10/23/17 – day twenty-three of thirty-one days of horror!
Seeing as it’s Sam Raimi’s birthday today, it only seems fitting
to honor him by celebrating the film that started it all, his original 1981 The
Evil Dead. Evil Dead 2 was the movie that brought me into the Raimi fold, but
there’s an unnerving quality to the first film – itself a second take on the story
of young horndogs vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods who unwittingly unleash
demonic forces – that was never quite replicated either by Raimi or any of the
film’s many imitators. Certainly the run-and-gun grindhouse grit is a factor,
as are some scenes of questionable taste (ahem, tree rape), but mostly it’s
because the original Evil Dead, while still possessing (pun intended) some of
the humor of the later films, is downright scary. Geek god Bruce Campbell – yet
to fully crystalize his iconic, sarcastic Ash character – does a good job
anchoring the young cast of adequate unprofessionals, but its Raimi’s magnificently
fearless and inventive camera work that makes the film stand out from the low
and dirty slasher fare of the time. Oh, and the copious gore is great too. Raimi
called his Three Stooges inspired style “splatstick”, unaware that he was
creating a new language for genre cinema, minting himself as a star director,
giving his loveably hammy buddy Bruce a career in show business, inspiring
countless future filmmakers and ensuring a place for Evil Dead in the pantheon
of essential horror franchises. For Halloween viewing, you can’t do better than
the OG Evil Dead! Happy birthday Sam!
