Festivals - Fantasia 2020 : Hail to the deadites, World Premiere

By Mulder, 16 august 2020

In 1981 Sam Raimi's horror film The Evil Dead was released and quickly became a cult film. Six years later came Evil Dead II, then in 1992, the third part Army of Darkness, still produced by the same team. Three films that made a big impact in fantasy cinema, and built up a huge fan community over the years. Hail to the deadites is about them, the Deadites which is the name given to demons in the film universe, but also the name borrowed by the biggest fans of the trilogy. It is through a series of interviews with Evil Dead enthusiasts, as well as discussions with the filmmakers, that the documentary will shed light on the extent of this phenomenon, which is still immense today. The film features collectors, artists who have created works based on the franchise, a cosplayer from the iconic anti-hero Ash, and even the team behind Evil Dead: The Musical.

In his first documentary Under the scares, presented at Fantasia in 2011, Steve Villeneuve took the pulse of independent horror cinema. This second film, several years of hard work on a much more focused subject, was built through numerous visits to horror conventions and hundreds of encounters. In addition to the fans, the film is packed with exclusive interviews that will make fans of Ash Williams' adventures drool. Like Tom Sullivan, the man behind the special effects and creator of the iconic Book of the Dead, or legendary comedian Bruce Campbell, who steps out of his public persona here to deliver a very emotional and personal account of his admirers. It's this year's must-see documentary for true horror fans: Hail to the deadites.

Hail to the Deadites
Directed by Steve Villeneuve
Produced by Glen Alexander
Written by André Farant, Steve Villeneuve
Starring Chris Alexander, Betsy Baker, Sarah Berry, Bruce Campbell, Richard DeManincor, Michael Gingold, Danny Hicks, Bill Mosely, Ted Raimi, Ellen Sandweiss, Tom Sullivan, Theresa Tilly, Kassie Wesley DePaiva
Music by Ian Blumfield
Cinematography : William Dio
Edited by Steve Villeneuve
Running time : 78mns

(Source : Fantasia 2020 official website)