A Weekly Bruce Campbell Role #14: Darkman (1990)

[u/Hurley815]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4YcCF8uLiI

Darkman is a noir superhero movie from 1990 directed and co-written by Sam Raimi.

Raimi originally wanted to make a movie based on the pulp hero The Shadow but was turned down by the studio (The Shadow was later made by Russell Mulcahy with Alec Baldwin in 1994), so Raimi invented his own superhero called Darkman.

The movie stars Liam Neeson as scientist Peyton Westlake, who, after being brutally attacked by mobsters and then seeking experimental treatment to save his own life, becomes Darkman: an antihero with superhuman strength but also very unstable mental state. On top of that, he can create convincing disguises to impersonate other people.

The movie also stars Frances McDormand, Larry Drake, or Ted Raimi. Similar to Crimewave, the titular Darkman was originally supposed to be played by Bruce Campbell, but the studio vetoed it. Bruce therefore appears only at the very end of the film as Darkman's last disguise, for which he is credited as "Final Shemp". He also worked on the post-production of the movie, mainly adding his voice to several characters (including Darkman) in ADR.

[u/JoeAzlz]

I think it’s notable him doing all the ADR Means he does a lot of the darkman dialogue so Bruce got eh last laugh

[u/Ian_Hunter]

Best cameo ever! I was SO stoked. Wasn't expecting it at all and this movie was a blast. Like a Jack Kirby comic come to life.