What would you class The Evil Dead as? Its not a straight horror film, sure there are scares but in between are nodding references to how silly horror films can be. So its probably best to say that it is a comedy horror, whichever it is closest to, comedy or horror, it does well on both counts.
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In the Autumn of 1979, Sam Raimi and his merry band headed into the woods of rural ... more
Tennessee to make a little movie calledThe Evil Dead. They emerged with a roller coaster of a film packed with shocks, gore and wild humour, a film that remains a benchm...
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Ever thought of taking your girlfriend away for the weekend? Maybe to some secluded spot ... more
in the country so you can spend some quality time together, but then ended up hacking her to pieces with a chainsaw after she become's possessed by a grotesque, flesh-eating demon resurrected by spells from The Book Of The Dead? Ash Williams has. Trapped in a dark world of flying eyeballs and deadly severed limbs, axe wielding Ash Williams will be pushed to the edge of his sanity as he fights to survive against the unspeakable, supernatural forces intent on having him dead by dawn.After the shocking and notorious cult classic Evil Dead impaled its way into the minds of a whole generation by becoming one of the original video nasties, visionary, maverick director Sam Raimi (Spider Man 1-3) decided to elaborate on its twisted scenario by creating one of the most visually deranged and psychotically demented horror movies to ever splatter its way across cinema screens since the invention of celluloid. Featuring b-movie legend Bruce Campbell in his most iconic role, as he fantastically unhinged Ash, Evil Dead 2 is a gore-fuelled splatstick masterpiece that gleefully stomps on the entrails of good taste whilst puking in the face of Hollywood with no apologies.
Ever thought of taking your girlfriend away for the weekend? Maybe to some secluded spot ... more
in the country so you can spend some quality time together, but then ended up hacking her to pieces with a chainsaw after she become's possessed by a grotesque, flesh-eating demon resurrected by spells from The Book Of The Dead? Ash Williams has. Trapped in a dark world of flying eyeballs and deadly severed limbs, axe wielding Ash Williams will be pushed to the edge of his sanity as he fights to survive against the unspeakable, supernatural forces intent on having him dead by dawn.After the shocking and notorious cult classic Evil Dead impaled its way into the minds of a whole generation by becoming one of the original video nasties, visionary, maverick director Sam Raimi (Spider Man 1-3) decided to elaborate on its twisted scenario by creating one of the most visually deranged and psychotically demented horror movies to ever splatter its way across cinema screens since the invention of celluloid. Featuring b-movie legend Bruce Campbell in his most iconic role, as he fantastically unhinged Ash, Evil Dead 2 is a gore-fuelled splatstick masterpiece that gleefully stomps on the entrails of good taste whilst puking in the face of Hollywood with no apologies.
Production Year: 1980 - Horror - Director: Paul Lynch - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Casey Stevens, Anne-Marie Martin, Antoinette Bower
Production Year: 1981 - Horror - Director: Rick Rosenthal - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Lance Guest, Charles Cyphers, Jeffrey Kramer, Dana Carvey
Advantages: Some very good scares | Dark humour | High tension Disadvantages: Acting isn't the best
What would you class The Evil Dead as? Its not a straight horror film, sure there are scares but in between are nodding references to how silly horror films can be. So its probably best to say that it is a comedy horror, whichever it is closest to, comedy or horror, it does well on both counts.
The Evil Dead has had a colourful past. Originally entitled ‘The Book of the Dead’ the distributors wanted something a bit more ... ...made an early film ‘Within The Woods’ to help fund The Evil Dead. You wouldn’t think it but it was 3 years in the making, however because it was so hard to get the meagre budget of $50,000 production had to keep stopping and starting all the time, so try and spot the characters age during the movie.
Released uncut so they wouldn’t have the unmarketable ‘X’ rating in 1982, a time where horror films ... more
What would you class The Evil Dead as? Its not a straight horror film, sure there are scares but in between are nodding references to how silly horror films can be. So its probably best to say that it is a comedy horror, whichever it is closest to, comedy or horror, it does well on both counts.
The Evil Dead has had a colourful past. Originally entitled ‘The Book of the Dead’ the distributors wanted something a bit more meaty and so Evil Dead was born. Written and directed by Sam Raimi his full-scale debut is considered by many to be his best piece of work. He made an early film ‘Within The Woods’ to help fund The Evil Dead. You wouldn’t think it but it was 3 years in the making, however because it was so hard to get the meagre budget of $50,000 production had to keep stopping and starting all the time, so try and spot the characters age during the movie.
Released uncut so they wouldn’t have the unmarketable ‘X’ rating in 1982, a time where horror films were still in abundance, The Evil Dead did exceptionally well and has remained to this day a horror…geez I may as well say it ‘cult classic’ in the genre. Raimi was just as surprised as everyone else, stating that he was happy if it was just played in drive in movies so it would ‘stop people kissing and make them turn around’. No worries there then.
The plot is nothing special, although arguably its meant to be that way because horror films aren’t renowned for their sophisticated plot premise. As it goes five surprisingly un-horny teenagers go for a vacation…in an abandoned cabin, well it must have been cheap I guess. While making their trip, after a narrow collision with a lorry after the wheel ‘jammed’ they cross a ‘Dangerous’ (as ever) bridge, the only thing connecting them to the outside world. You sense trouble?
The five hapless victims Ash (Bruce Campbell), Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), Scotty (Hal Delrich), Linda (Betsey Baker) and Shelly (Sarah York) get themselves comfortable but its not long before things start to go a tad wrong. While drawing Cheryl is drawing she hears a voice and suddenly time stops and a force takes hold of her and makes her draw something that resembles a book. A short time after that the cellar door opens and so Ash and Scotty go down (well come on you have to don’t you?), they come back with a tape recording and The Book of The Dead.
After playing the tape they unwittingly raise the forces of the dead and not only are they very annoyed because they’ve been woken up by some silly teenagers but they can also possess the living. It is up for the group to try and stay alive until the morning when hopefully they can figure a way out of the area. Easier said than done. It’s not long before the dead outnumber the living and panic ensues.
The Evil Dead, then, is not going to win any Oscars for an overly interesting concept but it is meant to be a horror film and as long as it resembles one then that doesn’t really matter. So does it actually scare then? Well yes there are some suitably creepy and intense moments thanks to Raimi. Thanks to him this will be one of the most memorable horror films you will come to watch.
From the start the pace never really lets up. Commencing in a lake with a camera roving over it (taped to Raimi’s hand) it will give a sense that something is really out there and that the kids don’t have a clue. It becomes even more apparent when the camera launches itself all over the woods with a steadily noisier groaning sound. There is something bad out there in the woods but you can only see from ‘It’s’ point of view and never see what is actually roaming in the woods. This works to the movies advantage, it doesn’t have a masked killer but something you can use your imagination with, something which Final Destination adopted in style.
You won’t actually see a dead person for about 20 minutes into the film however when you do see it you’ll be glad you waited. While the movie could have fallen down at this point, with the dead just becoming a boring factor in the film, trying to attack the living all the time, these dead peeps have a lot more attitude than the usual living corpse. They’re violent, they taunt and they move pretty fast too.
There are some suitably disturbing parts of the film; the most prominent being the controversial and once banned ‘tree rape’ scene. Its one thing to hear it but its another to see it play in grittingly slow pace as the limbs of the tree makes the poor girl suffer like nothing seen in a horror movie before. There is also a nice parallel scene involving Ash and his girlfriend during the movie known as the ‘Eye game’ and then turning into the ‘Die game’ once she is possessed, simple but quite effective stuff.
The Evil Dead is not all killings though. There are points when the action stops and gives the audience time to digest what has just happened, it also builds up the tension as to what may happen next.
However when The Evil Dead is violent its violent to the extreme. It doesn’t hold back on the gore at all and considering its budget the effects are extremely well done. Blood, at one point, literally covers the screen at times. Limbs and heads fly everywhere, being stabbed and hacked anywhere the blade can find an available body part. The dead and the living die in an overtly over the top way nearly every time. Happily enough there is enough variety to keep you interested, even when some fighting scenes last a while you will still be glued to the screen as the dead screech in pain or screech in attack. Indeed the comedy does come into play because the gore is so over the top it is hard to take too seriously, despite how well its done.
There are actually only 5 main characters in the film, excluding Sam Raimi and producer Robert Tapert as the two fishermen and the ‘fake shemps’ who stand in after some of the cast left before last principle shootings could be finished. The acting, actually, pretty bad but that adds to the charm of the film and seeing as its meant to be a comedy hamming it up doesn’t do it much harm. Bruce Campbell, 21 at the time, tries hard to mimic the actions of someone filled with terror and totally distraught and its quite funny to see him do this. There is little character development for any of the people though Ash does change over time, from becoming a relative coward to a mini hero by the end, and paving the way for the sequel. Also when people die their characters are different in style too again giving it a nice variety.
The Evil Dead is so camp and so charming that the bad points don’t really spoil the film. By today’s standards the actors and actresses actions are laughable. Cheryl goes out to the woods to investigate a ‘strange noise’ on her own and calling out to whoever it is. Ash doesn’t dismember the dead bodies leaving you knowing they are going to come back. The Book of the Dead is supposed to raise the dead and evil but there is already something evil in the woods before they play the tape. Ash treats a piece of woods as a ten-ton brick as he tries to struggle from underneath it. Also while the make up is fantastic (the actors and actresses suffered greatly) the stop-go animation at the end really does show its age now we are in 2001. So yes there may be some plot holes and yes the acting is amateur to say the least but that’s the fun of The Evil Dead. Also Sam Raimi’s camera work is done with such gusto and effort that you can forgive him.
The Evil Dead spawned two sequels, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn was a bigger budget sequel with more gore but pretty much on the same level as the original. Army of Darkness (with the quite fun working title The Medievil Dead) saw Ash get transported back in time. It has even a game to its name, albeit an average one, Evil Dead: Hail To the King.
Part action, part horror and part comedy, The Evil Dead is testimony that a film can be stupid, the plot ridiculous and the acting as camp as it comes and still manage to pull off a surprisingly good show.
THE EVIL DEAD IS
Cheap Tacky Scary
THE EVIL DEAD IS NOT
Oscar material for acting Serious at all A cheap horror film you should miss
Advantages: Sam Raimi Direction, Good fun. Disadvantages: Getting a bit dated now
...teenager, watching this movie for the first time. The beginning was instantly drawing and very creepy. A camera falling over a vast and deep lake that looked both unnerving and mesmerising.
This was my first introduction to the world of Sam Raimi, a man who would go on to direct such movies as Spider-Man and The Gift. His camera work and ‘vision’ as to how a film should be crafted to me is second to none. He makes a film exciting. But as that spotty ... ...– very much so.
The story is quite simple. Five buddies go to a log cabin in the woods. They are there to spend a good time, drinking, perhaps having a laugh. But there they discover the Book Of the Dead, bound in human flesh and written in blood. Once they begin to recite words from this book, ‘The Evil Dead’ start to rise. They start to take possession of the various members of the group. First is Cheryl, who after being ‘raped’ by the trees (these ...
Borg 25.04.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Evil Dead (Limited Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: The greatest and most original horror movie ever Disadvantages: None
...elm street) to evil dead the original horror movie. The budget for this film was set at $300,000 and by todays standards thats like compering a penny to a pound. I first watched the second edition of this movie 'Evil Dead 2 - Dead By Dawn' at my friends house with five other mates. We couldn't stop laughing because it was full of hilarious one liners and looked poorly made.
knowing this movie cost $3,000,000 to make, 10 times more than the first ... ...is a must see.
The story is a simple one. Five college students venture into the wooded mountains of Tennessee to spend a weekend of fun in an isolated cabin. Whilst here they tread upon the book of the dead or the necrominicum as it is known. They also find a tape recording of a professor who has been to the cabin and witnessed the terrible goings on there.
This was now famous horror movie director Sam Raimi's first film which was followed by ...
Sheringham_19 25.04.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Evil Dead (Limited Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Top Quality Entertainment, Highly Watchable Time and Again Disadvantages: Dated but that's all.
...that I’m an expert on the Horror genre. No sir, no way. Far better to simply enjoy a film, or type of film in it’s own right rather than compare it to others of it’s ilk. The Evil Dead films on the other hand are different in every respect and are(in my opinion) the be all and end all of horror moves. I can remember peaking round the living room door decades ago while my dad watching the second instalment and recall being *ahem* scared to the point ... ...with spine tingling fear when the original Evil Dead was released onto video and now DVD.
The plot itself is in no way special, five college students decide to venture into the woods surrounding the mountains in Tennessee to chill out in a cabin far from the reach of civilisation (hence being shot in Morristown Tennessee). This is how the film starts, kind of like Friday the Thirteenth or the Texas Chainsaw massacre (where you sit back hating the ...
PitSweat 16.01.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Evil Dead (Limited Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: hilarious Disadvantages: dont watch to get scared
...price subscription to Film Four, the digital Channel Four film channel, we leapt with delight!
Our reason for this glee was not that we are complete saddo's, but was due to the fact that we were going to subscribe anyway - because a certain movie was to be screened on Film Four that my partner was desperate to see again, and I was desperate to see full stop!
Now this film was the cause of much controversy and outrage when it was first released ... ...talked about as the most shocking horror movie at the time, and in the playground the most popular boys would brag about obtaining counterfeit copies and watching it on Betamax video (!)- much to the envy of the rest of us normal kids.
When we settled down to watch this film I was scared. I honestly thought that I would be in for a real frightening experience, and made sure I had my duvet to hide behind before the film started. With baited breath ...
mbmb11 26.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Evil Dead (Limited Edition) (DVD)
The Evil Dead is a rather class film if you ignore the improbable story. Five college students named Ash (Bruce Campbell), his sister Cheryl, his girlfriend Linda, his best friend Scotty, and Scotty's girlfriend Shelly go to a cabin in the woods and discover a book called the Necronomicon, translated the Book of the Dead. They play a tape recorder with chants from the Necronomicon and the evil dead is awakened in the woods and begins to possess the ... ...take over thirty minutes for the suspense to begin and for a film 85 minutes long that's almost half the film gone. The plot is a bit too much like The Exorcist, The Shining, and The Haunting. However it is a shining example of this genre. The film is a good vehicle to show off Sam Raimi's directorial talent, which he has plenty of. He's a truly stylish director and one of the best in the horror genre(I consider George Romero the best). The blood ...
mookielidl 16.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Evil Dead (Limited Edition) (DVD)
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Advantages: Funny and not at all serious Disadvantages: None, if you like that sort of film
When i first heard of EvilDead, i didn't know what to think.
So i bought the LimitedEdition Trilgy DVD. Just to see what i thought.
And what i think, is that all 3 of the films are outstanding.
EvilDead 1
I believe it was banned in some countries when it was originally released, and this is understandable from some of the cheap effects and gore used in the film. It is not so much the actual visuals of the film that would get it banned, it is just the ideas that are brought forward. A tree forcing itself unto a woman, zombies being decapitated and so forth.
Each of these aspects make the film in my eyes, as well as Bruce Campbell playing a brilliant comedic part in the film.
EvilDead 2
I have to say, it is much the same as the first film. When i first watched it i honestly thought that i was watching the same film again ...
Advantages: Case,Running Time"Exclusive, Bruce Campbell. Disadvantages: Dont wont to ruin it,
' and 'Discovering The EvilDead' are by far the best special editions on this DVD and are well worth watching, with interesting facts un-known before are revealed.
For a pricey £14.99, this is a must have DVD for the hardcore EvilDead fans, being a limitededition you have got to buy this soon! With the recent approval of EvilDead 2 being released in "Necronomicon" bookcase, they could also be releasing EvilDead 3 aswell. You have got to admit, a series of 3 interesting, eye-catching DVD covers has got to be owned by all! ...
Theatrical Trailer, Audio Commentary With Director Producer And Star, Talent Biographies, TV Spots, Fan Analysis, Discovering Evil Dead Featurette, Outtakes, Deleted Scenes, Photo And Stills Gallery, Two Easter Eggs
Aspect Ratio
1.85 Wide Screen, 16:9 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 6.1 Surround DTS-ES
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital 6.1 Surround DTS-ES English
DVD Description
Director Sam Raimi's first film has achieved legendary status since its 1982 release, and for good reason. Though perhaps not as widely seen as its two sequels, EVIL DEAD 2 and ARMY OF DARKNESS, THE EVIL DEAD is arguably the best of the three. It is the story of five college-age friends who travel to a cabin in rural Tennessee where the stumble upon the Book of the Dead, an ancient tome bound in human flesh and inked in blood. After unwittingly awakening the unspeakable terror told of in the book, each of the friends is transformed into the evil dead, one by one, except for Ash (Bruce Campbell). So Ash is left with no other way to survive than to dismember the living corpses of his sister, girlfriend, and two of his friends. Shot on a shoestring budget, the film boasts some impressive camera work and extremely over the top gore effects as well as a sense of humour much more subtle than the tongue-in-cheek aesthetic of the two sequels.
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