Play Book Tag discussion

If Chins Could Kill
Confessions of a B Movie Actor
By Bruce Campbell
3 stars

It’s been like 15 years since this book came out, but since it’s been decades since the cult hit Evil Dead was filmed that’s no big deal and I’m glad I read it. Oddly enough, I enjoyed Campbell’s discussion of editing, sound and direction more than the acting. Glimpses into the crew side of filming are less frequent than the acting side.

Campbell started with his childhood, briefly, then spent a lot of time in his teens and 20s making films with Sam Raimi and friends. An Evil Dead fan will relish the time spent on that film. The Hudsucker Proxy makes an appearance and the TV series Brisco County, Jr, McHale’s Navy and the Hercules and Xena shows are also covered. Other aspects of acting and random stories from random gigs fill out the book.

This is not a personal memoir (I think two children might have been mentioned in passing as well as a first wife), this is an industry memoir. Campbell plays a lot of roguish characters and that’s the personality that comes across; pranks are played, old photos are included, joke emails designed (or maybe they are real, hard to tell with hard-core fans.) It seems like he had fun reminiscing and writing so the reader has fun too.

Although I don't think I'll ever read this, the title cracked me up.

I'm going through to double check the shelving and the title also caught my attention (though I missed it originally). Sounds like a fun read!