Capsule Review: The Evil Dead (1982)

While the effect has been somewhat dulled by incresingly humorous sequels, it's important to remember that the original Evil Dead plays almost entirely as a straight horror film. While there are moments of comedy – both intentional and not – the tale of a group of friends camping in an avandoned cabin who accidentally unleash kandarian demons was and is a rollercoaster of gory horror, with inventiveness to spare. Still, while a cut above its competition, what makes the Evil Dead a modern classic is the wild low-budget camera work of its director Sam Raimi, and the charisma of its lead – future cult hero Bruce Campbell. Some memorable shocks, particularly a nasty scene involving a pencil and an ankle, a great soundtrack, and plenty of goopy dismemberment all work in the film's favor.