‘Hail to the Deadites’ Review: Dir. Steve Villeneuve [Fantasia 2020]

Although not a critical or box office sensation when it was first released, Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead has amassed a huge fanbase over the years. These fans, known as ‘Deadites’, are the focus of Steve Villeneuve’s latest documentary, Hail to the Deadites. The film interviews a range of people whom are self-confessed obsessives of the films, as Villeneuve seeks to understand just what it is that makes Evil Dead so appealing.

Through every moment of Hail to the Deadites, you can feel the passion and adoration for Sam Raimi’s films. Villeneuve has sought out the biggest fans he can, from all corners of the globe. As he tours the horror fan convention circuit, tracking down key cast members and crews for interviews, he spends time getting to know many of the fans in more detail. We spend a good chunk of time with Kevin Edward and Robin Snyder, a couple about to be married and whom have help from Tom Sullivan for the proposal. Villeneuve later visits them on their special day and passes along a very special message; you can see from their reaction just what the films mean to them. We then move on to Adam King, a guy whom spends his spare time cosplaying as Ash. His story follows his determination to meet Bruce Campbell, and his journey takes some unexpected turns. There’s also a chat with radio host, A.C McCray, whose story about his connection to the film through his son is incredibly emotional and won’t leave a dry eye in the house.

In addition to spending time with all the different fans, whom are undoubtedly the stars of Hail to the Deadites, there are also interviews with key cast and crew members, including of course Mr. Bruce Campbell himself. The chat with Campbell offers some really interesting insights into the phenomena of fandom, both as someone whom has a legion of devoted fans, and as a fan himself. Tom Sullivan offers up a wealth of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and the rest of the cast talk about just how overwhelming they find the success of the films. We also get to see lots of fan interaction, and it’s really heartwarming seeing how excited people are to meet their heroes.

A downside to the occasional almost guerrilla-style filming at the various conventions is that at times it hurts the quality of the film. Considering the conditions under which it was filmed, it’s an understandable approach, and is easily forgiven, but nonetheless this footage is less polished than the rest. It would also have been nice to see some clips of the iconic films that have inspired such passion, but rather than intertwine snippets of the films, Villeneuve instead opts to use fan-made films. The choice was probably linked in part to the costs of getting the license rights to actual Evil Dead footage, however, it still works well and reinforces just how popular the movies are.

Hail to the Deadites is a heart-warming love letter to the fans. It’s a film full to bursting with passion, both from those that were a part of the movies, and those that love to watch them. Insightful, informative, and packed with emotion, this is a must see for those out there that share an affinity for Sam Raimi’s films.

Hail to the Deadites was reviewed at Fantasia 2020. It will next screen at Arrow Video FrightFest on Sunday 20th August 2020.