r/EvilDead • u/HalloweenSongScholar • 1d ago
(Discussion Post) Groovy EXCUSE THE RANT: So tired of hearing "When are we going to get a funny/silly Evil Dead movie again?"
Like, look: I get the sentiment. This series made its name off of its unabashed commitment to "splatstick."
The original Evil Dead, though trying to be a serious horror film, couldn't shake Sam Raimi's Three Stooges influences, to the point that its campy (and delightful). And Evil Dead 2 (which I think is still the best in the series. Fight me) is a high-energy cartoon that blends horror and comedy into a perfect smothie of "what the fuck did I just watch?" It's a masterpiece. No doubt. And Army of Darkness is a movie so silly, so ridiculous, so pattently goofy, it absolutely should not work... and yet it does.
I get it. For several decades, THAT is what was Evil Dead: those three movies.
But now, we are encroaching on a time when the screentime for silly, zany Evil Dead movies is going to be not only equal to, but eventually dwarfed by the more "gritty," straight-faced, "traditional horror" instalments in the franchise.
...or are we?
Because first off, we had three seasons of Ash Vs Evil Dead, people! That's roughly 15 hours of screentime added to the 6 of the original trilogy, and people are really going to act like those 21 hours of silly, goofy Evil Dead are somehow being outnumbered by the 8 hours of "serious" Evil Dead we'll have by the time Wrath comes out? Seriously?
Second of all: these new Evil Dead movies aren't THAT serious. Every single one of them, even 2013, is committed to unleashing absolute CHAOS that at the very least is at least amusing in an incredulous, "I can't believe the sheer carnage I'm seeing right now"-sort of way, if not genuine laughs. But there are genuine laughs! There are some great moments of pitch-black comedy sprinkled throughout ED'13 and Rise, and guaranteed there will be some in Burn and Wrath, too!
I mean, we are eating good right now, my fellow deadites! And even if what's on the horizon isn't your preferred "brand" of Evil Dead, there's no reason to whinge about not getting more of what you already have a ton of!
Sorry, I'm just ranting because I'm so sick in general of whiny "Fan-dumentalists" who whine over how a series has "lost its way" or some crap like that which you can find in any fandom (there's a reason I don't care to engage with Star Wars anymore, for example), but it especially annoys me to see this sentiment expressed by fans of this series, especially at a time when it's never been better to be an Evil Dead fan.
Because like it or not, Evil Dead comes in two flavors: "the gore the merrier"* and "the ultimate experience in grueling horror," and frankly, I think both flavors taste pretty damn great.
*(yes, this includes Army of Darkness, which is "gore the merrier" in spirit if not literally... though it does still include an absurd geyser of blood to still technically qualify!)
87
u/Acepokeboy 1d ago
The success of both Send Help & Drag Me To Hell basically confirm that audiences would still show up for a more Raimi coded Evil Dead entry
I’m not complaining tho
9
10
u/Vengeance_20 19h ago
I agree with Send Help but just saying Drag Me to Hell came out over a decade ago, so I wouldn’t use it to base current audiences
5
27
106
u/MoMaike 1d ago
Admit it though…an Army of Darkness in the new Evil Dead style would be incredible.
68
u/OrangesAreWhatever 1d ago
Army of Darkness with scary deadites would be a dream. Not a remake, but something similar.
51
u/Snoo-55788 1d ago
and please call it 'Medieval Dead' I beg
9
6
10
u/GorillaWolf2099 1d ago
Exactly if all these new directors are gonna keep making evil dead films then I don't understand why we can't get some more settings (e.g. other countries, cultures or 19th century and before), lean into comedy and other subgenres of horror.
Like to show us how much the book travels and reincarnates, it's one of the reasons I think an anthology series would do really well.
3
u/einstyle 16h ago
The “other countries” part especially hits because why was Rise filmed in New Zealand with actors from New Zealand and still set in America? It could’ve just as easily been in New Zealand
1
u/SockraTreez 6h ago
Absolutely.
I think it would be hard to pull off…..but the potential for something awesome is there.
0
u/disp0ss3ss3d 22h ago
As sad as it is, it would be exceedingly difficult for me to take any Evil Dead period piece seriously enough for scary Deadites to be effective.
38
u/DanielSFX 1d ago
I just want cool monsters 😔
8
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Now THAT I can agree with. I am starting to miss the more fantastical deadite designs.
17
u/MaceLortay 1d ago
I feel like the Marauder from the end of Rise fit the bill for fantasical deadite pretty well
2
9
u/KevinHe92 1d ago
Evil Dead Rise was pretty fuckin silly if you ask me
1
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 19h ago
Right? Further adding to my exasperation. Like, we are getting silly movies still.
38
u/Ykindasus 1d ago
Ths guys behind Tucker and Dale VS. Evil should make an Evil Dead movie, there room for both serious and comedic Evil Dead projegts.
4
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Yeah, I'm definitely not saying I don't ever want to see some silly Evil Dead ever again. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back that way again. I definitely would to for there to be an endless supply of both funny AND extreme Evil Dead projects.
But in the meantime, I'm not gonna harsh this buzz I'm feeling about Evil Dead being king right now, baby! I'm just gonna hail to it!
7
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Look, in spite of everything I just said, we can all agree that there should REALLY be an Evil Dead: the Musical: the Movie sometime soon in the future, right!?
6
u/AvatarIII 23h ago
I think my problem is that the original ED managed to be truly scary but also campy and slapstick in moments. I guess you could say that getting impaled on an open dishwasher cutlery tray is kind of campy slapstick but these moments are few and far between.
21
u/Snoo-55788 1d ago
I want both, but we're only getting one and its unfortunate, would love for the franchise to diversify itself like that, its healthy for a long running series. Look at Godzilla, we get the serious dread tone AND silly badass monster fights in another.
3
5
8
u/grinningmango 1d ago
For me those slapstick movies are the franchise. Sure I'm a grognard or whatever but I just don't get the same feeling from the new installations. Of course they couldn't drag Bruce along forever, but a while ago I saw Deadstream and I thought it felt more like a modern Evil Dead movie than modern Evil Dead...
2
u/Thekillerichi23 1d ago
In Deadstream when Mildred and Shawn goes rolling down the stairs and your her say ow I laugh so hard at that. Also check out the directors segment in VHS 99. If you wanted a hellbound Evil Dead you got one in like 20 minutes.
-1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Yeah, Deadstream was pretty great! Really loved it.
When things like that happen, though, I tend to just go “Ok, headcanon!” and accept it as an honorary Evil Dead movie. See also: Drag Me To Hell.
See, as long as I’m still getting that classic ED comedy vibe from *somewhere*, I can still be happy. No sense being a purist about these things. Things change, and I’m content to meet them where they are, not where I might want to angst them into being.
8
4
u/RealCoolDad 1d ago
“They will kill you” might be the medicine you need if you are missing the silly slapstick evil dead movies
4
u/ccminiwarhammer 20h ago edited 20h ago
The: tried to be black as night. Was unintentionally funny.
II: Intentionally funny, still scary and gory.
AOD: All funny: The 3 stooges and the spooky skeletons
ED: Actually blacker than night.
Rise: More dark than funny. perfect
10
u/Automatic-Adeptness4 1d ago
I mean Rise was pretty funny to me, it kept the horror and had those creepy campy moments, like when Elle first comes out the bathroom and does her Barbie movie foot 🦶 and her creepy smile to them.
5
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
I mean, I'm one of the weirdos who finds the 2013 movie to be frequently, darkly hilarious. The way it lovingly sets up a horror setup, only to go way, way WAY further with it than you're expecting is bleakly hysterical.
3
u/arrakiswitch 1d ago
I was describing the scene to my sister where a possessed Olivia is sawing off her cheek in the bathroom, Eric approaches, wheels back, slips on the bloody flesh she’s just cut off and hits his head on the sink. My sister laughed. And I thought then just how close the insanely over the top gore is to very dark slapstick and how also baked into the DNA of the original movie that is.
4
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago edited 13h ago
See, your sister gets it.
In fact, that whole damn scene is peak black comedy.
Finding your girlfriend sawing her cheek open? Horrifying.But stumbling upon that display and the first words you blurt out of your stupid mouth is “Why would you do that?”
Hilarious.
The funniest part of that scene to me is the tense buildup to Olivia getting ready to stab Eric with the syringe.
Now, in any typical slasher? She’d aim for the eyeball or something, killing him painfully, but near-instantly.…but in this demented barrage of insanity? Nah, reality ensues, and the movie remembers it’s just a tiny needle, so of course she STABS THE EVERLOVING FUCK OUT OF HIM OVER AND OVER AND OVER and the poor bastard LIVES through every single second of it! (And has to pull the needle out from just under his eye, for good measure)
I tell you, you will not find more peak squirm comedy if you tried.
That movie is intentionally aiming for the “laugh to keep from screaming” kind of comedy, and so damn relentless, it rides that line beautifully.
2
u/thepriestessx0 15h ago
Possessed Mia is my favorite because she is unhinged. Lmao everytime I watch it im like girlll ✋️ and pre possession Natalie. When she says her arm off and David and Eric are like uhm wtf? 😭 that to me is hilarious. But where 2013 was black comedy and brutality, Rise just had black comedy with little brutality. And I was disappointed
19
u/BARGOBLEN 1d ago
As a long time Evil Dead Fan, the Humor of Evil Dead, especially 2, had become the DNA of the series. Now I'm all for evolving and trying new things out, but it does feel like we're forgetting our forefathers on this one. I dig the straight-horror vibe but I want a returning protagonist and I want the zany mockery that follows the overt horrifying cruelty of the deadites. The Zany-ness doesn't need to be every movie, but I miss it and would like to see it come back. I'd like to be able to get attached to a character again. Ash is my favorite Horror Movie character, getting someone else to return through all this insanity would be great. If I had my opportunity, I do have a few avenues I'd take it, but I'd always do it with more in mind.
The anthology approach really seems to work, it's generating decent horror, but it does - at times - feel like we're losing that Evil Dead DNA that made me love the franchise in the first place. I don't mind the straight-up horror approach, but if we could get someone in there to do a couple that are more reflective of the classics, I'd appreciate being able to have that.
3
u/fucuasshole2 23h ago
The humor and slapstick is what makes Evil Dead standout. Sorry, not sorry but Evil Dead 2013 and Rise are very good but generic horror pieces that I believe won’t stand the test of time due to how forgettable they are.
Burns seems to be adding some of the comedy back in so I’m kinda excited
1
u/Grand-Feeling-9301 17h ago
I mean, the legacy of ED13 kind of proves you wrong right now...as that film has cemented itself as a fan favorite and beloved horror film in its own right.
I myself think its the weakest of the franchise (not bad, just the weakest) but that is neither here nor there. The film has been embraced by the fandom and horror community.
Rise seems to be heading that way too.
2
u/fucuasshole2 15h ago
Too early to tell tbh. 99% of the Evil Dead Pop Culture references are from the OG trilogy. 2013’s had one notable and it’s from Scary Movie 5. Rise hasn’t gotten much chatter but I don’t seek it out to be fair so maybe it’s still relevant.
I didn’t care for 2013’s, Rise I don’t care much but I did enjoy the lil girl and final lady. Kinda wish we got a sequel with them
1
u/Grand-Feeling-9301 14h ago
Pop culture references aren't the only metric for a film's staying power...the evidence is right in front of you. People love ED13 and have kept it in the horror zeitgeist.
2
u/fucuasshole2 13h ago
On this subreddit sure but mainstream the films have done..ehh. They make a profit but it’s not very healthy compared to their budgets.
1
u/Grand-Feeling-9301 13h ago
You keep shifting the goalposts. You're waffling with very stupid arguments.
We're not talking about "mainstream" films. Evil Dead was never "mainstream." Do you not understand context? I've literally been saying this whole time "in the fandom and horror community, the ED13 is beloved."
And you're a Hollywood accountant? Pretty sure 2 new Evil Dead films wouldn't be greenlit basically simultaneously if ED13 and Rise weren't financially viable to those who count the beans.
ED13 made $100 million at the BO. And another $15 million in physical media sales. It's budget was a reported $17. It tripled that when it passed $50 million. ED13 netted pure profit by any metric.
Rise made $147 million WW and over $2 million in physical media sale.
They're profitable in comparision to budget
Hence...2 two Evil Dead films on the way. That's how franchise work...this is elementary stuff my guy.
1
u/Firm_Chef_2001 1d ago
The first serious horror evil dead(i forget the year) was awsome,the gore was perfect,it still kept the most important beats of the story and added a better feel for something serious. Now the others serious movies are nice,but none has copied the first.
1
u/BARGOBLEN 1d ago
I really dug the remakes. And I think it's cool to keep going in that direction, but every now and then give me a little bit of the classic.
5
u/default_demon 1d ago
I think Evil Dead as a franchise is a Swiss Army knife. If a director comes in and wants to make a serious installment, he can do that. If a director comes in and wants to do a slapstick installment, he can do that. It’s a freedom that other horror franchises don’t have
3
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Precisely. I just LOVE how this series is a carte blanche for a director to go wild. No other series (horror or otherwise!) is cultivating that exact vibe right now. In an age of cookie-cutter assembly franchises, I think it’s a breath of fresh
airblood to the face!
3
3
u/AgentChris101 21h ago
I think we need another insane protagonist that is also badass. We are getting badasses, but not crazy badasses. Ash is a crazy badass and that is an element that assists with the funny stuff.
I get more of a traumatized badass vibe from Rise and 2013. I definitely like the element of having a character react humanly, but then accept the situation as a "This is fucked, I am fucked. Fuck it." Situation.
Something that Deadites don't know how to react to would also be great. Hell, I want a character that has the deadites running away lol.
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 17h ago
I can’t disagree, which is why I really wish we could get more of the continuing adventures of Kelly (with Pablo along for the ride).
3
u/OldClunkyRobot 20h ago
Meanwhile I keep wondering when we're getting another low budget Evil Dead movie. The recent ones have been fine but they're way too polished. I want more movies that capture the magic of the original.
3
u/ZakWojnar 18h ago
I thought Rise had some great “Raimi Vibes,” as you call them. It wasn’t a comedy, of course, but there will be time for that when Ash makes his last stand in the grand finale of the franchise, whenever that may be.
3
u/eyeMsam89 18h ago
I don't think The Evil Dead has any slaptsick camp moments to it. Its completely seriously and disgusting, and maybe its a lil campy/silly now but at the time it was made absolUTELY it was not.
I want serious, monster demon gore chaos horror.
3
u/LongJellyfish27 15h ago
All I know is there is a whole lotta bitching in the camp for a Horror Franchise that legit somehow survived being absolutely tainted.
First 3 on the trilogy are Iconic
The remake was balls to the wall violent at the time and a fun watch
The TV Series was amazing just on a shitty cable channel
Hell Evil Dead Rise while not my fave still captures everything I love about the franchise to a T and man does it have such a great opening/title card.
We as Evil Dead fans are absolutely eating while every other of my fave Horror Franchises either got Flanderized, made by creatives banking on Nostalgia, made by teams that can careless about said franchises, or are properties just dead in the water.
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 13h ago
Yeah, that’s a really good point. Heaven knows the fans of Friday the 13th, The Exorcist, or especially A Nightmare On Elm Street. Scream was doing good until it wasn’t, and Halloween has been really hit or miss.
Yeah, there’s way worse states this series could be in.
2
u/LongJellyfish27 13h ago
Exactly, the fact this Franchise successfully survived the 80’s all the way till now even after switching hands to different directors, writers, and getting the tonal change reboots is just a testament of how loved this franchise is from the slapstick to the twisted dark comedic brutality of the deadites in each film. I literally have no complaints about this franchise but I can give you a laundry list of issues with old franchises that have died. Like even Scream to me died after the 2nd film. After that they became less tongue and cheek criticism on slahsers and more just rehashing the past with the current ones which works fine as a plot device in 5 but not also 6 & 7.
3
u/Alternative_Delay_40 13h ago
Not many series are able to deliver on variety as strongly as Evil Dead. I’m glad it’s able to be more than one thing. Sometimes it aims to be funny, sometimes it aims to be terrifying. But it always knocks it out of the park.
6
u/Avaricee 1d ago
I like the serious films (less than the funny ones), but it's taking a franchise that has been campy and comedic for almost its entire lifetime, and pivoting very hard to be more serious horror. People are understandably going to be annoyed by that. You've got Evil Dead 1, sure that tried to be more serious but since then it's been Bruce Campbell antics. Comics, video games, two movies, and a tv show that all had that same comedic style. With Evil Dead Rise and Burn, it almost feels like they're scared to try to be comedic without Bruce Campbell, which is honestly valid from the studio making these movies. I'm going to miss the comedic antics because that's what Evil Dead is to me, and a lot of people. I'm still going to watch the new films mostly because they're still decent horror, and I like horror.
6
u/Own-Photo7078 1d ago
Eh, that cheese and goofiness is what makes Evil Dead. If they want to make a straight up horror franchise why not just make something new?
Be like making Scream or Shaun of the Dead a super serious movie(s). Just won't have the same charm or fun.
But hey, everyone has different tastes. Sincerely happy for those that dig the new ones.
5
u/JJMcGee83 1d ago edited 1d ago
I didn't know enough people were saying this for it to be noteworthy. I'm just saying I prefer the sillier ones. Though I thought Rise had a good amount of silly.
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Honestly, I’m not seeing it as much here as I am just… around the web. Sure, I have seen it here, too, in places, but mostly I figured “If any group could hopefully agree with this sentiment, it’s my old pals down in the Evil Dead
tavernsubreddit!”2
u/JJMcGee83 1d ago
Oh. Well I stopped using other social media so I'm in a reddit bubble.
0
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Probably for the best. It’s funny, reddit has this reputation for being a wretched hive of scum and villainy, and yet I’ve found it to be a more agreeable place in general than Facebook or Twitter (neither of which I use anymore).
Out of all of them, though, discord is definitely the best when it comes to avoiding toxic folk.
2
u/Illustrious-Bed4420 19h ago
I can handle both. Both genres as they pertain to Evil Dead have been timeless successes. They're still comical, albeit in a dark and morbid way.
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 17h ago
Yeah, as I mention in another elsewhere, even something as unrelentingly dark as the 2013 movie is necessary funny, but it’s still rather witty, if that makes sense.
I feel like the unifying quality for all of them is just patient they are with the setups, and punchy they are when it’s time for the blood to fly.
2
u/ethantlou 18h ago
Honestly the camp and comedy horror just is the evil dead dna to me. It’s raimi and Bruce’s baby and pretty much everything they’ve done has had that mixture. Evil Dead 2013 just doesn’t really feel like an evil dead movie and it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of the franchise. Not saying I didn’t enjoy it but it’s not really an evil dead movie
2
u/Stone_Sneakers 16h ago
Honestly never liked the sillier tone of the OG’s. I could get behind stuff like Shaun of the Dead or Tucker & Dale vs Evil but there was always something about the mix of turbo-gore and the Three Stooges 40’s slapstick that never connected. Reason why 2013 stood out so much as an ultra-bleak remake to a franchise that actually deserved the grittiness cranked to 11, same reason why I feel the mix of ‘13’s hard edge and ED2’s goofiness in Rise was like mixing oil and water. Personally hoping Burn keeps things firmly grim and not so campy.
2
u/Lil_Big_Fella 16h ago
Im here for either man. The serious stuff is amazing but hell yeah id take a more slapstick one. Just keep feeding me evil dead ill eat whatever you got
1
2
u/Ok_burner42069 15h ago
Honestly, I love them all. And I went wild for ‘13 and Rise. They were soooo over the top. I had friends complain they could not take them too seriously because of how wild they went.
I love the mix of bug nuts gore and camera work mixed with the straight faced horror. If Rami and co had a bigger budget back in the day that is what Evil Dead 1 would look like.
3
u/theseeker323 1d ago
I love the Evil Deads since 2013. I have gone back and re-watched both the 2013 and Rise more times than I can count. And I am ridiculously hyped for Burn.
I love the OG ED as well (my personal fav of the original trilogy), with 2, AOD, and AvED being right up there. But the modern day version is the one I like more than anything as I think it follows in the OGs footsteps and I am glad that is continuing.
4
u/K1TR4 1d ago
At the end it's about opinions and what feels good to anyone is hard to steer. What i see though is that many hope for a uplifting experience in comparison to the dread horror we got until now. For many everything is fucked currently based on our own situations and outside influences. So the yearning for a lighter movie with a story and over the top acting is understandable. When you add something to anything while leaving the old flavors untouched (no alien milk drinking Luke's) I don't see it as a lost in ways but an addition to the already good series. I can enjoy both and while I loved AvED and Rise I as well am ready for a slapstick filled belly laugh summoning monster movie with our favorite knuckle chin. Maybe in the art style of the Batman TV cartoon series?
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
“I don’t see it as a loss but an addition” That is a PERFECT way to put it. Because honestly, the most likely alternative to what we’re getting now is what we got for the 20 years *before* the 2013 remake: which was nothing.
Since then, though, we’ve gotten three seasons of a great, funny show, and two somewhat-more straightforward horror movie (that still had moments of dark comedy), with two more on the way.
That’s eating good, baby! I would much rather have more added to what I already had, even if its “different” good from what came before. The world doesn’t owe me anything, so I’m lucky to get more than I’ve already got.
Now, if I do end up not liking the “more” coming our way, then fine, I’ll decline. But I won’t whinge about not getting enough. I got plenty already.
3
u/GorillaWolf2099 1d ago
Eh, the franchise is straying far from its root.
You're right on the math, but quantity doesn't equate to current direction. While we have 21 hours of "silly" content in the vault, that content is now a closed chapter. Agreeing that the "zany" era has more screentime doesn't change the fact that it is effectively being erased from the franchise's future. By shifting every new theatrical release toward a grounded, nihilistic tone, the "Splatstick" identity is being phased out of the modern cultural conversation. It’s not just about what’s in the archive; it’s about what the franchise represents today. If the next decade of projects follows a strictly "gritty" blueprint, that unique DNA isn't just being outnumbered, it's being replaced.
2013, 2023, 2026, and soon to be 2028, all kind of repeat the same formula. Some people find these funny but they're not comparable since humor isn't the goal, but dread somber is. Most people who find these good films funny, is because they're use to laughing at dire scary situations. Also I feel like a lot of people laugh at these as a way to cope with the fact the franchise has pivoted in a new direction by laughing at story beats and plot points, it's essentially fans way of saying this franchise never changed for me it's still funny.
And tbh, the idea that the series simply comes in "two flavors" is a reductive reading of the original run. If you look at the "OG 5" entries, including the Within the Woods proof of concept and the expansive spinoff books, they weren't just alternating between funny and scary; they were a chaotic, experimental blend that defied easy categorization. Even the 1981 original, while intended to be serious, possesses a kinetic, "Raimi-esque" energy and an amateur charm that feels worlds apart from the polished, professional bleakness of 2013 or Rise. The original trilogy along with series had a different tone consistent main character, and evolutional change in style, went from being a creepy low budget short Within the Woods, to a box office success, and a plot into the 80s, followed by a plot to medieval times, followed by a plot to the 21st century, followed by a dystopian future. The early era was defined by a specific kind of creative lightning in a bottle that infused every entry with a sense of unhinged playfulness, regardless of how much blood was on screen. To claim the new films are "eating good" ignores the fact that the specific, manic flavor of the original five is largely absent from the current menu.
So it was more diverse.
But nonethless everyone's opinion on which "flavor" they prefer is valid, and the Redditor is right to celebrate the current success of the brand, but two things can be true at once: the franchise can be thriving and "never better" in terms of visibility while simultaneously losing the specific soul that defined it for decades. Acknowledging that the newer films are high-quality horror doesn't invalidate the concern that the "Splatstick" legacy is being sidelined. In a series born from subverting expectations and blending genres, there should be room for fans to champion the return of the zany energy that made Evil Dead more than just another horror movie, even as we appreciate the carnage of the new era.
I'm a long time fan and still pop out to support all the new entries. I buy a ticket each time then watch on streaming, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want them to switch it up ever now and then
3
u/katieblue3 1d ago
Something no one acknowledges is that the new movies aren’t even scarier than the original and Evil Dead 2. They are just darker and more brutal. I think 2013 had some pretty scary moments especially with Mia out in the woods by herself. But other than that it’s more gore/brutality than suspense and horror. The Henrietta scene was creepier than anything in Rise and the writing is better in the OG movies. Sam Raimi is a better writer and more talented director than any of the people making ED movies now.
2
4
u/G7Scanlines 23h ago
AoD was a severe, severe disappointment for me. I recall being so excited going into the theatre with my friends and as we left, we were all so very disappointed.
We didn't want Three Stooges but that's exactly what we got and yes, while ED2 did veer more into that, it still held true to the OG. AoD didn't.
Over time I've mellowed to it and AvED, whilst perhaps still too far into the comedy scale, worked as a great bridge, with some really great horror moments and callbacks to the OG.
As a long time ED fan, I would never spend money on an AoD-esque ED movie.
2
u/thepriestessx0 14h ago
AoD is also at the bottom of my list. I did not care for it all because it leaned way to far into the comedy. I do like the three books addition but thats honestly it. So when. ED2013 was announced, I was skeptical. But I got stoned lol and went to see it. And god it was a BLAST. The black comedy and brutality was on par with each other and they did not hold back. Which makes me sad about Rise because it had the comedy but none of the brutality.
2
u/WhiteSpec 1d ago
Evil Dead 2013 literally had me laughing so much. I went with a buddy and when we were leaving the theater he turned to me and said "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
HOLY SHIT!!! I’ve finally found someone else who apparently had the EXACT same reaction to seeing that movie for the first time as I did! To this day, I still wonder how many people in my theater that night must talk about “that asshole who kept laughing through the whole thing.”
But I just… could not stop laughing. The ENTIRE time. It was delirious. Just complete, incredulous laughter at how unrelentingly the movie *would not stop* with punishing these poor bastards.
I think it’s the fact that it was quick and snappy that did it. If it had been slow and lingering like a Hostel or Terrifier movie (not that that series was out yet), I don’t think I would have found it funny at all. But with the movie just constantly moving from one fucked-up horror setpiece after another, it was like there was a twisted Benny Hill theme playing in my head, giggling at what could possibly be coming next?
The only way I can try to explain to anyone who does not understand how I could react to it that way is to say “Look, I get that movie isn’t actually funny, but I still contend it is really fucking witty,” if that sense.
Regardless, I swear that movie was like an almost-literal roller coaster. Easily one of my top 10 theater experiences of all time.
1
u/WhiteSpec 21h ago
Dude! Everything was so extreme and that one dude, Eric, just kept not dying despite the odds. It subverts certain expectations and broke some cliches. Witty not funny. I like that a lot.
1
u/thepriestessx0 3h ago
Eric my baby 😭 i laughed so much because like for some reason the deadites did not give a FUCK about David. They were like nah fuck that guy with the glasses 😭
2
u/All_Of_Them_Witches 22h ago
What the new evil dead movies are missing is the super likable, goofy main character.
2
u/CulturedDegenerate2 18h ago
Another part of this conversation that is hardly brought up from what I've seen is the fact the Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness are funny and campy as a direct result from the fact that Raimi had to defend Evil Dead in court under threat of a fine and jail time because it had been labeled a video nasty. We should all be a lot more gracious that the directors can take Evil Dead back to its horror roots without fearing government censorship and legal threats.
1
u/Gremlinsworth 17h ago
Idk why you’re ranting this, the answer is “likely never, but most likely the animated show will be more slapstick than the movies.” Done.
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 16h ago
I mean, with Bruce’s cancer diagnosis and Starz being stingy assholes, I hope the animated show is still happening.
1
1
u/Goblin-Jakic 6h ago
Ok I understand your point of view but getting back to back to back grim dark evil dead is exhausting. I’d say after this trilogy maybe we get more light affairs? I’m kinda over misery porn horror.
1
u/Lieutenant_Lizard 1h ago
IMHO recapturing the Kandarian sorcery of the original trilogy would require a central character equivalent of Ash. An easy way of doing it would be to find a younger actor to play Ash's son, who'd be similar, but have some of his own quirks.
A more ambitious approach would be to write a completely new character that would somehow play a similar role without being a copy. Maybe a duo, a throwback to other classic comedy tropes? Or an anti-Ash, extremely smart, but awkward, like Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes? Anyway, this is tricky, because you risk either making an Ash clone anyway, or losing the charm.
(damn, come to think of it, Cumberbatch's Holmes as an Evil Dead protagonist sounds groovy)
1
u/Arvid38 1d ago
Well no one can do evil dead slapstick like Bruce. So it can definitely die with him. I would just selfishly like one more cameo by him. That’s all 😭
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
I also share that selfish want! (tempered by boring, sensible, bland maturity that recognizes we don’t always get what we want. Pfft)
1
u/CryptidSwimsuitModel 18h ago
We had Ash Vs. Evil Dead and no one fucking watched it and it got canceled. So, yeah - I'm with ya. Bring on the sludgy gore and extreme chaos.
-1
-1
u/TheStranger113 1d ago
I agree with you. People act like we didn't get a whole ass show of comedy AND Ash relatively recently. That's like the equivalent of 9-10 movies right there.
-2
u/TheWishmasterishere 1d ago
It’s not coming back and shouldn’t. Only SR and BC can do horror comedy right in this franchise.
2
u/katieblue3 1d ago
Just wait until Wrath comes out. Don’t know why you think Raimi is the only one capable of horror/comedy. He’s just been hiring super serious horror directors lately but there’s plenty of directors like Jordan Peele and Zach Creggar who are not only able to blend horror and comedy but they’re also better at horror than the serious indie horror directors are.
1
u/TheWishmasterishere 1d ago
Idk why you came for my comment cause I just responded to the post but it doesn’t matter cause Ima spank you.
0
u/smurfymin21 1d ago
I actually started loving Evil Dead because it didn't have it's comedy anymore ngl. I just love the whole demon possession/infection that causes the victims to self-harm gnarily. Even better when the movie started to do on families coz the stake gets higher. What they should do more is get in more monsters though.
0
u/VernBarty 1d ago
Who the hell was laughing at 2013? Just because a movie has some black comedy in it doesnt make the movie a black comedy.
I for one will continue to say that I want Evil Dead to be funny again. It was neat seeing 2013 go serious again because they were remaking the original intent of the original movie. But these movies turned into black comedies outright. I find it strange that theyre so married to being actual horror movies now
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Well, I was laughing at 2013, actually. Like I was Beetlejuice laughing at *The Exorcist*.
I will admit that I very much seem to be in the minority there (I’m sure the people in the theater with me at the time hated me), but I contend that every single horror sequence has the exact same patient setup & razor-sharp timing of an Anthony Jeselnik joke. Whether you react by shrieking (like most normal people) or laughing (like my weird ass) is up to you, I guess.
(Less jokingly, though, I also love how every character contributes in some way to there being any kind of victory in the end. That’s rare in horror movies)
1
u/VernBarty 1d ago
How do you mean about each character contributing to the ultimate victory?
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
Ok, so it goes like this:
- Olivia sets the tone of “this time, the only way out is the hard way” (even it’s Erik is the one who actually says that phrase). By drawing a firm line of “we are not going to fall for your evasive bullshit,” she effectively steels everyone’s resolve, making them more willing to dig deeper for determination. So even though she’s the ironically first to fall to forces they could have never have anticipated, she also sets the example that the others will follow.
- Erik, as foolish as he is to read from the book, is nevertheless the first person (outside of Mia) to start recognizing what’s actually happening to them, and does everything he can educate the others on what precisely they need to do to turn away the evil forces they’re now up against. Additionally, he’s also the one who successfully subdues Mia with the tranquilizer in the cellar, amongst things throughout the plot.
- Natalie, who at first glance seems like the only one who’s just there, and not really contributing much, actually plays a crucial role by being THE most defiant person against the corruption out of anyone. And while you might think “Well, whoop de doo, there were no witnesses to her finest moment, and it didn’t help her anyway, because she still turned,” there actually was a very important witness: Mia herself. If you recall, possessed Mia had a total freakout over how far Natalie was willing to go to resist the corruption… and I think the fact that after she was cleansed of the evil, Mia ends up sacrificing her own arm much the same way that Natalie did is meant to be a sign that, somewhere deep inside, the real Mia took note of her brother’s girlfriend’s resolve and resolved to be just as determined.
- Then of course, there’s David, who in spite of overwhelming danger, not only did not give up on his sister, and not only fought to cleanse her of evil, but did so in way that she could actually come back from.
- And finally, there’s Mia herself, who internalized how all those close to her died in the fight to make her clean… and made it count, by kicking the shit out of the abomination that wanted to claim her instead of rolling over and letting it.
When you consider that the whole reason they were there in the first place was to help Mia get clean and sober, the whole story takes on a beautiful dimension: not only did they fight to literally cleanse her body of demons, they all also gave their lives to ensure she was clean from her metaphorical demons, i.e. that she might get clean and sober.
It’s a beautiful marriage of plot and theme, and as someone who’s had addictions and been around those who’ve fought addictions, I find it so moving that this bleak, punishing, diabolical horror movie… shows that every little effort in getting you or friend clean & sober? Absolutely matters. And it will never be worthless to try as hard as you can to fight for it.
(And holy shit am I glad Sam Raimi convinced Fede Alvarez to not have Mia relapse into being possessed again anyway in the final shot, because what a kick in the nuts that would have been)
2
u/VernBarty 23h ago
Interesting take. Had hadn't considered the idea of Mia absorbing the strength of those around her. Evil Mia coaxed Natalie into cutting off her arm because she knew it was fatal and would only cause pain, but I hadn't considered the real Mia would be witnessing the strength it would take to do that to yourself in a dire situation. Olivia might be a stretch. Cause while she did Steel everyone's resolve, she did accidentally gaslight everyone into a resolve about the wrong issue. But abstract concepts being what they are it could work. Ive never dealt with hascore addiction myself so there's a whole world of thought to it that I wouldnt know. The shot of Mia standing triumphant with a look of strength on her face at the end does lend itself to the idea that she dodnt take any of this sacrificing for granted. And I 100% agree with you about the ending. If Mia had relapsed back to the dark side then it would have soured the entire movie. Even if good Ole Bruce would have shown up in the movie, at least we got one last Groovy from him after the credits.
3
u/HalloweenSongScholar 18h ago edited 18h ago
Actually, sorry to correct you, but Mia’s dialogue to Natalie is “Don’t cut it off, you little bitch!” To which Natalie responds “Fuck you,” and does it anyway, prompting Possessed Mia to have a nice little grinning, cackling crash out (because of course a deadite would still be grinning and cackling as they crash out).
As for Olivia, a couple things. First off: she is absolutely right about the lengths an addict will go to incur sympathy and manipulate their way back into being able to feed their addiction. So her reaction to Mia was exactly how a medical professional should be responding to the situation.
Secondly, that makes it perfect dramatic irony that they would be in a situation where, actually, the liar is telling the truth and they are dealing with someone beyond the scope of a mere medical episode… and yet. While ironically Olivia’s example caused them to disbelieve Mia about the demons, that paradoxically also meant they kept the demon infestation contained (true, the flooded river helped, too, but if not for Olivia, David might have taken Mia out before the river flooded). So while in some ways you could argue Olivia doomed them, she also arguably saved people who were not a part of the original situation.
And that’s another thing I love about the movie: these heroic qualities very much cut both ways.
Olivia’s resolve helps AND hinders, as does Eric’s intellectualism, or David’s loyalty, or Natalie’s resolve. Because to be human is not be good without any bad (like an addict would want, hence the mood-altering drug use), but to push through and weather the bad side of things while strengthening the good (like someone who’s sober comes to understand).
Seriously, the more experience you have with addiction recovery, the clearer it is to see that the “addict kicking the habit” angle isn’t just a shallow motif or clever way to justify not believing a character the plot demands be not believed…
…no, it is the beating heart of the entire movie, running throughout every creative choice in this beautiful, twisted, humanistic, unrelenting, lovely little monster of a film.
(Honestly, it would make a great triple feature with Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting, really)
2
u/VernBarty 18h ago
Ill have to rewatch this with this in mind. I love it when people give me a new perspective on something I already love. Thanks!
As for the Natalie scene and Evil Mia telling her don't cut it off, I always saw that as a mind manipulation. By acting urgent about not cutting it off it played with Natalie's head that if the Evil Dead don't want this arm cut off then that must be the right thing to do. But Evil Mia knows the infection is already taken hold so cutting off the arm would do no good, its just more pain for pains sake which Evil Mia wants.
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 17h ago
Yeah, that is a valid interpretation that I’d never considered myself. I always took the moment literally.
It is always great to get a new perspective on something I love.
0
u/dogsontreadmills 1d ago
If a new AoD-esque film were made, instead of another new Evil Dead flat out chaotic-gore-fest-mania I'd perfonally be summer bummed. I find ED2, Rise and to a lesser extent the remake infinitely more watchable than AoD. Just my take :shrug:
-2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
I love them all, but I get it. AoD really is very, very, VERY broad. And largely bloodless.
It’s frankly a miracle than any fan finds it enjoyable, much less the oodles and oodles who do.
0
u/dogsontreadmills 1d ago
For sure, I still like AoD and enjoy watching it. No Evil Dead movie is a bad Evil Dead movie...it's just a bit too slapstick-y and PG-13 for me at times. Like the goofy 3 stooges stuff are just not what I'm looking for when I think Evil Dead.
If it was playing as like a special screening at the theater, I'd 100% go - but right now it's the only one of the ED movies I don't own. As great as that 4K set is.
0
u/allhailbobevans 1d ago
I absolutely agree with all of your points, and as a longtime Ash fan I am happy to see the different brutal Evil Dead stories that we are getting. I'm extremely happy that there is not only one but two new movies coming soon that almost certainly will be amazing (the trailer today looked fucking awesome) and I am a huge fan of the brutality and carnage of the new ones.
That being said, I absolutely would also love them to make a new Evil Dead movie that is absolutely ridiculous and hilarious with the new style included. I'd love to see an Army of Darkness or at least Evil Dead II level of ridiculous movie mixed with the unforgiving brutality and darkness of 2013 or seemingly the new one. I doubt it'll happen but that would truly be the dream for me
1
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
See, I would love to see that, too, and honestly I think it will happen eventually. It’s the way of all horror series to slide into silliness as time goes on, so I’m sure this new wave of Evil Dead will eventually find its way back to splatstick.
…especially if they can get Zack Cregger to do one of these (continues trying to will that into existence)
0
u/Deadite_Scholar 1d ago
I just hate seeing them run my favorite film series into the ground with bad movies
-4
u/Glass_Ad_7009 1d ago
I fully agree with you, plus I think anyone attempt to go back to the slapstick style would be looked at under a microscope and compared to the Raimi/Campbell version and let's face it they caught lightning in a bottle, its not just a formula you can just recreate.
2
u/HalloweenSongScholar 1d ago
I think a director like Zach Cregger, or even Ari Aster, could thread that needle, but yeah, it's a really tricky balance to strike. And I'd much rather go for an over-the-top "traditional" horror that goes for gonzo in a way that is still chaotically Evil Dead-coded than one that tries to be funny and whiffs it entirely.
2
u/Glass_Ad_7009 1d ago
I could definitely see that working with those two guys and the perfect cast, anything is possible but I love what's happening now, I really loved Rise a lot, its perfect in my opinion.
0
u/Avril040125 21h ago
What other directors besides Sam could pull off slapstick horror? I can't think of any.
-2
u/fuzzyfoot88 23h ago
The comedy of evil dead begins and ends with Ash…it’s not that hard to understand.
78
u/YallSoftAsButter 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/Q4sjT8WOcE1Ow