How to Build a Groovy DIY Chainsaw Arm Like the One Ash Uses in 'Evil Dead II' | No Film School

If the Evil Dead franchise reigns as king of the horror comedy kingdom and Ash is its handsome, blood-soaked warrior prince, his chainsaw arm is his mighty sword. And now that Halloween is only a week away, you may get a kick out of learning how to build one of your own, whether you intend to use it to complete your Evil Dead II-inspired costume, make your own Evil Dead fan film, or just to learn a few handy special effects techniques. Indy Mogul's Erik Beck shows you how to build one from start to finish using some common hardware store materials in the tutorial below.

This tutorial is not for the faint of heart—nor for those who don't have a pretty robust workshop. Beck uses tools like a jigsaw and a heat gun to cut out and mold certain parts of the chainsaw arm, so if you don't have those handy, you might be out of luck on this one. Also, he utilizes a respirator to protect against harmful fumes while heating the PVC pipe and other plastics, so be sure to have one to avoid, you know, dying.

Now, even though this build is geared more toward a seasoned special effects artist or prop maker, there are several techniques and tips beginners can glean that will make their other projects easier, like how to make props look grungy by slathering them in black paint and wiping off the excess with paper towels, making sure to leave the paint in crevices for a realistic look.

But hey, even if you are a novice and want to try your hand at building this chainsaw arm, go for it. Just be safe—work in a well ventilated area, use a respirator, and know your tools.

Source: Indy Mogul

props diy Evil Dead horror special effects sfx

What's the Hype With 'Interstellar' Revisiting Cinemas After a Decade in 70mm IMAX?

Here's Why You Need to Revisit 'Interstellar' in 70mm IMAX

Celebrate the love and hope at the center of Nolan's space epic in the format it was meant to be seen.

If we know anything about Christopher Nolan, he likes to go big. Nolan started with smaller-scale stories (as many of us do) with early noir adjacent works like Following, Memento, and Insomnia, then started going and staying big with his illusionist drama The Prestige. Since then, the scale has been various degrees of massive, with the biggest scope in his time-and-space sprawling epic, Interstellar.

While Interstellarmight not be everyone's favorite Nolan outing, there's no denying it's an impressive feat of filmmaking and his most emotional—if watching Matthew McConaughey's Cooper desperately try to reach his family through quantum space-time doesn't make you cry at least a little bit, what's going on, dude?

With Interstellar'sIMAX release, it's a great time to shed some tears in a public setting in one of the most prestigious film formats around. As we mentioned in our film gauge piece, Nolan loves shooting on film and utilizes 65mm intentionally to provoke a tone of massive scale. In that regard, Interstellar was made for 70mm IMAX. That goes without saying, dawg. That being said, other factors make Interstellar a perfect movie to revisit in theaters while you can.

Let's break down the release further below.

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