VideoDetective.com
The Evil Dead (1983)
Released By: HBO Video   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
Your video will start shortly...



More Videos:
Preview Details
User Reviews
Studio: HBO Video
Genre: Horror
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Sam Raimi
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Betsy Baker, Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal Delrich, Sarah York
Published ID: 2770
UPC: 790594726522, 013131066791, 013131190496, 013131190397, 013131402582, 013131321494, 013131689792,
Plot: This auspicious feature debut from Sam Raimi -- shot on 16mm in the woods of Tennesse for around $350,000 -- secured the young director's cult status as a creative force to be reckoned with. The nominal plot involves five vacationing college kids -- Ash (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker), and their classmates Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), Scott (Hal Delrich) and Shelly (Sarah York) -- making an unplanned stopover in an abandoned mountain cabin surrounded by impenetrable woods. Before settling in for the night, they come across an ancient-looking occult tome filled with dense hieroglyphics and macabre illustrations, a dagger fashioned from human bones, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder. The taped message, dictated by a professor of archaeology, describes the contents of the Sumerian Book of the Dead, filled with incantations used to bring otherworldly demons to life, giving them license to possess the living. The message goes on to explain that those possessed by these demons can only be stopped by total bodily dismemberment. When played among the group later that evening, the professor's recorded translations of the ritual chants traumatize the strangely prescient Shelly ... and simultaneously release an ominous presence from the depths of the forest. The evil spirits take to their dirty work with gusto, first assuming control of Shelly and transforming her into a cackling, murderous hag with superhuman strength; the others imprison her in the fruit cellar and chain the trapdoor shut. The spirits then begin to possess the other women, including Linda -- who immediately turns on Ash with a barrage of punches and sadistic taunts. Unable to bring himself to chop up his lover's corpse, Ash gives her a more customary burial in the woods -- which proves to be a big mistake. As the others succumb to demonic influence, Ash's horrific predicament becomes increasingly grim until, when all hope seems lost, he stumbles upon a final, desperate solution to the ghoulish onslaught ... well, maybe not. Despite the shoestring production values, Raimi has fashioned a tight, lightning-paced fever dream of a movie, filled with operatic overacting and outrageously gory effects that give the project a comic-book feel. Based on an earlier 8mm short titled Within the Woods, this feature version was fraught with distribution difficulties before finding its first audience overseas. After considerable word of mouth (and a glowing endorsement from horror author Stephen King), the film became a hit on home video, where it achieved further notoriety thanks to its highly-publicized banning in Britain amid the notorious Video Nasties censorship campaign. Raimi, along with producer Robert Tapert, writer Scott Spiegel and much of the same crew, cranked up the story's comic aspects several dozen notches for the rollicking semi-remake, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
Evil Dead: Gore-Iffic!
Added 11/1/2009

Evil Dead is a movie I don't appreciate, Is pointless and no plot, just gore and of course Young dumb people staying in the woods, Why would you stay in a creepy cabin? Mama didn't raise no fool, But that's horror movies, people doing dumb stuff. Although Bruce Campbell is a legend.don't watch if your queasy.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Gore galore, but not much more...
Added 10/28/2009

THE EVIL DEAD

(USA - 1982)

Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono

Whilst on vacation at an isolated backwoods cabin, five students are terrorized by ancient spirits which possess and kill them, one by one.

Clearly the work of talented filmmakers going places, this OTT gore-fest is alternately loud, excessive, stylish and disgusting, in roughly equal amounts. Debut director Sam Raimi throws everything into the mix, perhaps to atone for a flimsy plot and stock characters (well-played by an excellent cast, including cult-performer-in-the-making Bruce Campbell), and while much of it is tongue-in-cheek, some scenes leapfrog the taste barrier with unconscionable glee (Raimi has since admitted the 'tree rape' sequence was a mistake, for example).

Sadly, the movie is rendered monotonous by its excessive pace and comic insouciance (the sequels - beginning with EVIL DEAD II (1987) - went even further in this direction), and the movie quickly succumbs to the laws of diminishing returns; once you've seen one drooling demon getting its head cut off, you've seen 'em all! Fantastic low budget production values, however, and the makeup effects are dandy.

0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
The woods are alive . . . with the sound of horror!
Added 10/24/2009

Believe it, ladies and gentlemen. The Evil Dead is a bloody, gory, explicit, and sometimes darkly humorous low-budget horror movie. There's no doubt about it. If you have a weak stomach, you'll probably find yourself puking in the toilet halfway through the film. Good thing I don't have one (no offense). This is a gore-filled masterpiece. It really is. If you think Saw and House of 1000 Corpses (both of which are great horror films, by the way) are bloody and gory, wait until you see this one. Like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Evil Dead is a prime example of how hands should be bitten off, and how bodies should be dismembered with an axe. And it's all done in such a low budget; it's unbelievable. I have to say that this is an excellent movie to watch on Halloween, and an excellent movie to watch any day or night. It's scary, funny, bloody, gory, intense . . . . and that's basically how it is.

P.S. Bruce Campbell is ****ing awesome. At least in the second half of the movie, anyway.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Evil Dead
Added 10/19/2009

This was a suprizing DVD! It was surpizing in the fact that I really loveded it! I had never seen any of the Evil Dead movies but was told to watch them. I am a huge Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi fan and this did not disapoint! I would deff say that if you're a horror fan and a Bruce and Sam fan this ones a must see!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
One of my favorite films ever.
Added 9/28/2009

Love this film. Lots of blood,guts and violence. Loved the setting,storyline and atmosphere and background music. This used to scare the mess out of me as a kid and still gives me nightmares even now when I watch it. I still have bad dreams about the evil spirit in the forest. Don't listen to people The only thing I would complain about is that some of the effects don't hold up that well,but this picture is over twenty years old so we can over looks that.Buy this and make sure you get the remastered version


0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Evil Dead: Gore-Iffic!
Added 11/1/2009

Evil Dead is a movie I don't appreciate, Is pointless and no plot, just gore and of course Young dumb people staying in the woods, Why would you stay in a creepy cabin? Mama didn't raise no fool, But that's horror movies, people doing dumb stuff. Although Bruce Campbell is a legend.don't watch if your queasy.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Gore galore, but not much more...
Added 10/28/2009

THE EVIL DEAD

(USA - 1982)

Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono

Whilst on vacation at an isolated backwoods cabin, five students are terrorized by ancient spirits which possess and kill them, one by one.

Clearly the work of talented filmmakers going places, this OTT gore-fest is alternately loud, excessive, stylish and disgusting, in roughly equal amounts. Debut director Sam Raimi throws everything into the mix, perhaps to atone for a flimsy plot and stock characters (well-played by an excellent cast, including cult-performer-in-the-making Bruce Campbell), and while much of it is tongue-in-cheek, some scenes leapfrog the taste barrier with unconscionable glee (Raimi has since admitted the 'tree rape' sequence was a mistake, for example).

Sadly, the movie is rendered monotonous by its excessive pace and comic insouciance (the sequels - beginning with EVIL DEAD II (1987) - went even further in this direction), and the movie quickly succumbs to the laws of diminishing returns; once you've seen one drooling demon getting its head cut off, you've seen 'em all! Fantastic low budget production values, however, and the makeup effects are dandy.

0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
The woods are alive . . . with the sound of horror!
Added 10/24/2009

Believe it, ladies and gentlemen. The Evil Dead is a bloody, gory, explicit, and sometimes darkly humorous low-budget horror movie. There's no doubt about it. If you have a weak stomach, you'll probably find yourself puking in the toilet halfway through the film. Good thing I don't have one (no offense). This is a gore-filled masterpiece. It really is. If you think Saw and House of 1000 Corpses (both of which are great horror films, by the way) are bloody and gory, wait until you see this one. Like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Evil Dead is a prime example of how hands should be bitten off, and how bodies should be dismembered with an axe. And it's all done in such a low budget; it's unbelievable. I have to say that this is an excellent movie to watch on Halloween, and an excellent movie to watch any day or night. It's scary, funny, bloody, gory, intense . . . . and that's basically how it is.

P.S. Bruce Campbell is ****ing awesome. At least in the second half of the movie, anyway.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Photos


There are currently no photos.
Shopping
IDPriceImageUrlPurchaseUrlIdTypeBindingStore
VHS
$2.65 @ Amazon
VHS
$3.00 @ Amazon
DVD
$8.82 @ Amazon
DVD
$11.99 @ Amazon
DVD
$38.99 @ Amazon
DVD
$51.99 @ Amazon