# New Bruce Campbell film?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2006, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843 "2006-02-10T10:44:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/1 "2006-02-10T10:44:13Z")
(dare we hope?) > **[My Name Is Bruce (2007) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489235/)** > > My Name Is Bruce: Directed by Bruce Campbell. With Bruce Campbell, Grace Thorsen, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi. Mistaken for his character Ash from the 'Evil Dead' trilogy, Bruce Campbell is forced to fight a real monster in a small Oregon town. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/2 "2006-02-10T11:14:23Z")
From the official Bruce Campbell [website](http://www.bruce-campbell.com/): > [@](#): > > They Call Me Bruce is the tale of a small town set upon by demons after a group of teen-agers unwittingly unleash an ancient curse. Campbell, playing himself, is kidnapped off the set of a B horror movie and, despite his protestations that he’s just an actor, is forced to play the role of his heroic movie character in order to save the town. Mark Verheiden (The Mask, TimeCop) is writing the screenplay. Production is scheduled for early 2006 in southern Oregon. Sounds frickin’ sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/3 "2006-02-10T13:01:53Z")
KICK ASS! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/4 "2006-02-10T13:13:23Z")
_passes out from happiness_ ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/5 "2006-02-10T14:19:01Z")
This sounds like one of those things that could be really entertaining if done well, but will likely be pure crap. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/6 "2006-02-10T16:53:21Z")
> [@slortar](#): > > _passes out from happiness_ right there with ya! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/7 "2006-02-10T16:55:48Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > This sounds like one of those things that could be really entertaining if done well, but will likely be pure crap. It has Bruce Campbell, and that’s enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/8 "2006-02-10T16:57:01Z")
I’ve never seen him on the big screen before, this would be pretty sweet indeed 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/9 "2006-02-10T17:43:59Z")
Didn’t I see somewhere that they’re doing a prequel to Bubba Ho-Tep, too? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/10 "2006-02-10T17:45:52Z")
Folks, don’t get your hopes up. Bruce is great when he’s working with other talented people who are in charge of the whole shebang, but when he’s the one putting things together the results tend to be horrendous. Watch his most recent SciFi channel movie if you don’t believe me. Bruce needs to get humble and take some direction, rather than trying to be everything on and off the set. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/11 "2006-02-10T17:50:54Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > This sounds like one of those things that could be really entertaining if done well, but will likely be pure crap. As long as it’s not crap taking itself seriously, I’m happy. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/12 "2006-02-10T18:13:19Z")
> [@Not A Tame Lion](#): > > Folks, don’t get your hopes up. Bruce is great when he’s working with other talented people who are in charge of the whole shebang, but when he’s the one putting things together the results tend to be horrendous. Watch his most recent SciFi channel movie if you don’t believe me. That was more due to having to film in Bulgaria and use Bulgarian actors than his talant of putting things together himself. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/13 "2006-02-10T19:08:06Z")
It _could_ be a great sendup of his onscreen persona and legacy (if I can call it that). But yeah, _Man with the Screaming Brain_ was pretty sloppy. > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > That was more due to having to film in Bulgaria and use Bulgarian actors than his talant of putting things together himself. Ted Raimi isn’t Bulgarian. I don’t know what the fuck he is. He was like a cheap knockoff of French Stewart, who is himself a cheap knockoff of God-knows-what. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/14 "2006-02-10T19:32:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Ted Raimi isn’t Bulgarian. I don’t know what the fuck he is. He’s a friend of Bruce. But, really, the whole thing ended up being rewritten for its Bulgarian locale instead of LA as originally intended. The movie wouldn’t even have been made if not for _Terminal Invasion_ being so poplular. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/15 "2006-02-10T19:39:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Ted Raimi isn’t Bulgarian. I don’t know what the fuck he is. He’s a friend of Bruce. But, really, the whole thing ended up being rewritten for its Bulgarian locale instead of LA as originally intended. The movie wouldn’t even have been made if not for _Terminal Invasion_ being so poplular. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/16 "2006-02-10T19:42:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It _could_ be a great sendup of his onscreen persona and legacy (if I can call it that). But yeah, _Man with the Screaming Brain_ was pretty sloppy. > > Ted Raimi isn’t Bulgarian. I don’t know what the fuck he is. He was like a cheap knockoff of French Stewart, who is himself a cheap knockoff of God-knows-what. Nor is Stacy Keach, who was also in that flaming turd. Ted’s a good guy, everyone likes him a lot, and he’s good when he “stays within himself” as the athletes say, but if you’re collaborating on a movie he’s the wrong Raimi. I know that you can have fun watching a bad movie, if the film doesn’t take itself too seriously and you maintain the right mood. But it is painful to watch someone making something horrendous when you know that person is capable of much better work. Bruce tends to shrug off his work, plays the modesty card and all that, but at some point you have to wonder with someone like him if he’s just being casual about his career, or if he’s afraid of trying to do something that’s really good. Don’t know what the deal is, but I’ve had an assful of Bruce phoning it in on lame-ass movies. No more. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/17 "2006-02-10T20:25:05Z")
> [@Not A Tame Lion](#): > > Bruce tends to shrug off his work, plays the modesty card and all that, but at some point you have to wonder with someone like him if he’s just being casual about his career, or if he’s afraid of trying to do something that’s really good. Don’t know what the deal is, but I’ve had an assful of Bruce phoning it in on lame-ass movies. No more. He tried to go A-list before, but Hollywood pretty much snubbed him. No idea why. He was almost in the Phantom, which was a decent if not great movie back in the day. In any event, the man’s gotta eat, and to be blunt, he’s never done anything as bad as, say, ingsley in Bloodrayne. Same thing. You do the movie because it pays. Heck, Campbell probably made more of of his book than any movie he ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/18 "2006-02-10T21:57:50Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > He tried to go A-list before, but Hollywood pretty much snubbed him. No idea why. He said in a radio interview back in August: "The good news is ‘B-Movies’ doesn’t necessarily mean bad. They’re like Avis, they try harder…because you have less resources, the people working on them have less experience, so it’s a harder row to hoe. I find it more rewarding because that’s where the weird stores are. That’s where the offbeat stuff is. That’s where you find stuff that’s not _Dukes of Hazzard_. I used to apologise for being in B-Movies for those very reasons, that these movies are not as polished, they’re not as slick or glossy. They don’t look as good, they don’t sound as good, the actors aren’t as good. Everything…the perception is they’re not as good. But now after seeing summers like this current summer where all these ‘A-Movies’ are, I’m embarresed for Hollywood. I’m embarressed to have any affiliation whatsoever because they really are creatively bankrupt. "What I don’t understand is why a movie exeuctive wouldn’t start a division and say, ‘Okay, instead of making 100-million-dollar movies, [we’ll] make 100 one-million-dollar movies.’ [H]alf of them would suck and be unwatchable, 25 of them would be okay, mediocre, and 10 of them would be classics and they would pay for the…losers. I think on the economic scale, somebody’s really missing the boat. I’ve been in plenty of stinkers, admittedly, but…you just make the move. It’s more about making the movie." He goes on to talk about being filmed for _The Quick and the Dead_ in order for Sam Raimi to shut up Pat Hingle, his novel, _The Phantom_ (“Thank God Billy Zane got it!”), _Bubba Ho-tep_, horror movies, submitting _Man with the Screaming Brain_ to Sci-Fi where it sat for a couple of months until he did _Terminal Invasion_ and they wanted to know if he had anything else, and filming in Bulgaria. The whole thing is about 26 minutes. By the way, _Man with the Screaming Brain_ was not his idea; it came from David Goodman, who got it from someone else while in a rowboat. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/19 "2006-02-10T22:25:04Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > "What I don’t understand is why a movie exeuctive wouldn’t start a division and say, ‘Okay, instead of making 100-million-dollar movies, [we’ll] make 100 one-million-dollar movies.’ [H]alf of them would suck and be unwatchable, 25 of them would be okay, mediocre, and 10 of them would be classics and they would pay for the…losers. I think on the economic scale, somebody’s really missing the boat. Because you still have (relatively) fixed marketing and promotion costs. Saturating the market with one hundred $1M probably won’t pay off as much as one $100M blockbuster, plus you’re carrying to huge overhead of production and promotional staff to do so. That being said, the nickel-budget filmmaking is a profitable niche for some filmmakers, Roger Corman, Chuck Norris, Robert Rodriguez, Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson’s early films, et cetera…but in the era of home video and DVD release, the margins are low and the profits come largely from cult status rather than broadcast/cable royalties. When big studios try to produce “independent” low-budget films it usually either ends up being an Oscar-baiting vanity boutique (_Million Dollar Baby_, _The House of Sand and Fog_) or badly under/mispromoted little gems (_Being John Malkovich_, _Kiss Kiss Bang Bang_) that never show a dime of profit. There’s definitely a market for small, well-made low-budget films–hence, the arthouse circuit–but cheaply made action/sci-fi films with bad scripts and mediocre f/x have been undercut by super-blockbuster action/sci-fi films with bad scripts and awesome f/x. I mean, if you’re going to sit through two hours of cliched sci-fi, wouldn’t you rather see Bruce Willis duking it out with an asteroid in Dolby Mega-Earblowing Sound and LucasFilm CGI work rather than no-name Eastern European action star duking it out with an asteroid in two channel stereo against a bad greenscreen of 486-rended graphics? Oh, and I have to toss in the obligatory “I know somebody who…” reference, since my boss’ son is doing some of the artwork on the graphic novel that is being released along with this film. So it’s not like I know Bruce Campbell, but I know someone who knows someone who knows someone…okay, never mind. My closest brush with fame is still seeing Val Kilmer curse out a lovely young production assistant regarding some bird. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843/20 "2006-02-10T22:33:01Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Because you still have (relatively) fixed marketing and promotion costs. Saturating the market with one hundred $1M probably won’t pay off as much as one $100M blockbuster, plus you’re carrying to huge overhead of production and promotional staff to do so. He said “a division”, there would presumably be the main division still cranking out the $100M blockbusters. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bruce-campbell-film/343843.md?page=2)