Ivan Raimi
Encyclopedia
Ivan M. Raimi is an American
screenwriter
and doctor of osteopathic medicine.
, the son of Celia Barbara (née
Abrams), who owned lingerie shops, and Leonard Ronald Raimi, who owned home furnishing stores. Ivan was raised in Conservative Judaism
; his ancestors immigrated from Russia
and Hungary
. He is a graduate of Michigan State University
and received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from Des Moines University
in 1984.
Ivan sometimes collaborates on projects with brothers Sam Raimi
and Ted Raimi
. Dr. Raimi's most well-known work is Army of Darkness
, the sequel to the horror film
s The Evil Dead
and Evil Dead II
. He also co-wrote the comic book
adaption of Army for Dark Horse Comics
. His work in the entertainment industry has been sparse due to his primary career as a doctor.
Prior to these successes, Dr. Raimi also contributed to several of the films that his brother Sam had made in his early career. Some of these were amateur efforts produced in suburban Michigan
; some of them professional, theatrical efforts like Easy Wheels
(though the script was heavily altered from the one the Raimis submitted). They also worked together on The Nutt House
, which was, again, heavily altered—so much so that all those who worked on the script used pseudonyms. Dr. Raimi was credited as "Alan Smithee
, Sr."
Dr. Raimi also co-wrote Darkman
, a collaboration with Sam which also featured Ted. He created the short-lived television series Spy Game
and co-wrote the stories and screenplays for Spider-Man 3
and Drag Me to Hell
, both projects directed by Sam Raimi and featuring Ted Raimi
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and doctor of osteopathic medicine.
Career
Ivan, the third of five children, was born in Royal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
, the son of Celia Barbara (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Abrams), who owned lingerie shops, and Leonard Ronald Raimi, who owned home furnishing stores. Ivan was raised in Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
; his ancestors immigrated from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He is a graduate of Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from Des Moines University
Des Moines University
Des Moines University is a United States' osteopathic medical college and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines University is the second oldest Osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. There are 14,124 total alumni .-History:Des Moines...
in 1984.
Ivan sometimes collaborates on projects with brothers Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
and Ted Raimi
Ted Raimi
Theodore "Ted"/"Half Ted" Raimi is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Lieutenant Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess/Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
. Dr. Raimi's most well-known work is Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
, the sequel to the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Betsy Baker. The film is a story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area...
and Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is a 1987 horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is a retcon sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film was written by Raimi and Scott Spiegel, produced by Rob Tapert and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams...
. He also co-wrote the comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
adaption of Army for Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. His work in the entertainment industry has been sparse due to his primary career as a doctor.
Prior to these successes, Dr. Raimi also contributed to several of the films that his brother Sam had made in his early career. Some of these were amateur efforts produced in suburban Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
; some of them professional, theatrical efforts like Easy Wheels
Easy Wheels
Easy Wheels was written by Ivan Raimi and his brother Sam Raimi, and directed by David O'Malley. It was produced in between Evil Dead 2 and Darkman, and released in 1989....
(though the script was heavily altered from the one the Raimis submitted). They also worked together on The Nutt House
The Nutt House (film)
The Nutt House is a 1992 film directed by Adam Rifkin. It stars Stephen Kearney, Traci Lords and Amy Yasbeck. It was also the last film for Emil Sitka, Sandra Gould and King Moody.-Plot:Identical twins Philbert and Nathan were separated at birth...
, which was, again, heavily altered—so much so that all those who worked on the script used pseudonyms. Dr. Raimi was credited as "Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee was an official pseudonym used by film directors who wish to disown a project, coined in 1968. Until its use was formally discontinued in 2000, it was the sole pseudonym used by members of the Directors Guild of America when a director dissatisfied with the final product proved to...
, Sr."
Dr. Raimi also co-wrote Darkman
Darkman
Darkman is a 1990 superhero action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s...
, a collaboration with Sam which also featured Ted. He created the short-lived television series Spy Game
Spy Game (TV series)
Spy Game is a short-lived American action-adventure television series that aired on the ABC network for 13 episodes during the spring and summer of 1997...
and co-wrote the stories and screenplays for Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
and Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell is a 2009 American horror film, directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Sam and Ivan Raimi. The plot focuses on loan officer Christine Brown , who tries to impress her boss by refusing to extend a loan to a gypsy woman by the name of Mrs. Ganush...
, both projects directed by Sam Raimi and featuring Ted Raimi
Ted Raimi
Theodore "Ted"/"Half Ted" Raimi is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Lieutenant Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess/Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
.
Further reading
- Warren, Bill. The Evil Dead Companion, pg. 141-2. ISBN 0-312-27501-3
- Raimi, Sam. Army of Darkness DVD audio commentary.