Summary:
Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods for a groovy time, but after they discover a dark book and mysterious recordings left by the cabin’s previous owners, strange and horrific things begin to happen.
My Thoughts:
I love “The Evil Dead” and “Evil Dead II”. They are movies I’ve seen multiple times, far more than most movies, far more than most movies I love and hold in higher regard than this one, far more times than probably is healthy.
Why?
Because these movies are a blast through and through every time, and the more you watch them, the more you can appreciate them for what they are and what it took for these college kids to make this film. If you’ve ever had any interest in making movies, then you’ve probably taken a look at this one, because “The Evil Dead” is a masterpiece of low budget filmmaking. The techniques they use throughout the film aren’t only inventive; they work well and to this day they look pretty darn convincing and grueling.
The pacing is great; the schmaltzy acting (which gets even better, by which I mean more ridiculous, in “Evil Dead II”) is wonderful; the hectic camerawork is simply astounding; the special effects still look pretty awesome even today; and most impressively, this was all done by a bunch of college kids for $350,000 in a cabin in Tennessee.
“The Evil Dead” straight up rocks.
“JOIN US!”
So, first and foremost, let’s talk directing. I generally like Sam Raimi’s directing style; he’s super kinetic and energetic, his shots are rarely locked down, and the sheer amount of excess he crams into this movie (and plenty of his other horror flicks) tends to set him apart. His style in this film is pseudo-campy; at times, it’s almost like a self-parody (like Ash’s stunned reaction to seeing his friend stabbed with the sacrificial dagger). That level of campiness ramps up in the second film, but in this one, there’s just enough camp to make the movie entertaining, but it doesn’t overdo it so that the film isn’t enjoyable from a strictly horror perspective. Raimi rides the line of scary and silly really well in a lot of his films, but he certainly leans more towards scary in this entry. I think what makes this film stand out more when compared to his later entries, again, was the low budget that the crew was working with. I will admit that my love of this movie eventually compelled me to do more research about the filmmaking process (more on that below), and during my research I found that I just kept falling in love with the film more and more.
When you’re a low budget filmmaker, ever obstacle can be the stumbling block that trips up the entire production. I actually read Bruce Campbell’s autobiography “If Chin’s Could Kill” back in the day, and in that book he talked about the sheer amount of difficulties they faced while filming this movie. It was freezing cold most nights when they were shooting; the fake blood was so sticky that it quite literally hardened and cracked his shirt; actors quit during production and their parts had to be faked by other heavily made up actors; additionally, actors doubled as crew members; the crew went unshowered for days… it sounds like indie movie hell and heaven all at once. Knowing all of this and watching what happens on the screen before you is a treat; these people were just college kids figuring it out as they went, and what they produced was nothing short of amazing.
Special effects! Woot! Woot!
“The Evil Dead” is every horror movie fan’s dream as far as practical effects go! There are dozens of great, uber-gory make up effects, like pencils getting stabbed into ankles, bodies being dismembered, and there’s even a scene where the forest assaults someone. The forest scene, which sort of kicks off the horrific events, is probably one of the more iconic moments in the first movie, and it’s still quite shocking today. I rewatched this film with my roommate, who hadn’t seen the film nearly as many times as I had, and he had actually forgotten about the-erm- tree rape scene. He continuously muttered, “What the f*ck?” as the scene played out, while I sort of laughed at his shocked reactions. Like I said, this movie still packs a punch; it’s still got some great creepy moments. The gore effects really ramp up near the middle of the movie, and they are all just as wonderful as they were nigh forty years ago. Towards the end, the film also implements some Claymation to help sell the demise of the deadites (or, demons, I don’t think they’re actually called deadites until “Evil Dead II”), and that too looks pretty good.
As far as story goes, it’s rather simplistic, but that’s okay. I’ve said multiple times in multiple reviews that films from the horror genre don’t necessarily need to have overly complex plots in order for them to achieve what they set out to accomplish; simple stories in horror films work just as well as complex ones. At any given time, I can enjoy this film just as much as I enjoy “Rosemary’s Baby”. I think the simplicity in this film really works to its favor- throw the kids in a pot of boiling water and watch ‘em squeal. It’s the glorious melding of the direction, the acting, the cinematography, and the whole story behind it all that makes this movie what it is: a one of a kind, hour-and-a-half long gory thrill ride that stays with the viewer for years after the credits roll.
Verdict:
I don’t know what else you want me to say, “The Evil Dead” should be on everyone’s shortlist for films to watch round Halloween. Altogether it’s just a wonderful experience.
END NOTE: Join us on the podcast for a conversation with Art Director Tom Sullivan.
Review Written By: