Sam Raimi, one of the most popular and bankable directors of all time, made it to news headlines again this year. This attention comes after he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the director of Doctor Strange: in the Multiverse of Madness movie. The American filmmaker – and occasional actor – is also known for directing the famous Spider-Man trilogy, and the Evil Dead franchise. Aside from directing films, Sam Raimi has also produced several successful T.V. shows, such as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.
Sam Raimi’s films are known for being visually-appealing and highly-dynamic, with most stories inspired by comic books and scripts added with a dash of slapstick comedy. But what exactly is it about Sam Raimi and his movies that makes them so addicting? How does he tell the stories of his characters? More importantly, what exactly makes Sam Raimi one of the best directors in Hollywood? Keep on reading to find out!
8 His Breathtaking Signature Camera Style
From camera movements to the framing composition of every film he directs, it seems that the acclaimed director has everything covered. His favorite camera trick is a very fast zoom-in directed into the actor's eye. The extreme close-up then gets cut into a wide shot to show the impact of a moving object on its target. It is undeniably a horror-movie-inspired trick, but it also works for action or thriller sequences in superhero movies. Don’t believe it? Go and watch Spider-Man 2 and wait for Doc Ock’s surgery scene.
7 Creative Framing Is Sam Raimi's Strong Suit
Sam Raimi’s style of framing often includes Dutch angles, or what they call shots that are askew. In the film Evil Dead, the director who predicted his Dr. Strange involvement uses this type of framing to show the horrified expressions of his characters when the monsters abound. He is also very fond of having his characters look directly at the camera. This is to emphasize their reactions. This type of framing is a bit disorienting, especially when he does it in horror movies, but it is a very effective way to convey the actor’s POV.
6 His Incredible Movie Montage
Sam Raimi loves a good montage. He never fails to include a montage in almost all of his movies. In Spider-Man 2, after Peter Parker quits his gig as Spider-Man, the film shows a montage of him enjoying his personal life. The camera shows him walking all carefree and is finally able to focus more on his studies. While all of this is happening, Sam Raimi’s signature camera style serves as the transition from one scene to another. He does the same thing in Multiverse of Madness, but he does a cross-fade montage to keep up with the story's pace and motivation.
5 He's The King Of Horror Genre
Sam Raimi’s directing style is so distinct, anyone can recognize his artistry almost immediately – especially in a horror movie. Even if the film he’s directing is not part of the horror genre, he incorporates a scary element into them. In Spider-Man, a jump scare gets utilized to frame the Green Goblin’s attack on Aunt May. That scene, combined with the dark atmosphere, and the stellar performances of the actors, make the scene traverse into horror-movie territory subconsciously. In the Evil Dead franchise where Bruce Campbell made a brief cameo, Sam Raimi does not skimp out on the gore factor to create excessively terrifying scenes.
4 Horror and Comedy Go Hand-in-Hand In His Films
Aside from the truly horrific and gory scenes in his horror movies, Sam Raimi also includes slapstick comedy in his films. He seems to have mastered the correct formula for these two polar opposite themes without clashing against each other. Sam Raimi has previously admitted that he is a fan of The Three Stooges, a comedy group from the 1920s, and this love for comedy bleeds through his work. Sam Raimi also likes a bit of physical comedy and often incorporates them in scenes, as if they are part of the Looney Tunes cast.
3 His Success Story Is Heartwarming
Sam Raimi started making movies when he was just 18 years old. His first one titled It’s Murder! was shot on a Super 8 film stock with a budget of $2,000. A year after that, he made Within the Woods, a 32-minute movie that he made with a budget of $1,600. With these two movies, he made enough of a name for himself to reach out to investors for money to create The Evil Dead franchise. This humble beginning proves that creativity was all Sam Raimi needed to churn out blockbuster movies.
2 The Stereotypical Characters In His Films Are Noteworthy
In almost all of Sam Raimi’s works, movie character archetypes are very recognizable. It also seems like the director has a thing for mad scientists straight out of horror films. A couple of examples are the Sandman, Doc Ock and Green Goblin from Spider-Man 3 is still a product of a science experiment gone wrong. In another movie, Darkman, Sam Raimi makes the mad scientist character the hero of the story. The director explains that his protagonists usually face some form of ostracization, and not even the most privileged characters are spared of this luck.
1 He Knows His Style And Sticks To It
Despite Sam Raimi's humble beginnings, he managed to figure out his signature style early on in his career. This is why, even when bigger and bolder movie deals get offered to him, the director is not pressured to conform to other people’s expectations. After all, he has made a name for himself using his style, artistry, and his specific way of directing scenes. It wouldn’t be a Sam Raimi film without all those elements combined. This is probably what makes him one of the best directors in Hollywood. He knows who he is, and he sticks by it no matter what.
