31 Days of Horror: The Evil Dead (1981)

Inventive writer/director Sam Raimi does it right with The Evil Dead. Set in the backwoods of Tennessee {probably near my house}, five college students head to this hills to spend the weekend. Oopsy! They discover a book, the Morturom Demonto {HELL-o Death!!} and inadvertently release unspeakable evil that unleashes intense, graphic, bloody sequences of death.

Raimi crafts hell in The Evil Dead. Demented and brutal, the film is a nonstop gory treat. Much as been made of Raimi's low budget here, but the movie is perfect. Raimi creates a gripping atmosphere of unseen demented evil that is unrelenting. He is masterful behind the lens; no frame is wasted. Additionally, the score is pitch-perfect.

Scene after scene delivers a sickening feeling--there are entirely too many to share {nor could I live with myself for sharing} . The pencil through the ankle is more than cringe-worthy. Impalements, dismembering, possessions, tree assault, hysteria... The Evil Dead violates all sense of decency. Still, for the genre, this is classic.

The cast is par for B-movie acting. Legendary Bruce Campbell doesn't disappoint. As Ash, he is neither annoyingly heroic or stupid. And his final scene here is amazing.

For me, The Evil Dead still requires a bit of courage--I don't ever seem to watch is alone. Not for the weak of stomach, The Evil Dead is an excellent blend of gruesome elements {don't forget the score} that create the perfect scare.