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‘Drag Me To Hell’: Raimi’s horrific vision returns
It’s good to see that success hasn’t spoiled Sam Raimi’s bloodiest, goriest, most outrageous and downright fun instincts.
In an ode to his glorious horror past, Raimi presented his new film “Drag Me To Hell” at a raucous midnight screening Sunday at the Paramount Theatre.
The film, due for a May release, still has a few post-production issues to sort out. But tightened sound effects and a few tweaks will only add to one of the year’s most anticipated films.
Sure, Raimi can wield the studio’s tools enough to produce the “Spiderman” trilogy that makes him one of Hollywood’s most desired directors. Give the man a few buckets of blood-red corn syrup and a budget without restraint, however, to really watch the fun begin.
And Raimi delivers the fun in a story that could be straight from the scribbled notes on his script from 1981’s “Evil Dead,” which redefined the horror genre with its blend of slapstick and gore.
An innocent loan officer with good intentions named Christine (Alison Lohman) tries to prove her hard heart to a supervisor and turns down a glass-eyed Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver), who responds to the denial with a flurry of spittle and, yep, a Gypsy curse. Christine enlists the help of everyone from her earnest boyfriend to concerned fortune-tellers as she battles Mrs. Ganush and her demonic sidekicks.
The ensuing tussles will look familiar to longtime Raimi fans. Eyes pop, bodies ooze and shadows creep across the screen. “Drag Me To Hell” may not technically be the new “Evil Dead” film, but it’s close enough for the fans that have eagerly awaited the return of Raimi’s horrific vision.
Really, the only thing that seemed missing at the Paramount was an appearance by Bruce Campbell.
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