The Army of Darkness (aka Army of Darkness), the third installment of the horror franchise The House, now enjoys an excellent edition. Directed by Sam Raimi in 1992 and starring Bruce Campbell, The Army of Darkness was recently edited in an extraordinary special edition for its 25th anniversary: an unmissable box set that among other things marks the debut of "Midnight Classics," a publishing line linked to Midnight Factory.
Unlike the previous chapters (The House and The House 2), Army of Darkness trespasses into the fantasy genre by favoring a medieval setting and also the use of stop motion animation that prevails especially in the second half of the film. Ne The Army of Darkness however, there is no shortage of ironic and humorous veins (typical of the saga) which help to envelop the entire film work with a veil of dementedness aimed at pure entertainment.
The result is an incredibly branching film in multiple genres (and subgenres such as splatter) to which is added a massive dose of special effects. The extraordinary Bruce Campbell, now an iconic character in the franchise, is then the magnet around which the story revolves and which draws the viewer's attention to himself.
Although the horror component is often overshadowed, The Army of Darkness is considered a true cult film. Pleasingly chaotic, funny, hilarious but above all unique, the film offers a delirious but also comprehensive conclusion to Raimi's trilogy. Unforgettable.
Plot of Army of Darkness: Transported back in time, Ash (Bruce Campbell) finds himself in the Middle Ages. Here he will embark on a journey in search of the "Necronomicon," the book of the dead. During his adventure, however, he will unwittingly awaken the forces of evil.
The screenplay is by Sam and Ivan Raimi.
In the cast: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Grove, Timothy Patrick Quill, Michael Earl Reid, Bridget Fonda, Patricia Tallman, and Ted Raimi.
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The edition of The Army of Darkness proposed by Midnight Classics consists of 3 Blu-rays with 3 versions of the film (International, Director's cut and Theatrical version), as many as 4 DVDs and a 44-page hardcover booklet.
Blu-ray and DVD are housed between the seven-page reproduction of the "Necronomicon" (bearing a pentacle on the back that glows in the dark) and on which Tom Sullivan's original drawings are depicted.
The booklet features pictures, rare scene photos, poster photos (Italian, original and foreign) and trivia (in both Italian and English) about The Army of Darkness including the differences between the various versions, edits and durations of the various editions. The last page, on the other hand, is devoted to Sam Raimi's main filmography.
Necronomicon with DVD+Blu-ray combo and booklet are enclosed in a hardback slipcase.
Lots of rare and exclusive content in the two formats (lasting 4 hours): Audio commentary; Cutscenes; Alternative Beginning; Ash vs. Arthur; Original Mill Scene; Alternative Ending; Various Trailers; Photo Gallery; Storyboards of Cutscenes; Making Of; Featurette: Creating the Deadites; Making of Featurette; Interviews; Behind-the-Scenes Special Effects; Videos from the Set.
- Blu-ray/DVD International Version: Blu-ray master obtained by Scan 4K
Extra Contents: Cut scenes with original audio and commentary; Alternative ending; International trailer; Photogallery: behind-the-scenes; Photogallery: props.
Blu-ray: Ita/Eng 5.1/2.0 DTS-HD MA, Sub. Ita, Region B, BD50, 1.78:1, 88 min.
DVD: Ita/Eng 5.1/2.0 Dolby Digital, Sub. Ita, 16/9, DVD9, 1.78:1, 85 min. - EXTRA: 52 min. approx. - Blu-ray/DVD: Director's Cut
Extra Contents: Medieval Era: The Making of Army of Darkness; Audio commentary by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Ivan Raimi.
Blu-ray: Eng 5.1/2.0 DTS-HD MA, Sub. Ita, Region B, BD50, 1.78:1, 96 min.
DVD: Eng 5.1/2.0 Dolby Digital, Sub. Ita, 16/9, DVD9, 1.78:1, 92 min. - EXTRA: 92 min. approx. - Blu-ray/DVD U.S. Theatrical Version
Blu-ray: Eng 5.1/2.0 DTS-HD MA, Sub. Ita, Region B, BD50, 1.78:1, 80 min.
DVD: Eng 5.1/2.0 Dolby Digital, Sub. Ita, 16/9, DVD9, 1.78:1, 77 min. - EXTRA: Creating the Dead; Making Of; Interviews; Behind the scenes; Footage from the set. - Extra
DVD: Eng 2.0 Dolby Digital, Sub. Ita, 16/9, 94 min. approx.
