The Evil Dead (1981)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writer:

Sam Raimi (written by)

Release Date:

15 April 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Can They Be Stopped?

Plot:

Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.

Plot Keywords:

Isolation | Female Nudity | Melting Face | Scary | Ancient Book

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Campbell	...	Ashley 'Ash' J. Williams
Ellen Sandweiss	...	Cheryl
Richard DeManincor	...	Scott (as Hal Delrich)
Betsy Baker	...	Linda
Theresa Tilly	...	Shelly (as Sarah York)
Philip A. Gillis	...	Fake Shemp (as Phil Gillis)
Dorothy Tapert	...	Fake Shemp
Cheryl Guttridge	...	Fake Shemp
Barbara Carey	...	Fake Shemp
David Horton	...	Fake Shemp
Wendall Thomas	...	Fake Shemp
Don Long	...	Fake Shemp
Stu Smith	...	Fake Shemp
Kurt Rauf	...	Fake Shemp
Ted Raimi	...	Fake Shemp

Also Known As:

Book of the Dead (USA) (première title)
Into the Woods (USA) (working title)
Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead (USA) (complete title)
The Evil Dead, the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Horror (USA) (closing credits title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for substantial graphic horror violence and gore.

Runtime:

85 min | Germany:70 min (FSK 16 version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Malaysia:(Banned) | Chile:14 (2006 DVD Rating) | Germany:18 (re-rating) (1995) (court decision) (cut) | Canada:18A (Ontario) (Re-rated 2008) | Canada:14A (rated 2006) | Argentina:16 | UK:X (original rating: 1982) (cut) | Germany:16 (heavily cut) | UK:18 (re-rating: 1990) (cut) (re-rating: 2001) (uncut) | Sweden:15 (original rating, cut version) | Germany:18 (JK/SPIO) (uncut) (2001) | Netherlands:16 | UK:(Banned) (1984-1990) | USA:R (edited UMD version) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1990) | USA:X (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2002) | Italy:VM14 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | West Germany:(Banned) (1984) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Québec) | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Portugal:M/16 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/18 (original rating) | Singapore:(Banned) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:NC-17 (rated 1994)

Filming Locations:

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Company:

Renaissance Pictures

Trivia:

The magnifying glass necklace was originally intended to be a plot point by focusing the sunlight to burn the Book of the Dead, but it was decided after shooting began that this wasn't going to work, so its actual use in the film was a desperate attempt to keep it relevant since so much film time had been spent on it already.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Scotty first enters the cabin, it is clearly dark out, despite it being daylight outside when he approached the house.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Scotty: Hey, Ash, where are we?
Ash: Well we just crossed the Tennessee border...

Movie Connections:

Featured in X-rated (2004) (TV)

An indisputable horror classic, still as fresh and frightening as the day it was made.

Sam Raimi is currently getting a lot of attention and acclaim for directing the over-hyped blockbuster 'Spider-Man'. That movie has introduced him to mainstream filmgoers, no bad thing in itself, but to many of us Raimi is already a legend, because he created 'The Evil Dead', without a doubt one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Made on a shoe string budget as a labour of love, it still remains Raimi's best movie. He has subsequently worked on bigger projects with bigger names but it is arguable whether he has ever surpassed the invention, thrills, energy and sheer fun of this. And why Bruce Campbell never became a genuine movie star after his debut here, and not just a much loved cult figure, is a complete mystery to me. 'The Evil Dead' is a modern horror classic and absolutely ESSENTIAL viewing for any self-respecting movie buff! It doesn't get much better than this!