Quick Reviews: The Evil Dead (1981)

Acceptance is a key part of the grieving process.  To help me with that, let me look back at how the whole Series got started...

Way back in 1981, Ashley and his friends go to a Cabin in the Woods.  What could go wrong?

Just imagine if this was set at any place but a Cabin.  How different would Films be now?

After lots of tension and establishing of Tropes that would be copied for Decades, his Sister has a, let's just call it bad, experience in the surrounding Woods.

The titular force then spreads slowly like a disease, mutating and corrupting all of those around him.

Things get freaky as the night goes on.  That's not even counting the transformations that came from all of the Reshoots!

While even the most casual fan must know what generally happens in the Film, here's a reminder of what isn't in *this* Film...

- No Chainsaw kills
- Ash's hands stay intact.
- No 'groovy.'
- No use of the word 'boom stick.'

Can Ash survive?  Will he be remotely the same person?  Can people stop thinking that Evil Dead II is a Remake?

To find out the answer to at least one of those questions, see the Film.  Do it already!

What else is there to say?  Raimi and company put themselves through hell to make a great, over-the-top Film for us all to enjoy?  In the 37 years since, there have been countless Sequels, rip-offs, spin-offs and marketing gimmicks.  As pure Horror, the original Evil Dead is hard to top.  Ash is a strong Hero that has to constantly deal with loss and find ways to overcome it.  He's a Hero.  Even after all of this time, the Film is still very effective at everything it tries to be.  The overdose of blood and guts is still shocking, but in a palatable way.  The sheer Horror of having friends and family turn into murderous monsters still works.  While some of the make-up work- mostly the stop-motion- can be dated, they clearly knew how to shoot what they could.  I know that it was hell to get right, but it was worth it.  For a Film that is literally older than me, it doesn't look that dated.  That is just part of what makes it a Classic.  If you haven't seen this yet, do it already.  If you're worried that it won't hold up, don't.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see a man about trying some new facial products.  He says that they work wonders...

Classic Films never stop being Classics.  Need I say more?  Oh right- groovy.