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Army of Darkness: Special Edition

Army of Darkness: Special Edition

List Price: $44.98
Your Price: $40.48
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Anchor bay milks AOD again?!!
Review: How many times can they release the same Evil Dead movies over and over? Only God knows. At least this one has both the original and director's cut. ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE: ...is selling only one of these that comes with a free dinner with (GOD) Bruce Campbell!!!! Let's see if this version has anything unique that the previous versions didn't have. Doesn't matter to me, I'm in line to purchase this NOW!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Shop smart! Shop S Mart!
Review: Bruce Campbell is back. Right where Evil Dead II left off, he is now back in Medieval times. He must get the Book of the Dead to return to his time, but the residents of the castle need it to defeat the Deadites.

Seems they had a bigger budget for this film, (the first two you remember take place in a cabin and some woods). The special effects are still cheesy, but that's all part of the Evil Dead charm. Bruce also plays a double role, both as 'bad Ash' and later on as the Deadite leader.

This film version boasts the original ending not seen before. I hate to give it away so I won't. But Ash screws up again as is typical Ash fashion. I personally liked the ending seen in theaters and on the original VHS/DVD better, but now I have both.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A great modern adventure!
Review: This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Army of Darkness, ALL dvd versions reviewed!
Review: About the 2 different endings: "Original" and "alternate" ending seem to be interchangeable, and can become confusing. Since the "S-mart" ending was on the theatrical version, it is sometimes referred to as the "original ending". However, the "original ending" is the one where Ash sleeps a century past the end of the world. The "alternate" ending is the one we all know (and love); where Ash utters "hail to the king" back in the S-mart. Keep this in mind as you read this review.

The "original" ending sees Ash waking a century after the end of the world. This version is incorporated into the 1999 Director's cut and the 2001 Bootleg (which is a lower-overall-quality Director's cut) editions. This ending is also found as an extra feature on the Anchor Bay 1-disc theatrical version release.

The "alternate" ending was released in theaters, and sees Ash killing the last deadite in the S-Mart "hail to the king" ending. This ending is only incorporated (and seen at all) in the Anchor Bay and Universal "theatrical" discs.

Currently, there are four 1-disc versions, and two 2-disc versions of Army of Darkness. (NOTE: The folks who can play region 2 discs (Europe) have a 2-disc version of their own, thanks to Anchor Bay UK. It may become available in March 2003 for Region 1.

ONE-DISC VERSIONS:

1. AoD Anchor Bay 1999 1-disc theatrical version containing the alternate ending. It also has the original 4 1/2 minute ending (where ash sleeps past the end of the world) as an extra feature. This version is 81 minutes long. Both standard 1.33x1 and widescreen versions are contained on the same side, though the widescreen is 1.66x1 "windowboxed." To be honest, it looks so much like 1.85x1 widescreen, its hard to tell the difference. The quality of the 4 1/2 minute original ending feature is strikingly good. It's bright, and well shot... it's clear that this was intended to be the final cut, but it just did not survive the cutting room floor. The cover art shows the severed head of Ash (screaming) with marching skeletons on the top portion of the dvd art. There is also a Behind-the Scenes featurette, and your choice of Dolby 2.0 and 5.1 surround.. If you only buy one version, this should be it! If it had the group commentary, it would be perfect! (4 of 5 stars)

2. AoD Anchor Bay 2000 1-disc Director's cut, 15 minutes more with alternate ending incorporated (plus lots of extra features). Limited to 40,000. This version is 96 minutes long. This version does not contain the alternate ending anywhere. The cover looks very reminiscent of a Meatloaf album cover, but specifically shows artwork that is mostly red, with Ash raising his arms UP. The title shows "Limited Edition" at the top with "Director's Cut" in the middle. (3 stars)

3. AoD Anchor Bay 2001 1-disc Bootleg Version, which is basically the Director's cut disc. It has lower-quality extended scenes added in. This version is 96 minutes long, with lots of extra features. Also of note: a couple of scenes are missing or altered from original content, outside of extra scenes (that's a director's cut for ya!). The Bootleg version does not contain the alternate ending anywhere, just the reincorporated original ending. The art on this one in unmistakeable: it is made to look like it's wrapped in a brown paper bag. (2 1/2 stars)

4. AoD Universal Studios 1998 1-disc version. This cover shows Ash with his arms pointing DOWN. By far, this version is the worst. While it contains the alternate ending (the one seen in theaters), it does NOT include the original ending anywhere, as does the Anchor Bay version! From what I can gather, the quality is also considerably lower than the Anchor Bay version, as well. AVOID THIS VERSION! (1 star)

2-DISC VERSIONS:

1. AoD Anchor Bay 1999 2-disc Special Edition (US release): Limited to 30,000, 2-disc. Dir cut and theatrical releases. Despite what some retailers advertise (like showwow and playcentric), NO ONE HAS THIS FOR SALE. If you look for it on half.com, be prepared to laugh HARD at the prices! The cover looks a lot like the Universal 1-disc version (i.e. with Ash's hands pointing down), but "Limited Edition" appears at the top. Look at the bottom and you will see what most Anchor Bay discs show: "THX Digitally Mastered DVD" (Note: the Anchor Bay Director's cut disc does not show this, however). (5 stars)

2. AoD Anchor Bay UK 2002 2-disc Special Edition (region 2 only). This is the same as the US-version Special Edition, and contains the theatrical version, and the Director's cut. If your dvd player is multi-region, or "otherwise" can play any region dvd's (some lucky Apex owner's know what I mean...), and you haven't yet bought AoD, then it might be worth it to buy this release. (not rated)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Same as the Limited Edition - but highly recommended
Review: = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
DVD PICTURE QUALITY - 2 STARS
DVD SOUND QUALITY - 5 STARS
DVD EXTRA MATERIAL - 3 STARS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MY PERSONAL RATING - 4 STARS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
O V E R A L L - 4 S T A R S
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

PICTURE QUALITY: Pretty bad!! Especially at the end of the movie the picture gets so bad, I thought the movie was made in 1930. Very bad transfer, same as the limited edition.

SOUND QUALITY: Great, nothing to complain.

EXTRA MATERIAL: Well I think the best "extra" is the director's cut itself. Very funny the extended scenes, but the rest is average.

Good reasons why you should buy THIS DVD:
- Director's Cut (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!)
- Commentary

A must have for everyone who doesn't already have the Limited Edition!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Well, heeelllooo, Mister Fancy-Pants..."
Review: Ahh-ha-ha-ha, just when you thought it was over, director Sam Raimi, irreplaceable star Bruce Campbell, an' the dreaded Book of the Dead came back one mo' gin for a exciting, hilarious an' "groovy" sword-and-sorcery epic filled with over-the-top action an' hard-to-resist one-liners. I mean, c'mon now, anybody whose seen the essential original 'Evil Dead' an' the far superior 'Evil Dead 2' should know that the third installment would hafta be somethin' bizarre an' really outta this world. Well, trust me, it is all'a those things an' a bag'a chips, an' if you ain't seen it, brace yourself.

For one thing you got Bruce Campbell, who reprises his role as Ash, the shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk from S-Mart's housewares division. Having been time-warped to medieval England, he is believed by King Arthur an' the men an' women of the villages to be the chosen one, sent from the sky to help rid them of the hideous "deadites". When he screws up the initial (an' much safer) plan to legitimately remove the Necronomicon from the cemetary deep in the woods, he ends up unleashing an army of skeletons, all resurrected from their tombs an' led by "Evil Ash", his polar opposite, who makes a triumphant return after making a brief appearance in 'Evil Dead 2' as his reflection in the mirror. Yeah, alright, I know it sounds weird, but, damn, get into it a lil' bit, will 'ya?

If there's one series of films that wouldn't be anything without its main star it's the 'Evil Dead' movies. By the third time around, Bruce Campbell should know he's become entrenched in the role of Ash, and all his cheesy macho heroism too. Nobody, but NOBODY could deliver these lines with such gall an' such bad-a$$ appeal like he does. I mean, alright, check this out. I'm 'bout to give you an example of jus' how damn cool this movie really is, so pay attention.

When "Evil Ash" first appears, after completely splitting off from Ash's body, they come face-to-face in the woods. "Evil Ash" begins mocking his counterpart, calling him "Goody-little two shoes, goody-little two shoes..." an' slapping him around like a punk. Ash stands there putting up with it for a few seconds, an' you're probably thinkin', I know he ain't gon' let this fool do him like 'at, right? Then outta nowhere he holds up the double-barrelled sawed-off shotgun an' presses it into "Evil Ash"'s face which in an instance turns pale, then blows him to kingdom come. As smoke curls outta the gun barrel, Ash looks at the corpse an' says "Good... bad... I'm the guy with the gun."

Good God Almighty, that is the BEST an' most knowingly CHEESY line EVER written in the history of cinema! An' I love it! In fact, one complaint I have about the Bootleg Version is that line has been changed to sumpin' much less cool. Speaking of which, my reccomendation to anyone who is a fan'a this movie is to buy the single-disc Anchor Bay edition as well as the Bootleg Director's Cut on DVD, so you can get the full breadth of both visions. The picture quality on the Bootleg Version is not as good, but, hey, thas' why is' called "bootleg", you primitive screwheads! From an artistic standpoint, I think the director's cut is far superior, as the final battle scene is more broken down into tactical maneauvers from both sides, an' you get to see more of the puppetry with the legions of skeletal warriors. In the theatrical version, the battle scene is jus' kinda splayed at you all at once, an' you can hardly even tell whats' goin' on, an' whose winning. Also, I agree with Bruce Campbell that the original ending is far more appropriate an' was a nice lead-in for the fourth installment if there is to ever be one.

Well, to conclude this unholy mess of a review, 'Army of Darkness' is one'a my all-time favorite movies, an' I hope to God that Bruce an' Sam get together to continue Ash's zombie-killing legacy. Originally, the prospects of making a fourth one looked pretty bleak, since 'Army of Darkness' flopped at the box-office, an' the studios refused to greenlight another 'Evil Dead' movie. But, with all the fanfare an' love, not to mention HUGE box-office receipts, Sam Raimi is getting with the 'Spider-Man' movies, an' especially considering the millions of loyal fans the 'Evil Dead' films have gained since '93, he may have the final say. An' the talk that I'm hearin', is that after he completes the next 'Spider-Man' movie, they may begin work on another 'Evil Dead'. Let's hope so. But now I'm wonderin' with two completely different endings to 'Army of Darkness' planted in people's minds, which one would they follow up on? I guess we'll hafta wait an' see if it happens.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This is my boomstick!
Review: First of all this movie is about a convenience store employee who happens to have a chain saw for a hand that travels back in time to battle an army of skeletons. Seems like a humourous premise doesn't it? well army of darkness takes that strange premise and turns it into one of the most hilarious movies ever. This movie stars Bruce Campbell who is a great in every one of his scenes. His acting or I should say overacting style, fits with this movie very well, as it is supposed to be ridiculously cheesy. In the opening scene "Ash" (campbell) leaps out of a pit so his chain saw can magically connect to his hand allowing him to deal with a undead fiend. This is just the start of the outrageous storyline of this movie. I will admit there were a few places the story dragged a little bit, (a few minutes could have been cut from the wind mill scene for instance.) But overall if you are into cheesy "horror" movies you will probably like this one. Also i am glad they didn't use the original ending (which is contained on this dvd) as it would have taken out the S mart finale, which in this reveiewers opinion is the most funny part of the movie. Overall I enjoy this movie every time i watch it. If you have a twisted sense of humor and like things that aren't necessarily "normal" you to will probably enjoy this movie too.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Listen Up, You Primitive Screwheads!
Review: Army of Darkness continues the Splatstick tradition of it;s predecessor Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn. Here we find our hero Ash (The mighty Bruce Campbell) stranded in Medieval times, surrounded by "Deadites", and short on allies. Luckily he has an endless supply of one-liners to go along with his chainsaw and shotgun....

The movie is hilarious; I laughed more than I do for most straight comedies. The original ending is intact, but I wish they could have found room on the disc for the ending shown in theaters, for completists like myself. The commentary by Campbell and Sam & Ivan Raimi is a laugh riot, as well as being informative, and the handful of deleted scenes are fun, too. The subtitle option enables you to see the film's storyboards in the corner of the screen while viewing the picture, and there's a small gallery of production art as well. No trailers or anything else, though. The disc is kinda short on extras, but Dead-heads will find it worth purchasing....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER!!!!!
Review: My goodness, where do I begin?
The hilarious spoofs on Kmart? The crazy wacked out demons? Bruce Campbell with the best lines ever written in all of human history? My good lord and butter! This is quite possibly the most hilarious and best movies ever. Gimme some sugar baby!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Shop smart... shop S-Mart
Review: It's understandable why they didn't just call this Evil Dead 3 -- they just about toss the horror movie idea out the window and instead give us a comedy with hilarious demon-stomping, non-stop action, and undead slapstick. This flick takes the gore and comedy of the first 2 installments of this horror trilogy and mix in sword and sorcery-style action. Ash, now a supermarket employee ("Shop smart... shop S-Mart"), is transported with his 1988 Oldsmobile to a medieval world by the powers of a mysterious book. Armed with a shotgun, his high school chemistry textbook, and a chainsaw that mounts where his missing hand was, Ash finds himself as a besieged kingdom's best hope against an "army of darkness" currently plaguing the land. The skeleton warriors have been resurrected with the aid of the Necronomicon, which is the same book that can send Ash back home. Ash agrees to go in search of the book. Along the way, he finds romance of a sort with Sheila (Embeth Davidtz) a beautiful damsel in distress (who gets "real ugly"), and fights with his double after mangling the spell he is supposed to say to safely recover the book.

An excellent tongue-in-cheek horror film that's loosely a sequel to the cult favorite Evil Dead pictures. Bruce Campbell seemed to have a bunch of fun with this one from playing Gulliver with a dozen of his miniature selves to doing a Three Stooges routine with a bunch of skeleton arms sticking out of the ground. There aren't really any scary parts in this flick, though. Every time something almost frightening happens, Ash turns it into a comedic moment with one of his many one-liners and quick comebacks.

Be sure to check out The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2.


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