The Evil Dead (1981)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writer:

Sam Raimi (written by)

Release Date:

24 April 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

They got up on the wrong side of the grave.

Plot:

Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.

Plot Keywords:

Woods | Evil | Cabin | Tape | Cabin In The Woods

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Campbell	...	Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams
Ellen Sandweiss	...	Cheryl
Richard DeManincor	...	Scott (as Hal Delrich)
Betsy Baker	...	Linda
Theresa Tilly	...	Shelly (as Sarah York)
Philip A. Gillis	...	Fake Shemp (as Phil Gillis)
Dorothy Tapert	...	Fake Shemp
Cheryl Guttridge	...	Fake Shemp
Barbara Carey	...	Fake Shemp
David Horton	...	Fake Shemp
Wendall Thomas	...	Fake Shemp
Don Long	...	Fake Shemp
Stu Smith	...	Fake Shemp
Kurt Rauf	...	Fake Shemp
Ted Raimi	...	Fake Shemp
Ivan Raimi	...	Fake Shemp
Bill Vincent	...	Fake Shemp
Mary Beth Tapert	...	Fake Shemp
Scott Spiegel	...	Fake Shemp
John Cameron	...	Fake Shemp
Joanne Kruse	...	Fake Shemp
Gwen Cochanski	...	Fake Shemp
Debie Jarczewski	...	Fake Shemp
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Dorian	...	Person on Recorder (voice) (uncredited)
Sam Raimi	...	Hitchhiking Fisherman / Evil Force (uncredited)
Robert G. Tapert	...	Local Yokel (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Raimi

Writing credits
Sam Raimi		(written by)

Produced by
Bruce Campbell	....	executive producer
Gary Holt	....	assistant producer
Sam Raimi	....	executive producer
Robert G. Tapert	....	executive producer (as Robert Tapert)
Robert G. Tapert	....	producer (as Robert Tapert)
Irvin Shapiro	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Joseph LoDuca		(music composed by) (as Joe Loduca)

Cinematography by
Tim Philo		(photography)

Film Editing by
Edna Ruth Paul

Makeup Department
Tom Sullivan	....	special makeup effects

Art Department
Steve Frankel	....	construction supervisor

Sound Department
Josh Becker	....	sound: second unit
Dolores Elliott	....	assistant sound editor
Jerrell Frederick	....	dialogue re-recording (as Jerry Frederick)
Lou Kleinman	....	dialogue editor
Joe Masefield	....	supervising sound editor
John Mason	....	location sound recording
Mel Zelniker	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Sam Raimi	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bart Pierce	....	photographic special effects
Alastor Arnold	....	digital intermediate remastering colorist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Josh Becker	....	lighting: second unit
Mike Ditz	....	still photographer
Tim Philo	....	lighting

Editorial Department
Joel Coen	....	assistant film editor
Chris Innis	....	16mm original negative restoration and conformation (2010 re-release)
Bob Murawski	....	16mm original negative restoration and conformation (2010 re-release)

Music Department
Joseph LoDuca	....	conductor (as Joe Loduca)
Ed Wolfrum	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
David Goodman	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Don Campbell	....	production assistant
Bridget Hoffman	....	photographic model (uncredited)

Thanks
John A. Gallagher	....	special thanks
Simon Nuchtern	....	with special thanks to
Sheila Roberts	....	with special thanks to
Carol Valenti	....	with special thanks to

Production Companies

• Renaissance Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Favorit Video (????) (Hungary) (VHS)
• Palace Pictures (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• Citadel Films (1983) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Ecran Distribución (1984) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Film 2 (1984) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Japan Video Distribution (JVD) Co. Ltd. (2003) (Japan) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Nippon Herald Films (1985) (Japan) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Big Sky Video (2002) (Australia) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Congress Video Group (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Filmways Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Future Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• HBO/Cannon Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Japan Video Distribution (JVD) Co. Ltd. (2000) (Japan) (DVD)
• Japan Video Distribution (JVD) Co. Ltd. (????) (Japan) (VHS)
• LW Editora (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Look Filmes (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Look Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Magnum Video (1984) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Manga Films (2003) (Spain) (all media) (re-release)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2010) (Japan) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• SubTV (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Sveriges Television (SVT) (2004) (Sweden) (TV)
• Video Screen (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Audiographics  music engineered at
• August Films  title design
• Dynamic Effects  optical negative
• J.G. Films  negative matching
• Sound One Corporation  post-production sound (as Sound One Corp.)

Also Known As:

"Book of the Dead" - USA (première title)
"Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead" - USA (complete title)
"The Evil Dead, the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Horror" - USA (closing credits title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for substantial graphic horror violence and gore (rated 1994)

Runtime:

85 min | Germany:70 min (FSK 16 version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | DTS (re-mastered version)

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Québec) | France:12 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Portugal:M/16 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/18 (original rating) | Singapore:(Banned) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 (re-rating) (1997) | USA:NC-17 (rated 1994) | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1990) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2002) | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Malaysia:(Banned) | Germany:16 (heavily cut) | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (uncut) (2001) | UK:(Banned) (1984-1990) | UK:18 (re-rating: 1990) (cut) (re-rating: 2001) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating: 1982) (cut) | USA:R (edited UMD version) | Netherlands:16 | Germany:18 (re-rating) (1995) (court decision) (cut) | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A (rated 2006) | USA:X (original rating) | Chile:14 (2006 DVD Rating) | South Korea:18 | West Germany:(Banned) (1984) (uncut) | Sweden:15 (1988) (heavily cut) | Italy:VM14 | Canada:18A (Ontario) (Re-rated 2008) | Mexico:B | Italy:VM18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Company:

Renaissance Pictures

Trivia:

At the end of a 'normal' day of shooting, Bruce Campbell would return home in the back of a pickup truck because he was covered in fake blood from head to toe.

Goofs:

Continuity: Linda's pendant changes from shot to shot as Ash gets ready to use the chainsaw.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Scotty:Hey, Ash, where are we?
Ash:Well we just crossed the Tennessee border...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in One Minutes (2009)

Soundtrack:

Charleston

This Film Will Scare You

The Evil Dead is a film that scared me. In fact, everyone I spoke to has been scared of this film.

It really is a horrible film. You feel sorry for the characters in it. They are trapped in a cabin in the woods with some evil looking demons. The forest itself is alive and there is no way out. When I first watched this film I wanted the good guys to die because I felt sorry for them.

This film is one of the great horrors like The Omen, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street. There are some truly creepy scenes in the film. The scariest scenes are where the girls are possessed by the demons. The other really scary scene is where the demon is in the cellar-I couldn't stop thinking about that scene.

The best horror films are the ones where the characters are in hopeless situations with no easy way out. The Evil Dead is one of those films. It really is creepy. Make sure you watch this film during daylight hours. Those with a nervous disposition should avoid.