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MIKE DITZ
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Chin Chin
EVIL DEAD’S BRUCE CAMPBELL TALKS OREGON LAVENDER FARMING
AND PORTLAND’S HIP LITTLE LIFE.
B
ruce Campbell is just a humble Oregon farmer. The strong-
chinned B-movie stalwart has made at least 50 movies since
starring as demon hunter Ash in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead. But for
the past 19 years he’s lived on a lavender farm outside of Med-
ford with his wife and a John Deere tractor, fi ghting skunks and
the Bureau of Land Management, and fi nding meth heads and
abandoned cats near his property. His second memoir, Hail to
the Chin (St. Martin’s Press, 308 pages, $27.99) covers the Michi-
gan native’s life after 40 and his move out to the Oregon sticks.
In advance of his February 13 appearance at Powell’s in Cedar
Hills, WW talked with Campbell about Portland hipsters, Med-
ford rednecks and legal weed. JOSH O’ROURKE.
WW: What compelled you to write another book?
Bruce Campbell: I just have a lot more experiences to tell,
a lot more water under the bridge. I still think the B-movie
world is underrepresented in general awareness. Most books
you read are autobiographies of famous people: A movies. But
most people that work in the fi lm business don’t work on the A
movies. The rest work in the second tier or the third tier. So I
guess, more than anything, we’re working stiffs.
Do you feel like people only want sequels from you?
I’m not sure there always needs to be more of certain things.
We brought Evil Dead back from the dead. I’ve already said no
to a Bubba Ho-Tep sequel, so that’s not gonna happen. Most
things people propose are not gonna happen. I’ve got a bunch
of original material that I haven’t filmed yet. That’s what I
wanted to focus on. I honestly have literally 10 scripts that I’ve
had written over the last fi ve years. And my wife and I looked at
each other and said, ‘Hey, y’know, if not now, when?’ So, after
the TV show’s over I’m gonna switch gears.
What’s your impression of Portland, compared to Ashland or
Medford?
Ashland’s a classic hippie town, diametrically opposed to Medford
12 miles away. They couldn’t be further apart, philosophically.
Which is great—a little diversity is great. Medford’s very conserva-
tive: dogs, pickup trucks, shotguns, God Bless America. I like living
between the worlds. Portland’s a big version of Ashland. I like Port-
land a lot. It’s a town that doesn’t mind that you’re there. It’s sort of
run by hipsters—they just want to have a hip little life.
When are you going to start your lucrative lavender
business?
Never. It’s a money-losing proposal.
What keeps you here in Oregon?
I just love it. They treat you like an adult in Oregon. Legal weed
is one good indication that they’re willing to try new stuff. It’s
a very beautiful state. The coastline is spectacular, and the
Cascades ain’t so bad either, and the high desert. I tell people it
rains in Oregon all the time.
GO: Powell’s at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills
Blvd., Beaverton. October 13, 6 pm. Bruce will read and sign
copies of his new book and one other item. A purchase of
Hail to the Chin is required to enter the signing line.
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Willamette Week OCTOBER 11, 2017 wweek.com