Graham: Author, B-flick star Campbell: Book biz beats Hollywood
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What: Personal appearance by actor-writer Bruce Campbell
When: Doors open, 5 p.m. Tuesday
Where: The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd.
Price: $8 general admission, $6 members of the Tucson Film Society
Info: 322-LOFT, www.loftcinema.com
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T o borrow a phrase about James Bond, when it comes to being congenial, "Nobody does it better" than Bruce Campbell. He is a straight-shooting, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy. Exactly the sort you'd hope to have as a seat mate on a crowded trans-Pacific flight in a stuffy jetliner.
"I'm coming to Tucson exclusively to talk about the book," says Campbell, wanting to make that clear right away. He is appearing at The Loft Cinema on Tuesday for a book signing plus Q&A to promote the paperback release of his best-selling novel "Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way."
But Bruce being Bruce, if you ask a question about his movies, you're going to get a direct and detail-filled answer. He'll also introduce a Loft screening of "Bubba Ho-Tep," arguably a movie with a larger and more loyal following than his original "Evil Dead" trilogy directed by high school pal Sam Raimi.
And yes, fans, Campbell confirms he has signed on to do the sequel, "Bubba Nosferatu." In this one, he'll be portraying a younger version of Elvis. "The sequel is half prequel," he adds, not wanting to give away too much. "We'll probably shoot it in the spring of next year."
Campbell quickly points out "Bubba Nosferatu" is a true independent film of the pay-as-you-go variety where everyone is scrambling from start to finish.
"Because it's an indie, we don't know when it will be released," Campbell says. "If a movie has a release date, it's not a true indie, anyway - it's a studio indie," he says - showing the Bruce Campbell way to tell true independent films from the bogus studio pictures masquerading as independent films.
On the touchy subject of how his acting career stalled at the B-movie level after that first "Evil Dead" release became such a hit, he says "I don't use the c-word," presumably referring to "career." Or maybe "celebrity."
"If you spend your time trying to become a movie star, you're taking time away from your acting," he adds. "I have a better choice of roles than the big shots do.
"I always stick up for B-movies because they are more imaginative. They have to be. They don't have any money. And Hollywood is always co-opting the B-movies.
"It always has. If you get bitten by a radioactive spider, that is a B-movie concept," Campbell insists, referencing those Spidey pics by his pal Raimi.
But . . . um . . . doesn't writing books also take you away from acting?
"It does. But it is to write books, so it's a good cause," says the actor-writer. He believes publishing is a more honest business than the movies.
"So you own 10 percent of a movie," Campbell scoffs. "That's 10 percent of nothing."
The hardcover "Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way" found a home on The New York Times best-seller charts in the summer of 2005. The paperback version should do even better because, as Campbell notes, "It's about $10 cheaper than the hardcover."
That's more than the price of a Tucson first-run movie ticket.
And speaking of movies, Campbell says he's working on "My Name Is Bruce" in the multitasking roles of actor and director, filming near his Oregon home.
So what's this flick about? Why, it's about Bruce Campbell, of course. Nobody has more fun making fun of himself. In this script by Mark Verheiden ("Smallville," "Timecop," "The Mask"), an Oregon town full of "Evil Dead" fans is besieged by a real monster. So the citizens call for help from their movie hero. What the fans don't realize, the real Bruce Campbell is just an actor. Not a fearless dragon slayer.
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