I need for someone to explain the greatness of "Evil Dead" to me...

General Zod

Ruler of Australia
May 1, 2001
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OK... so after a brief discussion on horror movies yesterday, in which a number of posters listed "Evil Dead" among their Top 5 horror movies of all-time, I decided to rent it. I'm pretty sure I saw it years ago, but I couldn't quite recall. Anyway, this was the dumbest, worst acted, worst written, most ill-conceived film I've ever seen. It's not as if this movie is the slightest bit frightening, and the gore isn't actually gory, it's just silly. So why the love?

By the way, why do evil Aztec spirits force people to wear bad wigs?

Zod
 
You suck! (at liking movies)

Evil Dead rulez. Ok, in seriousness, it was the first real GORY zombie flick, it had (for the time) really great special effects, it was scary as shit, and helped create and enhance (IMO, of course) an entire genre of horror movies.

Sure 30 years later it comes off as cheesy and contrived, but you gotta try to keep in mind that it's pretty dated.
 
I can see where Zod is coming from, since I didn't think t was really a monumental movie. It was just campy goofiness with the always awesome Bruce Campbell.

IMO, Army of Darkness is a better movie because it took all the cheese and multiplied it tenfold.
 
markgugs said:
Sure 30 years later it comes off as cheesy and contrived, but you gotta try to keep in mind that it's pretty dated.
I kind of sensed it was one of those things where if you didn't get a chance to see it in 1981 (or there abouts) you're not going to appreciate it now.

I'm still kind of curious to see "Army of Darkness".

Zod
 
Yeah, I think I first saw it in 1986 or so, a horror movie "formative" year, lol

Army of Darkness is great, too. But my personal fave in the trilogy is Evil Dead 2. Campbell is absolutely genius in it.
 
step 1. watch evil dead
step 2. watch evil dead 2

step 3. be amazed



edit: forgot step 4

step 4: never watch that shitfest called Army of Darkness
 
General Zod said:
OK... so after a brief discussion on horror movies yesterday, in which a number of posters listed "Evil Dead" among their Top 5 horror movies of all-time, I decided to rent it. I'm pretty sure I saw it years ago, but I couldn't quite recall. Anyway, this was the dumbest, worst acted, worst written, most ill-conceived film I've ever seen. It's not as if this movie is the slightest bit frightening, and the gore isn't actually gory, it's just silly. So why the love?

By the way, why do evil Aztec spirits force people to wear bad wigs?

Zod
it's like understanding why people love black metal, from a certain point of view.
 
Listen to gugs and watch part 2. The best of them all, I believe. But, to answer your question, it's the same goofy appeal of Troma films, the over the top gore, sex, violence and comedy spoofs.

What's truly hilarious is how Glen Benton's lyrics on the first Deicide album are obviously inspired by the film.
 
yeah, i never saw the appeal of army of darkness. it was *too* over the top for me. i felt like, in evil dead, they were trying to be realistic. in army, it's just silliness. still a cool movie but...meh.
evil dead 2 does indeed rule though.
for a great bruce campbell experience, watch bubba ho-tep.
cheers to zod for at least going out and renting evil dead. that takes balls.
 
zod. watch part 2. seriously. it fucking rules.

the others are good, in their own special way. evil dead 2 transcends thought and goes straight to boner. what?
 
not to mention that ED was made for some ridiculously miniscule budget ... some $15-$20K ...
 
markgugs said:
In part I, when the chick gets FUCKED BY A TREE LIMB, did anyone else masturbate furiously at that scene? Because I did.
of course i did. a boob makes an appearance too.
 
lurch70 said:
not to mention that ED was made for some ridiculously miniscule budget ... some $15-$20K ...
yeah, campbell talks all about it in "if chins could kill". very entertaining book. mine's signed bitches! i think he wrote "come get some" hahaha
 
lurch70 said:
not to mention that ED was made for some ridiculously miniscule budget ... some $15-$20K ...

Yeah, all those "through the eyes of the demons" sequences where the camera is rushing towards the cabin in the woods were done with the camera attached to a bicycle. :tickled:

Evil Dead was the pinnacle of "video nasties". It was banned in several countries, including Britain, which inevitably just made people want to get their grubby hands all over it. I was 13 when it came out and VCRs were the latest craze. We managed to get Evil Dead (and a bunch of other shitz) from some guy selling videos out the trunk of his car.

The best thing that could ever happen to an up and coming horror director is to have his movie officially banned. That way, he instantly reaches cult status and stays there forever.

Sam Rami made a romantic baseball movie with Kevin Costner, but it's Evil Dead that people will always remember him for. Spiderman is just money.

And yes, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is the best in the trilogy. It's not dated at all. You should rent that with Bubba Ho Tep and make an afternoon of it, with plenty of beer and popcorn.
 
JayKeeley said:
And yes, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is the best in the trilogy. It's not dated at all. You should rent that with Bubba Ho Tep and make an afternoon of it, with plenty of beer and popcorn.
I'll rent "Evil Dead 2. Bubba Ho Tep I've seen and was bored by.

Zod