The Evil Dead Saga
 

It does what it says on the tin, or hopefully will do; a thread designed to discuss The Evil Dead in all it's forms whether it be movies, games or comic books - anything.

Imo TED is a perfect example of brilliance on a budget. Sam Raimi and his creative crew may have had little money to work with but they made up for lack of financing with a flourish of resourcefulness.

Sure, The film isn't exactly an original concept with it's teens-in-peril plot, slack script and barely passable performances. And don't forget those hairdo discrepancies and 'Fake Shemp' usage! But i personally couldn't care less about these shortcomings as i think TED still delivers in abundance on atmosphere, scares and gloriously gratuitous gore. Not to mention Raimi's dynamic, frenetic visual style and apt use of editing and sound.

There's no doubt that some of the FX has aged very poorly and was even lacklustre back when the movie was first released. But other onscreen graphic acts still look good even now in the face of overexposed CGI.

Joseph LoDuca's sinister strings still send a shiver up the spine and i truly believe Raimi's devilish demonic delight still boasts the scariest twilight woodlands i've seen on film.

And remember TED was originally rejected by various American releasing outfits and first found fame on U.K. shores. Us Blighty based horror devotees embraced the movie when U.S. studio suits turned their backs on it.

Within The Woods is a minor gem too imo and i wish Raimi would relinquish his rigid grip on the rights to this Deadite dry run and bless us with a new legit lease of life for this short but superior slice of Kandarian carnage.:)

As reported elsewhere, I saw The Evil Dead on video rental upon first release. I had seen some stills in the mag DVD World (remember it, with the glamour models on the cover?). The black and white still of Cheryl in the basement, drooling black blood really caught my imagination, along with the famous Stephen King quote; "A Black Rainbow of Terror" or something similar.
Looking at it now, the makeup FX were very low rent but they worked well enough at the time and I'll still take em over CGI nonsense.

MikeOutWest and I first saw EDII at a screening in Gants Hill of all places. All I remember is crying with laughter. It tickled us initially; Ash and the plates for example. It was the sort of humour that would inspire the League of Gentlemen. The only thing wrong, for me was the make-up effects. They looked too rubbery. The first appearance of a possessed Ed looked superb and in keeping with the first movie. Then, the puppet head they used for the hair eating looked horribly phoney. I preferred the latex and cornflakes make up from TED.

AOD went too far down the comedy route for my liking. It's entertaining but far removed from the original tone. You can see Raimi's progression towards big budget blockbusters like Spider-Man though. Ash had gone from a bit of scaredy-cat to an indifferent Mad Max like character. I preferred the K-Mart ending too.

"The ultimate experience in gruelling terror!" according to King way back when. Maybe TED is not quite that scary now but still capable of delivering the jolts imo.

As with the first film some of the sequel's FX have stood the test of time and some haven't. When the Deadites are damaged or destroyed i still prefer watching the blood lossage of TED instead of the coloured body fluids of Raimi's riotous follow-up. Some of TEDII is no doubt darkly funny but i personally would've kept it all hardcore horror. I do admit though some of Dan Hicks' onscreen suffering is hilarious.

"Get the axe, we'll kill it when it comes back!".:lol:

I agree about AOD and the movie's dismal failure at the box-office seems to suggest other fans wanted more scares and splatter rather than daftness and dust. The third entry is quite entertaining if taken as a horror comedy in it's own right. But as an addition to TED canon Raimi's calamitous combo of stop-motion and slapstick just doesn't cut the mustard imo.:)

loved it,love it and always love it! shoestring budget,5 actors,great story and effects-brilliant!
shame he made part 2 as think it would have been better leaving it has a 1 off like madman,the burning and many others!
think we need a version that contains the evil dead AND within the woods! think someone has,on here i believe?

I have a Limited Edition German Big Box (?) version of "Tanz Der Teufel" that includes a very ropey version of Within the Woods. It's a VHS transfer with all the damage included:loco:

I may well have to put it on ebay to get some funds for more discs, the rate I've been going.:nod:

dont do it! sounds very rare.a must have in your collection!

it looks like I'll be spending out on yet another version of The Evil Dead!:clap:

Evil Dead Blu-Ray news

I always though that putting a 5.1 soundtrack on this movie was like putting a quartz wristwatch on a caveman, so I'll be intrigued at this new transfer and lossless sound.:rockon:

Sony is soon to be issuing TED on BR on British retail shelves but there's no mention of this release having a full frame transfer. Just the controversial 1.85:1 widescreen print which i don't particurlarly approve of. Of course, yours truly being such a big fan of the film i'll probably end up buying both BR editions.

I only hope Raimi reinstates the infamous lightning strike shot this time around!;)

We can only hope. That reminds me, I recall seeing Blade Runner when it was first released on VHS rental. It was cropped and couldn't work out a sound effect at the beginning. It wasn't until years later when a Pan and Scan version was on the telly that I saw it was a lightning strike:lol:

Anyone have any info about whether this is going to be reigon free or not?

Even if the U.S. BR is region locked i'm personally still having a copy!

A region-free BR player will simply have to be mine in due course.:)

No info on TED just yet, but this is a fantastic resource for most discs;

http://bluray.liesinc.net/

Sorry, Eyeborgs has been region locked. So sad:lol:

Nice one, Wayfarer and any chance you can send me this link in a PM?

I've got a feeling the site in question may come in very handy for yours truly!

Cheers if you can help me out.:)

It would seem that Anchor Bay/Starz are region locking new films and older films are region free (or were). Guess we'll find out if that's still true with the release of The Evil Dead.

If i had my way every DVD and BR release would be region free!

Regarding TED in HD, if Sony's U.K. version only boasts the widescreen print then i'm definitely going for the ABUS edition. Region locked or not. There's no way i'm being saddled with that far too 'tight' looking 1.85:1 transfer. I hate watching Raimi's grand gorefest this way!:mmph:

I've been waiting patiently for ED2 to get the lovely ED 3 disc treatment. Will it ever come?

Also, does this series have more releases than any other? It's got to be between this and Romero's Dead series.

I've not long pre-ordered TED on U.S. BR.

Just covering myself based on the notion that the U.K. HD release seems to have dispensed with the option to view the film's full frame print.;)

All three evil dead films are great,but I prefer the original over the sequels.

Gritty,raw and electrifying,not to mention scary back in the day!

Classic!:clap:

GOT TO AGREE THERE! when i first seen it,it was the best ever horror id seen!

Definitely!

A perfect example of brilliance on a budget.

Raimi and co may have had only miniscule money to work with but the director's dynamic visual style and frenetic editing really do TED justice.

In the hands of a less visionary filmmaker the film could've ended up as just another low-budget atrocity.:)

Funnily enough,after reading this thread last night,I watched EVIL DEAD 2 on Blu Ray.
It looked and sounded mighty fine. (Plenty grain again Steve.:))

But,obviously it's a Three Stooges parody,and falls into line behind the original.

Roll on the BD of THE EVIL DEAD! :woot:

Beautiful eh? :tongue1::lol:

Grain-o-meter-7! :lol:


Hopefully the Grain-o-meter on the original will be 10 eh? ;)

Which release was that? The UK or US Blu-ray? I'll take your recommendation and grab a copy. :)

Irritatingly, the US BD is Region A locked:mmph:

The Evil Dead or Evil Dead 2? Just set my player to region B and ED2 is definitely region free.

Yes, steveoj, I was given to understand that the US release of ED2 was region-free.

I imagine that Anchor Bay US have had to region-lock The Evil Dead because of Sony releasing it in the UK (and Europe too, I would imagine). I don't have a problem with that actually, Sony have a right to protect their product and investment. Hopefuilly Sony will deliver a comparative package. I don't see why not - both companies are probably utilising the same materials. :nod:

Looking at the BBFC website, it seems that both the Anchor Bay and Sony releases are pretty much identical.

Im really looking forward to the Evil Dead on bluray. Hopefully Sony will give us the fuill frame version in the UK, and I'm also praying that its been treated as well as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for its first high definition appearance.

It wouldn't really be too difficult for Sony to give us both versions - after all both versions have been seen and passed by the BBFC for Anchor Bay UK, so they won't need to stump up the extra money for the BBFC to look at them.

I was referring to the new TED release, not ED2. I am going by the Axel Music website that's normally very reliable.

In the coming features section of Sony Pictures UK there is a page for their Evil Dead blu-ray. No mention of a full frame version included.

THE EVIL DEAD

It's possible Sony might be doing a 16 x 9 version only under the misguided notion that, if there's a widescreen version, people won't want to watch a 4:3 version on their new HDTV's. Not saying that's a definite but it's possible. I would have thought someone there would know and understand it's history enough to realise the importance of the 4:3 version.

Optimum's UK release mate.:)

It's got the commentaries and a doc.:nod:

Looks like it's the Anchor Bay version for me.

Although Axel Music says Region A, it says underneath that it will most likely be region free. Most of AB's catalogue titles are region free. Evil Dead II was, even though it was released by a different company (Optimum) in the UK. I'm sure we'll find out nearer the release date.

Bugger! i can't have read that AxelMusic entry correctly. Sorry for the confusion!:o

I have the ABUS TED2 BR and it has an additional featurette over Optimum's release. Although i believe the latter edition may have superior audio quality.:)

Nice one! Cheers, Reaps. I'll be having myself one of these then. :nod:

If it's Region free,then I'll be having both.

THE EVIL DEAD is another film I collect in all guises from around the world.:)