Review of The Evil Dead (1981) by Chris W — 26 Jun 2013
Man, this is one intense film! This is an excellent example of how someone can take a small amount of money, and do so much with it. Basic story: a group of friends go to spend a weekend at a cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash the fury of some dark forces.
That's it. That's all you need really, as the simplicity allows for much creativity and variation. The brilliance of this film lies within the eerie atmosphere and mood, and the creepy cinematography.
It's also cool to note that Joel Coen worked on this as an editor, and some of the camera moves here were later used by him and Ethan in Raising Arizona Some of the gore and blood (and there's lots of it) looks a little bit dated, but that does not hurt the film-imagination and creativity overshadow the fact that the effects were made on a tight budget.
The acting, while not Oscar-worthy, is very good and believable. Bruce Campbell gets put through the wringer in this one, and he does magnificently. Sam Raimi's career is built on this film, and I shudder to think what it would be like had he not made this seminal and influential horror film.
Simply put, this is a must see.
This review of The Evil Dead (1981) was written by Chris W on 26 Jun 2013.
The Evil Dead has generally received very positive reviews.
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