His name is Bruce
Few Rogue Valley residents have as much blood on their hands as Bruce Campbell. For that matter, no Rogue Valley resident has spent as much time as Bruce Campbell has fighting the undead.
All in a day's work, it seems.
Campbell, 48, has spent the last three decades shooting zombies, chopping through vampires, thwarting sorcerers, stomping aliens and finding various other ways to douse himself in the slimiest substances Hollywood magic can create. And he's not done yet.
Tonight, Campbell and Mike Ritchardson of Dark Horse Comics will debut their latest ghoulish creation, "My Name Is Bruce," at the Ashland Independent Film Festival. "Bruce" was filmed in the valley Campbell has called home for nine years, and used locals for more than 50 percent of the cast and crew.
Campbell, who attained his cult celebrity status by starring in Sam Raimi's film "The Evil Dead" (1981), plays himself in the new film. In "Bruce," Campbell is pulled off the set of a "B" movie to aide the locals in disposing of a demonic incursion. Mayhem ensues when the locals realize that Campbell's 30 years of fighting the forces of evil on screen did not translate to practical experience.
"Bruce" is the second film starring Campbell to be featured at the AIFF. In 2004, the festival featured "Bubba Ho-tep," where Campbell played a geriatric Elvis, forced to defend a nursing home against a malevolent mummy.
Tonight's premiere is sold out, but the Tidings caught up with Campbell while he was editing last-minute footage of "My Name Is Bruce."
DT: AIFF is giving you the Rogue Award. What do you think about that?
CAMPBELL: I don't know what to think about it. I never get any awards. I don't know what it's for. I'm sure it's awesome.
DT: What other films are you looking forward to at the festival?
CAMPBELL: I don't have time to see any one but my own. I just finished editing yesterday. But festivals are a good place for filmmakers to show their work and get some early buzz.
DT: What do you think is the festival's greatest strength?
CAMPBELL: The fact that they're tenacious. The fact that they stuck with it. Ashland has a shot at being kind of a Sundance place, 'cause it's a beautiful location and you'll never have any hassle getting filmmakers to come to Ashland because it's a very progressive city. The organizers, to their credit, have been very aggressive.
DT: And their greatest weakness?
CAMPBELL: I don't know 'em well enough to say any of that. All I know is what I like. Their only weakness is that their young and you can't fault them for that.
DT: Will you be showcasing anything at AIFF in 2008?
CAMPBELL: Next year is another year, sir. I have no idea.
DT: What made you decide to shoot "My Name Is Bruce" in the Rogue Valley?
CAMPBELL: 'Cause it's where I live and I was sick of making movies in other countries. It was a chance to go, 'Alright, how are we going to make this work?'
DT: Why do you choose to live in Oregon instead of Los Angeles? [Editor's Note: Bruce Campbell is a resident of Jacksonville, Ore.]
CAMPBELL: Because you can't see the air. The quality of life here is 10 times what it is in L.A. The air is better, the water is better, the people are nicer, and the pace is slower. Everything is cheaper, there's no sales tax. I don't like crowds, so I can escape much more easily.
DT: Where did you scout for talent?
CAMPBELL: I just found a casting agent, a woman named Tia Reagan. She helped raise a casting session. I'd say 70 percent of our actors are local and probably 30 percent of the crew.
DT: What was it like working with Southern Oregon University students and alumni?
CAMPBELL: It was great working with local talented actors because all these actors wanted to be there. This is something that they really enjoyed and it was a good opportunity for 'em. It was good for me too, because I got youthful, energetic actors who wanted to be there, instead of jaded Hollywood-types.
DT: Would you ever consider teaching at a university level?
CAMPBELL: Yeah, I'm just too busy making movies right now. I'd love to wrap up my days as an instructor, because I can share a lot of practical information that a lot of film students never get. They get a bunch of theory, but making movies is nothing about theory it's all about reality.
DT: Did you ever go to film or acting school?
CAMPBELL: Nope. I learned on the job. In my opinion, that's the only way to do it, because it's the only way you're gonna learn what you really need to learn about cheating to the camera, hitting marks, getting along with others, dealing with directors, writers and other actors. The only way you're gonna do it is to do it.
DT: What was the biggest challenge you faced while making "Bruce"?
CAMPBELL: It was a low budget and we had to shoot it on a very tight schedule. We were shooting on [high definition digital film], which is a whole new technology for me. It was a very slow, tedious process, but the end result I'm very happy with.
DT: How does "Bruce" compare to the other film you directed, "The Man with the Screaming Brain" (2005)?
CAMPBELL: I'm much happier because I didn't have to deal with the studio. I only had to deal with one person on this whole movie, and that person and I got along very well — Mike Ritchardson, the guy who is the head of Dark Horse Comics up in Portland. He put the deal together for the money, so this is just about a 100 percent Oregon production.
DT: How would you compare directing to acting?
CAMPBELL: Directing makes all of your synapses fire. Acting is a lot of sitting around. Acting is like being a place kicker, you warm up on the sidelines then you go in and kick the winning field goal. With directing, you're like the quarterback, you're on the field the whole time.
DT: What about producing?
CAMPBELL: I like producing in order to protect what I do as an actor. You can hire the people you wanna hire, you can fire the people you wanna fire. It's way more autonomy. A lot of actors always wanna know how to get started in the business, and my answer is, "Become a producer. Put yourself in the movie." A lot of people can't make that connection. It's America, you get to do whatever you want.
DT: What has changed about your approach to acting since you started?
CAMPBELL: It's like being a brick layer, it's a trade. At first, you don't know what you're doing and your bricks are going all wrong and the angle is wrong, but 10 years later you get better. Twenty years later, you get better. Thirty years later you better have it figured out or you shouldn't be a brick layer. It's just time, because a lot of what comes across as an actor is confidence. The more experience you have the more confident you can be and that comes across on film.
DT: What is the draw of "B" movies for you?
CAMPBELL: I never intended to make just "B" movies, but I tend to be drawn toward that material more than — "A" movies I find to be a little more bullshitty, for lack of a better word. "B" movies are a little more true entertainment, they understand that the movies are fake, that it's all make-believe. The goal is to take somebody else and put them in another world for a hour and a half. I have no problem being in "B" movies — or whatever you call them — because they tend to be much more original, much more daring, more off-the-wall and that type of material just appeals to me, rather than soap opera crap.
DT: What about writing, would you say that's one of your talents?
CAMPBELL: I've written two best-selling books and a couple of screenplays ... It came out of necessity. As an actor I got tired of saying somebody else's dumb words when I felt I could write just as well. It was a challenge, because you really start to respect what writers have to go through once you start writing.
I recommend anyone in the arts to become a jack of all trades. Why do you have to do just one thing? I get bored doing one thing. To me, just acting all the time would be like working at a factory. I like directing, writing, producing ... The whole ball of wax.
DT: What's it like working with Sam Raimi on another "Evil Dead" production? [Editor's Note: It has been announced that Sam Raimi is looking for a director for the third incarnation of "The Evil Dead."]
CAMPBELL: That movie doesn't really have any plans right now. I just recently worked with him on "Spider-Man 3." I always like working with Sam just because we go way back. But the "Evil Dead" thing is just too nebulous to talk about right now. There's really no plans.
DT: What about working with Paul Giamatti? [Editor's Note: Paul Giamatti has expressed interest in the screenplay for "Bubba Nosferatu and the Curse of the She-Vampires," a prequel to "Bubba Ho-tep".]
CAMPBELL: Again, you're bringing up rumors. I have not attached myself to that project. I think he's interested in it. There's no start date, there's no nothing. That's a dead issue ... I would be very excited to work with him.
DT: What interests you about the "legend of Elvis"?
CAMPBELL: I don't find Elvis all that interesting. I find people of massive celebrity interesting. Where I was very interested is what do you do with that famous person when they're 68 years old. What would the guy be like after no one gives a shit about him anymore? His health is gone, his looks are gone, and he can't get the chicks anymore, he can't sing anymore, he can't even walk anymore. That, to me, is way more interesting than the regular Elvis, 'cause that guy was just a bored, show-popping good 'ol boy.
DT: In terms of local issues, what to you think of the libraries closing?
CAMPBELL: I think it's just piss-poor money management. I think it's great that we've got them, but there's a lot places we could be pulling money back. Public education in Oregon is a travesty, I'm actually thankful I don't have kids going to school here. It sucks. It just shows where our priorities are screwed up in this country.
Design editor Scott Steussy can be reached at 482-3456 x. 229 or sstuessy@dailytidings.com
