a legend though regardless. I’m unsure if I’ll grab his second book. If I do, I have a lot more to read first.
I feel like the stories were great and his personality shined in this book. He did well to give insight on how a movie gets made before and after filming. Marketing and being a salesman. Bruce is a legend though regardless. I’m unsure if I’ll grab his second book. If I do, I have a lot more to read first.
November 10, 2016
Tuhle knihu jsem před pár lety a po pár stránkách odložil. Bruce Campbella mám rád, jenže popis dětských vylomenin (nic extra), prvních vztahů (zcela normální) a cesty k herectví (série omylů a Sam Raimi) byl tak nezajímavý, že mu frajerské podání "s nadhledem" škodilo. Letos jsem se ke knize vrátil. Po čistce knihovny měla odejít do světa a já zjistil, že jí mám od Campbella podepsanou. Tak jsem se zakousl, zkusil jí znova - a jsem rád! Jakmile se Campbell - a psal si to sám - dostane za svá telecí léta, noří se do světa béčkových filmů, Hollywoodu a seriálů, které definovaly jednu generaci (Herkules, Xena, Akta X a další). Zůstává balíkem z Detroitu ve velkém světě, klukem, který pořádně nepřekročí stín Evil Dead. Historky z natáčení celé trilogie patří k těm nejlepším. Campbellovi se nedaří prorazit mezi velká jména, necítíte z něj ale závist, spíš smířené "takhle to prostě je". Filmový svět kolem sebe cynicky komentuje, prozrazuje triky, odhaluje detaily, prokecává vše - místy skoro vidíte Ashe. Realita natáčení béček a devadesátkových seriálů je vzdálená od naleštěné verze, kterou o svých filmech vykládají producenti "áček". A místy je to fakt ostré (podmínky placu, lidé okolo, časový a finanční pres atd). Campbell sice občas sice provede zbytečný name dropping, ale jinak píše s pokorou k řemeslu a úctou ke čtenáři. Pro napsání knihy vyzpovídal všechny dětské kamarády, sehnal staré fotografie a rekonstruoval vzpomínky. A tahle poctivá práce je znát. Kdo ale nemá k béčkům vztah, toho kniha asi bavit nebude.
June 12, 2016
This was a great book. I desperately want him to write one about his time doing Xena and Hercules.
The start of the book was a little slow. I just wanted him to hurry up and get to the good stuff.
There were many, many times in the book that made me laugh out loud. He is such a character, you can easily hear his voice telling these hilarious stories.
After reading this, I realized I would never want to read a book about the celebrity gods of Hollywood. The reason it was so good was because it was about a man who loved something so much, he didn't care how small a part he played in it; he just wanted to get in there and do it. No job in front or even behind the camera was too small for him. The final product was what was most important to him. He loved the process and growing and learning and being a part of the fun. I love that.
I didn't mean to talk about him in the past tense. He's still around, fighting Evil Dead on Starz. This book made me want to track down all his movies. Because now I know what he went through in each one.
The start of the book was a little slow. I just wanted him to hurry up and get to the good stuff.
There were many, many times in the book that made me laugh out loud. He is such a character, you can easily hear his voice telling these hilarious stories.
After reading this, I realized I would never want to read a book about the celebrity gods of Hollywood. The reason it was so good was because it was about a man who loved something so much, he didn't care how small a part he played in it; he just wanted to get in there and do it. No job in front or even behind the camera was too small for him. The final product was what was most important to him. He loved the process and growing and learning and being a part of the fun. I love that.
I didn't mean to talk about him in the past tense. He's still around, fighting Evil Dead on Starz. This book made me want to track down all his movies. Because now I know what he went through in each one.
August 18, 2010
I've never really loved "Evil Dead" or many of Bruce Campbell's other movies. ("Bubba Ho-Tep," however, is totally awesome.)
I would kind of smile and nod whenever Jim or one of my other guy friends would talk about how great Bruce Campbell was.
And I only read "If Chins Could Kill" because I felt like I had to.
It turned out to be a great book, and it gave me a lot of respect for Bruce Campbell as a person and an actor.
Campbell has truly worked his way up from the bottom (I don't think it gets much lower than community theater in Michigan), and he really understands all aspects of theater and film because he's done every crappy job in the two industries. He's truly struggled to get where he is. And he's good at what he does. And he treats everyone along the way with respect.
You don't get much greater than that.
I would kind of smile and nod whenever Jim or one of my other guy friends would talk about how great Bruce Campbell was.
And I only read "If Chins Could Kill" because I felt like I had to.
It turned out to be a great book, and it gave me a lot of respect for Bruce Campbell as a person and an actor.
Campbell has truly worked his way up from the bottom (I don't think it gets much lower than community theater in Michigan), and he really understands all aspects of theater and film because he's done every crappy job in the two industries. He's truly struggled to get where he is. And he's good at what he does. And he treats everyone along the way with respect.
You don't get much greater than that.
September 9, 2007
I took this book out of the library on recommendation from a friend, but wasn't really expecting much out of it. Sure, I love Bruce Campbell as much as the next Hercules/Xena/Spiderman movies fan does, but I usually find these autobiographies dry and boring, filled with technical details of things I just don't care about. As much as I love memoirs, if it's in the autobiography section (as this was), I shy away. But I underestimated Bruce. Is that technical stuff in there? Sure it is, but he KNOWS how boring it is to readers and finds a way to make it entertaining. The whole book is just extremely endearing. I laughed my way through the entire thing and surprisingly learned a thing or two about film making in the process that I found interesting.
May 17, 2011
The populair cult-hero Bruce Campbell, famous of his character 'Ash' in the Evil-Dead trilogy, describes in this biography his youth and happenings about the making of 'Evil Dead'.
But also his share in some Xena-episodes.
While reading you will find a lot of (funny) pictures of Bruce himself, but also drawings made in his youth, in fact.. a lot of various pictures/photo's prominent throughout the book.
This is wrote with the humour you can expect of Bruce.
I liked it and every fan of The Evil Dead (like me) really must like this as well.
You will have another look at the movie, when you know how it's made and in which conditions :)
And for the one's who like this book, I can recommend the movie "My Name Is Bruce" as well.
But also his share in some Xena-episodes.
While reading you will find a lot of (funny) pictures of Bruce himself, but also drawings made in his youth, in fact.. a lot of various pictures/photo's prominent throughout the book.
This is wrote with the humour you can expect of Bruce.
I liked it and every fan of The Evil Dead (like me) really must like this as well.
You will have another look at the movie, when you know how it's made and in which conditions :)
And for the one's who like this book, I can recommend the movie "My Name Is Bruce" as well.
July 23, 2011
It's been several years now since I've read this book. But what I remember most about it is the brutal honesty and tongue and cheek approach to that Campbell took toward his life and career.
Most importantly, I remember reveling in some of the details involved in becoming a B-list icon. The way Campbell had to cold call prospective investors for the first Evil Dead movie; his time spent as a security guard after the Evil Dead movies. These are the details that make you feel such a strong connection with Campbell--it also helps the reader connect the person with the "every day persona" he displays on the screen.
Most importantly, I remember reveling in some of the details involved in becoming a B-list icon. The way Campbell had to cold call prospective investors for the first Evil Dead movie; his time spent as a security guard after the Evil Dead movies. These are the details that make you feel such a strong connection with Campbell--it also helps the reader connect the person with the "every day persona" he displays on the screen.
December 17, 2007
This was okay-ish. Campbell isn't a great writer, but he does seem like a genuinely great guy who is very thankful for his success. The book, however, just sort of seems to skim the surface of his life. I guess I was just hoping for something a bit more interesting, rather than a quick rehash of how he got to where he was. Shame on me, I guess, for wanting more gossip-y stuff, but that would have been more compelling.
January 12, 2012
3.5-4 stars. A fun read overall for Evil Dead & B movie fans.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 995 reviews