The Evil Dead
A classic film if there ever was one, this movie, and the series in general, have developed a tremendous cult following.
For those that don’t know the history of this movie, this is one of the first films released on tape, and (I believe) the only film released simultaniously in theatres and on video. The movie was almost pulled off the market; most movies at the time were in the area of Faces of Death, and various smut films, all referred to as “Video Nasties”. After some examination though, it was found that Evil Dead was far above any of those types of film, and was, in fact, the shock treatment the horror genre needed to whip it back into shape.
note to self: Detach blood filled bucket from chainsaw before raising over head.
Now onto the review.
Premise: 3/5
If I was going by originality alone, this film would probably get a 1 or maybe even a 0. It’s a group of kids that go out to a cabin for the weekend and some freaky things happen. Doesn’t that just sound like every horror film in existance? What this film does differently is all in the presentation and specifics. Rather than someone magically being able to read some scary incantation, it’s played off an audio recorder. There’s 5 kids, and one is completely unattached, in fact is the sister of Ash (Ashley… interesting name for a boy), who is the main character of course (if you didn’t know). The “Evil Dead” isn’t a specific creature or being so much as a demonic force in general, that infects things almost like a supernatural virus. Really, everything this film does it does well, and it doesn’t change the general premises of these types of films so much as expand upon them.
Cast: 4/5
You know, at first I wasn’t sure about the cast, but by the end of the movie, everyone was pretty convincing, especially Ash, who was gradually starting to go insane. I should mention that Ash is a different character in this movie than he is in the other films, especially Army of Darkness. He’s a man who’s scared, vulnerable, and has no idea what to do. Overall he’s a nice guy in a bad situation, and starts to snap. It’s actually really interesting to watch. The characters otherwise aren’t particularly deep, except by inference. There are a few scenes where you sense there is more to the people onscreen, and connect with them. But it’s fleeting at best. Overall a good job.
My eyes! My eyes! Damn you Jane Fonda!
Special Effects & Cinematography: 4/5
Considering this movie is from around the 70′s the special effects are great. But even comparing them to modern effects, except a few areas with obvious stop motion, things are well done. No matter how kooky an effect gets, it always fits. The cinematography itself is amazing, especially in terms of overall camera work and sounds. There’s this one bit where the camera is over some rafters, and each time it passes over one this “rawp” sound plays, like the sound of the camera itself moving. It’s great. I love the POV camera on the “Evil Dead” as it moves around. It might seem a bit disorienting, but it really works, and adds a sense of mystery, since you never see what it is, just know that it moves everywhere and anywhere, with great speed.
Popcorn Factor: 5/5
This movie was not at all boring, in fact it was incredibly entertaining, and, while being gruesome, didn’t rely on shock gore to scare you, it genuinely had some freaky moments. I urge you to see this film if you haven’t already. You will be entertained. And heck, even if you’ve already seen it, pull out a copy and watch it again. ‘Tis the season.