In the late 1900s, Wes Craven and Sam Raimi emerged as two of the most impactful horror filmmakers, each directing movies that have since become timeless classics. Craven began his journey in the ’70s with gruesome films like “The Last House on the Left” and “The Hills Have Eyes,” offering viewers an unsparing glimpse into the brutal acts humans can inflict upon each other. His subsequent success was marked by the teen slasher sensation “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” the eerie “The Serpent and the Rainbow,” and the self-referential “Scream” series. Raimi made his debut with the bloodcurdling “The Evil Dead,” which spawned multiple sequels, a TV show, a remake, and a reboot. Other horror projects he undertook include “Drag Me to Hell” from 2009 and the unexpectedly grim “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

As they were each creating groundbreaking and distinctive horror movies, Craven and Raimi occasionally played friendly pranks on each other by subtly mocking each other’s work. However, it was all done in jest with no animosity or ill feelings involved. Now, let’s delve into this charming little homage to one another.

Craven Throws Down the Gauntlet — or Does He?

In the 1977 survival horror movie by Craven, a tattered poster of Steven Spielberg’s popular film, Jaws, was displayed on the Carter family’s RV. Young Raimi took this as Craven daring to compete with what was then widely regarded as one of the most exhilarating films ever made.

When Raimi eventually produced his groundbreaking horror movie, “The Evil Dead”, he chose to retaliate against Craven’s style in a playful manner. He openly admitted this in an interview with Esquire, stating, “I thought it would be amusing to rip up a ‘Hills Have Eyes’ poster within ‘The Evil Dead’, to let Wes know, ‘This is the true horror, buddy.’

The amusing competition between these two movie directors started here, however it is important to mention that the poster in “The Hills Have Eyes” might not have been that of “Jaws”. Therefore, Raimi may have instigated a disagreement over a minor confusion. My apologies for any confusion I may have caused.

The Fight Heats Up in the 1980s

In the ’80s, both Craven and Raimi produced significant horror films that also served as playful jibes directed at each other.

Or, more casually: During the ’80s, Craven and Raimi made some terrifying movies, but they didn’t hesitate to poke fun at each other along the way.

When Craven discovered he was at odds with Raimi, he chose to counterattack by incorporating a scene in 1984’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. In this scene, Nancy attempts to stay awake by watching television, but eventually drifts off while tuning in to a channel broadcasting Raimi’s “The Evil Dead”, which she was watching.

Back in 1987, when I was crafting the chilling sequel to my iconic film, “Evil Dead II,” I found myself in a peculiar situation with another horror legend – Freddy Krueger. Instead of head-on confrontation, I chose an intriguingly evasive route. Intrigued? Here’s a little Easter egg for you: If you look closely in the fruit cellar and the shed of that cursed cabin in the woods, you’ll spot Freddy’s infamous glove hanging there. Some might say it was a subtle nod or a truce flag I was waving in this horror battle. But hey, let’s leave it up to the viewers to decide!

Craven Takes One Last Shot

In the 1990s, Craven solidified his reputation with “Scream,” a witty take on horror film tropes, providing an ideal platform for some playful jabs at his former adversary.

At the party, Randy inquired about his friends’ preference between watching two horror movies: “The Evil Dead” or “Halloween”. Since Carven was still engaged in conflict with Raimi, the crowd of revelers opted against “The Evil Dead” and chose “Halloween” instead. Ah well.

Raimi Gets the Last Laugh

It’s worth mentioning that despite hurling cinematic jabs at each other, the two directors never met in person. However, their paths inevitably crossed, and it was then that Raimi got one final jab – this time literally. He shared a funny anecdote in Esquire, “Years ago, I was at the Cannes Film Festival giving a radio interview, and I had never met Wes before. I thought, ‘This is my chance to prank him.’ I hid and jumped out suddenly, scaring him half to death. Then I introduced myself. He looked at me like I was crazy, but he’s been nice to me ever since.

Raimi Pays Tribute to a Fallen Hero

Despite the fact that it’s comforting to learn there was no animosity between Raimi and Craven, regrettably, their playful competition came to an end with Craven’s untimely death in 2015. However, this didn’t prevent Raimi from paying tribute to Craven’s work, which may have been more of a tribute than a jab.

In the debut season of Sam Raimi’s Starz show “Ash vs. Evil Dead”, there is a scene that takes place at the original cabin from the “Evil Dead” films, where Freddy Krueger’s glove remains visible, suspended in the backdrop.

In the second season, Raimi took it one step beyond, closing all loops. The characters journeyed back through time to the year 1982. As they passed a cinema, there was a poster for “The Hills Have Eyes” displayed outside.

2025-02-02 01:11

Uncovering the Hilarious Rivalry Between Horror Legends Wes Craven and Sam Raimi!

Craven Throws Down the Gauntlet — or Does He?

The Fight Heats Up in the 1980s

Craven Takes One Last Shot

Raimi Gets the Last Laugh

Raimi Pays Tribute to a Fallen Hero

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