Connect with us

Editorials

Who Here Has Actually Seen ‘The Evil Dead’? It’s A Horror Movie! And It’s Not All About Ash!

Published

on

A couple weeks ago, the stars of the upcoming The Evil Dead remake commented on the tone of the film they’re about to shoot. It seemed to catch a lot of people off guard. Not our piece necessarily, but the fact that the talent involved (along with Bruce Campbell) were talking about a “seriously scary” movie seemed to flummox people.

Another aspect of the upcoming remake that has some people seriously freaking out? No Ash. No Ashley J. Williams. No Bruce Campbell. No Chin. Now, I love Bruce Campbell. I’ve seen Evil Dead 2 literally dozens of times. Which is why I think it’s a good thing he’s not in this movie.

You may think you want Ash in the remake too. But you don’t. Not really. Why? Because it’s a remake of The Evil Dead. Not Evil Dead 2. And there’s a huge difference.

Ash is not the embodiment of the original film. And humor’s not really a huge component either.

Hit the jump to read on.

In 1981, The Evil Dead intended to scare and shock. That tree rape is, and is supposed to be, horrific. That’s the intent, even if the success of the tone is a mixed bag. I think that Raimi’s at-the-time experimental camera work is often the sword upon which the perception of that tone falls. Some of the shots are so ambitious and self-conscious that they come across as comedic. And while comedy may have been a component of their design, it wasn’t 100% the desired end result. I’m not saying the whole thing is intended to be humorless – it’s a smart film that winks at the conventions of its genre, but that genre is most certainly horror.

The Evil Dead takes way more time in setting up its characters than its followup. Notice that the word “character” is pluralized. There are four other major players that aren’t Ash – Cheryl, Linda, Scott and Shelly. Elements in the sequel that are exaggerated and out of nowhere – such as the bridge being blown out – are actually set up in the first act of this film. It’s an entirely different, much more grounded experience. There’s no laughing lamps, no dancing nude bodies, no vortex, no rotating Ash flying through the woods. And even though it may use less buckets of blood than its more famous younger sibling – it feels twice as brutal. Even if Ash keeps his hand.

When the time came to make the sequel – six years had passed. And I get the feeling that Raimi was more interested in examining and celebrating the weaknesses of his original work than he was in revisiting its actual mindset. Which could be why Evil Dead 2 and Army Of Darkness have that madcap “Looney Tunes” aesthetic that is almost completely absent from the 1981 film. In essence – Evil Dead 2 is a spoof of The Evil Dead. I’m not saying the sequel isn’t awesome – it is. I’m not saying it doesn’t count as horror – it does. But tonally, it’s about almost as night and day different as Hot Shots is from Top Gun.

When people walked out of the premiere of the original Evil Dead on October 15th, 1981 in Detroit, Michigan – I’m willing to bet what the first thing on their tongues wasn’t. Bruce Campbell. Sure, he’s the hero of the film. Yes, even back then he displayed a great deal of charisma. But this wasn’t a one person show a la Evil Dead 2 and there were other cast members to account for. But none of them were really the stars either. The star of Evil Dead? The film itself. I’m not saying this to detract from any of the casts’ contributions to the film or Campbell’s deserved legacy and iconic status – I’m just saying none of them were the identity of the movie.

Ash is certainly a character in The Evil Dead. He even turns out to be the hero (albeit in a much more toned-down manner than in the subsequent films). The setup was a standard ensemble ‘Cabin In The Woods’ film. Structurally, it’s essentially a slasher movie – but with demons, possession and rapey trees in place of a guy with a knife. Sure, Ash becomes the hero and takes on the demons – but that’s what happens at the end of every slasher movie. He’s not a superhero in this one.

What is the identity of Evil Dead? The tone. The effects. The gore. The spirit. The invigorating roaming POV shots. The fact that the demons hang in the air like tortured marionettes. The fact that, instead of holding back on its meager budget, the film went all the way. But it wasn’t necessarily going all the way to make you laugh, it was going all the way to shock and scare you. It’s actually a remarkable achievement given the budget and the age of the crew who pulled it off. When people were walking out of that theater, they weren’t talking about how Ash held a shotgun – they were talking about the experience. The experience was the star.

When you heard that Friday The 13th was being remade, what was more important to you? Bringing back Mrs. Voorhees or bringing back Jason himself? Even though Jason wasn’t in the first film – he’s the identity of that franchise. And if Evil Dead 2 hadn’t taken such a radical left turn – Ash wouldn’t be the identity of this franchise. The tone and experience would be.

So if one were to attempt anything new associated with this brand – offering an updated version of that experience is really the only thing that makes sense. It’s the only thing the producers of the new film – which include Sam Raimi – could even hope to get right. And that’s what Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues and Diablo Cody have all stated as their intent. To bring that insane, f*cked up aesthetic to the screen. Of course the film should have great characters – it just doesn’t matter as much which specific characters they happen to be. It certainly didn’t matter in the 1981 film. No one who walked into that even knew who Bruce Campbell was. And they certainly weren’t expecting him to say “work shed”.

The one thing they for sure wouldn’t get right? Remaking Evil Dead 2. It’s a good thing they’re not even trying. And if they f*ck up The Evil Dead – which could happen – I’ll be as upset as the rest of you.

Let’s just be clear on which film they’re remaking. Not because I’m defending the remake necessarily, but because the existence of the remake has exposed the fact that not that many people have watched the original Evil Dead! And if they have, they’re certainly not remembering it properly.

Don’t you think it deserves better than that? Do me a favor – if you haven’t seen it in the past 10 years, watch it this weekend. Ask your friends who love Evil Dead 2 if they’ve actually seen the original. If they answer “yes”, well, all of this hullabaloo indicates that they’re probably lying. Make them watch it too. It’s a horror movie. With scares. I promise.

Editorials

5 Deep Cut Horror Movies to Seek Out in April 2024

Published

on

horror
Pictured: 'The Uncanny'

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features selections reflecting the month of April 2024.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include telepathic plants, ecological horrors, and a lot of killer cats.


The Uncanny (1977)

horror

Pictured: The Uncanny (1977)

Directed by Denis Héroux.

The Uncanny is a two-for kind of deal: it works for both National Pet Day (April 11) and Tell a Story Day (April 27). Here we have Peter Cushing‘s character talking at length about the evils of cats, with his three examples fleshing out this singular anthology. And while this film is often mistaken for an Amicus production, it was, in fact, made by The Rank Organisation. However, Amicus co-founder Milton Subotsky was also a co-producer.

The Uncanny has a tendency to be one-note in its execution and story styles; vengeful felines come up more than once in the film. Even so, these macabre, cat-centric segments told in EC Comics fashion are more entertaining than not.

Watch The Uncanny at streaming sites such as SCREAMBOX.


The Kirlian Witness (1979)

horror

Pictured: The Kirlian Witness (1979)

Directed by Jonathan Sarno.

The Kirlian Witness (also known as The Plants are Watching) fits the bill when looking for something to watch on International Plant Appreciation Day (April 13). Similar to Eyes of Laura Mars, this film’s story is built on pseudoscience. More specifically, Kirlian photography. Nancy Snyder‘s character Rilla hopes to use this technique — revealing the energy field, or aura, of people and other animate things — to solve her sister’s murder. However, the only witness to the sister’s death, apart from the mysterious killer, is a plant. Rilla’s bizarre investigation eventually leads her to a startling discovery.

Jonathan Sarno’s film is a certified slow-burn, but it’s also intriguing and good-looking. This oddball of crime-solving horror is, at the very least, unique.

The Kirlian Witness is available for rental/purchase (under its alias) at digital retailers like Apple TV.


Scream for Help (1984)

horror

Pictured: Scream for Help (1984)

Directed by Michael Winner.

For Scream Day this year (April 24), why not visit Scream for Help? In this teenage thriller filtered through Death Wish, a Nancy Drew type suspects her stepfather is up to no good. And when her suspicions are proven right, she and her mother have to fight for their lives.

Scream for Help had the makings of a standard ’80s teen-slasher, but this turned out to be more like an “afterschool special meets home invasion” flick. And a hilarious one at that. It was likely not Michael Winner’s intention for this film to be so laugh-a-minute — star Lolita Lorre, bless her heart, has the funniest deliveries — however, trying to keep a straight face during his cinematic hot mess is impossible. Tom Holland‘s script was straight up murdered. Still and all, this is an entertaining disasterpiece that would have been an entirely different film had the original director, Richard Franklin, stayed on (rather than going off to direct Link).

The HD restoration of Scream for Help is available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory, but the digital version is standard-def.


Penumbra (2012)

Pictured: Penumbra (2012)

Directed by Ramiro García Bogliano & Adrián García Bogliano.

While it’s advised not to stare at the sun during the solar eclipse on April 8, fans of satirical horror are encouraged to give Penumbra, an Argentinian-Mexican film featuring an imminent solar eclipse, a watch. The unsubtle artwork suggests a straightforward survival story, however, the actual product is quite different and twisty. Cristina Brondo plays a prickly businesswoman who may have made her last sale; her new client has ulterior motives.

Surely some viewers will be put off by the protagonist of Penumbra, whose behavior in anticipation of the ominous eclipse is problematic. Yet, strangely enough, her being an imperfect victim adds something to the film, whereas a more pristine character would have made the whole experience less gripping.

Penumbra is currently available on AMC+.


Strange Nature (2018)

Pictured: Strange Nature (2018)

Directed by James Ojala.

For a less known eco-horror film to watch this Earth Day (April 22), Strange Nature tells its story with both urgency and force. Here, the late Lisa Sheridan (of FreakyLinks) played a struggling single mother looking into a local anomaly: mutated frogs. Soon enough, the cause of this abnormality extends beyond the water and creates other threats for the town’s human residents.

This truly indie production has its obvious limitations, yet the story — one based on a real life incident in Minnesota — and characters compensate for any visual flaws. The practical effects for the mutant beast are also admirable, given the meager resources available.

Strange Nature is currently streaming on Tubi.


No genre is as prolific as horror, so it’s understandable that movies fall through the cracks all the time. That is where this recurring column, Deep Cuts Rising, comes in. Each installment of this series will spotlight several unsung or obscure movies from the past — some from way back when, and others from not so long ago — that could use more attention.

Continue Reading