They Can Call Him Bruce...

Bruce is a funny guy.

You might get that from the number of appearances he made in his long career of movie making. His straight-jawed, exaggerated features are perfect for comedy relief that racks up constant laughs in the newest film “My Name is Bruce” finally hits the DVD stands. Not to be confused with the other film of the similar name “They Call Me Bruce.”

But he is still remembered for his iconic portrayal of his alter-ego from the mid-eighties Ash from the Evil Dead trilogy. Such a great performance never left his shadow. Many fans around the world still hope and cling to the possibility of him making a fourth Evil Dead film with him being older, still cranky, wising up with his lame jokes that were more penetrating than the sharpest sword.

We never got there to the fourth movie.

But “They Call Me Bruce” is the closest you’ll get to the fourth installment of the much beloved horror series that still makes great popcorn fun.

Bruce Campbell plays himself. As a jerk, a no good boozer… a pretty self-assured schmuck who only thinks of himself and disregards everyone else as he hogs the spotlight from everyone who crosses his path. He’s pretty smug. It’s a self-parody. He’s an icon now, a popular one. A national treasure. One that reminds you of the recent stints that William Shatner has been doing recently: just having fun with life. There’s even a mention of Shatner in the movie.

This is Bruce having fun.

Basically the film begins with a few teenagers, one being a loyal Campbell fan who refers to him as the greatest actor in his generation, stumbles into a cemetery filled with several disgraced Chinese burials. The surviving boy takes the talisman that rightfully belongs to the cemetery and makes a dash for it—only to awaken a sword wielding Chinese god Guan-di. Who has very red eyes.

The whole town of Gold Lick falls under the constant spells of this very angry god who stops at nothing to get rid of the townsfolk for desecrating the cemetery. So the townsfolk have a plan. They will go find someone who knows about fighting bad-ass demons and force him into helping them defeat this troubled spirit.

They kidnap him out of his trailer park home.

But they find out that Bruce is a bigger jerk than even Shatner is.

There’s a lot of funny scenes with him in it. How he treats the irate, wheel-bound veteran is pretty merciless… but hilarious if you have an evil sense of humor. Bruce gets tired of the fan mucking him about that he makes some snide reference to the old Rawhide shows before kicking the wheel-bound veteran away down the street. Watch him roll. The other scene offers a very funny country square dance involving Bruce and the surviving boy’s mother… as they crash and whirl through the party with their dancing moves. I’ve never seen anyone dance so badly.

But leave it to Bruce never feeling guilty about embarrassing himself. Or anyone else for that matter.

Bruce’s first time reaction to the creature is a terrific one, “Nobody told me that thing is real!” So he runs. And pushes some little girl off her bike so he can ride off with it. What a nice guy.

Yet, like most good-hearted movies, Bruce finds the errors of his ways and comes back to make amends by relunctantly helping the town from being besieged by the Chinese god… who spends most of his time lopping people’s heads off with his sword. And protecting bean curd.

This is a directorial film created by Campbell himself. He made use of his own land in Oregon without having to deal with any authorities regarding property, land use, anything else that can stall the film. In the special feature, Bruce just says in his straightforward fashion, “I just want to make a movie. I don’t want to deal with the hassles.”

Though Sam Raimi, who often collaborates with Bruce in many of his films, does not contribute to “My Name is Bruce,” there is his brother Ted Raimi who shows up in three different parts including playing the movie actor’s agent. It’s actually fun to see him in the film as well. So it’s like old friends coming to crash in on the party.

There’s also a lovely scene which is shot inside the fan boy’s room stashed and stuffed with every conceivable token in honor of Bruce Campbell’s film career. Including, if you watch closely, a nice reference to the old TV show he had done “The Adventures of County Brisco Jr.” It gets the heart rolling with nostalgia.

A prior screening was held the Alamo Drafthouse which has a well known repute. In less than two minutes, there was a complete selling out of tickets that broke records—which was also set by a 1989 Bruce Campbell appearing at the self-same theater.

But the film is very true to form of the sense of humor and game play that is only described as Campbell style. He is still a womanizing jerk in the end of the film, but does win the heart of the boy’s mother’s love. Couldn’t you ask for a better ending? Actually you’ll have to see for yourself. I won’t spoil things here.

There is in the works a second film called “They Still Call Me Bruce.” So stay tuned for that one.