The Evil Dead [1982]

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1980
Running Times: 81 mins [Germany] 83 mins [Norway] 85 mins [USA; Australia]
Format: colour 16mm
Ratio: 1.37:1
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Renaissance
Executive Producers: Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Robert G. Tapert
Producer: Robert G. Tapert
Assistant Producer: Gary Holt

SCRIPT
Script: Sam Raimi

DIRECTION
Director: Sam Raimi

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Tim Philo
Lighting: Tim Philo
2nd Unit Lighting: Josh Becker
Stills: Mike Ditz

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editing: Edna Ruth Paul
Assistant Editor: Joel Coen

MUSIC
Music: Joseph LoDuca
Music Engineer: Ed Wolfrum

SOUND
Location Sound Recording: John Mason
2nd Unit Sound: Josh Becker
Supervising Sound Editor: Joe Masefield
Assistant Sound Editor: Dolores Elliott
Sound Mixer: Mel Zelniker

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Tom Sullivan

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Photographic Effects Supervisor: Bart Pierce

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Construction Supervisor: Steve Frankel

MISCELLANEOUS
Production Assistant: Don Campbell
Transportation Captain: David Goodman

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks: Simon Nuchtern; Sheila Roberts; Carol Valenti

LOCATIONS
Locations: Detroit, Michigan, USA; Morristown, Tennessee, USA

CAST
Bruce Campbell [Ash]
Ellen Sandweiss [Cheryl]
Hal Delrich [Scotty]
Betsy Baker [Linda]
Sarah York [Shelly]
Phil Gillis [Fake Shemp]
Dorothy Tapert, Cheryl Guttridge, Barbara Carey, David Horton, Wendall Thomas, Don Long,
Stu Smith, Kurt Rauf, Ted Raimi, Ivan Raimi, Bill Vincent, Mary Beth Tapert, Scott Spiegel, John Cameron, Joanne Kruse, Gwen Cochanski, Debie Jarczewski [fake Shemps]
Bob Dorian [voice on recorder - uncredited]
Sam Raimi [fisherman on side of road / voice of evil spirits - uncredited]
Robert G. Tapert [local yokel - uncredited]

A group of college students on a trip into the woods discover an ancient book and a tape recording from an archaeologist in a remote cabin. Playing back Summerian incantations on the tape raises evil spirits that possess the group until only one is left to fight against the evil dead. But will he make it to sunrise alive?

An excellent example of what can be achieved with no money but plenty of enthusiasm and talent. Skillfully balancing gore and gags [a balance its sequels lost], The Evil Dead was a massive success, more than making back its meager budget and inadvertently adding fuel to the UK 'video nasty' fires of the early 80s. Sadly, Sam Raimi has never been this good since.

Germany
Video Distributor: VCL
Laserdisc Distributor: Astro

Netherlands
Video Distributor: Video Screen

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Palace
Video Distributors: Palace; PolyGram; 4 Front Video [0466043]

USA
Theatrical Distributor: New Line Cinema
Video Distributor: Home Box Office Home Video
Laserdisc Distributor: Image Entertainment Inc [EE7263; EE7264; ID6680HB]
DVD Distributor: Anchor Bay [DV10667]; Elite Entertainment [EE7265 - Special Collector's Edition]

Australia
Rating: R

France
Rating: -12

Germany
Rating: 18
There were two video releases: the first was uncut but subsequently banned while the second was very heavily cut.

Sweden
The original video version was heavily cut, the tree-rape being removed in its entirety, but a 1997 release was uncut.

UK
Rating: 18
Cut initially by 49 seconds for its original 18 certificate for both theatrical and video distribution. Following a number of high profile court cases, the video was withdrawn in 1984 and didn't re-appear until May 1990 when 65 seconds were removed by the BBFC. All cuts were restored in 2001 for the film's first ever legitimate uncut UK release.

USA
Rating: NC-17

1982
Catalonian International Film Festival, Sitges, Spain
Clavell de Plata: Best Special Effects [Tom Sullivan] - winner
Prize of the International Critics' Jury [Sam Raimi] - winner

1980
November
1: USA - shooting begins

December
24: USA - shooting ends

1981
October
15: USA - theatrical premiere

1982
May
Day Unknown: France - shown at the Cannes Film Festival

October
4: UK - rated X by the BBFC [for theatrical distribution - cut by 49 seconds]

December
Day Unknown: UK - theatrical release in Scotland

1983
February
24: UK - simultaneous London theatrical and nationwide video releases

June
30: UK - an article in The Daily Mail lists the 52 films officially banned as 'video nasties' by the Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP]; The Evil Dead is among them.

August
24: France - theatrical release

1984
January
7: UK - the owner of the Cambridge Video Club is tried at Peterborough Crown Court on charges under the Obscene Publications Act Section 2. He's cleared on The Evil Dead but found guilty on The Burning.
16: UK - MCD Video Play is tried but acquitted from all charges
31: UK - Nik Powell, head of Palace Pictures, writes to the Association of Chief Police Officers explaining that Palace had received no complaints from the public over The Evil Dead.

February
10: West Germany - theatrical release

May
12: UK - shown at the Scala cinema, London as part of the Revenge of the Bright Bill horror festival
25: UK - R. Duncan and R. Price, solicitors for Palace, write to the Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP] asking that, in the light of the recent Leeds acquittal, all remaining charges against The Evil Dead be dropped.

June
1: UK - the DPP replies to Palace's lawyers, refusing to drop further charges against the film.

July
25: UK - legal proceedings against the film start at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

November
Day Unknown: UK - The Evil Dead is found not guilt of obscenity at Lewes Crown Court, Sussex

1990
March
15: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC [for video distribution]

May
21: UK - video re-release

1995
August
Day Unknown: Japan - laserdisc release

1997
June
16: UK - video release [4 Front Video [0466043]]

1998
November
3: USA - laserdisc release [Elite [EE7263]]

1999
January
19: USA - DVD release [Anchor Bay [DV10667]]

March
30: USA - DVD release [Elite Entertainment [EE7265 - Special Collector's Edition]]

April
6: USA - laserdisc release [Image Entertainment Inc [EE7264]]

2001
March
2: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC [for video distribution]

2002
March
6: Canada - shown at the Royal Cinema, Toronto
7: Canada - shown at the Royal Cinema, Toronto
10: Canada - shown at the Royal Cinema, Toronto

Can they be stopped?

The Ultimate Experience in Gruelling Terror

At last... It's back!! [UK video re-issue]

Not guilty - the legendary Evil Dead is back [UK video re-issue]

Book of the Dead - early title
Tanz der Teufel - German title

SEQUELS
Evil Dead II [1987]
Army of Darkness [1993]
Evil Dead: Hail to the King [2000]

REMAKE OF
Within the Woods [1978]

SEE ALSO
Alien [1979]
Angst [2000]
Barbacoa sangrienta [1997]
Blastfighter [1985]
Braindead [1992]
Cast a Deadly Spell [1991] [TV]
The Convent [2000]
The Dead Hate the Living [1999]
Demoni [1985]
Donnie Darko [2001]
Equinox [1970]
The Exorcist [1973]
Forever Evil [1987]
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money [1999]
The Gift [2000]
Intruder [1988]
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday [1993]
The Lost Boys [1987]
Mørkeræd [1998]
Night of the Living Dead [1968]
A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984]
Rosemary's Baby [1968]
Scream [1996]
Seddok, l'erede di Satana [1960]
Shiryo no wana [1988]
Sinnui yauman [1987]
Splash [1984]
Stryker's War [1985]
Tetsuo [1988]
The Hills Have Eyes [1978]
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre [1974]
There's Nothing Out There [1991]
The Wizard of Speed and Time [1988]
Yokai Hanta - Hiruko [1990]

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Donnie Darko [2001]

horror; zombies; amputations; forests; teenagers; the occult; possession; sieges; gore; decapitations; chainsaws; rape; the necronomicon

The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television
welcomes feedback, corrections or additions. Any received information subsequently used will be credited to the relevant sources.