Released in 1985, Crimewave is an early Sam Raimi (director and co-writer) and The Coen Brothers (writers) vehicle, which has largely been forgotten save by their most devoted fans. In the words of its star and co-producer Bruce Campbell, "[it] wasn’t released. It escaped."
A Genre Mashup of Slapstick, Film Noir, Hitchcockian suspense, B movies and romantic Screwball Comedy – all with Raimi's Signature Style – the film centers on nebbish everyman Victor Ajax, who's job as a security systems technician and quest to find true love see him caught up in an increasingly-absurd series of murders perpetrated by a pair of cartoonish exterminators-cum-hitmen. The film also stars Louise Lasser, Paul L. Smith, Brion James, Sheree J. Wilson, and Frances McDormand (in an early bit part).
Raimi's first stab at studio filmmaking, the film had a particularly Troubled Production and was a Box Office Bomb but has gained a minor Cult Following thanks to the fanbases of Raimi, the Coens' and Campbell. Several ideas from the project were built upon in later projects, including Evil Dead 2, The Hudsucker Proxy, and Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy.
Not to be confused with Crime Wave, a Canadian film released the same year.
This film provides examples of:
- Creator Thumb Print: The prison is named Hudsucker Penitentiary. The Coen Brothers would go on to reuse the name Hudsucker in Raising Arizona (as HI's employer) and The Hudsucker Proxy.
- Dance-Off: Vic and Nancy enter one to avoid paying off an unpaid restaurant bill. It doesn't work out.
- Giallo: The candy-colored lighting and convoluted murder setpieces certainly give this film some Mario Bava vibes.
- Live-Action Cartoon: A major stylistic aspect of the film is its cartoon physics and violence.
- Non-Actor Vehicle: Mr. Trend is played the film's executive producer Edward R. Pressman in his sole acting role.
- Same Language Dub: Crush's dialogue was redubbed by Detroit-area disc jockey George Baier, doing an impression of wrestler Dick the Bruiser.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The nebbish-but-genuine Vic Ajax versus the chauvinistic Renaldo.
- Slap Stick: The violence is extremely cartoony, but people are still dying.
- X Meets Y: Star Reed Birney described it as "The Three Stooges meet Alfred Hitchcock".
