It was a lively night at the Redford Theatre on Friday as more than 1,100 Bruce Campbell fans packed into the 98-year-old Detroit theater to watch Campbell’s new movie, the sweet and sentimental “Ernie & Emma.”
Campbell, the Royal Oak-born cult hero and forever winking B-movie star, was on hand to introduce the film — which he wrote, directed, produced and stars in — and participate in a question and answer session afterward.
It was a return to the theater where the actor first launched “The Evil Dead,” the horror movie that put him on the map, back in 1981. And he wasn’t alone on Friday among “Evil Dead” alums: that movie’s director, Sam Raimi, was also in the audience, there to support his longtime friend.
Additionally Raimi’s brother Ted, who appears in “Ernie & Emma,” was on hand, and he participated in an on-stage chat with Campbell after the movie. Various other cast and crew members who worked on the film were also in attendance, as was Campbell’s brother, Don.
Prior to the film’s start, Campbell — introduced to the stage as “the master of disaster and the chainsaw champion of Royal Oak, Michigan” — had to prepare fans for what they were about to see.
“I have to apologize in advance: there is no blood in the entire movie, there are no chainsaws, there are no shotguns,” Campbell said.
What they got instead was the story of an Oregon pear salesman, Ernie Tyler (Campbell), who goes on a journey to spread the ashes of his recently deceased wife, Emma (voiced by Robin McAlpine). It’s soft and sparse but packed with humor, with adult themes woven throughout the tale.
Campbell, who turns 68 later this month, described “Ernie & Emma” as a riff on a Hallmark movie, “but with drugs, alcohol, lots of swearing and infidelity,” he said. “It’s what Hallmark wants to do, but they can’t.
“I can,” he said, “so I will.”
‘Bruce’s greatest work’
The audience gave the comedy a very warm reception, heartily laughing at its humor and bursting into applause throughout the movie.
Filmmaker and fellow Metro Detroit native Raimi — who usually carves out roles for Campbell in his movies, including his “Spider-Man” trilogy — called the movie “Bruce’s greatest work.”
“I love it,” Raimi said following the screening. “It was actually a brilliant movie. It makes you cry four times in it, and it makes you laugh like 20 times. They don’t do that in movies anymore. And not just because he’s my pal! It’s really a great movie he made, it belongs in 1978 though. You know, it’s so loving, it’s so thoughtful, it moves at a pace of its own. But it grabs you, it carries you along beautifully with it.”
Raimi — who earlier this year dedicated his hit film “Send Help” to his late childhood friend Scott Spiegel — also had glowing words for the Redford itself.
“The place is just filled with cinema lovers,” he said. “That’s not something you feel this intensely, even in Hollywood. These people are dedicated to high quality pictures and the theatrical experience staying alive, and it’s thrilling to be amongst these folks.”
While Raimi was chatting, a young filmmaker in the audience handed him a flyer for a film he recently made.
“Cool! Congratulations. Keep ’em rolling, pal,” Raimi told him.
Jordan Campbell — no relation — was the first one in line for entry at the Redford on Friday. The 35-year-old, who flew in from Edmonton for the screening, first saw “The Evil Dead” when he was 8-years-old and has been a Bruce Campbell superfan ever since.
“He’s always done it his own way, he’s grinded and he’s worked hard, and you’ve never heard a bad word about the guy, ever,” he said. “That’s what really drew me to him. There’s not a lot of guys who you can say, ‘Yeah, he’s one of the good guys in Hollywood.'”
Keeping it loose
Campbell’s Q&A with the audience was filled with quips and shtick. When an audience member opened up the session by saying “Ernie & Emma” was the “best movie I’ve ever seen,” Campbell peeled out some bills from his pocket and passed him $5.
When asked about some of his favorite roles of his career, Campbell mentioned playing Elvis in 2002’s “Bubba Ho-Tep,” Ronald Reagan in TV’s “Fargo” and a cowboy in the TV series “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.” When asked if he would ever get into politics he replied, “oh my god, you’re out of your f—ing mind.”
Campbell brought Ted Raimi to the stage and the two sat down and talked about their respective careers. They have appeared in more than 15 projects together, and Raimi plays a dance instructor who teaches Campbell’s character to ballroom dance in “Ernie & Emma.” Campbell lovingly ribbed Raimi for his performance style: “Ted makes my work look really subtle,” he said.
Campbell talked about seeing his dad perform in the musical “Brigadoon” at Cranbrook’s Greek Theater when he was 8 years old and being sold on acting from that day forward. “I thought, ‘that’s for me,'” he said.
He also encouraged budding filmmakers in the audience to shoot their movies in Michigan and to not be so precious about shooting on film. “Get over yourself!” he said. “No one gives a s— if you shoot on film!”
The screening was part of a larger tour that Campbell will embark on with the film later this year, when he shows the independently financed movie to audiences at Alamo Drafthouse locations. His goal, he says, is to prove the film has drawing power before he makes a deal with a streaming service.
The tour dates were announced prior to Campbell’s March announcement that he’s been diagnosed with a “treatable” but not “curable” form of cancer. He’s dialed back some appearances at comic cons this year but plans to keep the dates with the movie.
At the close of the evening, Campbell helped Redford staffers draw raffle winners — the prizes included cash and signed items from Campbell — and Redford event coordinator Linda Sites read Campbell a message she composed.
“Your continued support of our movies and events will help preserve our historic venue that we love and cherish so much,” Sites told Campbell. She then thanked him and wished him “good luck on the film, and good health.”
agraham@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Bruce Campbell fans, including Sam Raimi, pack Redford for new movie
Reporting by Adam Graham, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Graham, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
