The Evil Dead

Rating:
Summary: Fun and sometimes scary but no way a classic
Review: The Evil Dead is a rather poor film if you look at its story. Five college students named Ash (Bruce Campbell), his sister Cheryl, his girlfriend Linda, his best friend Scotty, and Scotty's girlfriend Shelly go to a cabin in the woods and discover a book called the Necronomicon, translated the Book of the Dead. They play a tape recorder with chants from the Necronomicon and an evil call the evil dead is awakened in the woods and begins to possess the students one by one. While this plot idea would seem rather creepy(some scenes certainly were)it took over thirty minutes for the suspense to begin and for a film 85 minutes long that's almost half the film gone. Not to mention the plot is too much like The Exorcist, The Shining, and The Haunting. It doesn't perfect anything of that genre. This film is actually more of an excuse to show off Sam Raimi's directorial talent, which he has plenty of. He's a truly stylish director and one of the best in the horror genre(I consider George Romero the best). The blood and gore in The Evil Dead is more than abundant. I would say this is number six in the goriest and bloodiest movies department with Dead Alive being the obvious first. I don't really think gore is needed in horror films but it seems that was all this film could show. Want examples? A girl is stabbed by a pencil, another girl is totally dismembered by an ax, the house literally bleeds, etc, etc. There were some suspenseful scenes but there were also some plot holes. For example: Cheryl was raped by a tree yet when she ran back to the cabin it was quite obvious her underwear was still on yet she became possessed. Chery stabbed Linda with a pencil and Linda became possessed. That's pretty confusing, by a pencil? Later on, Ash is cut pretty badly by Linda's fingernails but he's never possessed. (at least not until Evil Dead 2 but what took so long?) Overall, not a bad film but not as good as so many fans cut it out to be. My favorite film in this series is Army of Darkness. What is cool about the Evil Dead series is that each is of a different genre that can appeal to different fans. The Evil Dead is a very gory gross out horror film that will please die-hard horror fans, Evil Dead 2 is a horror-comedy, and Army of Darkness will attract those who love comedy, action, adventure, fantasy, and special effects.

Rating:
Summary: What can you say about the EVIL DEAD?
Review: Wow. This film can beat any other movie to a bloody pulp (except maybe DAWN OF THE DEAD). Sam Raimi's genius is definitly seen in this horror masterpiece! I belive the other two movies, even though they are very good, are highly over rated. They make the original look inferior. This is due in part to NEW LINE CINEMA not giving Sam the rights to the first film to do a recap for the sequel. That made him have to make up a new version, which meant no Cheryl, Scotty, or Shelly. So the Book of the Dead never got burned, Linda never got stabbed and all this other stuff. Army went along with this but it also had a flaw. At the end of ED2, Ash is hailed as a hero, but at the beginning of Army he's a slave! Oh well, I'm off topic.

Rating:
Summary: A True Horror Classic
Review: I first saw this on video tape many years ago around 1984 or so. It scared me back then and it still has the power to do so now. I couldn't find this for a long time in stores until late last year. I bought the collector's editon video cassette with a diary included written by one of the personnel that helped make the movie. Just received the DVD Special Edition a few days ago, and I am truly impressed. This is truly one of the best horror movies ever made. No other that I've seen matches the terror and gore value of this movie. The plot and acting aren't the best, but who cares. What you have here is a movie guaranteed to scare you and keep you on your toes. The remastered sound is great, the unreleased raw footage is interesting, the still pictures are neat, but last but not least, the commentaries are worth the amount to buy this edition. Bruce Campbell's commentary is really informitive and funny. The director and producer's commentary is okay, but they didn't bother to mention certain things that Bruce Campbell did. Maybe they knew he would explain it so they didn't bother. I've always liked how frightening they made the possessed girls look. This is well worth the money spent and I have decided I like it better than Evil Dead 2. It's hilarious in places, but that doesn't dull the scare value. That's not always easy to accomplish as far as I'm concerned. A true horror classic.

Rating:
Summary: My film teacher at MSU grew up w/director!
Review: Not even remotely kidding about that. He was in the Raimi's The Quick & The Dead for all brief moment. All that aside... This movie is practically a gold standard. Even the super-cheese moments, which all c/c horror movies have, are shining examples of how much the imagination can do on a shoe-string budget. I wish they had made more than the three, but then it might have become like that whole Rambo thing, or actually, like the Rocky series, which climaxed at III (MR. T). EVIL DEAD is the movie which all wannabe c/c-type directors, writers, and cinematographers should study. Thank you and goodnight.

Rating:
Summary: Cheap cult movie rocks
Review: Classic film featuring Bruce Campbell (& some other people who die :) in a cabin in the woods. This film has 2 b seen. Directed by Sam Raimi. Followed by 2 sequels

Rating:
Summary: horrifically funny
Review: the special effects were the best i have ever seen in a horror film

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE BARELY DESERVES 2 STARS
Review: I thought this movie was a big waste of video. First of all, the jacket for the movie was scarier and better than the movie. The picture you see on the cover (jacket) has nothing to do with the movie I was so disapointed. It leads you to believe one thing and the movie is something else.Both Evil Dead 1 and 2 I thought was not well done at all. They should have raised more money for the budget instead of raising the dead.. Please don't make a third..

Rating:
Summary: Raimis gore classic.....
Review: One of the most famuos horror/splatter movies ever is Evil Dead. This cult classic is made fron the master mind of Sam Raimi. This clostrufobic gore-fest includes brillant camera views and one of the best actings ever of the exellente Bruce Campbell. It is like a mix of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre whit demons. Evil Dead is one of my all time favoirit movies and a highly recomend the two sequels who is also as brillant as the first. Buy this masterpeice now and "JOIN US" "JOIN US"....

Rating:
Summary: Paranoid, gory and above all, brilliant!
Review: This is a true gem among horror films. In fact, it's so good that it joins "Psycho", "Halloween" and "Suspiria" as the absolute best of the genre. Directed with stylish brilliance by the great Sam Raimi, the film is actually a lot scarier than you might imagine. Here's a tip to make it really scary: imagine that you're Ash, really live into mood. Trust me, it worked on me, it almost got me paranoid. Except for Raimi's unmatched visualgenius, the film also features an outstanding performance from the ever-so underrated Bruce Campbell. The best of the series, even though Campbell gave even better performances in the sequels. A must-see!

Rating:
Summary: "BUY IT NOW"
Review: get this movie! If you like horror movies, get the EVIL DEAD! It is my fav. horror film. I cannot say enough good things about it! There is one scene with a tree and a woman though, that is sorta "obscene". You will have to watch it to find out however...