Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor

Some could say that in high school I may have had an unhealthy relationship with the Evil Dead movies. I'm not totally sure why? Sure, I named my childhood dog Raimi, and I drove all night one Thanksgiving to visit the ruined remains of the first Evil Dead cabin in Tennessee, and  I've went to see Bruce Campbell speak on several occasions over the course of only a few years (once even flying from Boston to Baltimore only to sadly realize Campbell's meet-n-greet was sold out forcing Paulie and myself to finagled our way into a costume contest he was judging instead). But these are normal activities of any healthy teenager, right? 

Ok, so I may have had an unhealthy fanatical obsession with these films and their creators. But these films had such a positive impact on my life. They helped me form certain friendships, encouraged me to go to film school, and inspired me to achieve the career I currently have (OK, writing commercials might not be my dream career, but it's a start dammit!). 

While I'm not as ravenous of a fan of Evil Dead or Bruce Campbell as I used to be (meaning I'm not staying up until 2am on a school night to tape a late night showing of Mindwarp on VHS), these films/creators still hold a very dear place in my heart. So when I heard word that Bruce Campbell's latest memoir came out this past fall, I was all in on it. 

First, let's rewind the clock to 2001. 

Campbell's first book was called If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor, and it was an excellent memoir. In it, he mostly discusses his rise into becoming an actor and all the work that went on during the early parts of his career -- in this case, mostly the Evil Dead films. It was really interesting to hear tales from what went on making those movies. The innovation used to create a cult-favorite horror film with no money. And it's even more interesting to think that so many people who worked on these seemingly insignificant films are now creative leaders in Hollywood. Who knew?!

Now let's skip back to the present.

Campbell's third book (second memoir) comes out called Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor. Here I would think we would have tales about what it's been like now that he's a well-established actor. Or what it's been like to watch Sam Raimi grow up to helm the Spider-Man films and break box office records or do a seven-season stint on Burn Notice or return as Ash in the new Evil Dead TV show. And, yeah, that stuff is all there. But not covered in the same depth that I would have hoped for. 

The fact is, this book skips around pretty quickly throughout the second half of his career and fails to capture all the stories and anecdotes that I loved from his first book. It's not bad, mind you. Just different than what I expected. Hell, nearly a third of this book talks about life as a homeowner in rural Medford, Oregon. Parts about him harvesting lavender or learning how to spread gravel on his dirt road kind of seemed a little unnecessary. Campbell's wit is still interwoven even through the non-acting parts of his memoir -- like discussing the burdens of homeowners ship and trying to get a second phone line installed when you live in the middle of fucking nowhere -- but you can't help but feel like he's holding out on you. 

By the time I actually get to the content I'm truly excited about (reconnecting with Raimi, bringing Ash back to life, etc.), the stories feel incredibly rushed. (Shrug.) It's not bad. Just not what I was hoping for. I know there are more stories there, stories that would likely come out when you go see him do a Q&A somewhere, but I just need to find a way to be satisfied with what I got. 

Unless you're a ravenous Evil Dead and/or Bruce Campbell fan, I wouldn't bother with this book. BUT, I would recommend If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor for even someone with a faint interest in film. Make of that what you will.