Rating: 
Summary: Bruce!! (what more is there to say?)
Review: I got this as a Yule present from my best friend. Now here's a little background: I love Bruce. I keep an Autolycus action figure on my altar across from my goddess Caffeina. My Ash action figure still in its package has a place of honor next to Bill the Cat on my living room shelves. So of COURSE I'm going to eat up any Bruce-abilia. HOWEVER what I really loved was his style of presenting his story. Pretention, apparently, is a very low-priority habit, if indeed he ever does get siezed by that singular odiousness. His story is quite interesting, both the professional parts and the personal parts, and he does a fantastic job at helping you understand how the industry works, to the best of his knowledge. This book, though, is definitely something that only Bruce fans will be interested in. I say "Bruce Campbell" to most people and they scratch their heads. So if you MUST have this book, you better go watch Evil Dead, ED2:Dead by Dawn, and Army of Darkness; find any Jerkules/Xenaphobe episodes with Autolycus; watch Spider-Man (the recent blockbuster movie) a zillion times; see the first 5 minutes of Congo; try to find vhs copies of Brisco County Jr. Then and only then do you deserve to behold the words of the Bruce. And if you are still scratching your head, I have some Bottled Barbed Chains for you....
Rating:
Summary: If I were limited to 3 books on a desert island...
Review: This book is truly exceptional. I knew of Bruce Campbell via the Hercules/Xena tv series. I really appreciated his tongue-in-cheek style and sense of humor- both of which translate to his writing. This book, in addition to being a wonderful narrative, also serves as a true-to-life experience of what it's like to be a working actor/film maker today. I am a college theatre professor and I recommend the book to my students as a "must read" for anyone who is serious about going on in the business. While full of valuable information, the book is first and foremost, a witty, entertaining travelogue of Bruce's experiences. I constantly laughed out loud while reading it. I will also tell you that Bruce was traveling from Buffalo to Syracuse, NY last year to promote the book and took the time to stop off at the college where I teach to speak to our theatre and comminications majors. He was personable, witty and brutally direct- just like the book. The students loved him and you'll love the book.
Rating:
Summary: I've said it before; I'll say it again: BRUCE CAMPBELL = GOD
Review: I've been a fan to Mr. Campbell for about three years now, ever since I watched ARMY OF DARKNESS on the Sci-Fi Channel one night. I was struck by his likeability and comedic timing. Both are present in this great, great, great, autobiography. He's a really talented fella, and I'm hoping he will one day write a fictional novel. It'd be a KILLER, ladies and folks.
Rating:
Summary: BRUCE CAMPBELL IS GOD
Review: 3 and a half years in the Navy and I finally made it home for Christams 2002. And I also got If Chins Could Kill. What a great present. This book was the best. I have been a Campbell fan for aas long as I can remember.I even sat through the Xena and hercules episodes. Anyway the book is very funny. Everything you wanted to know about Bruce Campbell and then some you didnt. He does a good job going from his childhood in Michigan straight to the present. There is none of that Hollywood stuck up name dropping in here.Its just about a normal guy who made some movies and along the way entertained us. I know this is not much of a review, but all I can say is if you are as big of a Campbell fan as I am pick this book up. It took about a day to finish. Get this book here or anywhere.
GROOVY BABY!
Rating: 
Summary: Bruce Campbell is my hero.
Review: I've been a fan of Bruce's for a long time, so I was eager to read his autobiography. I laughed out loud several times throughout this book, and I don't usually laugh outloud while reading (Except for David Sedaris stories). My only criticism is that towards the end of the book the writing loses some of it's humor and it's edge. I think this is partially attributable to his relating events as they are happening in his real life, rather than looking back and being able to make observations on the events. Overall a great read, but the anticlimatic (almost boring) ending kept it from getting 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Entertaining
Review: You wanna make it in Hollywood? Well, friends, it takes a TON of dedication, loads of patience, a good bit of luck, a dash of talent, and a great deal of hard work. And after you put all that in, you may be lucky to attain the level of a "B" movie actor. The guy that stars in movies the major mainstream audiences will never see. Or is offered bit parts in the bigger movies and a few roles on sydnicated tv shows that could lead to guest stints on popular programs. You know, enough so that when people see you in something, they say, "Hey, haven't I seen that guy somewhere before? Lois and Clark? X-Files? Hercules?" Well, that guy is Bruce Campbell. And what's amazing, in this book, not only does he portray himself as this kind of guy in an amusingly self depreciating manner, but he seems genuinely HAPPY to be that guy. This is a guy who remembers where he came from and how far he's come just to get the success that he's got. Anyone that's seen Bruce on screen, or has caught interviews with him or commentaries on his movies knows that he is a funny, interesting guy who always has something compelling to say that makes you just want to listen to him. And that comes off on page in spades. As he explores his life and career from goofing around the neighborhood with his friends and brothers to starring in super 8 films in high school all the way to his cameo role as the ring announcer in his buddy Sam Raimi's little flick "Spider-Man", he takles it all with the honesty and abundance of wit you've come to expect from him. We're there with Bruce as he endures the torturous shoot on "Evil Dead" and Tom Arnold on "McHale's Navy". We're with him every difficult step of the way to what is best described as "cult" stardom. But whether you've even heard of this guy or not is irrelevent, you should give the book a read. You'll turn the pages as fast as you can, just to see what ol' Bruce is gonna get himself into next. The mainstream may only know him as "That Guy", but they are the ones missing out. Missing out on a talented and all around down to earth nice guy. So do yourself a favor, pick up this book and start to get to know him.
Rating:
Summary: Witty "behind the scenes" look at the Acting profession
Review: This is the story of Bruce Campbell's life as an actor & director, from acting in amateur plays in school to TV star-dom in Xena & Hercules. I found the story of how Bruce ,along with Sam Raimi & Rob Tappert, produced the movie Evil Dead to be particularly interesting - especially the details, such as how they got the financing for the picture, and how they did some of the special effects. Bruce's engaging, honest and amusing delivery makes an interesting story even better.
Rating:
Summary: B actor with an A book
Review: Bruce Campbell, Author of If Chins Could Kill, is a great actor. I don’t mean great as in he will ever win an Oscar, I mean great as in he adds life and character to the movies he’s in. In addition, he seems like the kind of guy who has a lot to say, and can make what he says sound important. I admire that, and so I decided that Bruce’s new autobiography would be a great opportunity to learn more about this guy. Bruce had recently submitted and audio commentary track for the DVD release of Evil Dead, and it was a highly entertaining, and often hilarious reflection on the movie. Since his book mainly deals with his experiences as an actor in such films as Evil Dead, it seemed that his book would very possibly mimic the enjoyment I had listening to him. Sam Raimi and Bruce made Evil Dead when they were only just out of high school. This is a very interesting subject, because making a movie when you’re a nobody is a difficult task, as Bruce is able to describe in great detail. The movie took four years to make and a lot of skeptical investors to provide funds. Over a period of twenty years since its release, it has achieved worldwide acclaim and a huge fan base. As such, many people, including myself, enjoy an opportunity to read about the details of making the film. Bruce Campbell is quite capable of explaining everything that went on during those four years that he and director Sam Raimi spent making Evil Dead. This book is crammed with knowledge. Not the useful kind, or course; this book is filled with interesting information. Among the many things I learned while reading If Chins Could Kill, was a brief lesson on how to speak Kiwi, the native New Zealand tongue. They actually speak a variation of the British and Australian English language. For instance, a Band-Aid is a "plaster," it doesn't rain, it "pisses down," and canned pet food is known as "jellymeat." I also learned about a term known as Shemping, which, in “The Biz,†means that if the actor who plays a part in a movie is not available, the illusion of that actor can be made by only filming certain body parts of other available actors. The limb could be dressed up and made to look like the missing actors limb. Since hands, legs, etc. are usually unidentifiable, this method, although extreme, was often successful. The term was named after the Three Stooges member, Shemp, who had a heart attack while three “Stooges†episodes were in production. Since the episodes were not complete, a “Fake Shemp†had to be used to give the illusion that the real Shemp was there. I always wanted to know that. In retrospect, this was a highly enjoyable book, more so than I than I thought any autobiography could be. It holds importance to me, because I have a strong interest in movies and movie production. After following Bruce’s career through his autobiography, I have gained a greater understanding of how the whole process either succeeds or fails. Bruce Campbell may not have led a groundbreaking existence, but that does not mean he hasn’t lived an interesting one.
Rating:
Summary: Hail to the King (of "B Movies") Baby!.....
Review: Bruce Campbell is a film/TV God. He is unappreciated the way he should be, because my lord this man has talent. Producer, Director, Assitant Director, Writer, Actor, you name is and this man has been a part of it. He has been along side some of the BIGGEST names in show-business and held his own perfectly. Was part of several big TV shows, and is just an all around great guy. I wish that he would do much more, so that the rest of the world can see his skill. Bruce, as an aspiring actor, I bow to you!
Rating:
Summary: Bruce is the man
Review: This is a great story of a guy who didnt fall into temptation of drugs and alcohol,and didnt give up when the chips were down. Bruce is a class act. His story is nothing but uplifting,even with all the bad breaks,Bruce drove on and on.
The tales of making evil dead were fantastic even with a recipe for fake blood. Loaded with photo's with funny captions underneath,drawings,car bills,and whole lot more. Very easy to read because of the humor involved from Bruce. A class act in a classless world.
|
