The Evil Dead (1981)

Every successful film director has to start somewhere; “Spiderman” director Sam Raimi started with this low-budget horror film, billed as “The ultimate experience in grueling horror”. In a similar way to Peter Jackson’s first film “Bad Taste”, this is unsophisticated film-making that is never going to be the equal of their later work, but even here the talent that would make them among the more successful directors in Hollywood is clear to see.

The plot is reminiscent of dozens of other cheap horror movies. Five students friend (led by long-time Raimi collaborator Bruce Campbell) go on vacation to a remote abandoned cabin in a forest. As soon as they get there strange things start happening - clocks inexplicably stop, trees attack people, the only bridge to the outside is washed away. It all starts going horribly wrong after they open the trapdoor into the cellar and start reading from the ominous looking ancient book they find in the cellar. Annoyingly, this causes the titular Evil Dead to appear any start trying to kill them. Only the cowardly Ash (Bruce Campbell) seems able to stand against them.

So far, so derivative. Where this films rise above the hordes of cheap B-Movies that have been produced over the years is that a genuine sense of menace is produced – particularly early in the film. Techniques such as not showing demons, just seeing their viewpoint as they speed through the forest, are surprisingly effective. When the Evil Dead do appear they are a bit over-the-top and just a little bit silly at times, but the film still manages to be reasonably ominous. The picture quality is not bad for an amateur film, and the overall quality of the film is much higher than many studio-produced B-movies.

The acting is, inevitably, amateurish and only enlivened by Campbell's entertaining main character. The dialogue isn't as memorable as the one-liner packed sequels, but this is a better horror film than Evil Dead 2 or 3, even if it isn't as amusing.

Overall this film is a bit predictable and ultimately just a cheap horror film, but it’s still done with enough style to make this worth watching. Regardless of the cheapness of the production, or the amateurishness of some of the acting, this is still a better horror film than the vast majority of Hollywood horrors.

Rating : 7 / 10

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All content ©2003 William Marnoch.

Comments? Agree/Disagree with the Reviews? Suggestions? Random Ramblings? Whatever you might want to say, feel free to e-mail me at william@wmarnoch.freeserve.co.uk .