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a few of the many covers produced for this classic over the years

THE EVIL DEAD

With Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss
Directed by Sam Raimi

It is rarely that we still get a classic case such as this, where a group of young aspiring filmmakers head out and shoot their vision against all odds, only to have it transcend cult status to become a horror benchmark. Never before
The Evil Dead has extreme gore and comedy been spliced together in such a successful concoction. The basic story follows a group of youngsters heading out into the woods to stay over in a cabin. They discover a book (the Book of the Dead) and a tape recorder in the basement which, when played, conjured up an ancient evil force hidden in the woods. One by one they get possessed as the survivors (in particular Ash) try to get their heads around it all, stay alive and fight this vicious power. The Evil Dead got a lot of flack at its release in the early '80s when the "video nasty" issue was riding high. With the limited financing they had, the camera work, sound and FX were absolutely amazing. Makeshift techniques and budget-constrained ingenuity forced the collaborators to make a creative little film that is still fantastic to watch twenty years later. In South Africa it was banned and you could only get your hands on multi-generation pirate copies. This uncut Anchor Bay DVD release also contains commentary tracks by Sam Raimi and the ever-smooth Bruce Campbell respectively, entertainment in its own right. You also get a little documentary with Campbell on fan conventions, plus outtakes. Of course the film got expanded into a successful trilogy, without sending it into lame-ass territory with different writers, directors and stars, the same team continuing it brilliant work. Oh yes, and of course director Sam Raimi eventually went on to direct a little franchise called Spider-Man (!).

6 / A
- PB


1 2 3 4 5 6
A - B - C


never let a review decide for you, but for those who need a rating, see the Flamedrop scale below
6 - Volcanic
5 - Blistering
4 - Hot
3 - Smolder
2 - Room Temperature
1 - Fizzled
0 - Extinguished

A: Multi-Viewing Potential

B: Could Enjoy A 2nd Look

C: Once Should Suffice




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