As October starts, so does the horror movies. This series will look at 31 different horror films that have helped shape the genre. We’ll be looking at the good, the bad, and the so-bad-they’re-good. Starting off this series is Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead.
This review DOES contain spoilers.
Written and directed by Raimi, this 1981 horror flick is a masterclass in low-budget horror film. We start with a group of friends driving to a remote cabin in the middle of the woods. We meet the young cabin-goers, but the focus is on the young Ash, who is our main hero of the film. Along with his friends, we see “The Evil” steal away each of his friends, forcing him to kill every single one, including his girlfriend. “The Evil” manifests itself in a “Book of the Dead,” which needs to be destroyed to kill the evil. Ash destroys the book, but does “The Evil” really die?
With a budget of $90,000, this movie is equal parts budget-friendly, vomit-inducing, and anticipation-building all in one. With a camera that moves with every breath of the cameraman, and angles that disorient the viewer, the audience is transported to the cabin, and immersed in the blood and the gore. And boy is there gore.
With thousands of gallons of fake blood, the gore seems at times hokey, but that’s what makes me love this movie even more. Even with a shoe-string budget, the body horror experienced in this film makes me want to hurl. Seeing Cheryl in the cellar is enough to make even the strongest of stomachs churn. Those red eyes. THOSE RED EYES! Stabbing people in the achilles, dismembering bodies, scraping at the legs, and decapitation by shovel are all effective kills and near-kills, making this film also fall into the slasher category.
Bruce Campbell’s performance as Ash is the best part of this film. Seeing his bewildered face appear more sullen after each encounter is a sight to behold. Even with some weirdly written lines that make the dialogue feel like the beginning of a porno, Bruce Campbell delivers them with fervor, making this a self-aware, balls-to-the-wall performance.
The Evil Dead by Sam Raimi is a perfect way to start October. For first time viewers, think about what the sequel might have in store, and then prepare to have your mind thoroughly penetrated by a demonic tree.
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