Rating: Summary: When demons attack Review: A group of college kids are vacationing in the Tennessee woods, having rented a run down cabin for the weekend. Once there, they accidentally release a host of Kandarian demons. Then the stuff hits the fan.I have several reasons for liking this movie. The main reason is Bruce Campell. His charactor, Ash, isn't the hero type he turns out to be in Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness. He is much more sensitive and eaisily frightend, spending the first half of the movie letting Stevie take care of most of the dirty work. Ash is reluctent to kill or even bury those that were once his friends, no matter what they have done to him. Ash even cries. He is the hero only because he isn't as brave as some others. Not until later, anyway. The second reason I love this film is the pure fright value of it. From the first five minutes the eerieness of the movie comes through. The special FX are generally top notch, as is the makeup (see for your self how creepy Linda looks with just a little touch up). The end scene is one of the best FX sequences I have ever seen, and the "chased by the evil" effect is pretty spiffy. For those of you who, like myself, prefer a good splatter every now and again, there is plenty, both from monsters and from the cabin its self. For those that prefer to be scared silly, again like myself, Sam Raimi does a wonderful job of building suspense. The evil in the woods spends more time toying with the kids than actually killing them. There are quite a few "jump" moments as well. Even if you know the film, some of the scenes make you jump every time. Adding to the fright are the feeling you get for the characters. When something happens to them you find yourself going "oh no, not him/her. that can't happen to them". Be warned, though, ED lacks the director's signature humor in favor of scares. For those of you looking for that, i highly recomend checking out the other two fims in this series. For anybody who is a fan of downright horror, independent film, Bruce Campell, Sam Raimi, or movies in general, Evil Dead is an essential part of your collection. In my humble opinion, it ties Night of the Living Dead for the greatest horror movie and cult classic ever made. Trust me.
Rating: Summary: THE EVIL DEAD Rock! Review: THE EVIL DEAD is one of the most infamous cult classic horror movies to be made (and it spawned two successful sequels, too). The plot is isn't that hard to understand: four college kids rent a cabin deep in the woods of Tennesse for the weekend. They find an old tape recorder in the cabin's basement and decide to listen to it, not knowing that it contains chanting words that will summon the dead spirits of the underworld to rise up and possess the living. They play the the tape and all hell, literally breaks lose. The only one who remains unpossessed is Ash, and now he must arm himself with shotgun and chainsaw and wage battle against his demon-possessed friends in order to survive the night. This movie is definitley not for those who have weak stomachs because it is graphically violent and very intense. I liked enough, though, to recommend it to horror fans everywhere!
Rating: Summary: The Staple For Low Budget Horror Review: Why is it that, although a modern day horror movie can cost millions of dollars and star all the talented young actors of our day and age, they still can't compare to the originals? Evil Dead is a classic, and should always be hailed in the same breath as Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, or Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was the ultimate low budget thriller, with tons of gore and images you could only throw into a movie like this (IE the tree raping scene?). But it's moved a step above that by the talented direction and knack for horror of Sam Raimi and the energetic and off-the-wall acting of Bruce Campbell. It spawned two sequels (which were both, in their own ways, as good as the original, which is quite an oddity in the movie world), and has developed into a cult classic all over the world. Why do think that over 180 people stopped to review this movie on Amazon? Once you've seen it, for better or worse, it'll stick with you. Not for the weak of heart, but horror/cult lovers will find this right up their alley. The ultimate of cult films.
Rating: Summary: Independent Spirit At It's Best! Review: In the summer of 1979, a small group of young adults whet to a secluded cabin in the woods. There, they embarked on a grueling journey of horror and splatter. Does this sound farmiliar? Well, how about the fact that it took 4 years to complete? I'm talking about Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and the filmmakers of the cult classic The Evil Dead. Many people might ignore this film and call it "gory" and "rude". The truth is, this is probably the most violent movie I've seen (except for maybe Dead Alive). It's not the amount of violence, but the way that it's presented. This is probably one of the only films that i've seen that can truly call itself a "splatter film" without any doubt. Viewers who aren't use to seeing the ax actually slice through a limb might want to pass. My vote for the most stomach churning scene probably goes to the full body dismemberment of one of the characters. What is left is a blood stained floor and a group of still moving limbs. But if you go past all the blood-stained exterior, really observant viewers will notice that this is actually a very stylized film. Director Sam Raimi injects so much energy into the production that it's impossible not to note his outrageous camerawork. Raimi pulls his shots around trees, over ceilings, through doors, and even pulls the camera upside down in one spot. Although this technique may not sit well with some of the already queasy viewers, Raimi's direction of the film can be seen as extremely bold and inventive. Raimi establishes a sense of dillusionment and anarchy, where the viewer is forced into a state of delirium. Of course, the film itself can also pretty much freak out the average viewer. The story involves a group of five college students who come to an abandoned cabin in the woods. Soon, they stumble upon a tape recorded that plays passages from an ancient sumarian book of the dead. Do you really need three guesses to figure out what happens? Soon, all of the students are either blood thirsty demons, or chopped up into small pieces. This film also marks the debut of Bruce Campbell who, in my opinion at least, is one of the most talented and hilarious actors of his generation. There are pretty creepy scenes abroad, as in the famous pencil-in-the-ankle bit or the unnerving "eye-tag" sequence. Also, many people might be expecting a severe dose of humor. Don't look to hard, because this is not a comedy. However, there are some unintentionally funny bits, and some slapstick gags on view in some scenes. But pretty much, the humor in the story is just hovering below the surface. There are two sequals in this series. Many fans highly praise the comedy remake, Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn, and even more enjoy the comic book extravaganza, Army of Darkness. However, this one appears to be the most complete and terrifying. Although many people will argue about the story, I have one thing to say to them - It's A Splatter Film! Best appreciated by those who are educated in the field of cinema. In a strange way, it can be seen as independent spirit at it's best! A group of filmstudents on a limited budget crank out an effective shocker that becomes a cult hit. Although many fans will be attracted to the violence, and others to the brooding atmosphere, this film will always hold a place in my independent film collection for being an inspired work of student filmmaking effort.
Rating: Summary: I gave it 5 stars, but it must be stopped! Review: I gave this movie 5 stars just to spite everyone. But I have a major problem with the violence. It is terrible. And I think that the acting is so horrible. You want good acting, then watch the Rescuers Down Under, which is the greatest movie ever. This one is for the gutter! ROCKSTEDDY!
Rating: Summary: Best Horror Movie of all Time Review: Ya see folks this is one of my favorite movies of all time. So when I first got my DVD player I unfortunately bought the movie only edition from Anchor Bay. Good edition, but lacking in extras. A couple of months later this edition comes out and I finally have it. What kept me from buying it? The price is a little steep, but well worth it for the carnage and truly if you're a "Dead" fan like I am. One thing I did like better about Anchor Bay's version was it had far more chapter stops. Where this one only contains about 16. Anyway, loved the extras on this one. You get the same old theatrical trailer. You get 20 minutes of alternate takes, which I enjoyed and for only twenty minutes it really gives you a knack on how to shoot a low budget film. The commentary was great. Sam Raimi's was more serious and informational. Where Bruce Campbell's just made me flat out laugh, but I wish they had done one combined. Neither of these tracks came close to the gem Anchor Bay released on "Evil Dead 2" probably the best commentary track I've ever heard. I've said enough, buy this or I'll swallow your soul. I give this DVD a 9.5 out of 10.
Rating: Summary: Evil Dead Fans Rejoice.... Review: If you own any of the Evil Dead movies on DVD, then you know that Raimi and Campbell are the absolute best at the DVD Commentary. Like Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, Raimi and Campbell (along with Tapert) give you all the information, history, anecdotes, and stories behind just about every facet of the movie in the commentary. In this DVD, Raimi and Tapert are on 1 commentary while Campbell is by himself on the other (with each pointing out how the other would probably tell a different story or hit on things a little bit better). And typical of Raimi and Campbell, they seem to enjoy making fun of themselves and about how bad their movie was. At any rate, Evil Dead is everything you would want if you are familiar with the series, and a pretty darn good horror flick nonetheless. Get all the DVD's and enjoy the narratives that these great guys have given us. No higher recommendation can be given on this or the other two movies for the DVD owner. Also....The insert was also missing from my DVD, and an email to Elite Entertainment quickly and politely solved that problem. Hail to the King Baby!
Rating: Summary: One Of My All Time Personal Favorites Review: The Evil Dead is less of a hooror film and more of a horror/black comedy film. There isn't much to the plot. Five friends go out to a cabin in the wood and accidentally unleash a demon which posseses some of the friends. The movie is extremely violent, but other then that, it is a good time. It isn't really scary, besides a couple of scenes. The movie however is one of the most entertaining movies of all time. It can be watched over and over again. This is why it has such a cult following. One thing to note when you are watching this movie; don't take it to seriously. It isn't meant to be taken seriously. This is evident by the sequel, which is much more of a black comedy and the third one, which I would probably call a black comedy. All three are great, but the first one is my favorite. Evil Dead is more than just a personal favorite. If you ook at the movie critically, it is a great movie. Bruce Campbell's acting is great. It is supposed to be over the top. That is what makes his perfromance interesting, entertaining and memborable. Also, the camera angles in this movie influenced many movies. Very cool camera angles, make sure you take a look at them when you are watching the movie. If you like this movie, I would highly suggest seeing the two sequels. I haven't seen the DVD yet, but I will as soon as possible.
Rating: Summary: Haven't yet watched the DVD, but... Review: I ordered the DVD. When I received it, it was missing the insert, so I emailed Elite Entertainment asking about it. They responded quickly and sent one out to me. I was very happy with the customer service, and I'm sure I'll enjoy the DVD. If you haven't seen this film before, get the DVD and watch it!
Rating: Summary: purely awesome film Review: this is quite an interesting film...mostly pointless? yes. rather cheesy acting? somewhat. too much gore to be taken seriously? i would say no...as odd as it seems, i would say this film isnt run by its gore-factor, which is a damn high one, possibly the highest ive ever seen...it uses the gore-factor in a way that can be viewed as actually frightening, such as in a scene where a girl gets HARSHLY stabbed in the ankle with a pencil and they just focus on it and the blood oozing out for almost 30 solid seconds...long enough to make you at least get a little squeemish, if not freaked out from thinking "who would think of putting that in a movie", but you'll be thinking throughout the whole movie, such as the vine-rape scene, the evil screeching of the possessed demon-kids, and just the horrifying appearance of the kids when possessed...i've never seen zombies, demons, or whatever look this cool...Evil Dead 2's demon's looked cheesy, but these ones were gruesome...i liked Evil Dead 2 cos of how funny it was, but this movie is a pure favorite of mine and i reccommend it to anyone, either people just starting into the horror genre and looking for a GOOD start, or horror fans who havent seen this and are looking for something "new"...it is the ultimate in the genre of pure horror
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