The Evil Dead (1981) and Evil Dead II (1987) by Sam Raimi

[cranefly]

At risk of being expelled from Doom, I’ll admit to not having seen either of these. Evil Dead II was on the 366weirdmovies list, and it seemed wrong to watch it without checking out The Evil Dead, so I watched them both. Lady Cranefly chose to watch as well.

Both are fraught with horror clichés (a small group of people get trapped in the woods; the moment there is sex, the killing starts; people wander off by themselves for no good reason; the demons keep coming back after being killed). Then again, this was the '80s, and these were likely early entries into these tropes. Also, there’s a lot of inventiveness and inspired twists. Bruce Campbell is brilliant. He put his heart and soul into these movies. Evil Dead II is his tour de force. He’s totally manic; his body language, expressions, pratfalls (cringe-worthy!) and comedic timing are masterful. It’s almost exhausting to watch. I can’t recall another horror movie that sets itself up so fast and then has unrelenting horror.

Actually, Evil Dead II and Bubba Ho-Tep would make a great double feature, showing Bruce Campbell at his most manic and most reflective and subdued.

[Drunk Monk]

Back when ED and I were working at the now legendary and demolished MQ6, we found ourselves constantly loitering in the theater when this film played. There, in the dark, giggling at the line "I'm okay Ash, open the door" we met another like-minded teenager and a bond was formed.

That teen grew up to be LB.

[thatguy]

CF: You might add "My Name Is Bruce" to your list. It's not great by any means, but fun...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Lucy Lawless Joins Starz’ Ash vs. Evil Dead!
Ash vs. Evil Dead Evil Dead Lucy Lawless
By Silas Lesnick ON
March 9, 2015


Lucy Lawless

Starz has announced today that Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) will play the role of Ruby in the network’s upcoming original series “Ash vs Evil Dead.” The series is the long-awaited follow-up to the classic The Evil Dead horror film franchise and is set to film on location in New Zealand this spring and premiere on Starz in late 2015.

Ruby is a mysterious figure who is myopic in her quest to hunt down the source of the recent Evil outbreaks. The only problem: she believes that Ash (Bruce Campbell) is the cause of it all.

The casting reteams Lawless with executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert whom she worked with when she starred in the television series “Xena: Warrior Princess” and “Spartacus.” Also married to the latter, Lawless appeared in both men’s feature films, including Raimi’s Spider Man and Tapert’s Boogeyman. She can also be seen coming up on the second season of WGN America’s “Salem.”

In addition to Campbell, Lawless will also join previously-announced cast members Ray Santiago (Pablo Simon Bolivar), Dana DeLorenzo (Kelly Maxwell) and Jill Marie Jones (Amanda Fisher).

The Starz Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead” will consist of 10 half-hour episodes. Campbell will be reprising his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons –personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.

Raimi will direct the first episode of “Ash vs Evil Dead” that he wrote with Ivan Raimi (Darkman, Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) and Tom Spezialy (“Chuck,” “Reaper,” “Desperate Housewives”). Raimi will also serve as executive producer, along with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus”) and Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who will serve as executive producer/showrunner. Ivan Raimi will co-executive produce and Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) will serve as producer.

(Photo Credit: Brian To / WENN.com)

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[King Bob]

I saw Evil Dead I at the MQ 6, expecting their usual crappy/funny horror (like The Brood with Oliver Reed for example). I was totally blown away by how great it was. I didn't see the next one until years later on cable, but for me it didn't have quite the edge of the first one, although that may have just been my expectations.