Rated 5 out of 5!
An Army Of Primitive Screwheads Unleashed
Before director Sam Raimi brought Darkman and comic book superhero Spider-Man to the big screen, he wrote and directed a low budget horror zombie film, called The Evil Dead. While short on money, the movie still benefits from Raimi’’s wildly inventive imagination and the first of many memorable performances by the brilliant B actor Bruce Campbell.Five college friends decide to get away together and spend time at a cabin in the woods. When "Ash" Williams (Campbell) and his cohorts arrive, they discover a mysterious tape, and decide to find out what’’s on it. Once the tape is played though, it unleashes evil forces from the ancient "Book Of The Dead", that will slowly turn them into "Deadites". As it turns out, the only way to defeat these walking creatures, is by dismembering them.
The Evil Dead had a bugdet of only $375,000, and yet, while it shows throughout, Raimi’’s creative energy compensates for any problems due to the lack of funds. Filled with fun, excitement, and gore-a-plenty, the film never lets up once it gets going. Sure, the acting is over the top, but that’’s part of the fun. I can’’t say enough about Campbell either. He is just great here.
The Evil Dead has had its share of reissues on DVD. The extras stay pretty much the same. The 2002 Anchor Bay Edition includes two commentary tracks. The first from Raimi and Producer Robert Tapert is fun, but as you might expect, these men end up being upstaged by star Bruce Campbell, and his funny recollections for the second audio commentary. I’’m laughing as I type this--just thinking about it. There’’s 18 minutes worth of home movie style footage of behind the scenes and outtakes on the set. Theatrical trailers, TV spots, a poster and stills gallery, and talent bios round out the disc’’s bonus material. Replacing the liner notes written by Campbell for the ’’99 DVD, is the 24 page booklet featuring an interview with "The Ladies of Evil Dead", Betsy Baker, Ellen Sandweiss, and Sarah York.
Like Joe Dante’’s The Howling, and the more sophisticated Halloween, from John Carpenter, The Evil Dead proves that money doesn’’t really matter, in film, if you have imagination and sheer will to make it work. Recommended, along with its sequels, Evil Dead II and the topper Army Of Darkness
