Classic Movie Monday: The Evil Dead

Welcome to Classic Movie Monday. Every Monday, I watch a film at least 25 years old that I have never seen before. I will then write my comments on the film, telling you what I thought of it. This is an attempt to beef up my classic film knowledge as well as highlight some forgotten gems of Hollywood's heyday. So without further ado...

The Evil Dead
Released: October 15, 1981
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell

Plot in a Nutshell:
Five friends go together out into the country to spend a weekend in a cabin. When they discover a ominous book and recording, they inadvertently awaken some body-possessing demons.

What I thought:
I'm going to let you know, this film is chock filled with violence, blood, and carnage. You have been forewarned.

Should horror films filled with gore be so funny? I think they almost become so funny simply because of the ridiculous amounts of carnage. But more so than simply being filled with gratuitous violence, this film works on a different, creepy, and altogether zany level. It is actually a bit screwed up, which oddly enough, makes it all the more enjoyable.

I'm going to say right off the bat that this film was made with very little money, so as far as production values go; it has none. Zilch. The makeup is overdone, the camera work is jilted, and the acting is, frankly, amateur. But for some reason it doesn't matter. Told with no budget, the film stretches hard to bring you some great low budget effects and good old fashioned blood and gore.

It takes some time, but eventually Bruce Campbell's Ash character becomes the center of the movie. In the beginning when he is sharing scenes with the other members of the cast, he doesn't stand out at all. But when hell literally breaks loose, the campy Bruce Campbell that I have grown to love so much, shines through. The rest of the cast is uninteresting (that is until they become demonized). After their transformations into hideous demons, they become a little annoying. Endlessly screaming and wailing does tend to hurt the ears.

The fun in all this disgusting blood and guts comes in the execution of the gore (pun intended). It is done with just enough over the top craze that it ceases to become terrifying, and instead becomes plain silly. When it opens, the film works its atmosphere. Wallowing in its eeriness, the first half feels very much like a traditional horror film. But when the demons are set loose, it completely transitions into full blown bloody revelry. Yet, it is overdone to such an extreme that it begins to border on comedy.

Playing on some real fears, the film works exceptionally at exploiting the terrors of the dark shadowy basement, the foreboding woods, and the howl of the wind. If you like campy overdone horror films, look no further than this classic. I greatly enjoyed watching this. Though it may be disturbing to some, disgusting to others, this kind of over-the-top horror holds a little warm place in my film-loving heart.

Bottom Line:
Despite its low-budget inception and limited production, this campy classic does the horror genre proud. And if you're like me, it is worth a good laugh.

B

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