Deep Dark Thoughts
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made was around the time Evil Dead 2 came out in the theatre. A friend and I were heading to the theatre to see a movie, and both Evil Dead 2 and “Return of the Living Dead 2” were playing. I was dumb enough to allow my friend to talk me into seeing “Return 2” rather than Evil Dead 2—a mistake I have always regretted two reasons: First and foremost, because I didn’t see Evil Dead 2 on the big screen, and second, because “Return 2” sucked royally!!!
Sam Raimi was able to inject a little comedy into Evil Dead 2, fusing it with horror to come up with a deadly mixture. Evil Dead is my all-time favorite because of the horror, but I love watching Evil Dead 2 because it’s so damned funny. You can definitely see the direction Raimi has taken the series, from true horror in “Evil Dead,” to horror and comedy in Evil Dead 2, and finally to comedy combined with horror in “Army of Darkness.” I think that this shift in direction was a big mistake for Raimi, but I will get into that on the AOD page. Watch this movie, Groovy.
Evil Dead 2 Movie Story
The Evil Dead 2 Movie begins with our hero, Ash (Bruce Campbell), having survived his hellish night of battling the evil dead. Ah, the morning’s here, time to escape. Wrong! Just as Ash is preparing to leave, the last remaining demonic spirits rocket him through the woods in a very comical scene. Crashing into a tree, Ash regains consciousness only to be possessed by the evil dead, but eventually, the morning light chases these spirits away, sparing our hero.
Ash then falls unconscious, only to awake as dusk is setting in. . . . ROUND 2. During the ensuing night, Ash battles his dead girlfriend, his own hand (which he lops off with a chainsaw), and more evil dead than you can shake a shotgun at. They are looking for fresh souls. Who can stop these little bastards? I won’t tell—but as you can see, there is a sequel.
The remake, sequel, or both? I would definitely say sequel. Thereee are two reasons why Raimi filmed the flashback sequence the way he did. First, to bring those unfortunate fools who didn’t see “Evil Dead” up to speed, and second, because he couldn’t get the footage from New Line.
Evil Dead 2 Facts
- The top-most book Ash places on the bucket when covering up his decapitated hand is “A Farewell to Arms.”
- The movie tag-line read “2 Terrifying, 2 Frightening, 2 Much.”
- The movie was filmed on the set of the “Color Purple,” because the original cabin had been destroyed years before by fire.
- A glove belonging to Freddy Krueger can be seen hanging near the steps in one of the cellar scenes. This was done reciprocally, in response to Wes Craven’s having used “Evil Dead” on the TV screen in “Nightmare on Elm Street.
- Look at how the necklace is laid out on the floor when Ash is possessed the second time—like a skull. Pretty cool.
- Sam’s brother, Ted Raimi (the now-deceased Joxer on “Xena: Warrior Princess”), played the possessed Henrietta.
- The budget on Evil Dead 2 was $3 million.
- Ash’s full name: Ashley J. “Ash” Williams.
- The films were cut in Australia, Germany, and Sweden.
- Check out “DVD Reviews” examination of the “Evil Dead 2” DVD. Click on the banner for more info.
Gamemaker THQ has produced a game based on the “Evil Dead” series for all platforms (PC, PlayStation, and Dreamcast) entitled “Evil Dead: Hail to the King”.
Evil Dead 2 Merchandise
- You can Buy the newly remastered DVD version of “Evil Dead” atAmazon.com
- You can Buy Evil Dead (LE) on DVD from Amazon.com
- You can Buy the DVD version of “Evil Dead 2” at Amazon.com
- You can Buy the THX DVD for “Evil Dead 2” at Amazon.com
- You can Buy Evil Dead 2 (LE) on DVD from Amazon.com
- You can Buy the poster for “Evil Dead 2” at Amazon.com
- You can Buy Army of Darkness from Amazon.com
- You can Buy Army of Darkness (Director’s Edition) from Amazon.com
- You can Buy The Evil Dead Companion at Amazon.com
- You can Buy Bruce Campbell’s Book “If Chin Could Kill atAmazon.com
- You can Buy the soundtrack for “Army of Darkness” at Amazon.com
- You can Buy the soundtrack for “Evil Dead/Army of Darkness” atAmazon.com
- You can Buy the DVD for the “Evil Dead Trap” at Amazon.com (Japanese film inspired by “Evil Dead”)
- You can Buy an Evil Dead T-shirt from RottenCotton.com
- You can Buy a House of Horrors T-shirt from RottenCotton.com
- The solution of the Rubik’s Cube is not easy but it can be calculated with an online program. Launch the cube solver program in your web browser to give it a try.
Evil Dead 2 Fanspeak
Derek Urban
RE: Evil Dead 2
Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn is one of the most innovative horror/dark comedies of all time. I take great pleasure in knowing that others share the same point of view.
Derek Urban
Tim
RE: Evil Dead 2
Evil Dead 2 is simply the funniest horror flick I have ever seen. If you haven’t seen it, it is a must. I could watch this movie over and over. Even now that I am grown up and supposed to be settled down and more sensible. Army of Darkness being made was a big deal to me. I got so excited. But was disappointed. It just wasn’t the same. A screaming good time just the same. Just not living up to the precedent set by ED2. And since I saw ED2 before ED, I was spoiled. I really wish I had seen the first, first. ED is the only movie I have seen where the sequel is better than the original. If this movie is entertaining, then Fright Night and Pumpkinhead should also be seen.
Tim
Chris D.
RE: Evil Dead II
I just wanted to write and pay my respects to my favorite horror film of all time, Evil Dead II. I’ve been a fan for 5 years now and I was the co-founder of a movie club at my high school. I only felt it appropriate to make the first viewing in the club that of Evil Dead II. It produced a great response with the members and I eventually got to write a movie review for my high school magazine. I thank Bruce Campbell for an unbelievable performance, Mark Shostrom for the one of a kind special effects, and Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel for their ideas and directions that made Evil Dead II such a classic. I appreciate the chance to share my thoughts on Evil Dead II. Thank you.
Chris D.
Alberto Carluccio
[email protected] netgate.com.uy
RE: evil dead 2(please read it all. It’s long)
Evil Dead 2 once astonished me on the cinema, in1988, when I was 23. First of all the “subjective” (I’m latin) camera (the”evil”) that follows him on the woods. THE BRIDGE! The story is amazing. You laugh, but you also get scared. Once I had a girlfriend that told me that it’s a serious movie!! not a horror movie. My girlfriend died. If you believe in God pray for her (I’m serious about this) I still love her (forever), but isn’t it interesting that somebody who takes a look to “Evil Dead 2 says that its a SERIOUS MOVIE. Think about Ash (Campbell is extraordinary) in this way. Have you noticed all the things that happen to him in the film? The humor of Sam Raimy is amazing. Remember the scenes in which he is hit by the fat man, sent to the cellar, sent to the middle age and always been followed by THE EVIL (add to that he is the only one who can fight it). Isn’t Eliana (rest in peace in the most beautiful paradise) right? Evil Dead it’s not just a horror laughing film. Changing of the subject, do you remember the scene when they are standing and looking in all directions and there’s a “toma” in which they look like a poster? How the hell did Sam Raimi do that? And then the camera goes trough strange things I can’t remember and afterward to the cellar, I guess.
Note that down there Ash takes the book with his right hand once. Again I want to say that it’s amazing when the camera follows Ash on the woods (THE SCENE OF THE CAR! and going backwards.The scene with his girlfriend is amazing too. Do you realize how it ends? I know this getting very long and maybe you’re not even reading it, but remember two things. The head of the animal on the wall is shown before it laughs once(I refer to the deer), so as to present it The other thing I want you to remember is that when Ash is followed in the house, it is enormous, and when the purchase stops and HE is watching, the camera surrounds(he is watching) but then it goes BACK to him!!! Isn’t that great? To end, it’s very interesting the scene in which he is caught by the evil. The mask is great, and his suffering is terrifying. But didn’t you laugh when he said to the lady that he was alright and? O.K: This getting very long. Bye and congratulations for your site. We are all horror film lovers. Let’s share as much information and comments as we can.
alberto carluccio
Michael Durrant
RE: The Incredible Evil Dead 2
I saw parts 1, 2 and 3 of this trilogy in one fleeting day last year when my family were on a day trip. I still regard Evil Dead 1 as the best and my favorite, but there is no denying that part 2 comes pretty damn close. Sam Raimi is an absolute genius - what made us terrified in 1 makes us laugh in 2, and this factor is to its credit. Even though I prefer to be scared than ‘tickled’ - 2 possesses all the classic elements of a real classy horror/comedy that was soooo good it almost pulled off what is viewed as the impossible - to be better than part 1. But not quite…. Fair enough the demons look scarier and the gore effects more realistic, but the gritty demon design in 1, partly due to its simplicity somehow struck a nerve and genuinely scared my pants off!!! Raimi needs to be paid far more than he is, and needs to break into studio movies ( as he did in Darkman ) so we can really get the absolute horrific best out of this horror expert.
Michael Durrant
