Hey you Evil Dead fans, “Swallow This!”. After seven long years, Hail to the Deadites is finally premiering next month at the Fantasia International Film Festival!
This new documentary follows the cult-like fandom surrounding the Evil Dead franchise. Hail to the Deadites features interviews with the cast, crew, collectors, fans, freaks, and geeks from all over who share one love for the 1981 cult classic and its sequels. It expands into the farthest reaches of the franchise’s fervent and undying popularity. A popularity which has generated four films, a TV series, comic books, figurines, and even a musical!
Hail to the Deadites also spotlights the fans that cultivated and helped spread the films, launching it into horror pop-culture history! Everything featured in the film is based on the fans. Its a celebration for those who have celebrated the films and a tribute to some of the most freakishly fun fans any franchise could ask for. “So, rev your chainsaws and load your broomsticks, it’s time to give the Deadites some sugar, baby!” said director Steve Villeneuve.
More than just exploring fandom, Hail to the Deadites features interviews with Evil Dead Cast members. Expect to see commentary from Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Tom Sullivan, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley DePaiva, Sarah Berry, Rick Domeier, and Bill Moseley.
As HorrorBuzz reported earlier this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fantasia International Film Festival is hosting its 2020 edition of the festival in a virtual meeting space this August. Hail to the Deadites will be available online during the festival period from August 20 to September 2. The screenings for the festival have been geo-blocked to Canadian audiences exclusively and are only accessible from within the country. This virtual platform now gives farther-reaching access to fans all across Canada rather than Quebec, the festival’s usual location. No official word has been released on further streaming platforms for the documentary. But we will wait (not so) patiently… in the words of Ash himself, “You bastards! Why are you torturing me like this? Why?!”
Until we can revel in Deadite glory, here is a teaser of the film to tide you over!
