Biography from Baseline's Encyclopedia of Film

Occupation: Director, screenwriter
Also: producer, actor
Born: 1959
Education: Michigan State University

Enjoyed critical success at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival with THE EVIL DEAD, a kinetic exercise in outrageously gory horror that went on to become an international cult favorite. Raimi delivered an even bloodier yet more lighthearted sequel, EVIL DEAD II (1987), confirming his taste for camera pyrotechnics, slapstick comedy and gruesome surrealism. He then took his first stab at mainstream filmmaking with 1990's DARKMAN. A stylish, witty transposition of the comic-book aesthetic to the screen, DARKMAN also paid satiric tribute to the Universal horror features of the 1930s; it was a success at the box office and introduced a wider audience to Raimi's work.

Raimi's roots as a filmmaker go back to his childhood, when he made 8mm fantasy adventure shorts, and to his college days, when he formed creative partnerships that have lasted through several feature films. At Michigan State he founded the Society of Creative Filmmaking with brother Ivan, who later coscripted DARKMAN (1990) and ARMY OF DARKNESS (1993), and actor Robert Tapert, who has produced all of Raimi's features to date. On graduating, Raimi formed Renaissance Pictures with Tapert and another student performer, Bruce Campbell, who has appeared in all of his films, notably as Ash in the EVIL DEAD stories. Raimi has also been associated with the Coen Brothers: producer Ethan was an assistant editor on THE EVIL DEAD, both brothers scripted CRIMEWAVE (1985) and Raimi co-wrote THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994) with the duo.

Sam Raimi Filmography

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