Search - The Evil Dead [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Not For Children, Adult Language, Gore Movie Release: 1983 DVD Release: 03/30/1999 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan Edition: Dual Layered,Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 25 mins Studio: Elite Members Wishing: 21 Genres: Horror, Haunted House Film, Supernatural Horror See Also: The Evil Dead [Collector's Edition], The Evil Dead [Book of the Dead Edition], The Evil Dead [Widescreen], The Evil Dead [UMD for PSP], Evil Dead: Anniversary Edition, The Evil Dead

This auspicious feature debut from Sam Raimi -- shot on 16mm in the woods of Tennesse for around $350,000 -- secured the young director's cult status as a creative force to be reckoned with. The nominal plot involves five vacationing college kids -- Ash (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker), and their classmates Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), Scott (Hal Delrich) and Shelly (Sarah York) -- making an unplanned stopover in an abandoned mountain cabin surrounded by impenetrable woods. Before settling in for the night, they come across an ancient-looking occult tome filled with dense hieroglyphics and macabre illustrations, a dagger fashioned from human bones, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder. The taped message, dictated by a professor of archaeology, describes the contents of the Sumerian "Book of the Dead," filled with incantations used to bring otherworldly demons to life, giving them license to possess the living. The message goes on to explain that those possessed by these demons can only be stopped by total bodily dismemberment. When played among the group later that evening, the professor's recorded translations of the ritual chants traumatize the strangely prescient Shelly ... and simultaneously release an ominous presence from the depths of the forest. The evil spirits take to their dirty work with gusto, first assuming control of Shelly and transforming her into a cackling, murderous hag with superhuman strength; the others imprison her in the fruit cellar and chain the trapdoor shut. The spirits then begin to possess the other women, including Linda -- who immediately turns on Ash with a barrage of punches and sadistic taunts. Unable to bring himself to chop up his lover's corpse, Ash gives her a more customary burial in the woods -- which proves to be a big mistake. As the others succumb to demonic influence, Ash's horrific predicament becomes increasingly grim until, when all hope seems lost, he stumbles upon a final, desperate solution to the ghoulish onslaught ... well, maybe not. Despite the shoestring production values, Raimi has fashioned a tight, lightning-paced fever dream of a movie, filled with operatic overacting and outrageously gory effects that give the project a comic-book feel. Based on an earlier 8mm short titled Within the Woods, this feature version was fraught with distribution difficulties before finding its first audience overseas. After considerable word of mouth (and a glowing endorsement from horror author Stephen King), the film became a hit on home video, where it achieved further notoriety thanks to its highly-publicized banning in Britain amid the notorious "Video Nasties" censorship campaign. Raimi, along with producer Robert Tapert, writer Scott Spiegel and much of the same crew, cranked up the story's comic aspects several dozen notches for the rollicking semi-remake, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Bruce Campbell - Ashley J. "Ash" Williams
Ellen Sandweiss - Cheryl
Betsy Baker - Linda
Hal Delrich - Scott
Sarah York - Shelly

Made on a shoestring budget, yet displaying a technical skill and storytelling creativity lacking in many other low-budget efforts, Sam Raimi's 1982 cult horror classic The Evil Dead is given the four-star treatment by Elite Entertainment. The movie has never looked as good as it does on this DVD. Though its low-budget origins are inescapable, the picture and sound have been spruced up and digitally remastered, supervised by director Raimi. The picture is remarkably crisp and sharp, and the soundtrack has been given a major boost by being remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1. But if that's too much evil to take, the remixed 2.0 stereo soundtrack should do just fine. The disc also includes two commentary tracks -- one with director/writer Raimi and producer Rob Tapert, and one with star Bruce Campbell. Both tracks are excellent and very funny. Raimi and Tapert's track, though filled with a fair share of amusing anecdotes and asides, tends to be more production-oriented, giving the viewer a good overview of the movie's history. Campbell's track, though sprinkled with a few production details, is more like a version of Mystery Science Theatre. And thanks to Campbell's track, the viewer can now find out why the character of Ash can't seem to disentangle himself from the many bookshelves that keep falling on top of him! The DVD also includes the theatrical trailer, a lengthy still gallery, and 18 minutes of alternate takes and bonus footage, which is quite amusing to watch even for those who aren't Evil Dead completists. Liner notes by Campbell are included as well. ~ Derek Hill, All Movie Guide