EDITOR’S NOTE: Army of Darkness was on USA Up All Night on October 24, 1997.

Army of Darkness was probably the last movie that I couldn’t wait to see. It felt like it was delayed forever as Universal wanted a PG-13 and got an NC-17; they finally got an R. That’s after they demanded a new ending where Ash ended up in a better place — Raimi said, “Actually, I kind of like the fact that there are two endings, that in one alternate universe Bruce is screwed, and in another universe he’s some cheesy hero.” — and the director needed $3 million to finish the movie. Universal was not willing to give him the money and delayed its release due to a dispute with producer Dino De Laurentiis over the rights to Hannibal Lecter. This moved the release from summer to near Valentine’s Day. As you might imagine, this did better on cable and video than in theaters, even though I found the one place showing it in Butler, PA.

At the end of Evil Dead II, Ash went back in time. And that’s where he starts, captured by Lord Arthur’s (Marcus Gilbert) soldiers and due to be sacrificed in a pit of Deadites. After surviving, he frees Duke Henry the Red (Richard Grove), meets the Wise Man (Ian Abercrombie), falls for Sheila (Embeth Davidtz), and retrieves his shotgun and chainsaw. All he has to do is find the Necronomicon and say, “Klaatu barada nikto.”

However, as always, Ash is a moron.

He screws up and unleashes the Army of Darkness, led by Bill Moseley and an evil version of Ash, which he must battle with his limited understanding of warfare.

After winning the battle, Ash is to read a passage from the Necronomicon and swallow six drops of potion so that he can sleep and wake up in his own time. He drinks seven and wakes up at the end of the world. Or he would have, if Universal didn’t make the new ending where Ash protects S-Mart — Ted Raimi works there — from a Deadite, saying “Hail to the king, baby” before kissing a co-worker (Angela Featherstone).

Between the miniature Ash, the look of the Deadites and the stop-motion, this had taken Evil Dead from its horrific origins into mainstream comedy, even if no one wanted to see it in theaters.

This has some great alternate titles. In Argentina, it was Noche alucinante 2: el ejército de las tinieblas (Amazing Night 2: Army of Darkness). Brazil? Crazy Night 3. In Mexico, it was The Devil’s Awakening 3 and Shadow Warrior. Best of all of these is Kyaputen sûpâmâketto, the Japanese name, which translates as Captain Supermarket.

According to Sam Raimi in The Evil Dead Companion by Bill Warren, Charles Napier was initially slated to play Ash’s boss in S-Mart, but his role was ultimately cut. Likewise, Bridget Fonda was scheduled to have more screen time, as her scenes were added in the reshoots.

Also: Genius always steals. Bruno Mattei’s The Tomb outright lifted scenes of skeletons rising from their graves from this movie, as well as footage from the first two Indiana Jones movies and the 1999 edition of The Mummy.