Who Plays Who?

Alison Lohman Justin Long Lorna Raver Dileep Rao David Paymer Adriana Barraza Chelcie Ross Reggie Lee Molly Cheek Bojana Novakovic Kevin Foster Art Kimbro

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Christine Clay Sylvia Ganush Rham Jas Jim Jacks Shaun San Dena Leonard Dalton Stu Rubin Trudy Dalton Ilenka Ganush Milos Lamia (voice)

The Inside Story Though Sam Raimi has spent the better part of the past decade bringing the blockbuster "Spider-Man" franchise to the screen, the director rose to cult status with his "Evil Dead" trilogy. With those influential films, he helped audiences embrace the shocking spectacle and dark humor that defined his horror brand and inspired a new generation of writers and directors to push the limits of the genre itself. 2009 marks his return to the horror genre with this original tale: "Drag Me to Hell". More than ten years ago, brothers Sam and Ivan Raimi penned the first draft of the screenplay that would become "Drag Me to Hell". In its earliest incarnation, the script was simply titled "The Curse". "We’ve always loved the idea of curses," Ivan Raimi ("Darkman") explained. "We loved thinking about what would happen to an ordinary person if they were cursed and put into these extraordinary circumstances." In this instance, forces beyond her control torment young bank loan officer Christine Brown after she commits what seems to be a mild trespass and denies a loan extension to an elderly woman named Mrs Ganush. As Sam Raimi puts it, the film is "a simple morality tale" where the protagonist is "a really good girl. She means well, and she’s trying to make it in Los Angeles. Christine’s got a boyfriend she really cares about, and to get him, she does one bad thing. She’s makes a choice to sin; it sets the ball in motion, and the movie’s about payback to her." "We made Christine morally complex," Ivan adds. "She’s trying to get ahead in her job, like anyone else. She’s just a normal person with all of the attributes that we might have, colored in grays instead of black and white. That’s what makes her interesting to me. She’s put into a situation where her punishment does not fit her crime, and it is exciting to watch how she has to deal with it." From "Darkman" and "Army of Darkness" to "Spider-Man 2" and "Spider-Man 3", the two collaborators have long been curious to explore accidental, reluctant warriors. Like The Evil Dead’s hero Ash Williams and Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker, Christine is an average person thrust by consequence into a fantastical world that runs parallel to the one she knows. As they wrote, the Raimi brothers imagined what would become the supernatural tormentor for Christine. They chose to use a mythical beast, the demonic Lamia, as their antagonist. While the Lamia has been imagined as various incarnations in many cultures—from a Greek goddess who turned murderess once Hera stole her children to a cannibalistic ogre, succubus or centaur-like creature that is half man/half goat—the stories share a unifying trait. "The one thing the legends have in common is that the Lamia is a demon that, when awoken in anger, drags its victims down to hell screaming," Ivan (a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) stated. "That’s the common, awful thread." The two brothers plotted "Drag Me to Hell" so that, other than the first few moments of the film, Christine appears in every scene. The story never wavers from telling the horrific tale from her point of view and taking the audience along on her journey. Indeed, the Raimi brothers designed their screenplay to bring us on a haunted house-style ride, with Christine as the vessel. To play counterpoint to the superstition and fear Christine experiences, the screenwriters crafted her rational and cerebral boyfriend, Clay, a professor who attempts to dissuade her from believing that Mrs Ganush has cursed her. Of their relationship, Ivan (the older brother of Sam and Ted Raimi) explained: "Clay’s love for Christine outweighs what his mind tells him to believe and not to believe. This is a love story of ultimate sacrifice." After a ten year hiatus the opportunity to give "Drag Me to Hell" the attention it needed was realized in late 2007. At that point, producers Rob Tapert (Raimi’s partner at Ghost House Pictures) and five time Raimi collaborator Grant Curtis ("The Gift"), shepherded the project, and Ghost House Pictures signed on to finance the film. Universal agreed to distribute it in the USA and in select international territories, while Mandate, managed by executive producers Nathan Kahane ("Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") and Joe Drake ("Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"), would handle the lion’s share of the international distribution. The producers felt that the film offered a blend of genres that would introduce classic horror to new audiences, while celebrating what die-hard Raimi fans loved about the director’s work."It’s more than just a horror movie, more than a supernatural thriller," says Curtis ("Spider-Man"). "The characters are interesting enough for the audience to become emotionally invested. In every movie Sam’s done, you get thoroughly engrossed in the characters." Tapert ("The Messengers") agrees: "This is really Sam’s opportunity to return to kind of filmmaking that I, as a horror fan, have always loved that he’s done something that is wild and crazy and unexpected and takes me places I didn’t expect." Tapert was curious to see what his friend could do with a smaller-budget film after tackling three enormous blockbusters in a row. "After Sam has directed three Spider-Man movies, he has a command of all the tools that a director has at his disposal. He understands everything about filmmaking and the special effects process; he’s brought this all to bear with Drag Me to Hell. He is able to use the tools of special effects, visual effects, makeup effects and mechanical effects to create something that, hopefully, the audience hasn’t experienced before." With the script in place and production greenlit, three time Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival winner Sam Raimi (1982, '90 & '92) )and the producers sought out a leading lady to play the very physical part of Christine Brown. Fortunately for the director, he found 2003 Young Hollywood Award winner Alison Lohman. "Alison has a great humanity to her," Raimi commends. "She really is somebody that you watch on screen and you care about. Because this character was somebody I wanted the audience to identify with, it was very important to have Alison in the role." Though she was game for the physical challenges that would be ahead, Lohman was not necessarily a horror fan when she joined the cast. "The only reason I didn’t like horror movies is because I get very, very scared. Why would I sit through a horror movie if I’m going to have my eyes closed the whole time?" 2006 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival Award winner Justin Long was cast as Clay, Christines sympathetic (if doubting) boyfriend. Long ("Zack and Miri Make a Porno" & "Die Hard 4.0") found that the pragmatic, skeptical character reminded him of his father. "My dad’s a philosophy professor, and he’s very rational: very stoic and logical. He comes from the school of thought that there’s an explanation for everything. I had to tap into somebody who is just a bit more right-brained in their thinking. I’m the first to believe anything: Nessie, Bigfoot, ghosts. I feel like there is supernatural stuff all around me." Clay shows consolation and compassion, but holds onto a strong doubt that anything supernatural is really occurring. "Justin brings such an easygoing, loving boyfriend to the part," says Tapert. "Once the part was in his hands, he found a way to make me believe that he loved this woman. He brought concern and care for the woman that he loves to all those scenes." Stepping into the very unglamorous role of Mrs Ganush is Lorna Raver, who played Rebecca Kaplan in eighteen episodes of "The Young & The Restless". Raver spent much of her career on the stages of New York and Chicago and appearing in numberous TV shows before making the jump to Hollywood. "I haven’t done a lot of film work because it’s a difficult area for an older woman of a certain age who is not a big name. When this came up and I found out that Sam was involved in the project, I was very excited." Raver won the part via the traditional audition process. Due to the usual protocol, Raver saw only small pieces of the script at first. "I had no idea what I was getting into, because all I had read was about a little old lady coming into the bank because they’re closing down her house. It was only later that I saw the whole script." And how did she react? "Oh my!", she exclaimed. Once she grew accustomed to the content and the arduous tasks that were ahead, the performer found her first experience working with Raimi a relaxing one. "Sam has these touches that are a little bit off-centre that break the tension. He’s great to work with as an actor because he includes you in the process. I found it interesting to watch him on the set because he’s very focused, and sometimes you can see the movie running behind his eyes." To prepare for this role, Raver met with a Hungarian dialect coach. The performer even asked her coach to translate portions of the script into Hungarian. No one was more impressed with her talents than the man who helped imagine the both sympathetic and vicious Mrs Ganush. "Lorna went to town with this role, especially in the car attack scene. She’s a real fighter who was always willing to give you one more take and put everything she had into it." Sam ("It's Murder!") said. Relative newcomer Dileep Rao came aboard the project as psychic Rham Jas, who becomes an unlikely confidante for Christine. Rao was taken by the story’s contemporary spin on classic horror movie themes and believes "the most interesting aspect of the script was that it was both very modern in terms of who the characters are, but the style was a throwback to a type of horror I like. The script had mystery, wonder and a good deal of humor." When Rham Jas realizes he is in over his head, he brings Christine to seer Shaun San Dena, one of the only women in the world who has met the Lamia and lived to tell the tale. Celebrated Mexican actress and 2007 ALMA Award winner Adriana Barraza ("Babel"), plays the powerful medium she describes as "born with special skills to deal with the spirits." It was a welcome role for the dramatic actress who has long had a soft spot for the genre. "I’ve loved horror movies ever since I was a little girl. I saw every kind of horror movie as a child, and I have a large library filled with horror literature." Barraza was impressed with director Raimi. "I have a great admiration for his talent. His politeness and collaborative nature made it a very pleasant experience and atmosphere on set." Making both a comic and curmudgeonly turn in "Drag Me to Hell" is 2000 NBR Award winner David Paymer ("State and Main"), who plays Christine’s disapproving boss at the bank, Mr Jacks. As a fan of the genre, the actor likes being lulled into moments of false security. He enjoyed being part of a project that would make him simultaneously laugh and gasp. "In some ways, it’s a little more realistic, which is a good counterpoint: the humor to the horror." He believes the comedy aspect gets the audience relaxed and thinking, "Oh, this is funny. We’re having a good time." And then, all of a sudden it's, "Oh my God, there’s blood spurting everywhere!" The Verdict "At last, a horror movie that really works well. No, make that, works exceptionally well. Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots with this outstanding entry into the genre: "Drag Me To Hell". Raimi delivers up a film that has all the critical ingredients needed to ensure fans leave the cinema feeling as though they have not only gotten their monies worth, but have also had a genuinely scary expreience. One which is by the way, laced with magical comedic moments. Unlike the "SAW" franchise, which relies on confronting cinemagoers with a barrage of confronting savagely cruel, harsh and merciless brutality, this film focusses on the consequences that can befall each and every one of us, when we make the wrong moral judgement. In "Drag Me To Hell", Alison Lohman plays Christine, a loan officer who is competing for an assistant managers position at the bank where she is employed. When Mrs Ganush asks her for a loan extension, Christine decides to impress her Branch Manager, choosing to ignore pleas for help and thereby ensuring the elderly woman will lose her home. In retaliation Mrs Ganush curses Christine, promising her that the Lamia will come for her. The stage is set for a supernatural battle. Both Lohman and Lorna Raver give grand genre performances. From an all out struggle in an underground car park to the films stunning finale`, these two actresses give it their all. A true edge of your seat experience. Highly recommended. 4 STARS." Synopsis

Christine Brown is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton. Life is good until the mysterious Mrs Ganush arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break, or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr Jacks and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. How far will Christine go to break the curse?

What Do The Critics Say

"The film opens with a throttling prologue which immediately justifies that attentiongrabbing title. A funny, inspired and genuinely thrilling horror movie [and] the best thing to happen to the genre in yonks. Wit, invention and shrewdly earned shocks abound in Drag Me To Hell. This burst blood-vessel of B-movie brilliance makes Raimi's rivals look like the corpsegrinding charlatans they truly are." Leigh Paatsch DAILY TELEGRAPH "Serious about its scare factor, but allows us to laugh at our own reactions to Raimi's often frightening, always entertaining images." Bruce Bennett SPECTRUM 'A solid horror movie that features such big laughs, you come away wishing that most comedies were consistently as funny and as bright." Christopher Smith BANGOR DAILY NEWS "Drag Me To Hell is a fun excursion into the kind of cult-comedy-horror that makes Raimi's Evil Dead pictures such a joy. 'You have staples in your head!' Alison screams at her. 'All the better to collate my thoughts!' sneers the old crone." Mark Ramsey MOVIE JUICE! "A bold, brash, unsubtle bogey tale full of buzzing hell-flies, repellenet effluvia and black and white moral lessons: One step off the path of virtue and everyone knows where you're going, missy." Maitland McDonagh HORROR HACKER "The news that director Sam Raimi was making a return to horror sent a thrill of anticipation through gore hounds and cult film lovers alike. Drag Me To Hell is the most fun you'll have being scared for a long time. Nice to see you back, Sam. It's an absolute hoot." Anthony O'Connor FILMINK

"Everyone who signs on for a Raimi horror must be a good sport and Alison Lohman throws herself into the role of Christine with gusto. Justin Long is a bit wet as the devoted boyfriend but the winner is really Lorna Raver as Mrs Ganush. She’s fabulous.This is classic Raimi horror, it will appeal to fans, others will most probably run from the theatre. I had a great old time. I'm giving it three and a half." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "The evil is back. The Oldsmobile is back. Horror director Sam Raimi is back. What's not to love?" Kevin A. Ranson MOVIE CRYPT "Scared the daylights out of me. That is, when I wasn't laughing at the dark humor that only Sam Raimi can concoct." Linda Cook QUAD CITY TIMES "A spine-tingling adventure guaranteed to elicit blood-curdling screams and to make you jump out of your seat when you least expect it. 4/4." Kam Williams NEWSBLAZE "Sam Raimi's return to directing a horror film is everything you could have asked for and more." Rebecca Murray COMING SOON "Drag Me To Hell is the greatest horror film of the decade and is a must see for scare fans. Drag Me To Hell is a stroke of horror genius. You will jump out of your seat. Gore-geous!" Simon Thompson HEART 106.2 "Sam Raimi is at the height of his powers with this very funny, very gross horror romp. It's like watching a slide down a slippery slope with big, sharp spikes at the bottom. For horror fans: irresistible. Jason Di Rosso MOVIE TIME ABC NATIONAL

The Production Team

Director Written by Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Costume Designer

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Sam Raimi Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi Grant Curtis/Sam Raimi/Robert G Tapert Christopher Young Peter Deming Bob Murawski John Papsidera Steve Saklad James F Truesdale Isis Mussenden

Run Time 98 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] ©2009 - Roadshow Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.