Ju-on: The Grudge (2003) Directed by Takashi Shimizu Writing credits Takashi Shimizu   Genre: Horror (more) Plot Outline: A mysterious and vengeful spirit marks and pursues anybody who dares enter the house in which it resides.   Cast overview, first billed only: Megumi Okina .... Rika Nishina Misaki Ito .... Hitomi Tokunaga Misa Uehara .... Izumi Toyama Yui Ichikawa .... Chiharu Kanji Tsuda .... Katsuya Tokunaga Kayoko Shibata .... Mariko Yukako Kukuri .... Miyuki Shuri Matsuda .... Kazumi Tokunaga Yoji Tanaka .... Y�ji Toyama Takashi Matsuyama .... Saeki Takeo Yuya Ozeki .... Toshio Takako Fuji .... Kayako Chikara Ishikura .... Hirohashi Chikako Isomura .... Sachie, Katsuya's mother Daisuke Honda .... Detective Igarashi   (more)   Also Known As: The Grudge (UK) (DVD title) (USA) Ju-on 3 (Japan) (working title) MPAA: Rated R for some disturbing images. Runtime: 92 min Country: Japan Language: Japanese Color: Color Sound Mix: DTS

 

Army of Darkness (1993)

Directed by Sam Raimi Writing credits (WGA) Sam Raimi (written by) & Ivan Raimi (written by)

 

Genre: Adventure / Fantasy / Action / Comedy / Horror (more)

Tagline: Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas (more)

Plot Outline: A man is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home. (more) (view trailer)

User Comments: "Hail to the king, baby!" (more)

 

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Campbell	....	Ashley J. 'Ash' Williams/Evil Ash/Mini-Ash
Embeth Davidtz	....	Sheila
Marcus Gilbert	....	Lord Arthur
Ian Abercrombie	....	Wiseman (Wiseman John in the script)
Richard Grove	....	Duke Henry the Red
Timothy Patrick Quill	....	Blacksmith
Michael Earl Reid	....	Gold Tooth
Bridget Fonda	....	Linda
Patricia Tallman	....	Possessed Witch
Ted Raimi	....	Cowardly Warrior/Second Supportive Villager/S-Mart Clerk (as Theodore Raimi)
Deke Anderson	....	Mini-Ash #2
Bruce Thomas	....	Mini-Ash #3
Sara Shearer	....	Old Woman
Shiva Gordon	....	Pit Deadite #1
Billy Bryan	....	Pit Deadite #2
(more)

Also Known As:
Army of Darkness, the Ultimate Experience in Medieval Horror (closing credits title)
Army of Darkness: Evil Dead 3
Army of Darkness: The Medieval Dead (UK)
Bruce Campbell Vs. Army of Darkness (UK) (video title)
Captain Supermarket
Evil Dead 3
Evil Dead II: The Medievil Dead (USA) (working title)
The Army of Darkness (USA) (original script title)
The Medieval Dead
MPAA: Rated R for violence and horror.
Runtime: 81 min / USA:96 min (director's cut)
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color (DeLuxe)
Sound Mix: Dolby SR

 

Ash (Bruce Campbell), the main character from the two "Evil Dead" movies, has ended up in medieval times where he ends up on a quest to find the Book of the Dead (a.k.a. 'Necronomicon'). He's so dense he only remembers two of the three words that he has to say before grabbing the book, and he ultimately resurrects a legion of skeletal warriors, led by an 'evil' version of himself.

"Army of Darkness" is not as much of a horror movie as its predecessors (admittedly, "Evil Dead 2" contained more comedy than horror) - it has its horrific elements, but it seems to be first and foremost a comedy - with lots of one-liners and slapstick. It's kind of a delirious combination of horror, comedy, fantasy, action, and adventure. Campbell is hilarious as Ash, firing off his one-liners as obnoxiously as possible and dominating the screen. Embeth Davidtz makes an appealing movie debut as 'Sheila', and several of co-writer/director Sam Raimi's colleagues (including his brothers Theodore and Ivan) have roles.

"Army of Darkness" is for the most part very well paced and does not take many breathers. It relies on special effects a lot, but the effects are often entertaining. It is a slick major studio effort from Raimi that concludes this trilogy on a high note.

Incidentally, just how many different versions of the DVD exist?!?

10/10