By: Darien Campo Freelancer
Continuing my October horror movie marathon, this week brought me … “Coraline” (2009), “House on Haunted Hill” (1999), “Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984), and “The Babadook” (2014).
I also had a chance to re-watch my favorite trilogy of movies — and just in time, because with a brand new television show premiering this month, Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” series is about to come back in style.
I watched “Evil Dead” at a young age, and I’ve been hooked ever since. The original “Evil Dead” (1981) is a testament to perseverance, brimming with the potential of fledgling director Sam Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell.
Reading Campbell’s autobiography “If Chins Could Kill” gives a great insight into the impossible odds these college students faced trying to make their first feature-length film. It may stumble in its delivery, but “Evil Dead” is an accomplishment in gore cinema.
“Evil Dead II” (1987) is by far my favorite of the series. The sloppy mess of violence that made the original Evil Dead great is now mixed with Bruce Campbell’s unique style of Three Stooges-esque slapstick overacting.
This sequel/reimagining takes a more comedic turn on the genre, giving us a hilariously twisted romp that has you gasping in shock between peals of laughter. “Evil Dead II” knows you’re not taking it seriously, so it doesn’t bother either.
The final film in the trilogy is the funny and endlessly quotable “Army of Darkness” (1992). While “Evil Dead II” strikes a perfect balance between scares and shticks, the third movie has made it all the way to other side of the spectrum, where it is now a straight comedy with horror elements.
The second film may have had its over-the-top moments, but “Army of Darkness” is an over-the-top film. The entire setting of the series is flipped on its head and our hero, Ash, becomes a cheesy one-line spewing powerhouse of hilarity.
But true to its themes the “Evil Dead” series lives on.
2013 brought us a fantastic remake that had all the heart of the original and all the special effects of today. A hilariously messy musical has also found its way to the stage, which you can see at the 2nd Street Theatre in Bend, Ore. every year.
Finally, you can catch the fast-approaching “Ash vs. the Evil Dead” series on STARZ, premiering Oct. 31, 2015. It is a terrific time to be a fan of “Evil Dead.”
