Ok - I'm home, intoxicated and delirously happy. Of course, this is Harry... I mainly blame ASH VS EVIL DEAD for my current state of bliss - though there was M Night's SPLIT which took me a happy place that I'm just not going to discuss - because... if I get into it, I couldn't control myself - and I'm not one of those people that will be that dickish.
But today at FANTASTIC FEST 2016, there was a screening of the first two episodes of Season 2 of ASH VS EVIL DEAD.
I got to be in a room with Lee Majors and Bruce Campbell... simultaneously. I'm prepped for bionics now.
Bruce told the audience that he was rearing to do 7 more seasons of the show and after that a feature. To which I screamed like I was awarded a working Millenium Falcon with a co-pilot named Chewie. Sure - that could be Bruce being... well, here's the thing, I've been seeing Bruce at events for the better part of the last 20 years - and in that time he's never been this Bruce Campbell. To see Bruce owning Ash and the Franchise like this is just the sort of FUCK YEAH, that I've been waiting for.
The first episode of this new season is setting up the beginning of the path this season is following, beginning with Ash in Jacksonville, Florida being the finest bastard ever created by millions of years of Darwinism in practice. Not that he's the fittest, but simply - he's willing to go where mere mortals fear to tread. And he does so magnificently.
Seeing Lee Majors as Ash's dad... bliss. At least 7 wheelbarrows of bliss. I mean, just seeing Lee Majors being every bit the racist mysoginist that you'd thank raised Ash for the uncivilized blue-collar barbarian of magnificence that he has become.
But...
But...
The second episode of this season has Ash going to a morgue.
What...
Follows...
Is the very best absurdist goretastic experience since Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE. Makes since, it is shot in New Zealand... but it is a sequence where I easily missed a third of it laughing and looking at the BNAT theater at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar... the place was coming unglued. It was. SPECTACULAR. EUPHORIC. And right now, thinking about where that immaculate chin of chins winds up and what is where it is... FOLKS - this is...
Sitting beside me was Annette Kellerman - who was just fucking dying. Dad had tears rolling down his face... the place went fucking nuts... for a very long time - and through it all - I could hear Bruce Campbell and Lee Majors laughing like folks that had sewn a rattlesnake's mouth shut in a hot car in a parking lot and watch the poor fuck freak as a result. A sardonic quasi sadistic cackle of delight. It was AWESOME. More than that, it was a memory to cherish forever.
I watched the first season to death. Every friend that didn't have STARZ came over and watched them. Because, this shit is important. I know, like many of you, we'd given up hope of ever seeing Bruce as ASH. When Fede Alvarez's EVIL DEAD hit, he was very present and proud of the film and his work as a very attentive producer - and there was always the carrot that the next one would unify the franchise... but then... ASH VS EVIL DEAD - and it was so much concentrated happy - but that experience was wholly in my living room. Each new episode was watched 3 times by myself before I started forcing it upon every single visitor that came by. And sometimes, just the dogs, because they need education.
But tonight, seeing it in the Holly Blain Theater 4... in the midst of a film festival that has a lot of horror, but none with the energy and guts of these two episodes tonight. That Rob Tapert and Bruce and their team in New Zealand are putting this energy in. I mean, just watching and seeing that Ash gets his penchant for one liners from dear old dad, and that Lee Majors hits a new level of awesome that no prior bionic leap had taken him... well... for a boy that had his STEVE AUSTIN and BIGFOOT toys... and man, I can't even begin to ennumerate the minutes, hours and days I stared through Steve Austin's head imagining that I was STEVE AUSTIN, THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN - and he is now and forever... the father of fucking ASH! Are you kidding me?
Just joy beyond joy.
I can't wait to again capture this 2nd season beginning October 2nd on STARZ... It is NECESSARY! The sensation as I watch this is why on earth this hasn't been happening as long as THE SIMPSONS.
Also, gotta say, Bruce gave massive Cred to WALKING DEAD for paving the road they spill more blood upon. Also with the panel was Dana DeLorenzo and Ray Santiago, who play Kelly & Pablo on the series. Dana is awesome in person, great energy and you can tell how much she's loving this. Whereas Ray Santiago... It's like he's just so besmotten with this turn his life has taken that words just don't serve him. Instead... you can see him quasi vibrating through solid objects.
Little more context on Bruce's comment about his desire on future seasons (7) and a movie... at least.... He was just asked about his favorite Deadite from the show thus far - and he didn't want to get pinned down because, as he said, "We're nowhere near done here. We're just getting started." I know with Bruce, one has to govern their enthusiasm, but as he said it, it wasn't with swagger, it was passion.
But I figure that means we've got close to 30 hours of future ASH adventures - and you know what? I want not a second less than that.
Keep it Cool,
Harry
