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The Evil Dead (1981)

NC-17 | | Horror | 15 April 1983 (USA)
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Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.

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3 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams
... Cheryl
Richard DeManincor ... Scott (as Hal Delrich)
... Linda
... 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
... Fake Shemp
See full cast »
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Storyline

Five college students take time off to spend a peaceful vacation in a remote cabin. A book and audio tape is discovered, and its evil is found to be powerful once the incantations are read out loud. The friends find themselves helpless to stop the evil as it takes them one by one, with only one survivor left with the evil dead and desperately tries to fight to live until morning. Written by Miss Murder

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

cult film | evil dead | necronomicon | supernatural rape | book of the dead | See All (245) »

Taglines:

The Ultimate Experience In Grueling Terror See more »

Genres:

Horror

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for substantial graphic horror violence and gore | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

15 April 1983 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Book of the Dead  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show more on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (FSK 16)

Sound Mix:

| (re-mastered version)| (5.1)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The German translation of the movie's title is "Dance of the Devils." See more »

Goofs

When Ash drags the possessed Linda outside, she is barefoot. A few minutes later, Linda appears back in the cabin and attacks Ash. Ash falls on the couch, and Linda jumps towards him. Ash kicks his feet up to push her away. If you look down at Linda's feet, she is wearing boots. See more »

Quotes

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

Crazy Credits

The swing music from the old Victrola in the cabin's cellar plays during the closing credits, only to wind down and grind to a stop leaving the sound of the wind to accompany the rest of the credits. The final sound heard as the closing credits end is the fly buzzing - the first sound heard in the opening of the film. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Creepshow (1982) See more »

Soundtracks

Charleston
(uncredited)
Music by James P. Johnson and lyrics by Cecil Mack
Performed by Traditional
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is 'The Evil Dead' a horror/comedy?
Q: What is a Fake Shemp?
Q: Where does the Evil Dead musical fit in with all of this?
See more »

User Reviews

 
The Evil are very gory when they are Dead
6 January 2008 | by – See all my reviews

Sam Rami gives us a gory good time in his first, feature-length film.

Cult-favorite Bruce Campbell gives the performance of his career as Ash Williams, also starring are Ellen Sandweiss, who plays the best deadite, as Sheryl. To round out the cast are Hal Delrich playing Scott, Theresa Tilly playing Shelly, and Betsy Baker as Linda, Ash's girlfriend.

These five teens go to a cabin for a weekend getaway that Scott bought cheap (Gee, I wonder why?) But while exploring the cabin's basement with Ash, they find three objects, a shotgun, a tape recorder, and an ancient book bound in flesh and written in blood. Yeah, that's a good sign. Well, in true dumb teen fashion, they play the tape, which makes something evil come from the woods. Later that day Cheryl decides to check something outside, she thought she saw. But when the trees rape her. Yes, rape, I know. The evil manifests in her, and she becomes a deadite, now Ash must fight off his friends and sister who are becoming deadites, one by one.

I must give this film a ten because it has a great premise. Great gore. Great special effects. Great everything. Best horror movie ever made!
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