Alfonzo Gallanosa, the biggest “Evil Dead” fan on the planet
Photo courtesy of Alfonzo Galanosa
How many times have you watched your favorite movie? Would you watch it everyday? Could you watch it everyday?
For sophomore film production major Alfonzo Gallanosa, the answer is an emphatic “yes.” Despite its challenges and the incredible commitment required to make it happen, Gallanosa has managed to watch “Evil Dead II” every single day since 2024 began.
“Evil Dead II,” Sam Raimi’s 1987 horror comedy and sequel to his low-budget horror smash hit “The Evil Dead,” has attained something of a cult classic status since its release. The sequel is regarded in horror circles as one of the all-time greats for its innovative camerawork and unhinged sensibilities to narrative and scares. Which is to say, practically the entire sub-90-minute runtime is spent on slapstick gags and gallons of fake blood spilling out across a secluded cabin in the woods, as the film follows tortured guest Ash (Bruce Campbell) contending with an unstoppable ancient demonic presence.
I sat down with Gallanosa on Oct. 17 for his daily viewing, agreeing to meet in his apartment to watch the film on Blu-ray. Busy with classes and work on student film sets throughout the week, the best time to fit “Evil Dead II” into his schedule was just after midnight. It’s an overwhelming experience to say the least. Not only is Raimi’s film already a nonstop thrill ride, but this viewing (only my second full watch, paltry in comparison to Gallanosa’s hundreds) was replete with full commentary on every aspect, micro and macro.
“I think at its core it’s just the complete joy of creation,” Gallanosa said, speaking on what draws him to the film. “They’re off the heels of this massive studio-interference failure (1985’s “Crimewave,” an oft-forgotten flop) and they go back to the only thing that they know and they hit it with everything that they have, because there was no alternative. It’s this perfect mix of this raw desperation behind and in front of the camera with getting away with anything you want. They made this as if they weren’t allowed to touch a camera ever again, and I think that’s the appeal of it.”
He continued: “I think Orson Welles was like ‘being a filmmaker is like having access to this train set — the biggest train set ever,’ and then ‘Evil Dead II’ is like taking those trains and making them go as fast as they can until every single car explodes in flames. It’s just perfect. I laugh every time I watch it. It’s so funny, just good-natured yuks in it. And bad-natured yuks.”
The deeper we got into the minutia of behind-the-scenes craftsmanship, the more apt Orson Welles’ metaphor felt. Every aspect of the film is brimming with detail and care, from its overt references to classics like “Citizen Kane,” “Vertigo,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Taxi Driver,” a constant attention to the comedic “rule of threes” in every gag and spook, moments lifted from Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd comedies, scenes cut and censored from the Mexican TV cut, differences in various physical media releases, puppets reused from other movies, influences from German Expressionist cinema and so much more. There was nary a moment where Gallanosa had nothing to say. Often, if there was a moment that didn’t have an accompanying fun fact, he would begin to recite the script from memory seconds before it would be spoken on film. For anyone interested in filmmaking, Sam Raimi films, or both, watching “Evil Dead II” with Gallanosa is an almost life-changing experience.
Despite it all, I still couldn’t imagine watching it every single day. It’s a delight to watch, but to still find joy in watching it so often, knowing it like the back of your hand? That’s another thing entirely, and I had to ask why.
“I saw people doing it with things like ‘Apocalypse Now’ on Letterboxd and how they get added to these special lists, and I thought, ‘There’s no way you can sit down and watch three hours of movie every day.’ I want to actually document it, actually write reviews — logging it on Letterboxd is pretty easy, you hit two buttons and it’s logged. I have something applicable to say, even if it's just about my day or what I took away this time or something that I noticed. I still notice new things about this, everyone on set was giving it their all,” Gallanosa said. “I get something out of it and I can actually write it down.”
He continued: “And so many people I see that are attempting this challenge… I don’t wanna claim that they’re not doing it, but I don’t see them engaging with their movies as much. And it makes me wonder that maybe if they are, they're just putting it on their computer while they do other stuff. I wanted to be the person that actually sits down and does it, just because I love this movie so much. Even though I have no authorial connection to it, I just feel like it’s a part of my identity.”
A social media app for tracking and reviewing movies, Letterboxd is the best place to follow Gallanosa as @FULCiBABY and join his “Evil Dead II” journey. At 307 of 366 days of watching it this year, each entry in his Letterboxd page is complete with thoughts ranging from emotional responses to the day’s viewing to thoughtful and comprehensive essays analyzing each moment in full detail. “I am officially taking this shit home. I wish I could get a badge or something on my profile for being the #1 Evil Dead 2 fan possibly ever(?) At what point do I get that distinction? Have I already past that point?” he mused on Sept. 23. All of them are worth reading.
And looking at the rest of Gallanosa’s creative work, it’s easy to see how much “Evil Dead II” has influenced him and his identity. His YouTube page showcases his editing and filmmaking talents, from a recreation of an iconic “Evil Dead II” scene featuring Gallanosa’s dad to his submission short to apply for Dodge College’s editing program to a Gumby fan film partially inspired by Raimi’s work. Behind it all, “Evil Dead II” is a constant inspiration, a point of reference and reverence.
“On my worst days, yeah, I do (regret this challenge). Just because I’ll be so swamped with things — I’m on set three times this week on three different sets — and I know that I’m gonna be biting my tongue and gnashing my teeth when it comes down to the wire again. But I have managed to fit it in up until this point, and I have been buzzer to buzzer,” Gallanosa told The Panther. “But most of the time I don’t really know, like, what is there to regret? I don’t hate it, I haven’t grown resentful of it, I haven’t gotten sick of it, so I don’t know. I feel like the only way I’d actually regret taking this on is if I can turn it on and not smile or laugh during it, which hasn’t happened yet and I don’t think it will. It’s very joyous.”
I asked whether or not he’ll continue to watch it after the year is over.
“Not everyday. I’ll probably watch it once a month, that seems healthy,” Gallanosa said. “I’ll see it if it’s in theaters. If people haven’t seen it I’ll put it on for them.”
Healthy or not, there’s something to be said for getting so much mileage out of one movie. Despite knowing practically everything there is to know about it, there’s still something to gain from each watch.
The only question remains… What new frontiers await? Or rather, which movie will be chosen for next year?