The original Evil Dead looks fantastic in 4k, coming out just in time for fans wanting to binge horror films for Halloween!
“More than 35 years ago, a low-budget horror movie roared across movie screens and changed the velocity of fear forever – and made a cult legend out of Bruce Campbell in his iconic role as the lethal, wisecracking Ash Williams. Now, for the first time, you can experience the ferocious ingenuity, relentless shocks, and gore-gushing havoc of the original Sam Raimi masterpiece in 4k!”
The film opens as Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker) and their friends Scott (Hal Delrich), Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) and Shelly (Sarah York) make their way to an old cabin in the woods they’ve rented for the weekend. Once there, Scott and Ash discover the notes and recording from a researcher studying the Necronomicon, a book bound in human flesh and inked in blood that when read aloud gives demons invitation to possess the living. Of course, the recording has this passage and when the words are spoken aloud strange things begin to happen around the cabin.
The Evil Dead was basically my introduction into the genre. When I think back to my younger years, no other film consistently resonates in my mind as this one, with its originality, ingenuity, and major contribution to the genre. One of the original ‘cabin in the woods’ films, Sam Raimi left his mark forever on the genre with this low budget film that he would later remake into one of the most perfect horror films of all time.
As much as I love The Evil Dead, it’s almost impossible to separate this film from the plethora of content that it has spawned, all of it so vastly different from the original incarnation that was this original take. Not seeing Ash Williams get beat up relentlessly for fun, tongue-in-cheek jokes, and the overall humor involved, makes this an almost bore compared to what has come since. That being said, after all these years there is still an awe about the film as it was the original blueprint for what spawned one of the most iconic figures in the horror genre. Raimi’s style is entirely unique, from his ‘monster cam’, the slightly crooked angles, basically all his camera work goes against the norm to create this terrifying feel of disorientation, the same the character has to be going through. Even some very bold choices in terms of horror such as the tree rape scene are still very graphic and horrifying in today’s standards.
The Evil Dead may lack the humor that fans of the characters and the series all know and love, but the film still holds up after all this time, and if it weren’t for the success that these guys had with this film that launched their careers, Ash Williams would never have turned into the character that is so recognizable in the genre. For that, the brilliant and unique style and effects, The Evil Dead will always be held in high regard.
Video
The Evil Dead is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition 1.33:1 with Dolby Vision. One thing I found myself debating was: is this the type of film that should be seen in 4k? The film itself is so dark, gritty, with that extreme low-budget feel to it. Would 4k enhance the viewing experience or detract from it? After watching the film, my opinion was that it was very beneficial seeing this spectacular transfer with the Dolby Vision. The colors are more vibrant that they had been in previous releases, with a brilliant contrast between them and the deep darks this affords. Grain is heavy throughout, preserving that low-budget feel that really is one of the staples of the film. There are a few scenes in the film that don’t look as good as the rest, whether it was the lighting conditions or some other factor on location, but this enhanced quality does highlight those scenes. Fortunately, there aren’t many of these, and the overall look of the film is fantastic.
The Blu-Ray disc is also included and presented in 1080p High Definition 1.33:1.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby 5.1 TrueHD. This track sounded good, with no issues noted. Where this really shines is toward the end of the film where Raimi really starts to play with different sound effects. The ominous voices from the woods calling for Ash, the whooshing sound as the camera passes over the beams above the actors, these all sound great on this track and help the film achieve a higher tension.
Special Features
Nothing new here, and pretty bare-boned. All you’re going to get here is:
- Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Sam Raimi, Producer Robert Tapert, and Star Bruce Campbell.
The Evil Dead started it all for Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. It’s a great horror film, paved the way for some other great films in the genre, including one of the most iconic horror characters of all time. Although there may not be a lot of extras or anything new added to it, the 4k transfer alone will be worth it for fans of the film.
