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- Rated: Not Rated
- Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly, Ted Raimi
- Writer: Sam Raimi
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Distributor: Anchor Bay
- Original Year of Release: 1983 (film), 2007 (DVD)
- Extras: (Disc One) WS, One By One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga Of THE EVIL DEAD (NEW). Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Sam Raimi and Producer Robert Tapert. (Disc Two) Full-Frame Presentation (long awaited). THE EVIL DEAD: Treasures From The Cutting Room Floor (NEW). Audio Commentary with Star Bruce Campbell. (Disc Three) Life After Death: The Ladies Of THE EVIL DEAD (NEW). The Ladies Of THE EVIL DEAD Meet Bruce Campbell (NEW). Discovering THE EVIL DEAD Unconventional (NEW). At The Drive-In (NEW). Reunion Panel (NEW). Make-Up Test. Trailer. TV Spots. Still Gallery. Poster & Memorabilia Gallery.
THE EVIL DEAD: Ultimate Edition (3 Discs)
By
Robert T. Trate
December 19, 2007
THE EVIL DEAD: Ultimate Edition (3 Discs)
© Anchor Bay
Yes, another edition of The Evil Dead on DVD. This time Anchor Bay is releasing the “Ultimate Edition”. Now many of you, like me, have the “Special Edition” (circa 1999) or the “Book Of The Dead Limited Edition” (2002). Which ever version you possess of Sam Raimi’s classic, low budget, raw, relentless horror classic you don’t have what might now be the definitive edition of ‘The Evil Dead’.
Many years ago, I was at home watching “Up all Night” with Rhonda on the USA network. She was a comedian who hosted horror films after midnight. Think a blonde version of Elvira without all the Goth. The film that night was ‘Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn’, a sequel to a movie I had never heard of. I don’t usually watch sequels first but since I didn’t know it at the time I just kept watching. The scene was when Ash (Bruce Campbell) was being taunted by all the inanimate objects in the cabin. It was bizarre, strange and it had me totally hooked. The next day at school I sat around and talked with the guys at lunch about the movie. Oddly enough two of the other guys watched the exact same movie at the exact same time. The discussion solidified our relationship as friends and created a baptism of fire for anyone who would enter our circle of friends.
Soon it became a quest to find the original ‘The Evil Dead’. Shortly we found a spliced VHS copy at the old ratty video store and watched it. The film was not nearly as funny as its sequel. It was actually scary. The horror got under your skin and made it crawl. Then, an interesting question came up: why would Ash take another girl back to the same cabin? The reason why has never really been explained in the “story” of Ash and his battle against the evil dead. Financially and legally the reasons have been licensing rights. However, when it comes to ‘The Evil Dead’ films you either have to go with it or watch something else. These films, especially the first, are not for the meek. They are a brutal attack on your senses that often rub your funny bone as you pull back screaming.
For me to critique ‘The Evil Dead’, the film, would be ridiculous. This is, after all, ‘The Evil Dead’, a film that many hold in high regard and the benchmark to which many, if not all, low budget horror films are compared to. Unsuspecting teens releasing demons and slowly falling one by one until our hero must emerge and fight his now possessed friends. The male protagonist was disappearing in the genre and has never really been a staple of the genre since horror’s early days. What makes ‘The Evil Dead’ so appealing is that our hero, Ash, is a likable guy who is never too macho or dorky. He’s just in this unbelievable situation and he must overcome the gauntlet of terror both physically (the demons) and emotionally (hacking up his now possessed friends to save his own ass). The film is still fun after 25 years and people are still discovering it and baptizing each other every day. If you love horror this is the film to start with. Nothing else will ever come close.
What’s the same?
The commentary tracks on both versions (widescreen and the long awaited full screen) are exactly the same as the “Special Edition” commentaries. Though hearing Bruce Campbell comment on the film again was like sitting there with your big brother who is pointing all the flaws and hilarious circumstances right before they occur. Still golden and a lot of fun to listen to. The trailers, TV spots and the gallery are all the same. So nothing new there but what more could be added after 25 years?
What’s new?
“Life After Death: The Ladies of the Evil Dead” is a much needed breath of fresh air to the extras of any ‘Evil Dead’ DVD. The perspective of someone other than the “guys” who made the film is refreshing. Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly have now gone out on the convention circuit to meet the fans and speak about the film. Many of their stories repeat over the new bonus features but it seems as if Anchor Bay recorded a lot of these interviews during the same convention. What’s fascinating is how they change from Soccer Moms during the week to Scream Queens on the weekends. This short documentary is both fun and interesting when the ladies look at it from the perspective that they never even thought the film was going to be released. It is when they hob knob with Alice Cooper (a big fan of the film) and look at themselves as tattoos on peoples bodies they realize they are apart of something much bigger than they ever though possible. Quickly realizing that the horror and physical torture of those six weeks in Tennessee was indeed all worth it.
“The Ladies of the Evil Dead meet Bruce Campbell” is a conversation where the ladies sit and chat with Bruce and discuss the injuries, the make up and the tell tale signs of whether the moonshine is good or not. Bouncing the stories off one another created an atmosphere better than a commentary track (though a ladies commentary track would have been nice). Stories would grow and change and each person had perspective on a particular moment. This was phenomenal in understanding the hell they went through for little or no money all to make one man’s vision.
“Discovering the Evil Dead Unconventional”, “At The Drive-In” and “Reunion Panel” also features Ted Raimi. Anyone can quickly tell how Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi are pros at working the crowd and opening people up about talking to them and about the movie. These guys are real entertainers and always are ready to one up the other as the questions start flying. Any virgin convention attendee should watch “Unconventional” to get a quick do’s and don’ts list. Actually, anyone who has been to a convention should watch it; it is not only funny but educational too.
“One By One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga of The Evil Dead” an almost hour long documentary that has great insight from many of the crew but lacks one important person, Sam Raimi. Yes, I know the guy is busy, but it is the 25th anniversary. Even though the documentary is loaded with awesome outtakes, clap board moments, run on scenes and Sam popping his extremely young face onto the screen the documentary needs him. Then again, Anchor Bay maybe prepping the 30th Anniversary already.
What’s missing?
Sadly, ‘With in the Woods’ (1978), the original film Raimi and Campbell made to raise money to make “The Evil Dead”, is still nowhere to be found. Campbell comments about it on the DVD and says that it will never happen (he doesn’t appear to be joking either). A more recent commentary track from Raimi would have been nice as well, but perhaps, an “influenced director” commentary track by Eli Roth or Edgar Wright (who both appear on the documentary) would give us a directors/ fan boy perspective on the film. All in all this is the best (to date) DVD treatment for this classic horror film.
You probably already have a copy sitting around somewhere of one of the many incarnations of ‘The Evil Dead’ on DVD. You don’t have this one. You need this one. It is a new benchmark for horror film DVDs just like this film is the benchmark for all modern day horror films.
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