The Evil Dead (1981) ****1/2
Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead (1981) is full of flaws, cheap sets, bad makeup, and more, but it's so inventive, so unique, and so steeped in low budget charm that none of that matters.
The one and only Bruce Campbell was still finding his footing here in his commercial debut, but he left his mark as Ashley Williams—put through the wringer, smashed, beaten up, splattered with guts, dumped with buckets of blood, and tormented by the titular forces, all to Raimi's delight.
The young director infused his debut film with energetic gusto, extreme dutch angles, and insane POV shaky cam, in the process making one of the most influential independent horror films and one of the most beloved cult films ever made. It's one of my Top 100 Films—I've seen it dozens of times and it never fails to impress me every time I watch it (this time with an audience, which made it a different kind of fun).
The one and only Bruce Campbell was still finding his footing here in his commercial debut, but he left his mark as Ashley Williams—put through the wringer, smashed, beaten up, splattered with guts, dumped with buckets of blood, and tormented by the titular forces, all to Raimi's delight.
The young director infused his debut film with energetic gusto, extreme dutch angles, and insane POV shaky cam, in the process making one of the most influential independent horror films and one of the most beloved cult films ever made. It's one of my Top 100 Films—I've seen it dozens of times and it never fails to impress me every time I watch it (this time with an audience, which made it a different kind of fun).
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