Doing the Undead Justice
Quick impressions of a DIY horror classic
by Leo Timidio
Guys, I just watched The Evil Dead (1981) AND The Evil Dead II (1987) and, wow, I am floored. Both written and directed by Sam Raimi, they have me wanting to watch his entire discography! Not only do I see why they both scored a 95% rating on rottentomatoes.com, I also recognize why they are brought up in any discussion on great horror movies. The gore was just right — gross enough to be unsettling without trying to make me gag. The themes, including the great generational divides between parents and their children, are addressed with subtlety and finesse. And the cinematography! The makeup!! The films are standout horror classics, easily.
To keep things simple, this review will cover only the first flick, The Evil Dead. While the sequel is a good movie too, the first is simply my favorite.
First, we’ll hit the plot and pace. With a runtime of 1h 25m (keeping it inside of a tight 90), there isn’t time available to devote to fluff or B-plots. This movie knows that and uses it. The exposition, which comes primarily through an audio tape from a now-dead researcher, quickly gives us the excuse for walking dead and we jump right into the action. The survivors are picked off singularly, giving us time for character and relationship building through their shared stress. However, the film stays committed to horror, rarely giving viewers more than a few minutes without violent or haunting interactions with the damned.
Setting: ambiguous rundown cabin in the woods. Very little explanation or locale is detailed and the story gets on fine without it. The common horror state of civilization versus nature, exploration into the frontier, and the suspension of natural order are all present and well felt; the woods are thick with visibility-limiting trees, and the omnipresent fog lends further to the opaque surroundings and sense of isolation. The characters’ outfits are keenly of their time, explaining the archetypes of the cast from the very first scene. Technology doesn’t play a huge part in this movie (one can only fit so much into a film). It is present mainly in the exposition-giving and curse-reigniting audio tapes central to the storyline.
On the cultural critiques … obviously, one could write whole essays on each of the discussions and positions present in this or any movie. To skip all of that, I’ll just say that what stood out most to me was the issue of age. The animated dead and the corrupted living aren’t made to look like zombies as we typically conceive of them (decrepit, flesh falling off, uncoordinated, etc.). Instead, they are aged versions of the characters themselves, with fading hair and pronounced wrinkles and a ghoulish pallor. Their eyes also change, morphing into bulbous, grotesque things resembling the eyes of a bug.
One could make many theories concerning such specific choices, including the repeated “Join us” uttered by the seemingly hive-minded undead. It has notes suggesting a critique of the conservatism of the time, with the nature of the curse motivating the story being one of reoccurrence; that the dead should die and die again, but never actually die. This vein of antiquated views being depicted as an evil that inhabits and transforms its victims is fun and thought-provoking, but we can leave such discussions for other essayists.
Quick shoutouts and thoughts: the makeup department KILLED it in the best of ways. This movie could not have worked without the great makeup and on-screen gore. The cinematography didn’t invent anything but the shots were visually rich with lights and shadows playing off of the fog and trees in a style that felt natural and animate. One great thing: this film doesn’t shy away from a lengthy static shot, giving characters time to be terrified while we, the audience, get a great sense of the space and the stakes of each scene. The acting … well, this is a campy 80s horror, and it leans into it. Overacting to the point of caricature, the cast creates quickly recognizable personas to keep the story going. No Oscars here but no complaints either.
So, recap: The Evil Dead (1981) is well-praised and deserves every kind word. The pace and horror will keep you spellbound. The gore, when present, is unsettling and uncomfortable and perfect. The themes and critiques are present without being obtrusive, giving viewers the option of engaging with a data-rich text or of watching a good scary movie.
Overall, if you dig horror, The Evil Dead is a must-see, hands down.
Barnard Street Tattler 