Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sam Raimi marathon: Darkman



 Darkman (1990, Sam Raimi)

American director Sam Raimi, having made a solid name for himself for the better part of 30 years, is really something of an entrepreneur, a go-getter who makes his films happen despite either scepticism or lack of genuine funds. Despite his numerous successes, it seems as though his name shall never resonate among the wider movie going public or cinefile circles as strongly as, say, Steven Soderberg or Steven Spielberg. No, it unfortunately safe to assume that apart from his fanbase and well versed film buffs, his name is not one that shall be remembered vividly in cinema history. Yet considering his exploits as a filmmaker, it is mighty tempting to believe it should be otherwise. One need only look to his 1990 action movie Darkman, an endeavour resulting from his failed attempt at bringing a recognizable comic book property to the big screen (a feat he would accomplish some 12 years later). What would a creative mind opt for in the aftermath after such a bump in the road? Why, create his own super hero of course.