It’s 1981. The audience is packed into a small, dark movie theater. The smell of fresh popcorn permeates the air as the projector gently whirs in the back. Little did the patrons know, Sam Raimi’s infamous and diabolical “The Evil Dead” would test even the most extreme limits of gore hounds and horror fans. Despite its modest production and ambitions, it quickly amassed a massive cult following and spawned one of the most iconic and beloved franchises in cinematic history.
The original is notable for its humble beginnings. Starting as a proof-of-concept short, it premiered at Campbell’s childhood theater and made its way to the Cannes Film Festival. “The Evil Dead” is a masterful onslaught of chaos with a blend of high-energy gore and gallows humor. The practical effects by Tom Sullivan are simultaneously charming and terrifying. The introductions of Bruce Campbell’s loveable Ash Williams and the relentless Deadites were unforgettable and laid the groundwork for all the madness to come.
The 1987 sequel, “Evil Dead II,” was conceived to revive the careers of Raimi, producer Robert Tapert and Campbell. It sees Raimi double down on his kinetic visuals and Campbell give himself over to the film’s lunacy. Everything is ramped up from the original; tiny holes in the wall launch geysers of blood, among other examples. There’s more comedy than horror, which may be hard to swallow, but the gags are creative, icky and hilarious, and the shocks are still effective. Fans loved it, with many deeming it superior to the original.
The third film, “Army of Darkness,” is radically different from the first two. For this specific film, Universal Pictures mandated cuts to make it a PG-13 rating instead of the NC-17/R ratings of its predecessors, and it’s the least horror-oriented of the franchise. Apart from one early scene, Raimi foregoes close-quarters terror for a fantastical action comedy.
The goofiness and slapstick are drastically more prominent, and it never reaches the heights of horror of the first two, but the film is still a blast thanks to Raimi and Campbell. Reactions were more mixed and it wasn’t a big theatrical success, but it was still well-liked overall and gained a large audience on home video.
After about 20 years in development hell, the Deadites made a ferocious comeback in 2013 with Fede Alvarez’s “Evil Dead.” Featuring a new cast and serving as a remake, reboot and continuation all in one grueling package, it is the meanest and most nihilistic of the films. This extra emphasis on visceral terror and beautifully disgusting effects (including 70,000 gallons of fake blood) makes it a triumphant revival. It became the franchise’s biggest success in one weekend and finished with nearly $100 million worldwide. It accumulated a respectable fanbase and is considered one of the best horror remakes.
Nearly five years after the series finale of “Ash” and over ten years since the reboot, the future of “Evil Dead” still looks bright. A new standalone entry, “Evil Dead Rise,” possesses theaters Friday, April 21, and if early reactions from the South by Southwest Festival are any indication, fans are in for another brutal treat.
It’s easy to see why this franchise is one of the greatest contributions to horror. It delivers the wildest, nastiest and bloodiest thrill rides audiences could find. For novices, the films should be appealing as long as the viewer has a strong stomach and warped sense of humor, and those who get on board will be guaranteed to find the franchise, as Ash would put it, “groovy.”
