The Evil Dead
1981 New Line Cinema
Written and Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 85 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 8/10
Ash Williams just wants a nice weekend at a remote Tennessee cabin with his girlfriend (very aptly, I first accidentally spelled this as "girlfiend") and friends. He doesn't want to look in the cabin basement to find a book of the dead, demonic paraphernalia, and a recording of an archaeologist reciting incantations. He doesn't want his buddy, Scotty, to play the recording of the incantations during a late-night thunderstorm. He doesn't want to be trapped in the cabin while his friends are turned into demonically-possessed murder fiends one by one. He doesn't want to have to kill all of his demonically-possessed murder fiend friends. Life's not fair!
My first exposure to the Evil Dead universe came in college, with the third entry, Army of Darkness. My horror-movie buff buddy immediately put me on to the second film, Evil Dead II. I love both of those films, but I was told I could avoid the first film, as it was just a lower budget, far less funny version of the second movie. Considering the humor was my favorite element, I took their word for it. However, eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I watched 1981's original Evil Dead. I'm glad I did.
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 85 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 8/10
Ash Williams just wants a nice weekend at a remote Tennessee cabin with his girlfriend (very aptly, I first accidentally spelled this as "girlfiend") and friends. He doesn't want to look in the cabin basement to find a book of the dead, demonic paraphernalia, and a recording of an archaeologist reciting incantations. He doesn't want his buddy, Scotty, to play the recording of the incantations during a late-night thunderstorm. He doesn't want to be trapped in the cabin while his friends are turned into demonically-possessed murder fiends one by one. He doesn't want to have to kill all of his demonically-possessed murder fiend friends. Life's not fair!
My first exposure to the Evil Dead universe came in college, with the third entry, Army of Darkness. My horror-movie buff buddy immediately put me on to the second film, Evil Dead II. I love both of those films, but I was told I could avoid the first film, as it was just a lower budget, far less funny version of the second movie. Considering the humor was my favorite element, I took their word for it. However, eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I watched 1981's original Evil Dead. I'm glad I did.
Sure, the low-budget shows. Also, I don't know why Raimi decided he had to kick
off the demonic possessions with a tree rape. Other than that, this is a solid
entry in the franchise, featuring the early stages of many of Raimi's trademark,
characteristic techniques. We've got bizarre tracking shots and cantered angles
aplenty. Over-the-top gore abounds (befitting a series where a Trevi Fountain's
worth of blood gushes out every time someone loses a limb). Raimi even does a
great job of building tension and atmosphere in the first third, before the
crazy starts spurting everywhere. The embryonic stages of that trademark black humor is
here too, particularly in the way Ash's possessed friends mock him as he falls
further and further into despair and terror. As Ash, Bruce Campbell gives his first major
performance, and actually acquits himself fairly well. He doesn't have to do
much more than look either confused or frightened, often in the same moment, and
boy can he do that well.
So yes, The Evil Dead is the weakest entry in the trilogy, and its barely $100,000 budget shows. However, it is still a fun, very entertaining horror flick, and a ringside view of Raimi's small budget pushing him to develop innovative techniques that would soon make him one of the most beloved cult, and then mainstream American filmmakers. The Evil Dead is also worth watching for the surprisingly good gore and special effects, which, even in the moments where they don't look real, at least look fun, particularly in some stop-motion flesh-rotting near the end. I may not come back like a zombie to The Evil Dead as much as I do Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, but I will come back to it.
So yes, The Evil Dead is the weakest entry in the trilogy, and its barely $100,000 budget shows. However, it is still a fun, very entertaining horror flick, and a ringside view of Raimi's small budget pushing him to develop innovative techniques that would soon make him one of the most beloved cult, and then mainstream American filmmakers. The Evil Dead is also worth watching for the surprisingly good gore and special effects, which, even in the moments where they don't look real, at least look fun, particularly in some stop-motion flesh-rotting near the end. I may not come back like a zombie to The Evil Dead as much as I do Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, but I will come back to it.
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