I find myself loving my personal pick for the greatest horror movie ever, 1981’s The Evil Dead, more and more each time that I watch it. The same goes for the sequels (Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness) and soft reboot from 2013, which I do not really view as a pure remake, but would count as one of the best horror movie remakes if I did. I also find myself noticing something new about this saga of intensely gory and often morbidly funny tales of demonic possession with each viewing, too.
My most recent rewatch of the first four Evil Dead movies in preparation for the quickly approaching fifth installment, Evil Dead Rise — the one upcoming horror movie I am anticipating the absolute most — was certainly no exception. So, how about you primitive screwheads take a moment to read through this breakdown of the groovy things that popped out at me as I revisited one of the greatest horror movie franchises ever? Let’s start at the beginning.
THE EVIL DEAD (1981)
There’s A Lot Of Chilling Foreshadowing
Some might be quick to write off The Evil Dead as just anther cabin in the woods thriller, but a deeper analysis of the scary, seminal classic reveals just how complex writer and director Sam Raimi’s screenplay truly is. Take, for example, the film’s clever use of foreshadowing — an element of the storytelling that I hate to admit did not dawn on me until this most recent rewatch. I love the way the film hints at Cheryl Williams’ (Ellen Sandweiss) eventual fate when she sees the cellar door opening and closing on its own early on, or when her brother, Ash (Bruce Campbell in the role that made him a great horror movie icon), finds a drawing in the Necronomicon that resembles the book when it “comes to life” near the end.
Being A Deadite Apparently Lowers Your Blood Viscosity
It is not that I never really noticed how blood pours out of a possessed Scotty’s (Richard DeManincor, credited as Hal Delrich) stomach wound like a faucet until now. However, this was the first time I really paid any mind to it. I guess I was just mesmerized by the image of blood that bears a resemblance to cherry Kool-Aid instead of dyed corn syrup and I think I appreciate the uniqueness of it more now than ever, even if the blood looks more medically accurate in the rest of the franchise.
The Arms Coming Out Of Cheryl And Scotty's Corpses Belong To Their Possessors
Another shot from the visceral final sequence of The Evil Dead that has never failed to mesmerize me is when arms explosively protrude from Cheryl and Scotty’s defeated Deadite selves. For years, I just chalked this up to being yet another reflection of Raimi’s otherworldly visual talents, but it occurred to me on this rewatch that these are demon arms and, specifically, that of the demons who possessed Ash’s friends. Have you ever seen anything so terrifyingly bizarre in a supernatural horror movie dealing with demonic possession like, say, The Exorcist? I think not.
EVIL DEAD II (1987)
Wait, Do Ed And Ash Have The Same Car?
Among the many iconic props from the Evil Dead franchise, one of the most recognizable is Ash’s cream-colored 1973 Delta 88 Oldsmobile, which -- as ScreenRant points out -- has made a lot of appearances in other movies. If I’m not mistaken, in 1987’s Evil Dead II — arguably the greatest horror-comedy movie ever made — Ed Getley (Richard Domeier) arrives to pick up Annie Knowby (Sarah Berry) from the airport in the exact same vehicle. While I could not find any confirmation on this, considering how that car is not just a staple of this series, but of Sam Raimi's entire filmography, I would not be surprised if it was reused for another character in the same movie.
I Think I Spotted A Poltergeist Reference
The reason that Evil Dead II is regarded as such a refreshingly unique moment in not just the franchise, but of the horror genre as a whole, is the dazzling visuals that are both nightmarish and deliciously silly — such as the sight of Ash almost getting eaten by a possessed tree near the end. Say, is it just me or does that scene bear a striking resemblance to a famous moment the classic haunted house movie, Poltergeist, which came out five years earlier? At least we can say that the possessed tree scene here is much funnier than the one in Poltergeist.
ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992)
Ash's Gray Hair Spot Has Magically Disappeared
Army of the Darkness is very different from the rest of the franchise — mostly for its adoption of medieval fantasy elements in lieu of straightforward horror, but also the way it slightly retcons the events of the saga. Among the least obvious examples is how, at the end of Evil Dead II, a patch of gray suddenly sprouts on Ash’s jet-black hair, but when the third installment (and immediate continuation of the last film) begins, the gray streak is gone. I don’t know if this goof has something to do with the change in studio (Universal), was a request by Campbell, or was just a simple oversight, but a part of me kind of wishes the streak remained a staple of the franchise from that point on.
The Pit Scene Feels A Lot Like Star Wars
It appears to me that Poltergeist is not the only classic ‘80s movie that may have had an effect on some of the Evil Dead franchises’ most memorable moments. I mean, I cannot be the only one who watched Ash’s fight with the “Pit Bitch” and was prompted with flashbacks to Luke Skywalker’s quarrel with the Rancor in Jabba the Hut’s pit in Return of the Jedi, right? It makes me wonder how many other references to the Star Wars franchise might be hiding in the Evil Dead movies that I missed.
Evil Ash Howls A Lot Like Deadite Cheryl
The blood-curdling screech that the possessed Cheryl howls from within the cellar in The Evil Dead is a sound I could never forget. Thus, I am shocked that it took me until now to notice that Evil Ash’s scream (when the real Ash begins sawing him to pieces) is nearly identical. Of course, Cheryl’s howl is something I look forward to each time I rewatch the original movie, so it was certainly pleasant to hear it again in Army of Darkness.
EVIL DEAD (2013)
Mia Wears A Michigan State T-Shirt, Just Like Linda In The Originals
One of the most well-known facts about Ash’s girlfriend, Linda (played by Betsy Baker in the original, Denise Bixler in the sequel, and Bridget Fonda in AOD) is that she (along with the rest of the characters, most likely) is a student of Michigan State University. It appears that Mia (played by Jane Levy in 2013’s Evil Dead) is a veteran of the same alma mater, as evident by the T-Shirt she wears at the beginning.
Mia Finds Her Necklace Chain In The Same Skull-Shape Placement As Ash
Of course, co-writer and director Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead is chock-full of references to the original films, but another one that slipped past me until now occurs when Mia finds the necklace given to her by her brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), with the chain forming the shape of a skull. In Evil Dead II, right before he is miraculously cured of Deaditism, Ash finds the magnifying glass necklace he gave Linda in the exact same shape.
I have no doubt there are plenty of fun details I missed on this rewatch. Luckily, I’m sure I’ll be able to catch them on the next inevitable marathon — which will likely include Evil Dead Rise, based on the positive early reactions to it — because I never tire of watching them. That is why the Evil Dead movies make up the greatest horror franchise of all time, in my opinion.
