L'opéra de la terreur

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.

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.

The Evil Dead is a film that scared me. In fact, everyone I spoke to has been scared of this film.

It really is a horrible film. You feel sorry for the characters in it. They are trapped in a cabin in the woods with some evil looking demons. The forest itself is alive and there is no way out. When I first watched this film I wanted the good guys to die because I felt sorry for them.

This film is one of the great horrors like The Omen, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street. There are some truly creepy scenes in the film. The scariest scenes are where the girls are possessed by the demons. The other really scary scene is where the demon is in the cellar-I couldn't stop thinking about that scene.

The best horror films are the ones where the characters are in hopeless situations with no easy way out. The Evil Dead is one of those films. It really is creepy. Make sure you watch this film during daylight hours. Those with a nervous disposition should avoid.

Sam Raimi is currently getting a lot of attention and acclaim for directing the over-hyped blockbuster 'Spider-Man'. That movie has introduced him to mainstream filmgoers, no bad thing in itself, but to many of us Raimi is already a legend, because he created 'The Evil Dead', without a doubt one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Made on a shoe string budget as a labour of love, it still remains Raimi's best movie. He has subsequently worked on bigger projects with bigger names but it is arguable whether he has ever surpassed the invention, thrills, energy and sheer fun of this. And why Bruce Campbell never became a genuine movie star after his debut here, and not just a much loved cult figure, is a complete mystery to me. 'The Evil Dead' is a modern horror classic and absolutely ESSENTIAL viewing for any self-respecting movie buff! It doesn't get much better than this!

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.