The Evil Dead (1981)

Directed by: Sam Raimi | 85 minutes | horror | Actors: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal Delrich, Betsy Baker, Sarah York, Bob Dorian, Sam Raimi, Robert G. Tapert

The debut of ‘Spider-Man’ director Sam Raimi ‘(The) Evil Dead’ can rightly be called one of the scariest horror films of all time. The film, which has since achieved cult status along with its two sequels, is packed with ingenious camera shots, a nail-biting soundtrack and clumsy but effective special effects. The film introduces big names like Joel Coen (of the Coen Brothers) as assistant editor, actor Bruce Campbell (who later wrote the amazing biography: ‘If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a “B” Movie Actor’) and of course the director himself. . Costing just $90,000, ‘Evil Dead’ became the best-selling video in 1983. In 2003, the film was re-released.

The enthusiasm with which ‘Evil Dead’ was made just explodes from the screen. Or rather: it splashes on the screen because the film is very bloody. In one scene you can see the blood literally dripping across the screen. The meager amount that was available for the film can therefore not be counted on by the acting, the typical Sam Raimi camera work or way of storytelling, all of which contribute to the chilling atmosphere and enormous tension build-up. However, the lack of money is reflected in the special effects and make-up, which here and there do not seem credible. But that is absolutely not disturbing and it provides a healthy dose of self-relativity. The same goes for the few slapstick moments in the film. It is well known that Sam Raimi is a big fan of the ‘Three Stooges’ and that poor Campbell with a broken arm had to pay when he was thrown several meters into the air in ‘Evil Dead 2’.

Besides the fact that ‘Evil Dead’ is a tense and sometimes terrifying horror film, which many have tried to copy, it is also a very violent film. Heads are cut off and limbs are sawn off. There’s a lot, a lot of blood to see and the zombies don’t look too fresh either. Certainly not the green stuff they spit out. The most beautiful scene from ‘Evil Dead’ is somewhere in the middle of the film when Ash (Bruce Campbell’s character) is alone in the house and his fear is visualized through surreal images and accentuated sounds. The camera films him from below, from above, obliquely and extremely close-up. The clock runs back very quickly here, making it clear that the night lasts endlessly. Another terrifying moment is when the camera moves rapidly low over the ground through the forest towards the house. You know the dead are awake then and the nightmare could start any moment.

In short: ‘Evil Dead’ is a success story, which, like a more recent horror hit ‘The Blair Witch Project’, cost little but yielded a lot. An absolute must for the horror fan, because this is where it all started. Make sure you’ve grown your nails before entering the movie theater; they’re guaranteed not to touch your fingers as the ending credits roll across the screen. And for those with a sensitive stomach: save the popcorn bucket, unless you want to use it for other purposes.