Top Horror Films – #24 – The Evil Dead

1981; written and directed by Sam Raimi

John: A lot of people prefer the humor of the sequels, but for me this terrifying original is the best of the lot. The inventiveness Sam Raimi shows with the camera cemented him as one of the most interesting directors out there. Both sequels were very good as well, making one of the only solid across the board horror series.

Ben: What is there really to say about The Evil Dead that hasn’t been said before? One of the quintessential independent horror films, it started the careers of director Sam Raimi, actor Bruce Campbell, and producer Robert Tapert. This used to be the film I loved to show people the most who wanted to watch a horror flick they’ve never seen. Then everyone saw it and realized what a blast it is, and I discovered Italian horror films. Despite it being dated, and the campiness that creates, it is still surprisingly ferocious in its approach. The original poster to this film is one of my all time favorites, a woman being pulled by a hand at her throat, dragging her into the ground, she is reaching out for help, but nothing is there, simply open space. Very creepy and effective, it used to give me chills just looking at it. If you have never seen this movie, then yes, something is wrong with you. But don’t worry, that can quickly be remedied by watching it post haste.

Team Rankings:
John – #7
Ben – #14
Spencer – #21

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Brandi is one of those people who worries about kids these days not appreciating black and white films. She also admires great moments of subtlety, since she has no idea how to be subtle herself.

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