Sam Raimi has a very collective résumé, from his most notable and recent films from The Spider-man trilogy to the cult horror classics of The Evil Dead series. Throughout his career, Raimi has developed a style and presence of his own, earning him the right to belong in the category of auteur criticism. Auteur criticism is simply put as when the director has a signature style that he or she brings to the movie upon filming. Raimi’s fascination with films started as he was a child, when his father would use the family video camera to make short films. Seeing how his father was able to manipulate time and space through the use of a camera, Raimi had found his calling (Warren 12). Once following in his father’s footsteps and creating his own short films, Raimi soon began developing a style all his own that would soon captivate the film world (Warren 13). With his style most notable within his early works of The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992), as well as his most recent horror film Drag Me to Hell (2009), it can also be seen in Raimi’s attempt at a western with 1995’s The Quick and the Dead. Set in the 1880’s, The Quick and the Dead begins with The Lady entering an old western town named Redemption, run by the ruthless outlaw John Herod. She enters the town annual contest of a single elimination gun-fighting tournament. Haunted by childhood memories of John Herod manipulating her to kill her own father, she plans to kill Herod, who is unaware that The Lady is the same girl. Encountering a preacher who once ran in Herod’s gang, the two battle to stay alive within the contest to eventually thwart Herod’s reign of terror over the town. Round after round, the two, who have gained some sort of friendship, battle to stay alive until there are few competitors left and they are forced to compete with each other. Using tricks, the preacher and The Lady are able to fake her death come up with a scheme to help the town overcome Herod’s authority. With the preacher and Herod in the final stage of the competition, The Lady is able to blow up parts of the town through the use of dynamite and eventually kills Herod. Achieving her revenge, she gives the preacher her father’s Marshall Badge, leaving the town knowing it is in the hands of someone good. Auteur criticism is a type of film criticisms that attempts to understand a film through its stylistic approaches that can be seen in the director’s other movies. Sam Raimi obviously has his own style and approaches to film making, most of which can be seen in his work with The Evil Dead series. Although most famous for making dark movies, one of Raimi’s most signature styles is to incorporate some time of humor within his films. As Evil Dead (1981) was supposed to be one of the most gruesome films of its time, Raimi could not help but to include moments of humor. Even his most recent horror film, Drag Me to Hell (2009), included many scenes that were over the top and overdramatic, which were used to ease the tension of a gruesome horror film. One thing that is in all of Sam Raimi’s movies, questionably besides one is his inclusion of his 1973 yellow Oldsmobile (Warren 56). As seen as Bruce Campbell’s car in The Evil Dead and Uncle Ben’s automobile in Spiderman, this car is arguably seen in every film. The reason it I arguably seen is due to The Quick and the Dead (1995), as it is taken place in the 1880’s. However, Bruce Campbell, one of Raimi’s heavily used actors, stated that the chassis is used as a wagon in the movie (Egan 23). Although horror movies are Sam Raimi’s bread and butter, The Quick and the Dead also featured many narrative and formal characteristics that can be seen in most of Sam Raimi’s films. Being out of his element by creating a western, Sam Raimi is still able to use his signature styles when making the film. Within The Quick and the Dead, three formal and narrative characteristics made famous by Raimi are still present: the use of snap-zooms, dutch angles, and humor. One formal characteristic that is heavily used by Raimi throughout his films is the use of the snap-zoom. The snap-zoom is when the director quickly zooms in at an exaggerated speed. Raimi uses this type of zoom to create a high tension within the film. This type of zoom can be specifically be seen in The Quick and the Dead, when the preacher, Cort has his gunfight with Spotted Horse, a Sioux gunfighter who claims that no bullet can kill him. As the two standoff, Raimi uses a series of snap-zooms, ensuring that a high tension will build. The first snap-zoom occurs as the camera zooms close to Cort’s face, then immediately after the same zoom using the same distance is used on Spotted Horse. Each time the camera focuses on the other, getting a closer and closer zoom each time. As the zoom increases, so does the speed between cuts. This occurs until the camera is zoomed all the way on the character eyes, when a third shot is entered into the mix. Now instead of just Cort and Spotted Horse, the camera will now show a snap-zoom on the Town’s clock, which signifies when the shoot-off will begin. Quickly cutting between these three subjects, Raimi is able to achieve high tension. The rapid cuts can signify a rapid heartbeat that occurs in highly tense situations. The tension builds and builds until the clock will finally strike, signifying when a person can shoot and a victor can be declared. The snap-zoom used along with Spotted Horse’s background of not being able to be killed by a bullet, builds a high tension for the audience, fearing for Cort’s life and hoping that he will be able to make it out alive. Another formal characteristic prominently found in Sam Raimi’s films is the Dutch-angle shot, also known as a tilt-shot. A Dutch-angle shot is when the camera is tilted from its normal vertical or horizontal position so that it is no longer straight, giving the viewer the impression that the world in the frame is out of balance (Barsam 174). Raimi uses these angled shots to create tension before an intense moment in the film. Although heavily seen throughout The Quick and the Dead, it is used most significantly before the climax of the movie, when Cort, the preacher, and Herod standoff for the final shootout of the competition. Raimi begins the scene with a Dutch-angle shot of the clock tower, signifying that the final battle is about to begin. It is continually used when Cort and Herod confront each other in conversation before their standoff. The shot is used to build tension between the two before the final epic battle. This is one of the most important scenes in the movie as the winner of this battle will decide whether or not Herod’s reign of terror will continue of the town of Redemption. The Dutch-angled shot builds the tension of the final battle for the audience who awaits the epic showdown. With an off-balance view, tension builds and builds until eventually the climax happens. Raimi’s use of the Dutch-angle to create tension before an intense moment is no different in the film as the succeeding scene is the explosion of the clock tower. A narrative characteristic used in all of Sam Raimi’s films, no matter which genre, is his use of humor. The Quick and the Dead, is no different as even though it is serious action filled western, Raimi still finds ways to incorporate his style of humor. The most common way Raimi includes humor is through his use of minor characters, most of which is found with the young blind boy and Herod’s henchman. One scene in particular where humor is found is the scene introduction the blind boy. The three people in the scene are The Lady (the main protagonist), Scars (an outlaw who eventually becomes The Lady’s first competitor in the shootout), and the young blind boy (a resident of Redemption), each character with their own little humor. As Scars approaches The Lady he tells her that he needs a drink, as she quickly responds with that he needs a bath. Succeeding this, as the boy chuckles from this comment, Scars retaliates by knocking over the blind boy’s shoe shining station, whose face goes from laughter to disappointment in a matter of seconds. The dry humor and exaggeration of facial expressions is the style of quick humor that Raimi is famous for, as immediately even though the scene still remains serious, humor will still find a way to put a smile on the audience. Just because a film involves character’s lives on the line, Raimi cannot help himself but include pieces in humor to help break the tension of the plot (Egan 10). Another important use of humor within the film, is most of the time when a character dies after a shootout, the following scene involves a group of citizens stripping down the deceased to their bloomers, trying to take anything of value they can. This includes their boots, accessories, and even their gold teeth. Even though this particular scenario isn’t humorous, the Raimi portrays them in an amusing manner with their quick banter and fighting each other for the good items. Raimi uses these types of humor to give the audience a break from a high tension scene, giving them some sort of rest for the next intense scene to come. With such an eclectic group of genres on his résumé, Sam Raimi is still able to incorporate his signature style with any movie his makes. Although, most notable for his horror movies and blockbuster hits, Sam Raimi’s attempt at a western is no different. He is still able to create a high tension film’s using his signature characteristics. With his use of snap-zooms, he is able to create highly intense scenes. Through the use of Dutch angle shots, he is able to create high tension for the audience, forewarning them that powerful scene is emerging. Lastly, through his use of humor, Raimi allows for the audience to have a break from heavy tension, while still maintaining a highly tense theme. Even though, Sam Raimi is most notable for his frightening Evil Dead series and Hollywood Blockbuster Spider-man trilogy, he has shown that he can still incorporate his own style of film making with his western, The Quick and the Dead.