Plot: What’s it about?
Five friends. One cabin. Acres of wooded land. One tape recorder. These elements are the core of this storyline. Five friends take a little time away from the hustle and bustle of life to relax for the weekend in a remote cabin. The cabin is located deep within the woods, and is as spooky as they come. One of the friends finds a tape recording machine, and curiosity forces them to listen to the message on the reels. What they hear is the voice of a man who believes he has located the book of the dead, also known as The Necronomicon. The voice on the recorder proceeds to read passages and incantations from the book, which seems harmless to the group. But in truth, the reading of the passages alone is enough to awaken the evil that permeates the forest around the cabin. This is where things begin to turn sour, and the vacation becomes more of a battle for survival for the friends. One by one, the evil overtakes the friends, until only Ash (Bruce Campbell) is remaining. With time running out on him and the evil closing in, can Ash manage to survive the onslaught and escape?
The Evil Dead, the first movie in the classic Evil Dead trilogy, which is one my favorite series in all of movies. While there was a plethora of low budget horror movies in the late 70s and early 80s, this is one of the few that left a permanent mark. When you discuss cult classics, this is a film that is bound to find its way into the conversation. Despite the lack of funds, the movie manages to pack a mean punch, delivering large doses of gore, thrills, and humor. The last of those elements is what really sets this movie above others in the genre, as The Evil Dead is able to use humorous bits well, while the attempts from other horror movies seem to fall flat most of the time. Sure, the comedy is cheesy, but it’s hilarious, and that is what matters, right? While not as polished as the two follow up films, this movie has everything it needs to provide top notch horror/comedy entertainment. This movie has a steady flow of blood and gore, so be prepared if you’re of weak stomach. Anchor Bay has issued countless versions of The Evil Dead, but now we have the film in glorious high definition
Video: How does it look?
The Evil Dead is presented in both the original full frame version and a director approved 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen edition. This is not the same widescreen presentation from previous releases, instead this was supervised by Sam Raimi to ensure the shots were framed according to his intentions. I know most fans regard the full frame version as their choice, but at least now we can see the film as Raimi wanted. The option is there to choose whichever one you prefer, which is always great. As far as quality, the movie looks excellent and should thrill fans. The improvements are not minor ones either, this is a massive upgrade over current home video editions, without a doubt.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound design is one of this film’s most memorable elements, so I was glad to find a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option included. The audio is impressive, with excellent presence and no errors whatsoever. Fans will love how much more immersive and effective the audio is here, which is remarkable, since the film’s sound has always been memorable. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The lone new supplement is a new commentary with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell. This track is more focused than the others I’ve heard for this movie, which leads to more overall information. That means less humor, but the session is still fun and quite insightful. The rest of the extras aren’t new, but still nice to have and are included on a bonus DVD. One by One We Will Take You runs just under an hour and is a more than solid retrospective look at the production. The usual production issues are covered, from conception to completion, but there are a lot of humorous stories, so this is never a dull affair. You’ll hear from those involved in the production, as well as those influenced by it, which provides some great perspective. Also here is Treasures from the Cutting Room Floor, with an hour of assorted footage, but the presentation is so basic, its hard to follow. If this had even brief introductions here and there, the footage could have meant more, but even as is, fans are going to find some good stuff here. We also have a thirteen minute retrospective featurette titled Discovering Evil Dead. Also here is The Ladies of the Evil Dead, which is just what it sounds like, while Bruce Campbell Meets the Ladies of Evil Dead is again, just what the title implies. The Q&A session and reunion panel from Flashback 2005 are here too, as well as television spots, a makeup test, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
