Sam Raimi is one of the most successful directors of all time. The films that he has directed have brought in over $4 billion in worldwide box office sales. He is famous for directing the Spider-Man trilogy and the Evil Dead franchise. Many who see his films aren't aware of how his directing style deserves more credit for how it complements his films. His films are known for being visually interesting and are immensely popular. Let's take a look at why Sam Raimi deserves more credit as a stylized movie director.
His Use Of Dutch Angles
One signature aspect of Sam Raimi's style is his use of the Dutch angle. A Dutch angle is a camera angle that is slightly tilted. In film language, a dutch angle is used when something is supposed to be amiss. Raimi uses the Dutch angle to frame his actor's faces when they are terrified, something that you may not notice in his movies unless you are looking for it.
Raimi uses dutch angles to enhance the tension in a scene and create a feeling of fear. This technique is used to great effect in his horror movies, but he also finds ways to use it in non-horror movies as well. The Spider-Man trilogy is famously viewed as a horror series because of the camera angles and editing style that Sam Raimi uses. His movies often jump scare unsuspecting people who weren't expecting this horror element to make its way into a superhero movie. Dutch angles are used in scenes to sell the chaotic action being out of control in his scenes. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Raimi described how his unique camera technique was born out of the limitations of his small budget and his creative solutions to get the shots he wanted.
He Has A Distinctive Style
While Sam Raimi's style isn't as obvious to viewers as someone like Tim Burton or David Lynch, he should still get more credit for being on the list of stylized directors. His distinctive style is usually a blend of horror and comedy in varying degrees, his effective use of montages, and his camera work that you can tell is a Raimi movie at a glance. Raimi's comic book-influenced style made him the perfect choice for the Spider-Man movies and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. His lightning-fast camera zooms and movement are also part of his distinctive style. This is seen in the famous first-person POV shot that is used in the Evil Dead trilogy, which has become a staple of movie-making language.
Uses Cutaway Shots and Extras Well
Another signature part of Sami Raimi's style is his excellent use of extras through fun cutaway shots. Whenever something exciting, scary, or intense happens in his movies, he often uses a cutaway reaction shot to emphasize the moment. In the Spider-Man movies, he uses this technique to cut to extras screaming, which feels like a B-movie throwback. This has led to there being many hilarious and weird extras in his films, which make for great Easter eggs.
Adds a Horror Touch Where You Wouldn't Expect
Sam Raimi cut his teeth on horror movies. He found success when he directed Evil Dead at only 20 years old with a small production budget. Since he gained his directing experience in the horror genre, he carries the same techniques into his other films as well. He brought this experience to the MCU's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the first MCU film with distinct horror qualities.
Another horror movie technique that Raimi's style has become known for is the extreme close-up that turns into a wide shot. While this technique is used in horror to show the impact of a violent attack, it also can be used to show the impact of a moving projectile. In his superhero movies, this technique is combined with the way Raimi frames his shots. The camera's view in Raimi's movies is often blocked by actors or other characters that, create an illusion of a forced perspective. This forced perspective intentionally plays with the audience's perception, making it more surprising or shocking when something dynamic in the scenes happens.
Lots of Dynamic Elements
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Raimi uses dynamic elements to inject his films with fun and erratic energy. In his superhero films, he uses color to make his characters feel larger than life, as if they have the same bold black outlines that they do in comic books. In Raimi's horror movies, he focuses on the characters' eyes, hands, or feet to create moments that are almost like slapstick comedy. These horror movie tricks have led to Raimi developing a style that evokes a sense of tension and fear from his viewers. Raimi loves the POV shot to show the dominance of his villains and will use it to make their attacks feel unstoppable. The POV also adds extra tension to a scene because the audience is anticipating where the shot will go.