With the news that Hollywood in their stupidity is yet again making more remakes and this time it seems that cult classic “The Evil Dead” is in line for a remake, it’s time to remind ourselves of the superb original directed by Sam Raimi and starring the legendary Bruce Campbell.
An Original Video Nasty!
It’s hard to believe now, but back in 1981 The Evil Dead almost never made it’s release and it was criticised for its graphic horror, bloody violence and gory scenes.
But it was finally released in 1983 and then in an extremely heavily cut version on video in 1994!
Mind you in today’s standards it’s a bit a tame movie and it has become one of the best cult horror movies to be released, well that’s my opinion anyway 😉
Directed by Sam Raimi, now probably more known by younger generations as the director of Spider-Man and starring the amazing Bruce Campbell, the movie follows five college students travelling to a remote cabin in the woods for their vacation, where evil awaits to “Swallow their souls!”
Things Do Go Bump In The Night!
Though you can class The Evil Dead as a B-Movie today, it still packs a punch with its shocks and gore and even if the special effects are not up to the high standards that audiences are used to seeing today, it all still works.
Sam Raimi directs a film that has you on the edge of your seat with its brilliant use of sound and its use of some clever editing it really has you unnerved, watch the DVD in a dark room and in surround sound and you’ll see exactly what I mean 😉
Yes you may see the rig that the flying eyeball is on, but it all adds to the fun of the film, making it a movie that can still scare the pants of you when you’re watching it on your own or with friends, this is the reason it’s a classic “cult” movie!
Spawning Evil Dead Sequels
In 1987 Evil Dead II was released and though this in itself is a slight remake of the original, it still stands on its own feet as a bloody good movie, though more comical than The Evil Dead, it starts to show off more of the comedic “slap stick” moments from Bruce Campbell that we have all become to love and look out for in his later movies.
Some years later in 1992 we were granted with the sequel to The Evil Dead II with Army of Darkness, taking Ash (Bruce Campbell) back to medieval times with a brilliant action, horror, comedy and continues on from the point we left Ash in Evil Dead II.
Evil Dead Gets A Hollywood Remake!
It always annoys me when we get the news of another remake of a classic movie, but and this is a big but, this time the news is that this remake will have Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell will be involved with the remake, so this could be some good news.
But the thing with the original Evil Dead is the style of the movie and its effects, will we be getting something that is overly done with CGI or will we be getting something updated but holding true to the brilliance of The Evil Dead.
I suppose time will only tell, but for now, lets all make do with a real cult classic that in my point of time will always be in the hearts of all horror fans everywhere 😉
UPDATE: Since writing this article the Evil Dead remake has been made and released and we were pleasantly surprised by it, check out our review of the reboot of The Evil Dead.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
