This... is my boomstick!

The twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about a hundred and nine, ninety five. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. You got that? 

No guesses to what I have been watching lately. For someone so into Films it is not uncommon for me to be ask the most commonly asked questions, Who is my favourite actor and my favourite film.

Now I can give you many an example of brilliant, well done films and fabulous well known actors. A-listers and the likes but I cannot say they are my favourite. True movies in my eyes are not about large budgets, brilliant special effects and a well known cast, the real true movies are those with a fantastic story line, done on a hair string budget with money which is begged, borrowed or stolen. The story that grips you that things like continuity, which is something that pisses me off in block busters do not matter to me.

Now, I have watched many low budget films in my time and some, yes are shockingly bad. but some are the best features you will ever set eye on. 

Now, one of the most common and popular low budget flick is the 1981 cult classic, "The Evil Dead" Sam Raimi's first hit. And must be one of the most successful low budget pictures, ever. Filmed on a shoe string of a budget, Under $400,000 the film has grossed close to $30,000,000 as of 2006 and must be well over to this date.

However this isn't what I loved about the film, sure it was a commercial success and attained a cult following but what I love most about this is the Actor it introduced me to.. Mr Bruce Campbell. 

Ever since I saw the film I have had a slight obsession with the Mr Campbell.  I've watched many of the movies he has stared in and I love them all.. Whilst some of them have been called a "commercial/box office disaster" they are still fantastic to watch. nothing beats a bit of Assault on Dome 4, or McHales Navy, Even Escape from L.A.

So luckily for me I have the most fantastic wife ever and she bought me not one but both of the books published by Bruce Campbell. Now I am quite a reader, I love my books and my book cabinet shows this. I never throw away a book and will re-read many. However I have never been one for Auto-Biographies,  Except for a few books regarding Stalin, Communism and the Court of the red Tsar, a couple of military encyclopaedia's and the book Band of Brothers which was later made into the Mini Series I mostly stick to fiction. However the title, the cover and just the fact it was written by Bruce Campbell just amazed me and I finished the book in record time. One thing I loved, Bruce Campbell all throughout the book never claimed to be much of a Writer, never acted more than what he was and came across as one of the most honest people ever. This can be said by the fact he classes himself as a B movie star. Well whilst this may be correct in the traditional terms he's an A in my book.

Now many say, Oh B movie stars are just fillers, I disagree with this, B movie work harder, act harder and generally, in my opinion perform better than a lot of A listers. 

Now, I cannot say I despise all A listers, this I do not, I love most modern, especially Hollywood movies and this can be shown in the fact another favourite actor of mine is none other than Mr Ron Perlman, Aka Hellboy, Aka Koulikov from Enemy at the Gates, Josiah in the Magnificent Seven TV Series and lets not forget the Narrator in not one, not two but ALL of the Fallout games which give rise to this epic speech.

So yes... I like A list Celebs as well as the B Movie Stars.. I actually had the wonderful opertunity of meeting a few people who worked with Ron Perlman, Simon Hunter was a director on a movie which Ron did called "Mutant Chronicles" now whilst the movie itself was a "commercial flop" it was enjoyable, something different anyone, so I met him and a few others who worked on the movie with him. I have photo's somewhere I must dig out at some point.

So with all this said and done, what has sparked my sudden expression regarding my love for Brucey Campbell. Well Burn Notice, the fall of Sam Axe is released today on the USA Network, a TV channel us Brits are unlucky enough not to receive, much to my disgruntled rants USA Network seem to have no intention of changing this. but alas the Fall of Sam Axe is probably on right now as I write this, and I am missing it. Oh well, I'll see it soon enough.

Movies or Films, whichever you prefer to call them mean a lot to me, but the two actors mentioned above are the most iconic in my eyes, both very different and have a different type of role within themselves, but then again from meetings with people who know them and books I have read two of the most humble actors out there who are not "Full of themselves" like many are.

I like to think I chose well for two "role models" for myself from movies, because lets face it, they are, you watch enough of someone on film or tv and you pick up traits from them, you admire them for so long a part of you wishes you were that character, whoever it may be.

Movies to me do what they are designed too, Emerge you into the fantasy and the world. Laura hates it as I may be watching a TV show and she can talk to me, I will not respond because for that time I am in that show, my entire focus is on that show and nothing will distract me from that. 

So next time you watch a movie, try to think of the little guys, Those low budget, B Actors scraping a living doing two jobs, those are the guys with the real talent, the real guts and those who work to keep this industry alive. not those self righteous pricks who demand $20,000,000 for walking onto a set, saying one line and fucking off again.

I challenge you, Each of you find a low budget movie, something you've never heard of before and watch it. if you need help, let me know, but doing so may just open your eyes to what is out there other than the high octaine, high budget, special effects imposed blockbusters out there. and these Low budgets can make it, look at The Evil Dead, a movie which as grossed over 60 times it's original investment and budget.

I leave you with this challenge and I hope you decide to accept, you may be presently surprised.