The Evil Dead

Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is a very original splatter flick for it's time that would be a great start to a series and very influncial to loads of other filmmakers. Pretty serious in tone, 2 couples rent a cabin in the woods and discover The Necronomicon and awaken The Evil Dead. Very different for its time this gory fright film delivers on both scares and horrific make up f/x. This has very little comedy and moves at a slower pace than the other entries in the series. I must admit, I prefer Evil Dead 2 with more Bruce Campbell, the introduction of splatstick comedy. Evil Dead 2 is pretty much a reimagined version of the 1st film that does everything the 1st film does better. But, that is only my preference and opinion. Having said that, The Evil Dead is still very good and the most pure horror movie of the lot. A classic.

What more can be said of Raimi's legendary cult-classic that hasn't already been beaten to death like a puss-oozing zombie that crosses paths with Ash? Possibly nothing, but I'll try.

Before Spiderman and before the countless spin-offs of this movie were made or even conceived, Raimi and friends decided to make a low budget zombie flick mainly for fun, and surprisingly it has become a masterpiece of shock and horror. Possibly a perfect example of how to make an entertaining film on a shoe-string budget, The Evil Dead delivers what it promises, the ultimate in grueling horror. Even with it's mild budget and sometimes shaky acting, TED shocks and spooks the audience through chilling atmosphere and some of the most violent effects ever put on film. Those who are squeamish need not apply. As a matter of fact, just run for your girly life.

There are several reasons this film succeeds. First, Raimi's camera work is truly masterful. By using fast camera work and aggressive shots, Raimi has created an eerie world that is sometimes hard to look at but too entertaining to turn away from. His style from behind the camera is absolutely unmistakable. This is perfectly exemplified in the beginning of the film, where the camera alone creates enough atmosphere to leave you biting your nails in suspense of what's to come. You feel at any moment someone is going to get their neck chomped on by some zombie hiding just out of view. One of the most impressive openings I can think of, perfection in pacing and atmosphere. It gets even better once the action starts. Some shots hold for a seeming eternity, and part of you wishes for it to stop for it's unrestrained gore and violence...but the other part of you is getting a sick kick out of it. One of the most impressive shots is where the darkness from the trees begins to chase people, knocking any tree or obstacle down that happens to be in it's way. Truly magnificent technique, however they did it.

TED also succeeds because it's self-aware of the fact that it's a simple zombie movie and never takes itself too seriously, and doesn't expect the audience to do so either. It's meant to be campy, cheesy, revolting and chilling at the same time. There are moments in the film where it seems to be making fun of itself and the genre in general. For this fact alone, one cannot hold certain things against it such as sometimes questionable acting from the supporting cast and sometimes the downright implausibility of certain situations. If you can accept this and you're not put off by mannequin ultra-violence, then you should find yourself on the supporter's side of the fence. I think some don't like it because it can be ridiculous and cheesy in parts, although it was meant to be. Even with the fact that it's sometimes cheesy, there are some downright chilling moments in this film that most horror films nowadays cannot begin to muster. Case in point, the zombie screaming from the cellar door. The zombie growls and howls themselves are enough to send shivers up one's spine. And let's not forget the unforgettable tree love scene, ridiculous and hilarious simultaneously.

Last but certainly not least: Bruce Campbell as Ash, the badass of all zombie films. Campbell is Ash, period, and always will be.

In my opinion, this is by far the best of the trilogy, and although there could have been more of the chainsaw, this is the definitive zombie film and probably always will be. I feel it succeeds over it's sequels due to it's increased violence and lack of humor in comparison. It's blood, gore, camera work, and shock factor are still formidable even today and are what make this such a cult classic. If you've ever liked any horror film, this is an absolute must-see.

Love or hate it, there it is.

With 365 other reviews at the time of this writing I find it hard to believe that I have anything new to add but here goes.

No movie is ever going to be liked by everybody but I think the fact that The Evil Dead gets so much positive hype from its fans that fewer people in the future will enjoy it. Hype brings with it a twisted like/hate ratio. A movie with lots of positive hype will receive fewer positive critiques from future viewers and vice versa, negative will bring more positive critiques.

With that said I admire what The Evil Dead brings to horror. When I first watched this movie as a teen it and it's sequel scared the hell out of me. It didn't help that I watched it in my basement alone but that's part of the fun of horror movies. I watched The Evil Dead again last night and it still packed a punch for me. Of course not nearly as much as it did 15 years ago but I still found it enjoyable.

The Evil Dead is an uneven movie but that is to be expected being made on such a meager budget. But it does have enough suspense, shocks and creepiness to it that The Evil Dead can actually claim to be a horror movie. A lot of nay-sayers of The Evil Dead say it's a "stupid" movie, which in and of itself is a brilliant critique don't you think? I for one think it's anything but. Unlike many horror films it has a story which is easy to follow and for the most part fair to the viewer.

Given that The Evil Dead was made for somewhere around $350,000 many of the aspects of the movie are remarkable. The special effects are nicely done even if at times obvious. Sam Raimi's camera work makes otherwise dull moments interesting to watch for the viewer. Raimi knows his way around a dollar and in The Evil Dead he gets everything he can out of every cent he spends.

So if you are looking for a good horror film, The Evil Dead is a perfect choice, if viewed in the right frame of mind. Just remember, it was made on a very small budget, it was made by a first time writer/director and amateur actors. With this in mind you should have yourself a good time watching The Evil Dead. The Evil Dead rates a 7 out of 10.

It has many virtues for see it again. From the humor and make up, to the animation and Bruce Campbell in action, from the nice frame about the poor Sumerians to the end and, sure, the fight scenes, all is seductive, making The Evil Dead a classic. A film of detals, it defines, in fair manner, the horror of the period.

Sam Raimi's feature length debut "The Evil Dead" is truly one of the greatest horror films of all time and the start of a magnificently entertaining trilogy of hilarity and some real scares. Made on a budget of only $375,000, the film is surprisingly accomplished on a technical level. The effects, although they do look fake by today's standards, hold up a lot better than you might have expected, and the stop motion sequence at the end, which looks a lot faker than anything else in the movie, was accomplished for its time and budget.

"The Evil Dead" is about a group of young adults who travel to a cabin in the woods and discover a 'book of the dead'. No prizes for guessing what happens next as each character is possessed (except for Ash) and disposed of via an intriguing variety of methods. Considering its budget, unknown director (at the time), and typical slasher plot "The Evil Dead" would almost certainly seem headed towards forgotten B-movie status, and yet it has stood the test of time and remains one of the most widely acclaimed horror films of all time. Why? It's simple. Although "The Evil Dead" is nowhere near as funny as its sequels, it's still a humorous self-satire while also being terrifying despite its age. This odd combination (only perfected in this film's sequels and "Creepshow") works because Raimi crafts a tense and moody environment, puts his characters in there, and then ruthlessly disposes of them, sometimes doing so several times for the same character. What's worse is that there's nowhere to go. Raimi creates a claustrophobic feeling in anyone watching, he wants you to think about being in a situation where you're trapped with nothing but death and destruction surrounding you. For most people, he probably succeeds. As far as acting goes, none of it is really very good but Bruce Campbell is instantly likable as Ash, who just has to be one of the most memorable horror film characters of all time.

Gory, desolate, hopeless, and still funny, "The Evil Dead" is a horror masterpiece that isn't quite the strongest entry in the series, but is shockingly accomplished and entertaining despite its low budget and inexperienced cast and crew. This is a film everyone must see, along with its sequels.

9/10