30 Years of the Evil Dead

It’s been thirty years since Sam Rami’s cult classic “The Evil Dead” was unleashed onto the movie-going public. Since then, there have been sequels, comics, and even a musicals produced. What made this quirky 1981 low budget horror film a classic? Was it the memorable death scenes, the infamous “tree” scene, or maybe it was Bruce Campbell’s crazy, often maniacal facial expressions? Whatever the case, “The Evil Dead” has held a special place in horror fan’s hearts for thirty years now.

Within the Woods

In 1978, Sam Raimi created a movie for $1,600 called Within the Woods. The thirty-minute film starred Evil Dead actors Ellen Sandweiss and Bruce Campbell and was created to sell investors on the idea of Evil Dead.

The story begins with Bruce and Ellen going on a picnic together. While walking towards the field where they are going to have the picnic, Bruce tells Ellen that the place they are staying "used to be part of an old Indian burial ground" and it was "very sacred and holy." She nervously asks him if it was cursed, but Bruce assures her that it will be fine because according to Bruce, "you're only cursed by the evil spirits if you violate the graves of the dead" and that they were only going to have a picnic.

Bruce mistakenly digs up an old cross and an Indian ceremonial dagger, presumably belonging to a medicine man. An evil force awakens and causes Bruce to become possessed, turning him into a zombie-like creature. Ellen and the rest of the friends must band together to try and survive being massacred.

The film was shown as a double billing with The Rocky Horror Picture Show at a Detroit Cinema in 1979.

The Evil Dead

Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell collected around $375,000 after showing their demo reel of Within the Woods to investors. The cast and crew then headed to Morristown, Tennessee, to shoot The Evil Dead.

The film centers around a group of college friends (Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, Ellen Sandweiss as Cheryl Williams, Betsy Baker as Linda, Theresa Tilly as Shelly, and Richard Demanicor as Scott) on a weekend retreat in the woods. Fun and hi-jinks soon takes a turn into blood and gore, when the five find a recorder and “The Book of the Dead.”

The college friends play the tape recorder and unwittingly resurrect demons. A short while later, Cheryl is lured into the forest where she is brutally raped by demonic trees. Cheryl fights for her life and returns to the cabin letting the rest of friends know what happened to her. Cheryl eventually convinces Ash to drive her to a nearby town. As the two head toward town, they find the bridge destroyed and they are now trapped, forced to head back to the cabin.

The evil force once again targets Cheryl as she becomes possessed and stabs Linda in the ankle with a pencil. Cheryl is then subdued by Scotty, thanks to the blunt end of the axe, and thrown in the cellar.

Shelly is the next target for the evil force. While changing in her room she becomes possessed and attacks Scotty. What follows is a spectacularly gory scene as Scotty chops Shelly up as blood is now all over the cabin. Scotty then talks Ash into helping him bury Shelly outside. After the burial, Scotty leaves to look for a way out of these haunted woods.

Ash returns to the cabin to check on Linda and finds her possessed by the evil force. Shortly thereafter a bloody Scotty returns saying that he has found a way to get out of the woods. A few moments later Scotty dies, leaving Ash alone with Linda. A battle ensues between the lovebirds as Ash stabs Linda in the chest.

Ash contemplates cutting Linda’s body with a chainsaw but he can’t bring himself to do the deed. In lieu of dismemberment, Ash digs a grave for Linda. In classic horror fashion, Linda jumps up and returns to battle with Ash. Ash grabs the shovel and takes off Linda’s head.

Ash returns to the cabin seeking sanctuary and finds the cellar door open. Ash looks for his sister in the basement and comes across a shotgun. Ash grabs the gun and continues to search for Cheryl. Upstairs in the cabin Ash searches all the rooms. Eventually he finds his sister as she jumps through a window at him only to be shot in the chest!

The wild finale sees Ash barricading himself in the cabin as Cheryl continues her assault. Scotty returns as a deadite and is added to the fray. Once again Ash shoots Cheryl and then turns his attention to Scotty. The fingers of Ash poke into and gouge out Scotty’s eyes.

Ash throws the Book of the Dead into the fireplace as the bodies of Cheryl and Scotty become inanimate and fall apart over the course of several minutes just as dawn breaks, leaving Ash as the only survivor.

He heads outside and stands in front of the cabin for a moment, thinking he has survived the ordeal, an unseen evil speeds through the forest, breaks its way through the cabin doors, and descends upon Ash, who turns around and screams in terror as the film ends.

Simply put, The Evil Dead is a horror classic. This low budget movie combined comedy, gore, special effects, and true horror.

Did You Know?

Evil Dead is one of the many movies that have a bunch of those “Did you know” facts tied to it. Here are a few of our favorites:

Because of its graphic violence and terror, the original version of the movie was banned in several countries, including Finland, Germany and Ireland.

A poster for “The Hills Have Eyes” appears in the cellar scene when the college students find the "Book of the Dead".

The voice of the professor on the tape recording is that of American Movie Classics host Bob Dorian.

Was one of the first films to be labeled as a "Video Nasty" in the UK.

After completing principal photography, most of the actors left the production. However, there was still much of the film to be completed. Most of the second half of the film features Bruce Campbell and various stand-ins (or "shemps") to replace the actors who left.

Creamed corn dyed green was used as zombie guts.

Interviews with cast members:

We recently had a chance to catch up with a few of those involved in The Evil Dead movie.

The Evil Dead interview with Theresa Tilly

The Evil Dead interview with Betsy Baker

The Evil Dead interview with Ellen Sandweiss

The Evil Dead interview with Tom Sullivan

Prizes:

Evil Dead fans win these cool Evil Dead sketches by professional comic artist, Ken Haeser.

How do you win one these cool prizes? Simply comment on the interviews/feature on the forum and you will be automatically entered to win.