Evil Dead II (1987)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers:

Sam Raimi (written by) &
Scott Spiegel (written by)

Release Date:

13 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Kiss Your Nerves Good-Bye!

Plot:

The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holds up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.

Plot Keywords:

Cabin | Woods | Demon | Cabin In The Woods | Book Of The Dead

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Bruce Campbell	...	Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams
Sarah Berry	...	Annie Knowby
Dan Hicks	...	Jake
Kassie Wesley DePaiva	...	Bobby Joe (as Kassie Wesley)
Ted Raimi	...	Possessed Henrietta (as Theodore Raimi)
Denise Bixler	...	Linda
Richard Domeier	...	Ed Getley
John Peakes	...	Professor Raymond Knowby
Lou Hancock	...	Henrietta Knowby
Snowy Winters	...	Dancer
Sid Abrams	...	Fake Shemp
Josh Becker	...	Fake Shemp
Scott Spiegel	...	Fake Shemp
Thomas Kidd	...	Fake Shemp
Mitch Cantor	...	Fake Shemp
Jenny Griffith	...	Fake Shemp
William Preston Robertson	...	The Hand / The Dark Spirit / The Deer Head / The Enchanted Objects (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Elwood	...	Luggage Monkey (uncredited)
Sam Raimi	...	Medieval Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Raimi

Writing credits
Sam Raimi		(written by) &
Scott Spiegel		(written by)

Produced by
Bruce Campbell	....	co-producer
Alex De Benedetti	....	executive producer
Irvin Shapiro	....	executive producer
Robert G. Tapert	....	producer

Original Music by
Joseph LoDuca		(as Joseph Lo Duca)

Cinematography by
Peter Deming		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kaye Davis

Art Direction by
Randy Bennett
Philip Duffin

Set Decoration by
Elizabeth Moore

Makeup Department
Wendy Bell	....	makeup artist
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Shannon Shea	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Mark Shostrom	....	special makeup design and creation
Aaron Sims	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Bryant Tausek	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Mike Trcic	....	special makeup effects unit crew
Tim Turner	....	detail sculpting assistant (uncredited)

Production Management
Joseph C. Stillman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
K. Siobhan Phelan	....	second assistant director
Joseph Winogradoff	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jerry Adams	....	carpenter
Andy Boswell	....	assistant to art director
Michael Burnett	....	sculptor
Johnna Butler	....	leadman
Reed Downy	....	carpenter
Tony Elwood	....	special props
Larry Fox	....	construction coordinator
Tony Gardner	....	sculpting
Wayne Gathins	....	carpenter
William Hamilton	....	set painter
Charles Lear	....	carpenter
Wayne Leonard	....	set dresser
Margaret Prentice	....	painting (as Margaret Beserra)
Scott Shamis	....	carpenter
Blanche Sindelar	....	prop master
Steve Wang	....	sculptor
Bobby Maness	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Daniel Nalepka	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Voss Bonds Jr.	....	sound effects editor (as John V. Bonds Jr.)
Thomas Bush	....	assistant sound editor
Mike Dickeson	....	foley artist
Kevin Hill	....	sound effects editor
Thomas Morrison	....	sound mixer (as Tom Morrison)
Drew Neumann	....	additional synthesized sound effects (as Drew Newmann)
Yvonne Preble	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Rabideau	....	dialogue editor
Cindy Rabideau	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Schatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Sheranian	....	sound effects editor
Julie Spears	....	foley artist
John W. Walter	....	boom operator (as John Walter)
Brian E. Wedewer	....	sound effects editor (as Brian Wedewer)
David John West	....	sound re-recording mixer (as David West)
David John West	....	supervising sound editor (as David West)
David Lewis Yewdall	....	additional sound effects (as David Yewdall)
Ron Ayers	....	post production sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Vern Hyde	....	special effects foreman
Dale Johnson	....	special effects assistant
Margaret Prentice	....	detail and painting (as Margaret Beserra)
Dave Thiry	....	special effects assistant
Tom Barkstedt	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Douglas Evan Hersh	....	special effects gaffer (uncredited)
Gary Jones	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
David Moenkhaus	....	special effects (uncredited)
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Daniel S. Noga	....	special effects cinematographer (uncredited)
Brian Joseph Ochab	....	stop motion animation assistant (uncredited)
Larry Odien	....	mechanical effects (uncredited)
Mike Tristano	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jim Aupperle	....	effects photography supervisor
James Belohovek	....	miniature supervisor (as James Belohobek)
Doug Beswick	....	stop motion animation
Yancy Calzada	....	stop motion armature
Robert Dyke	....	miniatures (as Bob Dyke)
Tom Hitchcock	....	miniatures
Bob Kayganich	....	matte painter
Rocky Mohoney	....	optical line-up
Joseph Wallikas	....	optical camera operator (as Joe Wallikas)
Larry Arpin	....	optical effects (uncredited)
Vicki L. Engel	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Joseph Thomas	....	animation cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandy Gimpel)
Gary Jensen	....	stunt coordinator
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts (as Debbie Lynn Ross)
Blanche Sindelar	....	stunts
Ben Jensen	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Brigette Alexander	....	second assistant camera
Bob Brown	....	crane operator
Brendan Creadle	....	additional assistant camera
Mike Ditz	....	still photographer
Robert Duffin	....	gaffer
Chris English	....	electrician
Roy Gittens	....	grip
Tim Philo	....	director of photography: second unit
Billy Pierce	....	grip
Maribel Rodriguez	....	electrician
Ruben Rodriguez	....	best boy (as Rubin Rodriguez)
Hamid Shams	....	first assistant camera
Eugene D. Shlugleit	....	director of photography: night exterior photography (as Eugene Shlugleit)
Josh Steinberg	....	grip
Larry Steinberg	....	key grip
Sarah Berry	....	clapper girl (uncredited)
Michael Gulbin	....	rig constructor (uncredited)

Animation Department
Rick Catizone	....	henrietta transformation and hand animation
Katherine Kean	....	animator: main titles (as Kathy Kean)
Larry Larson	....	animation photographer
Bill Notaro	....	mechanical designer
Tom Sullivan	....	animator
David Moenkhaus	....	animator (uncredited)
Brian Rae	....	assistant animator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Brian Penikas	....	molds and casting
Samuel Warren	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vicki Graef	....	wardrobe
Randall Ouzts	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Rob Anderson	....	apprentice editor
Paul Harris	....	assistant editor
Michael Jonascu	....	assistant editor
Dorothy Tapert	....	apprentice editor
Daniel S. Frisch	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Sheldon Newmann	....	music technical consultant
Chris Rabideau	....	music editor
Dennis J. Tini	....	conductor

Transportation Department
David Goodman	....	transportation

Other crew
Pam Billingsley	....	provider: horse and riders
Ricky Billingsley	....	provider: horse and riders
Andrea Brown	....	dance choreography
Teresa Burkept	....	foam fabricator: tree branch and rotten apple head
Michael Burnett	....	sculpting and detail
Cathy Carpentar	....	assistant accountant
Mary Ann Creamer	....	production assistant
Diane Dankwardt	....	production accountant
Elaine Dysinger	....	production coordinator
Tony Gardner	....	sculpting and detail
Pryor Gibson	....	location contact
David Goodman	....	studio manager
Ruth Jessup	....	production secretary
David Kindlon	....	mechanicals
Susan Labatt	....	dance choreography
Larry Odean	....	cosmetic contact lenses
Linda Ohman	....	caterer
Paul Ohman	....	caterer
Karalyn Parsons	....	production assistant
Davi Trotti	....	production assistant
Tam G. Warner	....	animated dance choreographer
Mark Bryan Wilson	....	foam fabricator: tree branch and rotten apple head (as Mark Wilson)
Michael D. McAllister	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
B.V. Hedrick	....	special thanks
Betty Huntley	....	special thanks
Harry Huntley	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)
• Renaissance Pictures

Distributors

• Rosebud Releasing Corporation (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1987) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Succéfilm AB (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video International (1988) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Hoyts Distribution (1987) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Shochiku-Fuji Company (1987) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Trifilms (1988) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Esselte CIC Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Uma Noite Alucinante 2")
• Lionsgate (2011) (USA) (video)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2002) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Acme Effects
• Spectacular Effects International (special effects)

Other Companies

• Anivision  Henrietta transformation and hand animation
• Anson County Board of Commissioners  special thanks
• Anson County Board of Education  special thanks
• B/G/L Post Inc.  optical house (as B/G/L Post)
• Bon Bon  payroll service
• Completion Bond Company  bonding company
• Costume Armor Inc.  armor
• Doug Beswick Productions Inc.  animated dance sequence and tree branch and rotten apple head
• Grace & Wild Studios Inc.  special thanks (as Grace & Wild Studios)
• Great Northern Brokerage Services  insurance (as Great Northern)
• Harley Davidson Motorcycles  special thanks (as Harley Davidson)
• Henry Little and Company  special thanks
• International Casting Service  additional casting
• Investors of Evil Dead I  special thanks
• J-D-C America Inc.  cameras (as JDC America)
• Lu Lu's Lingerie  special thanks
• Magic Lantern  miniatures
• North Carolina National Guard  special thanks
• Pepsi-Cola Company  special thanks (as Pepsi Cola)
• Reel People Inc.  negative cutter (as Reel People)
• Residents of Anson County  special thanks
• Rippy Oldsmobile  special thanks
• Samuel Warren & Associates  additional casting (as Samuel Warren and Associates)
• Travel Gallery  special thanks
• Vernors  special thanks
• West Productions  sound re-recording
• West Productions  sound recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

84 min | Sweden:70 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:R | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 (cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2008) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | USA:Unrated | USA:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (video) (2002) | Norway:(Banned) (original rating) (1986-2003) (cinema release) | Finland:K-18 (2002) | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (video rating) (cut) | Argentina:16 | USA:R (edited UMD version) | Portugal:M/18 | Netherlands:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) (Re-rated 2007) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Italy:VM18 (video rating) | UK:15 (2008) (re-rating) | Germany:16 (cut DVD version) | Sweden:18 (DVD rating) | Italy:T | Chile:18 | Brazil:14 (DVD rating) | Brazil:16 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

De Laurentiis Studios, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Sam Raimi]the first Medieval knight to raise his sword and give his speech before hailing to Ash.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the movie Ash's shirt is un-tucked when he walks over to the table with the tape recorder, then after listening to it when he walks into the room to find Linda his shirt is tucked into his pants.

Quotes:

Henrietta:Someone's in my fruit cellar! Someone with a fresh soooul!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Vampires and Other Stereotypes (1994) (V)

Extremely cheap, yet well crafted film: loads of great scenes!

Sequel or remake? There has always been a huge debate whether Evil Dead II is a sequel or a remake, since the second film contradicts the story that occurred in Evil Dead. Such as, the ending of Evil Dead ends with Ash being chased down by the evil spirit which deceased the other characters. However, after the paraphrase of events at the start of Evil Dead II, which only features Ash and Linda and Ash is once again hit by the same evil spirit. That's where the story begins in the second film.

So, the book was destroyed in The Evil Dead, whereas it appears again in Evil Dead II. This certainly isn't a huge factor. Actually, if one can recall James Whale's 1935 masterpiece sequel entitled Bride of Frankenstein. There is no question that director Sam Raimi used the Whale masterpiece as the blueprint for his sequel. In Bride of Frankenstein, the film starts with a prologue that recaps the events of the first film, however, completely contradicting the entire ending of the film which is where the sequel starts. I understand that Raimi was going through legal issues, so he was forced in this position to contradict the first film, but he certainly used the way that made Bride of Frankenstein the classic in remains. Not to mention, in Frankenstein, it is a straightforward horror film, whereas in the sequel it is a macabre, satirical film that uses the blend of horror and black comedy at it's finest. No doubt Raimi's Evil Dead II uses the same concept.

So is Evil Dead II a sequel or a remake? It is undoubtedly a sequel! A fairly good one as well, that in many ways surpasses it's original prototype. It's certainly not one of the most visually inventive, relentless, and truly original films ever made as some claim it to be, it's not even one of the top films of it's very own genre. However, it remains one of the best full-on gore slapstick's ever seen. The script is witty, and well written (mostly on the part of Scott Spiegel). It's no secret that one of films main inspirations was The Three Stooges, along with many other slapstick comedy's. Though it's director Raimi's unbelievable POV shots, weird lighting, stop motion animation, moving hand held camera, etc. that makes the film work.

That being said, Evil Dead II just isn't a grade-A horror film, it isn't on the level of the classics such as, Peeping Tom, Freaks, Nosferatu, Vampyr, The Phantom of the Opera (silent), The Man Who Laughs, etc. It does not have much of a plot. It has very little acting, little continuity, and no logic. Evil Dead II is a classic cult horror film in every sense of the word. You simply have to come along and experience it for yourself.