Army of Darkness
Screenplay by Sam Raimi
Ivan Raimi
Produced by Robert Tapert
Directed by Sam Raimi
Cast
List:
Bruce
Campbell Ash
/ Evil Ash
Embeth
Davidtz Sheila
/ Evil Sheila
Marcus
Gilbert Arthur
Ian
Abercrombie Wiseman
Richard
Grove Duke
Henry
Michael
Earl Reid Gold
Tooth
Timothy
Patrick Quill Blacksmith
Bridget
Fonda Linda
Patricia
Tallman Posessed
Witch
Ted
Raimi Cowardly
Warrior
FADE IN:
GRAINY BLACK AND WHITE –
CLOSEUP – A MAN'S DESPERATE FACE
This is Ash, mid twenties,
square jaw firmly set and a pair of haunted eyes which dart about quickly in
fear. Ash speaks to the CAMERA with urgency:
ASH
Why would you
say that I am insane? I wouldn't say that I've lost my mind simply because I've
heard the voices and seen the godless things moving in the woods. If anything,
I think more clearly now than ever before. I know now that there is such a
thing as a living Evil. A dark and shapeless thing that lives not in the spaces
we know, but between them. In the Dark. In the night. And it wants the exact
same thing as you and I: A chance at warm life on this Earth. It doesn't care
that is already had that chance... once. Now listen closely because there isn't
much time. Listen and believe, because it's all true.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A LOG CABIN – NIGHT
Nestled in a dark forest.
Through the window, we see the tiny figure of Ash picking up a book from a
desk.
ASH (V.O.)
I first saw the
damn thing at that blasted cabin. The Necronomicon. An ancient Sumarrian text,
bound in human flesh and inked in human blood. It contained bizarre burial
rites, prophesies... and instruction for demon resurrection. It was never meant
for the world of the living.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
Ash flips through the pages
from the BOOK
OF THE DEAD.
ASH (V.O.)
The book awoke
something dark in the woods.
SUPERIMPOSE:
BOOK OF THE DEAD – CAMERA
PANNING STRANGE SCRIPT
Inscribed on the pages.
Illustrations of demonic faces with white eyes.
EXT. WOODS – NIGHT
We take the point of view of a
wind-like demon, swooping low through the woods toward the cabin. CAMERA rips through the cabin door and comes upon a SCREAMING ASH.
ASH (V.O.)
It got into my
hand and it went bad.
CLOSE ONASH'S POSSESSED HAND
Twisting into a claw, before
the flashing thunder clouds.
ASH (V.O.)
So I lopped it
off at the wrist.
INT. CABIN – NIGHT
Ash severs his hand from his
wrist with the chainsaw.
BLOOD RED CLOUDS
Sweep past the moon.
ASH (V.O.)
In order to rid
myself of the foul thing, I read from a passage in the book that was supposed
to open a hole. A hole in Time that would send the Evil back. And it worked.
A BANDAGED, ONE HANDED ASH
Recites the incantation from
the Necronomicon.
EXT. CABIN – NIGHT
The Time vortex is created.
Trees and a 1973 Delta 88 Oldsmobile are sucked up into the funnel cloud.
ASH (V.O.)
... I just
didn't plan on coming along.
EXT. CABIN – NIGHT
Ash, now armed with shotgun
and chainsaw, is swallowed by the funnel-cloud of the Time vortex.
INT. TIME VORTEX
Ash is rocketing through a
funnel of swirling clouds. He is swept away from us, hand over foot, through
the dark void of Time.
ANIMATION – A TENDRIL OF SMOKE
Swirls through blackness as a
chorus of women's voices build to eerie crescendo, from a musical note to a SCREAM. The smoke swirls, pulls in upon itself, like a thing alive, and forms
the words:
"BRUCE CAMPBELL"
vs."
The smoke is wisked away, then
reforms as...
"THE ARMY OF
DARKNESS"
The title billows past CAMERA REVEALING...
INT. TIME VORTEX
A GRANDFATHER CLOCK,
its hands winding backwards at an insane rate, spins angrily past, revealing
other debris that has been swept up into this funnel cloud. Tumbling weightless
through this void we find...
ASH
He SCREAMS but there is no sound. No scream. Only the steady BEATING of his heart.
ANGLE ONASH FRONT SCREEN
PROJECTION
He shields his eyes from a
sudden bright light. The funnel cloud electrifies.
ASH'S BODY
RIPS at the fabric of
Time.
EXT. CLOUDY SKY – DAY
All is quiet. Then, an
electrical disturbance in the shape of a human body flashes briefly and is
gone. A moment latter, Ash appears and tumbles from the sky, falling past CAMERA.
EXT. BARREN WASTELAND – DAY
ASH falls to the dust.
His double barrelled shotgun lands beside him. The '73 Oldsmobile comes CRASHING to the ground a moment later.
ASH
Looks up from the dust to
behold...
TWENTY-FIVE MOUNTED HORSEMEN
In 12th century armor ride up
over a hill. They halt before Ash.
WARRIOR #1
Thrusts his longsword into the
air, shouting:
WARRIOR #1
Hail to him who
has come from the sky to deliver us from the terror of the Deadites! Hail!
ASH
Stares in confusion at the
strange medieval figures.
TWENTY-FIVE WARRIOR
Join in the chant and hail
Ash, but suddenly stop as...
ARTHUR
The muscular commander of the
group, gallops his horse into frame, followed by FOUR HORSEMEN who are his lieutenants. Arthur lifts his iron visor and evaluates
Ash.
ARTHUR'S POV
The Delta 88 Oldsmobile. The
chainsaw, strapped to Ash's back. The handless stump of Ash's right arm. The
Shotgun.
A FRIGHTENEDASH
Waves a shaky hand.
ASH
Take is easy now
chief. I don't know how I got here and I'm not lookin' for any trouble.
WISEMAN JOHN
An elderly man, in a long
black cloak, steps forward.
WISEMAN JOHN
My Lord Arthur,
I believe he is the promised one, written of in the Necronomicon.
ARTHUR
Brings his sword down across
Ash's chest. Ash cries out in pain as...
ASH'S CHEST
Is cut. A thin red gash.
ARTHUR
He bleeds. As a
man bleeds. The one written of in the Book would not bleed.
ARTHUR GESTURES
And CAMERA PANS to four prisoners bound in iron shackles.
ARTHUR
Likely, he is
one of Henry's men. I say to the pit with him! If he is truly the promised
one... he will emerge.
WARRIOR #2 AND
#3
Aye! The pit's a
fair test!
GOLD TOOTHED
WARRIOR
To the pit with
the blackard!
GOLD TOOTH
Charges his horse at Ash. But
he is met with the wooden stock of Ash's shotgun as it swings into frame,
cracking against his jaw.
WIDE SHOT – GOLD TOOTH –
STUNTMAN
He tumbles from the horse.
ASH
Leaps atop Gold Tooth's horse
and jerks the reigns.
LONG SHOT – ASH'S HORSE
Rears up, kicking it's hooves
into the air.
ASH
Gallops off as Warrior #2 runs
at him. Ash kicks him in the face as he gallops past. The Warrior is sent
reeling.
TRUCKING SHOT – ASH
Galloping over a hill. He is
almost thrown by the horse, but manages to hang on for dear life.
ASH
Where the hell
they put the stirrups on this thing!!??
CLOSE SHOT – ASH'S FEET
Grasping at the side of the
horse, hoping to find some purchase.
LONG SHOT – ASH – STUNTMAN
He rides past CAMERA, almost falling from the horse.
ANGLE ON ARTHUR
ARTHUR
LIEUTENANTS!
Fetch me the blackard.
TWO OF ARTHUR'S ARMORED
HORSEMEN
Unsheathe their broadswords
and gallop after Ash. The remaining Warriors watch for sport.
HIGH SHOT – TWO HORSEMEN
They are gaining an Ash.
ASH
Glances behind him.
ASH'S POV – TRUCKING SHOT –
TWO HORSEMEN IN PURSUIT
They diverge to either side of
CAMERA.
ASH
Whips his horse.
ASH
GIDDYPU!
THE FIRST HORSEMAN
Rides up alongside Ash and
swings his Broadsword.
WHOOSH!!!
ASH
Ducks the blade.
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
Rides up alongside Ash's other
flank. He swings and lands the flat part of his blade along Ash's back.
THUNK!
ASH
Ducks as the first horseman
swings his blade again.
WHOOSH!
ASH looks left...
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
Winds up for another blow.
ASH
Yanks back upon his horse's
reigns.
THE THREE HORSES
Running side by side. Ash's
horse drops back suddenly.
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
Swings.
HIS BROADSWORD
Slams the First Horseman
across the face.
THE FIRST HORSEMAN
Is knocked from his steed.
TRUCKING SHOT – THE FIRST
HORSEMAN
Is moving fast when he hits
the ground. His armored form tumbles end over end in the dust, clanging to a
halt against a rock.
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
Turns around and gallops back
toward Ash.
WIDE SHOT – ASH AND THE SECOND
HORSEMAN
Ride at one another.
TRUCKING SHOT – THE SECOND
SWORDMAN AS HE RIDES
Swinging his Broadsword.
TRUCKING SHOT – ASH AS HE
RIDES
He inserts the stump of his
right arm into the female end of his chainsaw arm bracket.
FOOMP! He twists his stump and
the chainsaw bracket locks into place. CLINK!
He thrusts his chainsaw arm outward, pulling on the starter cord;
PUTT-PUTT-PUTT... The engine won't turn over. He curses and yanks again.
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
Draws close. He leans from his
horse and swings his Broadsword mightily. The flat portion of the blade
connects.
THUNK!