Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)

Okay, so I am cheating a little tonight as I am going to review one of my all-time favorites. To be honest, I probably watch this one twice a year, and that date came last night as I was working on a couple project ideas. That movie is the 1987 classic Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn.

Plot/ The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.

The Evil Dead series is one of my all-time favorites and amazingly are just as entertaining today than they were when they came out. That is especially the case with this entry, which in many ways help energize the genre with its cult status. This low budget story is in no way a sequel, it is a different perspective on the classic source material. While it did lack the serious tone of the original, it makes up for that with a perfect blend of comedy, gore, and horror that takes the series to a completely new plane. Yes, it has all of the action, possessions, and of course, Bruce Campbell, but it is the combination of solid performances, outstanding storyline, and crazy characters that truly brings this one to life. In the end, if you are a horror fan and have not watched this one, shame on you. The may be one of the best horror films on the 1980s and is one that will surely continue to stand the test of time. Find it and watch it!

Army of Darkness (1992)

Tonight as I have been finishing up my Friday article for Steelers 101, I decided to throw something on that I have not watched in some time. Of course, with boxes of DVDs here at the house, I have a ton of choices. In the end, I decided on something with some comedy sprinkled in (that can match the Steelers performances). I decided to watch the 1992 classic Army of Darkness.

Plot/ A man is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home.

The Evil Dead franchise is one of my favorites. Thee is so much depth ad variety in play throughout the series that it has a life all its own. In Evil Dead Parts One and Two, the gore is there and the dark comedy is developing, yet with Army of Darkness the series turned a direction that cemented its cult status. This flick is hilarious, with great dialogue, perfect performances and a true classic B-Movie creature feature feel. Sure, there are some cheesy moments, but those definitely seemed intentional to create the campy atmosphere (watch the skeleton armies close if you do not know what I mean). In the end, this is a great movie, which is both disturbing and fun. If you have not seen it, check it out, you will not be disappointed unless you are looking for a gorefest.

Evil Dead (2013)

As usual, I am playing catch up. After Friday night at the drive-in and a Saturday filled with creating some Halloween Decorations for the County Fair, I wanted to get back to a movie I watched last week. That flick may not be as scary as The Conjuring, but it was decent. That flick was the 2013 remake of Evil Dead.

Plot/ Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.

I am really not a fan of the remakes and re-interpretations of classic horror flicks that has populated the Hollywood landscape in recent years. Yes, there are times where these new efforts are not terrible (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), but usually they are terrible (Friday the 13th). When I saw they were remaking Evil Dead, I cringed, but after some thought, I was excited. Evil Dead is truly the picture of a perfect remake, after all, that is how it was born. In this case, there was mixed emotions after watching it. The gore, the pacing, and some of the effects were perfect. Even some of the storyline and characterization changes worked. There were some down times as some of the acting seemed flat and some of the props laughable (the updated Necronomicon), but those were smaller issues. Of course, if you are looking for this to be Bruce Campbellesque and mirror the original you may be disappointed. In the end, I found this truly entertaining and a decent horror flick and one that should be watched.