Evil Dead: Why Can't They Make 'em Like This Anymore?

Sub-category: Demonic Possession, Teen Horror
Setting: Secluded Cabin
Predictability: Virtually Unpredictable
Scare Factor: I Slept Under My Bed
Gore Factor: Quick, Buy Stock in Heinz
Look-at-these: Brief Female Nudity

Synopsis: Five college-aged friends make their way to a secluded cabin, deep in the woods. It is here that they discover the Book of the Dead and several aged recordings of an archaeologist studying a Sumerien civilization. Unbeknowst to them, the recordings contain incantations that summon forth a wicked demon from the surrounding woods. The teens are possessed one-by-one, until a single soul is left untouched. In a battle against time and wit, the lone survivor must find a way to quell the evil that his bumbling has wrought.

Title Significance: Innocent souls make evil dead.

Analysis: With so much attention being paid to Director Sam Raimi's 2002 blockbuster hit Spiderman, it is only appropriate to revisit the two-decades old cult classic that launched his career. Evil Dead was produced on a meager budget of $300,000 (www.houseofhorrors.com), yet manages to satisfy the most fickle audience of all -- horror lovers. Raimi shrewdly opted to direct his own screenplay, a decision that would allow his vision to be realized without being mangled to conformity by the will of an overzealous wannabe.

The teen acting is credulous yet transparent, with only a single cast member moving on to bigger venues. Bruce Campbell (as Ash) returns in Evil Dead's two successive chapters (Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness) and appears in a handful of other films, including The Majestic and From Dusk Till Dawn 2. The selection of such modest talent rightfully places the spotlight on the suspenseful atmosphere rather than the personal drama. Great horror films have never required a big-budget cast, dogma that such recent disappointments as Halloween: Resurrection have ignored.

The sheer volume of gore markets Evil Dead to those with a strong intestinal fortitude, rather than pandering to the general populous as many contemporary horror films (a la Scream) do. Raimi's dedication to the smallest and quirkiest of fan bases may be rewarded with copper instead of gold, but it will always be revered by horror aficionados at their darkest cores -- an honor not to be taken lightly. Such faith in society's fringe is an absolute requirement to attain cult status.

The early 80's special effects impress viewers without distracting them, save maybe the overused fog sequences. The demonic possession yields costumes and giddiness that are a bit clownish and sophomoric at times, but spooky all the same. The cinematography demonstrates grand mastery in the use of light and shadows.

All this is not to say that Evil Dead relies on gore and FX as its sole mechanisms to satisfy the audience. While Evil Dead is a little slow to get out of the gates, it is packed with unbridled suspense. The audience is left in a state of perpetual uncertainty, never knowing when the next possessed soul will leap from nowhere or when the next innocent life will become a vessel for evil. Each element of Evil Dead synergizes with the next to produce a suspenseful atmosphere that remains unrivaled to this very day. After all, atmosphere is what horror is all about.

There is so much more that has been and could be said about Evil Dead; however, if I haven't convinced you by now then any further efforts would be fruitless. While I rarely write an opinion that concurs with the majority, in this case I am more than happy to join the masses.

Final Comments: The gore and carnage may, at times, be too much for even the strongest stomach. But the masterful imagery and unyielding suspense will satisfy even the prickliest pear. I waited far too partake of this ripe kumquat of terror (OK, no more fruit metaphors. I promise.). So, learn from my mistake and rent this timeless cult classic today.

Sequels: Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, Army of Darkness

Similar Movies: Night of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons