Day 16: The Evil Dead (1981)

A Month of Horror

I have always wanted to do a marathon of "HORROR" throughout the month of October, one where I would revisit a new horror movie every day from the first to the thirty-first.  I will revisit the classics as well as new entries into the canon.  There are many movies that define this time of year, and I hope to showcase 31 of them this month...

October 16: The Evil Dead (1981)


Where it all began for so many...  Back in the early nineteen eighties, and I know this is hard to believe, but there was a thing called the "Video Nasties", an attempt by the Thatcher regimen in the United Kingdom to place all of society's woes at the time, into the hands of a handful of "horror" movies.  Again, it seems hard to believe that any form of democratic government would attempt to lay blame for the state of their country on a handful of artists who were simply trying to tell a creepy story that hopefully shocked the audiences watching it, but that was indeed the way of the world in the '80s.


I was fortunate enough to see a handful of "Video Nasties" on the big screen when I lived in England and one of them was "The Evil Dead", a movie that holds a warm place in my heart.  The original movie in the series was a straightforward horror story about a group of young adults who travel out into the wilds to spend a weekend away.  Things obviously go awry...


"The Evil Dead" spawned two official sequels, "The Evil Dead 2" which was essentially a remake that put more emphasis on "Splatstick", a fusion of horror and slapstick 3 Stooges-esque comedy that would become a trademark of director Sam Raimi's, and the even more comedic and slapstick infused "Army of Darkness", which was set in medieval times.  There is also a remake coming out in the near future...

The thing is, "The Evil Dead" inspired a resurgence in low-budget, low-fi horror movies and it did so in  a way that was original and unique.  It also (eventually) catapulted director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell into the spotlight.

The beauty of the original "Evil Dead" film is that it showcases many of the defining traits that would become intrinsically linked with both its director and star.  With Raimi, it shows that even at a young age, he was a capable visionary able to develop entirely new ways to shoot a film on a shoestring budget, and with Campbell, it clearly indicates an early appreciation for both bravado and self deprecation.


This is a defining film for two stalwarts who didn't even know (I'm sure) that they were destined to such long standing careers in the industry, and one that has left an indelible mark on the horror film landscape.  Check it out, but make sure you also follow it up with the 1987 sequel that ratchets the crazy up by at least three stooges worth, yet somehow remains an equally, if not more engaging film.


Tomorrow, I plan to not cut off my hand, but I will rev up a chainsaw, you deadite bitch!