Night #31: The Final Night

One of the most notorious so-called ‘video nasties’ of the early eighties, ‘The Evil Dead’ really has earned it’s place in the horror movie hall of fame. Probably the first significant horror movie of the eighties, it set a new definition in gore, shocks and filmmaking that, in many ways, has yet to be rivalled, even though director Sam Raimi has gone on to bigger, though not necessarily better, things with the Spiderman series.

Unlike previous movies that have displayed such qualities, like Tobe Hooper’s ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, ‘The Evil Dead’ has a hearty injection of black humour running throughout, making the over-the-top gore on offer easier to stomach. The special effects are pretty nasty and very unsophisticated, as you would expect for such a low budget feature, but they never seem out of place, fitting the context of the movie perfectly…Bruce Campbell has become a massive cult favourite since starring in this movie and its sequels, mainly due to him adding some over-the-top quirkiness to the [Ash] character, but in this first movie his performance is fairly low-key, even though you do start to will him on towards the end of the movie – to end his torment and your own.

The main star of this movie, though, is the unseen force that lives in the woods. Raimi and his crew built several different camera rigs to enable different views and angles throughout the movie. Usually simple devices made out of timber with a camera mounted on the front, it is this kind of maverick approach to filmmaking that comes across…and makes a simple movie a much more satisfying movie…There are subtle nods to previous horror staples – the tool shed, with its rustic handtools and hanging relics, is evocative of the house in ‘…Chainsaw Massacre’, the shots of the moon and setting sun echo Romero’s ‘Night of the Livng Dead’, whilst there is a torn-in-half poster of Wes Craven’s ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ hanging in the basement – as if to acknowledge what has gone before, and set a new level of terror for a new decade.

Overall, this movie still stands as one of the defining horror movies of modern times. Just as ‘…Chainsaw’ and ‘…Living Dead’ were perfect ‘drive-in’ movies for their era – movies that were meant to be shown on the big screen – ‘The Evil Dead’ was perfect for the then-new medium of video, inspiring a myriad of impersonators well into the 21st century…it is with this truly innovative original that Raimi laid down a template for eighties horror that, nearly thirty years on, still delivers the goods.

(Horror Society)

This is the lucky 13th year in a row that I have viewed The Evil Dead on Halloween night (edit: FYI, I broke out my well-aged Anchor Bay limited edition VHS copy from 1996 for some good ol’ analog griminess). And what a perfect way to cap off my first ever Sh-October horror-thon of 31 straight nights of horror movies. I gotta say that this was a lot of fun, especially when I got into the groove and nightly routine of things (not that the task ever became a mundane chore or anything). To the keen horror geeks amongst you, you may have noticed numerous patterns in the way that I had sequenced the entire order of films (usually in bunches of 2 or 3). For example, films #30 and #31 were both directed by Sam Raimi (and there are many more associative patterns scattered throughout the lineup). Anyways, I hope to have enough unique horror movie choices leftover to do it again next year. And I hope that you enjoyed following along as well as partook in your own horror movie marathon to celebrate the spooky occasion.

So then…a Scerry Xmas to all and to all a good night.

Night #30

With her face frequently in closeup, [Alison] Lohman’s Christine Brown appears beyond paranoia, embodying dread for a universe that’s pitted against her. Her face, which would be cuddly-cute in just about any other film, seems to mask a depression that is rotting her from the inside. However this performance came to be, Sam Raimi sure gets what he needs in his much anticipated return to the horror-comedy, the genre that incubated this now versatile craftsman. Christine’s turmoil notwithstanding, every inch of Raimi’s film teems with devious fun, appropriate since this is the filmmaker’s break from more “serious” – and I’d argue, more forgettable – projects.

“The Evil Dead” was a starter job – a convenient premise in an audience-ready genre. After all, Raimi swears he was hardly a horror film buff, and had stumbled upon the idea for “Dead” when pondering the trees of Birnam approaching Dunsinane in “Macbeth,” a work more to his taste. Like “Night of the Living Dead” premise, which came about as the most economical one George Romero and crew could think up, Raimi conceived a wandering curse, borne from an ancient text but quite the inhabitant in any young host out for a good time in the woods. Thus, the tale could be free in form and flexible for narrative development. It made for an open experimental grounds for the filmmakers.

The pattern of shock-and-shock-again is set early, and surely risks becoming routine. Though Raimi keeps things clever and even throws out one shock before a fair warning, perhaps what the “Saw”-whetted audiences need these days. His bravest move comes in his outright tribute to his own “Evil Dead.” Would you guys think you’d see the possessed hanging in midair and, even moreso Raimi, throating a witch’s cackle? Would you think something so early-80s would work today? The proof is right here in Raimi’s latest.

In “Drag Me” as well, a sure hand revives horror by looking back to tradition. In this genre, perhaps we should consider where we have been before newbies blindly, sadistically thrust themselves forward into muck and darkness.

(Film Threat)

Unfortunately, I missed this explosive, sh!t-kicking horror delight in the theatres. If I remember correctly, Crapformers 2 pushed DMTH out prematurely after a measly 3 week run (at least in my geographical area). However through the magic of home theatre releases, us fans who were left out in the cold get a second chance to experience this very loose sequel to Army of Darkness (and any step in the direction towards Evil Dead 4 is certainly the right move).

“Evil Dead” era Sam Raimi is God (DMTH has been considered a long-awaited return to form for the director) and I’ve been in love with Alison Lohman for years now (I guess she never received the wedding ring that I couriered her), so copping this BD is a no-brainer. In stores today and on my movie shelf tomorrow with a guaranteed spot in my on-going 31 Days of Night horror-thon.

Drag Me To Hell Blu-ray Review

October > > > your favourite month that isn’t October

The Evil Dead Trilogy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Spider-Man Trilogy

The Vault of Horror: Drag Me to Hell Took Me to Heaven

The above review has certainly decreased any apprehensions I once had for Sam Raimi’s return to his horror roots. In addition, DMTH also has a very respectable metacritic score to match the praise, which is always a good sign.

In regards to said review, these points in particular interested me the most:

Raimi has proven that provided you hold off on too much blood, you can pretty much get away with anything and still squeak under the PG-13 radar…If you think Raimi’s gone soft with the rating, think again my friend.

After years in the Spiderman limelight, I did think he went soft. But some of the scene descriptions I’ve read for Drag have gone against that theory. And then there’s this:

If I could compare this flick to anything Raimi’s done in the past, I’d say it most resembled Evil Dead II, meshing gut-wrenching horror and genuinely funny gallows humor in equal measure.

Even though I’m a much bigger fan of the first Evil Dead film, this claim is still great to read. Because the last time I remember Raimi throwing any bones to us hungry Deadites was with the Evil Dead-esque Doc Ock operating room scene in Spiderman 2 (which also marked the last time I gave Raimi some movie theatre dollars). But from what I gather, this entire film is supposed to be an extension of the Evil Dead series (written by Sam and his brother Ivan, shortly after Army of Darkness aka Evil Dead 3, 17 years ago), with Alison Lohman’s Christine in the role of Bruce Campbell’s legendary Ashley J. Williams aka Ash.

Furthermore, Lohman has long deserved a successful starring role, that which this low budget yet polished splatstick romp just might provide for her career. And if Drag is a financial success, then perhaps Raimi will finally reunite with Campbell and Tapert to film (and not just talk about writing) the long awaited Evil Dead 4, knowing that the market is officially out there waiting patiently (as I’m sure DMTH is being used to test out the bloody waters so to speak).

Having said all that, I just might have to give Drag Me To Hell a shot on the big screen. A rollercoaster ride into the realm of horror with a return-to-form Sam Raimi at the helm might just be what the summer doctor ordered. So who’s with me?