High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Crimewave is a 1985 comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, an unusual slapstick mix of film noir, black comedy and several eras, starring Reed Birney, Paul L. Smith, Louise Lasser, Brion James, Bruce Campbell, and Sheree J. Wilson. It was Raimi`s first studio film following the success of The Evil Dead. The film is also known as The XYZ Murders in some parts of the world, although it was first shown to a public in a sneak preview with the title Broken Hearts And Noses.