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Beyond the footage which was edited out to satisfy the distributors, there was also additional material written in the script which never actually got to the point of being shot, for one reason or another. On the whole, nothing too pivotal to the film was omitted, but these new scenes would have given more exposition, fleshed out the storyline, and given a much grander feel. With the obvious exception of the two alternate endings, even with their inclusion, the general path of the plot would have remained largely unaffected.

Below are a list of scenes in the script which never made it into any of the retail versions of Army Of Darkness (the US Theatrical Cut, International Cut, or the Director's Cut). Some have been included in either the US Television version or the deleted scenes section of a number of DVD releases, while others can be found in John Bolton's comic adaptation of the film. This only covers specific sequences or shots of merit, as opposed to accounting for every last frame. Screenshots from each sequence have been included where footage/images have been released. Some of the script excerpts have been edited down just to the important parts to shorten them, you can read the shooting script in full via the link of the synopsis page.



Ash's opening narration

The original intention was to have an expanded introductory narration, voiced by Ash stuck in the apocalyptic future (although that would be unknown to the viewer) rather than the medieval 'present'. Indeed if you carefully look at the DVD deleted footage of these scenes, you catch fleeting glimpses of Ash's long hair & beard, as per his appearance at in the apocalyptic ending. The recap of previous events as written was to start with Ash & Linda arriving at the cabin, and the shooting script actually contained no mention of the S-Mart flashback scenes, although these were still shot during the principal photography period. As conceived, they would have had Charles Napier as Ash's mean boss, along with more screen time for Bridget Fonda, but both were cut back to speed up the pacing.















1
GRAINY BLACK AND WHITE - CLOSE-UP - A MAN'S DESPERATE FACE
1

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:

2
EXT. A LOG CABIN - NIGHT
2

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 Summerian 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.



...The narration continues, for the most part identically to the finished film...






Ash meeting Arthur

As set out in the shooting script, the Evil Dead II to Army Of Darkness continuity was more accurate, although still not perfectly seamless. Ash shooting the winged Deadite is omitted, and the soldiers 'hailing' Ash is far less of a crescendo to the scene. Featured in both the DVD deleted scenes and the TV version, the scene as shot & edited played far shorter and more simply than the script excerpt below, with Ash falling out of the rift, meeting and fighting with Arthur, catching Arthur off guard and knocking him down but then 'gallantly' helping him up, only to then find himself taken prisoner. This portion of the script was written to play far longer, with Ash presented as being far more competent much earlier in the film, but the footage was likely cut to speed up the pacing, and to keep the audiences perception of Ash as more of a 'looser'.


20
ASH
20


























































































































looks up from the dust to behold...

21
TWENTY-FIVE MOUNTED HORSEMEN
21

in 12th century armor ride up over a hill. They halt before Ash.

22
WARRIOR #1
22

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!

23
ASH
23

stares in confusion at the strange medieval figures.

24
TWENTY-FIVE WARRIOR
24

join in the chant and hail Ash, but suddenly stop as...

25
ARTHUR
25

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.

26
ARTHUR'S P.O.V.
26

The Delta 88 Oldsmobile. The chainsaw, strapped to Ash's back. The handless stump of Ash's right arm. The shotgun.

27
A FRIGHTENED ASH
27

waves a shaky hand.

ASH
Take it easy now chief. I don't know how I got here and I'm not lookin' for any trouble.

28
WISEMAN JOHN
28

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.

29
ARTHUR
29

Brings his sword down across Ash's chest. Ash cries out in pain as...

30
ASH'S CHEST
30

is cut. A thin red gash.

ARTHUR
He bleeds. As a man bleeds. The one written of in the Book would not bleed.

31
ARTHUR GESTURES
31

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!

32
GOLD TOOTH
32

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.

33
WIDE SHOT - GOLD TOOTH - STUNTMAN
33

He tumbles from the horse.

34
ASH
34

leaps atop Gold Tooth's horse and jerks the reigns.

35
LONG SHOT - ASH'S HORSE
35

rears up, kicking its hooves into the air.

36
ASH
36

gallops off as Warrior #2 runs at him. Ash kicks him in the face as he gallops past. The Warrior is sent reeling.

37
TRUCKING SHOT - ASH
37

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!!??

38
CLOSE SHOT - ASH'S FEET
38

grasping at the side of the horse, hoping to find some purchase.

39
LONG SHOT - ASH - STUNTMAN
39

he rides past CAMERA, almost falling from the horse.

40
ANGLE ON ARTHUR
40

ARTHUR
LIEUTENANTS! Fetch me the blackard.

41
TWO OF ARTHUR'S ARMORED HORSEMEN
41

unsheathe their broadswords and gallop after Ash. The remaining Warriors watch for sport.

42
HIGH SHOT - TWO HORSEMEN
42

They are gaining an Ash.

43
ASH
43

glances behind him.

44
ASH'S P.O.V. - TRUCKING SHOT - HORSEMEN IN PURSUIT
44

They diverge to either side of CAMERA.

45
ASH
45

whips his horse.

ASH
GIDDYUP!

46
THE FIRST HORSEMAN
46

rides up alongside Ash and swings his Broadsword.

WHOOSH!!!

47
ASH
47

ducks the blade.

48
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
48

rides up alongside Ash's other flank. He swings and lands the flat part of his blade along Ash's back.

THUNK!

49
ASH
49

ducks as the first horseman swings his blade again.

WHOOSH!

ASH looks left...

50
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
50

winds up for another blow.

51
ASH
51

yanks back upon his horse's reigns.

52
THE THREE HORSES
52

running side by side. Ash's horse drops back suddenly.

53
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
53

swings.

54
HIS BROADSWORD
54

slams the First Horseman across the face.

55
THE FIRST HORSEMAN
55

is knocked from his steed.

56
TRUCKING SHOT - THE FIRST HORSEMAN
56

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.

57
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
57

turns around and gallops back toward Ash.

58
WIDE SHOT - ASH AND THE SECOND HORSEMAN
58

ride at one another.

59
TRUCKING SHOT - THE SECOND SWORDMAN AS HE RIDES
59

swinging his Broadsword.

60
TRUCKING SHOT - ASH AS HE RIDES
60

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.

61
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
61

draws close. He leans from his horse and swings his Broadsword mightily. The flat portion of the blade connects. THUNK!

62
ASH
62

is knocked from his steed. He tumbles to the dust, narrowly escaping his own horse's hooves.

63
ASH
63

rolls to his feet and spins to the sound of approaching hooves!

64
THE SECOND HORSEMAN
64

charges and swings his Broadsword.

65
ASH
65

raises his chainsaw. CLINK! He deflects the blow. Ash swings the chainsaw in a roundhouse motion, clipping the Second Horseman as he rides past.

66
TRUCKING SHOT - THE SECOND HORSEMAN
66

is knocked from his horse.

67
LOW TRUCKING SHOT - THE SECOND HORSEMAN
67

bounces along the rocky ground, kicking up dust.

68
A SWORD HANDLE
68

slams against the back of Ash's skull.

69
ASH
69

crumples. He looks up in pain to...

70
ARTHUR
70

above him. The sun over his shoulder.

71
EIGHT MOUNTED WARRIORS
71

gallop up, dismount and surround Ash with swords drawn.

ARTHUR
Bring the prisoner!




The temple ruins "She-Bitch" possession

Ash's fight against the Deadite witch ("Yo, she-bitch!") was originally intended to be a much more ambitious sequence, before being scaled-back to its present form due to budget and scheduling constraints. Originally, the scene took place amongst the pillars of a ruined old temple. Though the dialogue remained largely unchanged, the fight itself was much more epic and violent, with the Witch knocking down the pillars which fall down like dominoes, gruesomely crushing one of the castle guards, before Arthur decapitated the Witch and Ash kicked away her head like a football. A miniature set of the pillars was built, before the scene was jettisoned. It did, however, make its way into John Bolton's comic adaptation of the scene, a tantalising glimpse at what might have been.















































































162
EXT. BLACKBIRDS
162

fly from a barren tree.

163
SOMETHING MOVES IN THE DARKNESS
163

It prowls, skimming the surface of the ground, moving swiftly past rocks and over the crest of a hill revealing...

164
EXT. TEMPLE RUINS - LONG SHOT - NIGHT
164

A massive grouping of freestanding rectangular stones, each twenty feet tall. The remains of an ancient temple. In the center of the ruins there burns a roaring bonfire. An old Woman stirs a cauldron atop the flames. Nearby, Arthur converses with his four Lieutenants.

165
EXT. WITHIN THE RUINS - NIGHT
165

CLOSE UP - ASH

opens his mouth to allow a spoonful of food to enter. No sooner has he swallowed, then a piece of fruit is offered. He waves it away with a satisfied burp and turns to drink from a goblet on wine, brought to his lips by a female hand.

166
ASH AND SHEILA
166

sits across the flames from Arthur and his men. She bandages Ash's wounds.



...Character dialogue plays out as per normal...


 
...A sudden gust of wind whips up the flames of the fire.

169
DOGS
169

around the fire begin to snarl and fight.

170
ASH AND SHEILA
170

turn to see...

171
THE OLD WOMAN
171

now standing too close to the fire. Her robes ignites. She does not respond as flames sweep up her body. She continues to stir the caldron.

172
ASH
172

His jaw drops. He slowly stands as...

173
THE BURNING WOMAN
173

spins sharply to him. Her voice changes as she SHRIEKS:

POSSESSED WOMAN
YOU SHALL DIE!

Her eyes are bone white. She is POSSESSED by the dark spirit. Her burning body is violently jerked about in the air by invisible hands. Her blackened lips pull back in a wild animal snarl. With two voice at once:

POSSESSED WOMAN
YOU SHALL NEVER WIN THE NECRONOMICON. WE SHALL FEAST UPON YOUR SOUL, AND THEN THE SOUL OF MAN!

174
THE POSSESSED WOMAN
174

collapses. Her face turned away from the Wisemen as it lays in the dust.

175
CLOSE ON POSSESSED WOMAN'S FACE - GROUND LEVEL CAMERA
175

Unseen by all, her bone white eyes flare open! A nasty grin forms on her face as she lies in the dust. Behind her, the Wisemen approach.

176
WISEMAN JOHN
176

kneels and reaches for her.

177
ASH'S HAND
177

clutches Wiseman John, not allowing him to touch her.

ASH
It's a trick. Get an axe.

178
THE POSSESSED WOMAN
178

awakens from her false slumber with a terrible BARK. In a frenzy she hurls WISEMAN JOHN into the bonfire. He SCREAMS and rolls in the dust, extinguishing the flames.

179
PAPER MACHE STONE ARCHWAY
179

With her great strength, the Possessed Woman pushes upon one of the giant stone archways. It topples over, crushing two Warriors beneath it.

180
A GIGANTIC STONE
180

topples the next stone.

BOOM!

Which topples the next, which sets off a chain reaction.

BOOM! BOOM!

Like giant dominoes, they fall.

181
ASH
181

watches the spectacle in horror as he sees...

182
ANGLE ON
182

the gigantic falling stones coming right at SHEILA!

183
THE FALLING STONE'S P.O.V. - SHEILA
183

She SCREAMS!

184
SHEILA'S P.O.V. - THE FALLING STONES
184

coming toward CAMERA.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

185
ASH
185

does a flying leap and tackles SHEILA, knocking her out of the stone's deadly path.

186
ASH AND SHEILA
186

rolls across the dusty stone courtyard.

187
CLOSE SHOT - ASH
187

rolls into frame and glances up to see...

188
THE POSSESSED AND BURNING WOMAN
188

rushing through the air at him with a SHRIEK!

189
WIDE SHOT - THE POSSESSED AND BURNING WOMAN
189

latches onto Ash like an iron trap, knocking them both to the ground.

190
ASH
190

rolls the Possessed Woman over, and into the path of...

191
ANGLE ON
191

The falling, gigantic domino-like stones.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

192
EXT. WITHIN THE TEMPLE RUINS - PAPER MACHE STONE
192

THE POSSESSES WOMAN

SHRIEKS in agony as... SMASH! The multi-ton stone crushes her legs to paste. Her legs are pinned but still she battles on, clutching Ash about his throat!

193
ASH
193

gasps for breath as he reaches behind him, into the flames of the fire, his fingers groping for a weapon.

194
POSSESSED WOMAN - STOP MOTION ANIMATION
194

Her blackened lips pull back and her mouth opens to an impossibly large size, like a snake about to eat an egg.

195
ASH
195

grasps a flaming log with his bare hands and rams it down the monster's oversized throat. She chokes.

196
GOLD TOOTH AND THREE OTHER WARRIORS
196

grab the beast and pull it off of Ash. Arthur comes to meet them. He carries a double-bladed battle axe.

197
THE POSSESSED WOMAN
197

vomits out the flaming log, taking off a man's head.

POSSESSED WOMAN
The Evil lives. Slay me and ten will rise to take my place. All will die. ALL WILL--

CHOP!

198
IN SILHOUETTE, THE AXE
198

is brought down upon her throat. The possessed body flails and spasm beneath the Warrior's grip.

199
THE HEAD
199

rolls, and comes to a halt at Ash's feet. Its eyes pop open!

POSSESSED WOMAN'S HEAD
--DIE!

200
ARTHUR
200

grabs the laughing head and tosses it into the darkness. The head sails away as the laughter receded.

WISEMAN JOHN
Now. Will thou quest for the Necronomicon?

201
CLOSE ON ASH
201

He considers.





Ash trapped in the grain store

The script has the single windmill sequence as shown in the film, split over two locations; a wooden grain storage house/shed and the nearby windmill itself. The 'force' chase sequence happens in and around the grain store, and is written to be far more elaborate with little nods back to scenes & shots in The Evil Dead & Evil Dead II.

The specific sequence of events around Ash being chased through the woods, trying to get the locked grain store door open, and managing to get in at the last moment plays out very similarly to the scene in The Evil Dead where Cheryl is in much the same situation, although the scene then continues as per Evil Dead II with the 'Force' ramming & smashing the door off it's hinges and entering the shed carrying Ash through the air and breaking off more doors as it goes sandwiching Ash between them, with the end of the chase reading almost like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon, with the pile of doors falling to the ground and Ash unbolding & opening the top door and stepping out 'somewhat flattened'. It is at this point that he finds the windmill, but the script does not include the sunset time compression element, as it is dusk by the time he enters the mill, and night a short time later.


237
THE EVIL FORCE
237


















































































follows Ash down a wooded trail.

238
ASH
238

running for...

239
EXT. WOODEN SHED
239

a grain storage house in the clearing ahead.

240
ASH
240

comes upon the shed's door. Locked. He heaves his body against it but it won't give.

241
INT. SHED - CLOSE ON INTERIOR DOOR
241

A log, that serves as the door's bolt, holds fast.

242
THE EVIL FORCE
242

emerges from over the ridge.

243
ASH
243

unscrews his iron hand and holsters it. He slings the chainsaw from his shoulder and snaps it onto his stump bracket. Click. He threads the chainsaw starter cord through the V-SHAPED SLOT that extends from his breastplate. CLICK. He thrusts out his arm and the chainsaw ROARS to life!

244
INT. SHED - CLOSE ON INTERIOR DOOR
244

The blade bites into the log that bolts the door.

245
THE EVIL FORCE
245

draws closer.

246
INT. SHED
246

CLOSE ON CHAINSAW BLADE

halfway through the log. Sawdust flies.

247
EXT. SHED
247

ASH
Come on! Come on!


The chainsaw dies. He jerks out his arm to restart it. Putt. Putt.

ASH
Blasted piece of junk!

248
THE EVIL FORCE
248

draws closer.

249
ASH
249

delivers a mighty kick to the door.

250
INT. SHED
250

ANGLE ON DOOR

The partially cut log gives way. Ash tumbles into the storage Shed. He slams the door shut and slides the remainder of the log across the latch, re-bolting it.

251
THE EVIL FORCE
251

hammers at the door of the Shed.

BANG!

252
INT. SHED
252

A terrified Ash braces his back against the door.

BANG!

Earth shaking in its intensity. The planks of the door shudder behind Ash.

253
CLOSE ON LOG BOLT
253

It cracks.

254
ASH
254

presses himself against the door for all he's worth, praying that whatever it out there, won't get in.

BANG! Splinters fly.

255
CLOSE ON LOG BOLT
255

BOOM! The crack widens.

256
THE DOOR FRAME
256

behind Ash begins to buckle beneath the hammering blows.

257
ASH
257

begins to SCREAM. And the BANGING halts.

258
LONG SHOT - INT. SHED
258

All is quiet. Ash hugs the door. Shaking in the silence. And that's when it hits. LIKE A LOCOMOTIVE!

Ash and the door he braces are blasted away from the wall of the Shed as the Evil Force brings its tremendous power to bare.

259
INT. SHED - SAM-O-CAM - INTERVOLOMETER
259

TRACKING WITH ASH AND THE DOOR

as they are swept up at super speed in the grip of the Evil Force. Ash is seen rocketing through the long hallway of the Shed, spinning head over heels. Ash rips through other doors, taking them with him. Ash is now sandwiched between two doors as he flies through the air.

260
EXT. SHED - SIDE SHOT
260

The roof of the Shed ripples, sending tiles and wood beams flying as the EVIL FORCE surges through the Shed like a tidal wave.

261
EXT. REAR DOOR OF SHED
261

It blows out from the place in a flying stack along with the other doors. The flying doors slam against a tree and fall to the ground in a stack.

262
THE EVIL FORCE
262

with Ash out of sight, glides forward, into the woods.

263
EXT. SHED- DUSK
263

LOOKING DOWN UPON - THE STACKS OF DOORS.

All is quiet. We hear the sound of a bolt moving. The doorknob turns slightly. The door swings upward and opens... revealing a somewhat flattened Ash who picks his groggy and bruised self up.

He beholds...

264
EXT. ABANDONED MILL
264

An empty place of stone and wood. Driven by the wind, the Mill's giant grinding wheel slowly turns with a squeak.




Ash outside the windmill

Originally, Ash running into the mirror (from the shards of which spring the Tiny Ash's) was preceded and explained by a much longer scene in which he hears a noise from outside the windmill, and upon walking out to investigate finding his horse which ran away during the earlier chase sequence. However, looking back to the windmill, he sees what seems to be a malevolent-looking version of himself in the doorway of the windmill - he rushes towards it, only to crash into a large mirror; he was seemingly looking at his own reflection (though that's some small comfort, as the mirror scenes in the previous films attest).

This scene as shot & edited hit the cutting room floor due to pacing, though it did make its way back into the cable television version as seen on the Sci-Fi Channel. Its omission is a shame, as not only does it make more sense as to why Ash would suddenly rush into a mirror, but it features some nice Introvision work (particularly the 180-degree turn back to the windmill as Ash first spots his double in the doorway) and is a good, eerie scene in its own right. A workprint version appears in the Deleted Scenes section on the DVD, though it is slightly differently edited and missing the music cue (a mix of "March Of The Dead" and "Soul Swallower") as seen in the TV version.


















280
LONG SHOT - EXT. MILL
280

The tiny figure of Ash steps from the Mill.

281
CLOSE UP - ASH
281

He sweeps the barrel of the shotgun toward the sound of sticks breaking.

282
ASH'S TERRIFIED HORSE
282

It rears up on its hind legs. Its front hoofs come down toward Ash.

283
A STARTLED ASH
283

leaps aside just in time.

284
ASH
284

snags the horse's reigns.

ASH
Easy, boy.

The horse calms. Ash ties it to a tree, patting its head. A shadow passes behind him. He turns toward the Mill.

285
ASH'S P.O.V. - THROUGH THE MILL'S OPEN DOOR
285

He sees am image of himself inside the Mill. Peering out.

286
EXT. MILL
286

ASH

stares in disbelief, then the wind slams the front door of the Mill, halting Ash's view. Ash races for the Mill.

287
INT. MILL
287

ASH

races through the door and toward CAMERA when... SMASH...




Possessed iron hand

In a scene reminiscent to that of Evil Dead II, the events surrounding one of the tiny Ash's getting inside big Ash leading the third eye on his shoulder as written in the script plays out somewhat differently. His iron hand was to have been possessed/controlled by one of the tiny Ash's getting inside it, which then precedes to torture him, and gives rise to the third eye, as opposed to Ash swallowing one of them. The torture meted out by the hand seems far darker & violent in tone and juxtaposes the quite light comical events in the filmed scene.


320
THE TINY FIGURE
320






































squirms down his wrist and disappears into his iron hand. The iron hand snaps open and closes uncontrollably. The possessed iron hand swings at him.

321
THE IRON HAND
321

connects with an uppercut that knocks Ash out of frame.

322
ASH
322

lands next to an iron vice. He reaches for the EVIL HAND. But the hand has grabbed a mallet that BONK-BONKS him on the head. Ash is groggy as he is grabbed by the hair and yanked down into the opened vice.

323
THE EVIL IRON HAND
323

cranks the vice's handle.

324
THE VICE
324

tightens around Ash's head. Trapped, he looks to...

325
THE EVIL HAND
325

rummaging through a wooden toolbox. It comes upon a crude wooden punch.

326
ANGLE - THE EVIL HAND - UNDERCRANKED
326

stabs rapidly at Ash's good hand. But Ash expertly dodges each stab with an opening of the fingers or a closing of the thumb in super fast motion.

327
ASH
327

with is head still wedged in the vice.

ASH
Why you dirty little... AHHHHHH!!

328
A PAIR OF IRON PLIERS
328

has entered frame and clamps down upon Ash's nose. He emits a nasal SCREAM and shakes the pliers loose.

ASH
Soon as I get out of this thing I... YIEEEE!!


THE PAIR OF IRON PLIERS

dip into Ash's mouth and clamps down upon a back molar.

ASH
No! Not the teeth!

YANK!

329
THE EVIL HAND
329

jerks his rear MOLAR from his head and holds up the tooth for his inspection. It sets the tooth down nearly in front of him. The Evil Hand forms a fist and crushes the tooth to dust. It scurries from view.

330
ASH'S HEAD
330

struggling in the grip of the vice.

ASH
Where the hell are ya!?

331
THE EVIL HAND
331

grabs a red hot fireplace poker from the fire.

ASH
I can't see ya!!


HIS EVIL HAND

raises a red hot fireplace poker and presses it against the right half of his body.

ASH
No, no-- not the poke--

SSSSsssssssss!

332
ASH
332

jerks his head free from the vice with a SCREAM. He holds up his iron hand. It's back to normal. Again under his control.
ASH
Okay then.

But he halts abruptly as he feels a strange sensation: His shoulder itches. He scratches it. The Itch grows. It itches madly. He rips back his shirt. Upon his shoulder... THERE BLINKS A THIRD EYEBALL!!!




Sheila's abduction

Sheila was written to have been abducted by one of two winged Deadites, with the first wounded by Ash and then killed by a volley of arrows from a group of nearby archers as it crashes to the ground. Given the time, expense & technical difficulty involved in filming just one winged Deadite, it is not entirely unexpected that this epic set piece was never shot and fell by the wayside.























448
WINGED DEADITE #1
448

Like a delta winged F-15, it banks towards Sheila.

ASH
No!

449
ASH
449

races to intercept. He plants himself between Sheila and the beast.

450
WINGED DEADITE #1 - P.O.V.
450

as it swoops at Ash.

451
ASH
451

opens his steel hand, then clamps it closed again on the handle of his sword.

452
ASKEW ANGLE
452

The immense shadow of the broad winged Deadite falls over Ash.

453
ASH
453

swings his sword upward.

454
CLOSE SHOT - THE BLADE
454

severs the tip of the Beast's rotted wing.

455
THE FLYING DEADITE
455

shrieks in pain as it soars over Ash. No longer aerodynamically sound, it crashes to the ground.

456
A GROUP OF WARRIORS
456

fire their arrows into the beast, pegging it to a tree. The bone white eyes of the creature darken.

457
ASH AND ARTHUR
457

spin to the sound of a woman's SCREAM.

458
SHEILA
458

in the clutches of WINGED DEADITE #2.

SHEILA
M'Lord Ash! Help me!


The beast flies off with the fair maiden, soaring over the castle wall and into the distance.




Recruiting Henry the Red

Again, a casualty of the cutting room floor due to pacing, this scene only exists now in rough form in the DVD deleted scenes. This omission was much-bemoaned by Richard Grove, the actor who played Henry The Red, who felt the scene was important in establishing Henry riding to the rescue during the final battle later in the film. One might argue, however, that including it would make Henry's change of heart more predictable than it ultimately is. The scene is most notable for a cameo by Rob Tapert, complete with long ginger wig and fake buck teeth.


474
EXT. VAST VISTA OF BARREN LAND - DAY
474



























Ash rides toward the castle of Henry the Red that can be seen in the distance.

475
WIDE SHOT - ASH
475

is suddenly intercepted by FOUR OF HENRY'S HORSEMEN. They surround him.

HENRY WARRIOR #1
He wears the insignia of Arthur!

HENRY WARRIOR #2
Slay him!


The draw their swords when...

476
HENRY THE RED
476

rides up between his Warriors and Ash.

HENRY
Stay your arms!

Henry turns to Ash.

HENRY
T'is the stranger who spared me from the pit. What brings you?

ASH
The Army of the Dead.

HENRY
What of them?

ASH
They're headed towards Arthur's castle. We need your help. Fight with us.

HENRY
So you are a vassal of Arthur now? You have taken up sides with him against me.

ASH
The only side I'm takin' is the one that's gonna stop those things.

Henry laughs.

HENRY
Why should I endanger my people to save my enemy?

ASH
Because after they finish with Arthur they'll come after you. Together, we've got a chance. Besides, you owe me.




Fighting Evil Sheila

Ash's fight with Evil Sheila was originally written to be earlier in the battle. Rather than being stabbed with a spear and falling off in the castle turrets towards the end, Sheila leaps on to the 'Deathcoaster' attacking Ash, only to be shot and fly off into the Deadite army. Unlike the film, she permanently died at this point rather than returning to life once the battle was won, which added to the tone of the 'down' apocalyptic ending. The dialogue exchanged between Sheila & Ash remains identical to scene as shown on screen. Incidentally the 'Deathcoaster' was written to be operated by two people; Ash and Gold Tooth (one of Arthur's knights)















577
EVIL SHEILA
577

leaps onto the moving Deathcoaster to face Ash.

EVIL SHEILA
Thou didst find me beautiful once.

ASH
Honey... You got real ugly.

578
EVIL SHEILA
578

attacks with a SHRIEK!

579
ASH
579

spins out his double barrelled shot gun and...

BLAMMITY-BLAM!

...blows her off the craft. She does a back flip into the other Deadites.

580
ASH
580

pulls hard on the steering stick and it tears loose from the craft.

581
THE DEATHCOASTER
581

careens out of control.

582
ASH
582

tumbles from the helm and hits the ground.

583
THE DEATHCOASTER
583

flips, crushes a group of Deadites against a wall, and explodes.




Arthur's funeral

One major plot change to the final battle was the death of Arthur, who was to be killed by Evil Ash whilst protecting the Book of the Dead in the parapet. Because the script was changed to keep Arthur's character alive, this also meant omitting his later elaborate 'Viking' style funeral from the film, which had his body cast adrift in the sea on a wooden ship and set on fire by archers using flaming arrows. The scene was actually shot so this plot change must have come later in the production, and would have made an excellent & truly epic book-end to the medieval section of the film, but again this added to the 'down' of the apocalyptic ending, and was likely changed for that reason.


620
EXT. SEASHORE - ARROWHEADS - DUSK
620














are dipped into the flame of a bonfire. They ignite.

621
THE INTEGRATED ARMY OF HENRY AND ARTHUR'S MEN
621

form a row of archers.

They fire their flaming arrows toward the sea.

622
THE ARROWS
622

strike a wooden ship that holds the body of Arthur.

ASH (V.O.)
We said goodbye to Arthur. Sure, we had our problems. But in the end, he was all right.

DISSOLVE TO:

623
EXT. SEASHORE - DUSK
623

ASH AND THE OTHERS

watch the funeral pyre sail off. Its flickering flames play upon their faces.

DISSOLVE TO:

624
INT. CASTLE COURTYARD - NIGHT
624

ASH (V.O.)
Peace was made between the two peoples. And a new nation was formed. They offered me a chance to stay among them and teach them. A chance to lead them. To be King. But Sheila was gone. Besides, I had places to go.




The Apocalyptic scripted ending

The original intended ending, as backed up by Sam and Ivan Raimi's shooting script (as well as the Dark Horse Comics adaptation by John Bolton), shows the Wiseman giving Ash a potion, one of which will allow Ash "to sleep for a century. Swallow six drops, and thou shalt awaken in thine own time." Ash is then seen leaving Sheila, then riding on horseback to a nearby cave (filmed at Bronson Caves, in the same location that served as the 'Batcave' in the 1960s TV series Batman). Explosive charges seal him inside the cave, where he starts to swallow the drops – but distracted, swallows seven drops instead of six. Ash reawakens, clothes torn and complete with overgrown beard, but upon leaving the cave, discovers a ruined, post-apocalyptic future.

This ending not only befits Raimi's fondness for punishing Ash for perceived acts of idiocy, but also serves as a neat inverse to the ending of Evil Dead II. To this day, it's the ending that Bruce and Sam defend; but after an unsuccessful test screening, Universal Pictures declared it a 'downer', and demanded a new, more upbeat ending be shot.





The 'Captain Supermarket' alternate ending

This ending was hastily written & shot when Universal demanded the ending be changed following disappointing test screenings. It was filmed months later as a reshoot in a lumber store in Malibu. The 'happy' ending sees Ash returned to the present, but having to battle one last Deadite, before taking a hot girl (Angela Featherstone) in his arms, saying what has become one of Ash's trademark lines – "Hail to the king, baby!" – and kissing her as the credits roll. They tried desperately to fill out the background with friends who would work for nothing; look out for William Lustig (Maniac Cop) and Bernard Rose (Candyman) as extras.



 
 
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