The Evil Dead franchise as well as beloved cult classic horror series is ever. A mixture of slapstick comedy over the top violence, crazy camerawork and editing, a cheesy low-budget B-movie aesthetic and overall insanity, this article’s aim is to explain not only why I personally Love these films but to try and find out what makes The Evil Dead franchise so beloved as a whole.
The Evil Dead
The original 1981 The Evil Dead directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash in a film were group of five friends travel to a cabin in the woods only for them to be posed and killed off one by one as demons is a true horror classic. Right from the very opening shot of a POV perspective of the Demons moving ominously across the misty lake with the strange background music the film does remarkably good job in setting up some genuine tension and suspense within the first minute or so. We then cut to a ultimate horror movie cliché of five friends driving to a remote cabin in the woods the now somewhat cheesy scene where the steering does not work causing them to almost collide comes across as dated and hilarious by today’s standards but like everything else this only amplifies its charm and love ability. This is only further exemplified by the campy jokes and terrible dialogue acting such as the bridge breaking after Scots says, “this thing is solid as a rock”. Or quite possibly on my favourite lines in the film Ash: “Might not be too bad.” Linda: “No…” Ash: “Actually, it might be very nice.” Linda: “Yer”.
As they drive up to the cabin the bench moves to its own as if by some omnipresent force. The whole film is built upon these classic horror movie clichés. I am in two minds as to whether these clichés are intentional. On one hand the evil dead certainly had a sense of humour so having these happening in film makes sense on the other hand the low-budget B movie film aesthetic could mean that all of this was done with a sense of sincerity. Regardless the cheesy campiness of the film only highlights the comedy more and is another reason why the film so beloved as the over-the-topness gives the film that feeling of a 1950s B-movie with the blood guts and glory of 80s splatter film. For better or worse clichés are truly baked into the evil dead. When Cheryl’s hand becomes possessed as she draws the book of the dead this shows a classic use of foreshadowing to the events that are about to occur as if the whole film was created upon clichés. When the cellar door opens by itself a dramatic sound effect accompanies it followed by cinematography where the camera moves from person to person as the lines are said. Again, there almost seems to be a somewhat self-awareness or at least a sense of humour to the evil dead as the film packs so many horror movie clichés into an hour and 25-minute runtime. This is further illustrated in scenes such as when Scotty jumps out ash in the cellar. The film then moves to its obvious setup of items that will be important within the film shot gun, book of the dead, kandaring dagger and tape equipment. This obvious setup again shows that the film almost doesn’t care if it uses clichés or not the purpose of evil dead is not to show big philosophical themes the purpose is viewing a crazy fun blood filled hell ride and in that regard it is very successful. The typical use of the horror movie montage used to create tension it also uses good effects in adding to the overall enjoyment of the experience is evil dead. The tapes that they play gives exposition awakening the Demons as the words repeat intensifying the girl’s insanity until it climaxes with her screaming and branches crashing through the window. In the film we never see the Demons in and of themselves we only see people possessed by the Demons. Some Demons themselves are shown using POV. This is a way of saving money however the use of POV creates a sense of a entity constantly watching the characters. This is most prevalent when the Demons are chasing down Cheryl again the idea of an external force is used in an effective way despite its low budget. The tree rape scene is both horrific and hilarious with the sticks moving by themselves again showing a low-budget aesthetic. However, the rape scene involving a large tree branch is generally unnerving and a very effective scene. After this the film reverts to its B-movie aesthetic, with the Demon chasing after the girl only to be saved by the fake jump scare of ash opening the door. Again, when they decided to drive the car won’t start at first and when they turn on the lights it is revealed that the Demons have destroyed a bridge making impossible for them to escape again showing B-movie cliché within the film. We are given exposition into what is happening, just enough info is provided to the audience for them to go along for the rest of the crazy ride as well as being somewhat oddly believable.
During the evil dead tension can mount at any time and through the simplest things during the card guessing game Cheryl uses the trick to build the tension before her demonised form is finally revealed. The possessed Cheryl rising from the ground shows the B-movie aesthetic of the film. However, the film can also produce imagery that can go under an audience’s skin. During the pencil scene despite its ridiculous nature there is a true horror being shown as the act itself is made to look truly painful and horrific again showing some expertly done directing despite a minimal budget. This cross between the campy and the disturbing is shown throughout the evil dead. With everyone being thrown around by the Demons the imagery resembles that of a slapstick comedy however despite the low-budget the Demons appearance is truly disturbing with white glazed over eyes and weird surreal low-budget make-up. A sense of ambiguity also created with the low budget the POV shot of the Demon crashing through Shelley’s room shows how ambiguity can be used to great effect on a minimal budget. Typical false jump scares and the scenes where the Demons attack them use horror clichés and campy cheesy effects all to give the film its distinctive charm. In relation to this B-movie aesthetic a lot of the film seems to be people saving themselves at the last minute, this combined with typical B-movie gore gives the film a disgusting and disturbing nature but also a heavy sense of comedy due to its low budget such as when Shelley get stabbed with the dagger squirting not only blood but will also seems to be milk from her mouth. The film constantly toys with audience expectations by bringing Demons back from the dead when you believe they have already been killed when Scott dismembers Shelley with an axe, it shows the lengths these characters must go to in order to survive in both a horrific and hilarious way. This is further exemplified when they bury Shelley showing how far these people must go to survive in this long crazy terrible night.
Imagination and creepiness are shown during the scene when Linda gets possessed. Beyond all the gore however the evil dead uses psychological horror to manipulate its characters and the audience. The Demons reverting to a supposed normal state before attacking shows a more subtle personal level of horror than just outright gore. In Ash not killing the Demons we are shown that he still possesses his humanity. Instead he dragged Linda outside and locks Cheryl in the basement. Even now he cannot quite kill them as he stands to lose his sense of morality. This morality continues when Ash grabs the chainsaw to cut up Linda. Again, his sense of morality will not let him do it causing him to bury her. We are shown his humanity as well as his scared and loving nature as he does not want to kill the person, he loves despite the insanity happening all around him. By ash burying her it shows that he truly loved as indicated by him picking up her necklace. This surprisingly sweet moment is juxtaposed with the evil dead’s B-movie horror as Linda rises from her grave to attack ash leading him to fight back with a piece of wood before decapitating her with a shovel. The evil dead subverts the traditional use of jump scares as instead of the Demon hiding in the bathroom which the scene leads us to believe it instead jumps out from the window causing ash to shoot at it only for the Demon to rise back up again.
It is in the last act however where the evil dead becomes truly experimental. As ash goes down into the basement blood leaks from an old rusty pipe covering ash. This is only the start of the surrealist gory humour as the blood leaks from the sockets on the walls giving the film the impression of some crazy haunted house or carnival ride with the character just along for the show. From a lightbulb filling up with blood to a record player and projector turning on causing blood to drip down the screen the evil dead displays a smorgasbord of genres from horror B-movie to experimental cinema to slapstick comedy all of which are used to great effect. The camera angles and movements during the last act are truly reflective of Ashes deteriorating mental psyche. Slanted camera angles and upside-down shots give a crazed uneven feel to make an audience uncomfortable. Slanted camera angles and upside-down panning shots are used to great effect here. In one shot the camera is looking up at ash as it seems to be placed underneath his feet. When Ash turns his foot the camera seamlessly transitions to another angle and is seamlessly edited. There is a brilliant use of Dutch angles within the scene in order to highlight Ashes insanity. During one sequence the camera is at a bird’s eye view tracking Ashes eke books and during this sequence a swishing noise is made as the camera passes the wooden ceiling beams again each showcasing a level of artistry and experimentation. My favourite image from this section however is an Ash puts his hand in to a mirror which turns into liquid the surrealism of the image alone is truly fascinating and amazing considering the budget.
However, despite the surrealist elements the evil dead is at its heart B-movie as shown when the Demons crash through doors causing ash to shoot them in the face. During the ending when the Demons get Ash, we truly see his struggling desperation in his own personal fight to stay alive. This is reflected in the gore such as gauging Scotty’s eyes out however even this scene is mixed with the Gothic brand of humour such as ash removing wood from Scott allowing his blood to flow out like urine. In the end despite being ripped apart by Demons ash truly shows that he is worthy of being the last man standing and a character you sympathise with and feel sorry for and grow to like despite not being the most complex person ever put to film. In throwing the book on the fire he ensures their demise. The animation is both cheap looking and the oddly impressive at the same time when taking into account the budget and just adds to the charm and surrealist nature of the film such as when demon arms come out of their bodies and devour themselves. The ending of evil dead could be said to be a subversion of the traditional happy ending in horror films. As daylight comes Ash walks out the last man standing bloodied and battered but victorious in the fact that he still alive. Then suddenly, a POV shot appears from nowhere charging through the house and going straight up to ash as it is implied, he dies. It can be argued that this ending could be seen as overly depressing since considering all that Ashes goes through the film he deserves to live however fans of the evil dead will know not to cry as it is common knowledge that two sequels followed after this.
Evil Dead 2
In many ways’ Evil Dead 2 were Ash the lone survivor of a demon attack held up in a cabin with a group of people as they are possessed and killed of one by one could be said to be both a recap and remake of the original Evil Dead with ash going back to the cabin with his girlfriend, as even the creators have stated that evil dead two was effectively the film they wanted to make first time round but did not have a big enough budget. The beginning is effectively a recap of the first film reincorporating elements such as the tape player and the shovel decapitation scene. This could be a sort of flyby exposition dump of the first film to give the audience context for Evil Dead 2.
From this the film then picks up where the first one left off, with a Demon coming through the house to attack ash. With ash spinning through the air repeatedly we are also showcased the horror comedy aspect of the evil dead two a staple that will remain throughout the franchise. Ash then becomes demonised for a while a conflict that will come into play throughout the film as he struggles with his own humanity. The film seems to incorporate a lot of aspects of the original evil dead just updated with a higher budget such as the “join us” only now with eyes projected onto the cabin. Again, this reincorporation of the first is also shown with the idea of ash driving away from the cabin to cross the bridge only for it to be destroyed. This opening sequence seems to be a shortened version of the evil dead only with the incorporation of time-lapse effects as well as higher budgeted effects and more impressive camera movements. These innovative camera movements are shown with the long POV shot of the Demon chasing ash across the house and back again referencing the original but in a bigger budgeted way.
Within the next seen the film effectively becomes its own movie, with the characters finding the book of the dead as well as more back story relating to the book itself. Parallel to this we see ash descending into madness within the cabin accompanied by a unnerving silence within the scene. The surreal elements within the film are played for comedic effect such as the piano playing by itself giving off a different tone from the original film this reuse of the music at the beginning of the film also links into the psychological manipulations of the Demons present within this series. This comes to head in both a creepy and hilarious scene of his headless girlfriend rising from the grave and dancing. These scenes demonstrate how the film takes the surreal nature present within the first film and uses it the sake of comedy, but also uses it for horror as when she attacks ash out of nowhere only for it to be revealed that it is all in his mind. Throughout The Evil Dead films, the real and the fictional are constantly intertwined as demonstrated by Linda’s decapitated head suddenly falling out of nowhere and biting him on the hand. This showcases the slapstick nature of evil dead two with ash whacking the head against the walls this combined with the better cinematography and set design makes evil dead 2 feel like a comedic revamp of the first film. Psychological manipulation is still at play with Linda’s severed head reverting to its normal self. This time however ash ultimately overcomes this and becomes more of the typical Demon killer hero we all know and love by cutting off the head with a chainsaw. This is the subversion of evil dead two as not only through horror but also through humour as a chainsaw suddenly comes out of nowhere through the door being wielded by Linda’s headless body. The use of surrealist comedy with a low budget aesthetic is on display here as blood shoots out from the neck as ash fights of the headless body of his girlfriend. The psychological manipulation is still at play as the decapitated head of Linda talks ash only for Ash to split her head in half.
After the symbolic image of ash holding a chainsaw and shotgun only to discard the chainsaw, an image that will become iconic within the evil dead franchise, a mirrored version of ash comes out of the mirror and grabs him by the shoulders and talks to him, a scene harking back to the original where ash put his hand into the mirror only to discover it is liquid. His reflected self is symbolic of his deteriorating mental state as it is then revealed that he is merely strangling himself again highlighting his own insanity. A classic scene from evil dead two then occurs of ash’s hand being possessed. The use of stop motion practical effects during this scene is genuinely effective whilst also in keeping with the B-movie aesthetic.
As this is going on, a traditional horror B-movie setup occurs with innocent researchers being caught up with typical horror movie redneck hillbillies. The film then transfers back to the famous scene of Ashes hand being possessed. The slapstick comedy of the hand smashing plates over his head, cements the comedy aesthetic. Eventually, this knocks him out as the hand drags his body towards a meat cleaver before ash stabs the hand with a knife and cuts it off with a chainsaw cementing the scene as a classic within the horror genre. This surrealist comedy continues with ash chasing around the possessed severed hand with a shotgun like he is trying to catch a rat. This is further exemplified by the hand waiting for Ash only to be caught in the mousetrap before giving Ash the finger. Once he shoots the hand, the surrealist gore of the comedy horror continues with a fountain of blood squirting out at ash from the walls only for it to be dry again playing the footage in reverse. As well as this, all the furniture starts laughing at ash causing him to laugh and then eventually shout and scream further highlighting his insanity.
This is then subverted and misunderstood when ash shoots through the door at a suspected Demon only for it to be Annie and the others who wrestle him to the ground and lock him in the cellar as a subversion to both the horror villain trope and the original evil dead film. These call-backs to the original Evil Dead are further showcased when like the Demons are released through a tape player. Only in this case, the Demon is in the cellar trapped with ash. This again showcases a subversion to the original evil dead through the uses of comedy as the Demon is punched back into the cellar as one of its eyeballs shoots out of its head and lands in Bobby Jo’s mouth.
The film also showcases that The Evil Dead franchise is not just one of gore as Henrietta reverts to her human form in order to manipulate the characters namely her daughter Annie. When Henrietta attacks them it again showcases the evil dead two as being a bigger budgeted remake of the original as the floating scene is giving a comedic twist, this is also present within the violence of the film as it is given a comedic tone as well as being an over-the-top gore fest. This subversion through comedy is further shown with the repeated use of a jump scare sound effect. The strange angles and effects throughout this scene showcase not only the comedic nature of the film but also the strange experimental nature of The Evil Dead franchise. Different techniques using lights and smoke are also showcases with the ghostly projection of a dead father again highlighting the experimental nature of the dead franchise.
From this we transfer to a recreation of sorts of the infamous tree rape scene. However, instead of ending with rape the scene showcases different and more outlandish effects as the vines wrap around Bobby Jo and drag her at high speed towards the tree only for the scene to end with a smash cut to the other characters. The film uses foreshadowing to great effect as it showcases the films linking one another within its own interconnected cinematic universe as when Ash and Annie see a picture of Ash with a chainsaw on his arm referencing Army of Darkness.
Bait and switch are used again as a redneck holding them at gunpoint puts the pages of the book in the cellar and makes them go outside to look for Bobby Jo. This demonstrates a typical horror movie cliché of the idiot having the power within the horror film and sealing the other characters fate as throughout the franchise Ash is never necessarily portrayed as the dumb idiot horror movie protagonist. From this ash turns back into a deadite a trope used throughout the film, only for this to act as a build-up to a suspenseful scene which ends with Annie stabbing Jake only for Ash to appear from the other window. This also shows the comedy of the film as Annie drags an injured Jake to the safety by hurting him more only for Henrietta to drag it Jake inside the cellar and kill him creating the final girl horror movie trope which the film subverts later on. As in traditional final girl situations Annie seems doomed only for Ash to force himself out of his demonic state with a memory of his humanity through the symbolic use of the necklace. This is then further subverted with Annie trying to kill him with an axe thinking he is still a Demon only for Ash to grab her and acts like a crazy person stating “I’m all right now” creating comedy.
In the classic chainsaw hand creation scene smash cuts are used in order to create a key moment for the film as well as highlighting the DIY nature of what is happening on screen as all of this thing culminates in the classic line “groovy”. Within the cellar scene genuine tension and atmosphere is created before breaking this to erupt in a climactic fight between Ash and Henrietta. This tension however is still present as Henrietta goes to attack Annie. All seems lost, until ash rises from the cellar reborn as the horror movie hero ready to take the villain on. A fight scene then ensues between Ash and Henrietta. The scene incorporates impressive stop motion effects as Henrietta’s head changes and her neck grows. A slapstick-esque fight then ensues therefore only uses Henrietta’s song to distract us subverted in the own Demons tactics against themselves. Ash then rams his chainsaw into her back, cuts off her arms and head before the classic line “I’ll swallow your soul I’ll swallow your soul” to which ash replies “swallow this” before blowing her head off with a shotgun. A tender moment between ash and Annie is then interrupted by the trees in the woods coming alive and attacking the cabin highlighting the better special effects.
The cabin becomes destroyed as they only complete the first passage to manifest the evil in the flesh as showcased by a Demons face coming through the door. As Annie continues to read the passages, she is stabbed in the back with the Kandarian Dagger by Ash’s evil hand. The evil and by extension the trees engulf ash and draw him closer with brilliant practical effects. As Annie lays dying, she recites the passages as the portal opens. However, it is not enough, and we see a vision of her not reciting the last words of the evil takes over ash as well. However, in her dying breath she recites the last words and sends the evil back. In another nice little moment between ash and a now dead Annie the portal opens again and ash ends up being sent to the Middle Ages where he shoots down a Demon. From this they believe he is the chosen one relating to a scene from earlier. This creates a subversion within the film as most people would be happy to be hailed as the chosen one, but for Ash he sees this as terrible as he is now trapped and can’t go home in a scene that references a scene earlier in the film with the book creating the start of Army of Darkness.
Army of Darkness
Just like Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness were Ash is transported back in time to 1300 AD were he battles the army of the dead and retrieves the Necronomicon so he can go home picks up somewhat right of the last film left off. As Ash walks in chains through mediaeval setting the opening gives a brilliant cook is to what is happening. From this we are then given flashbacks to the events previous in Ashes life as well as the events of the first two Evil Dead films that ended up creating a situation. This is the first time a back story has been created for Ash and is used to great effect to flesh out and give a layer of depth to the character. From this the film then shows Ash ending up in mediaeval times effectively starting on Army of Darkness. This relates to the confusion of the situation as Ash has no idea where he is. In Army of Darkness, the film plays upon the idea of Ash being the saviour hinted at by the prophecy mentioned in Evil Dead 2. However, the traditional chosen one plot is subverted whereby he is instead believed to be part of the enemy where he had captured and ultimately taken to towards his death. The opening of Army of Darkness effectually recaps the first two films to show how Ash got to this state allowing the audience to understand the events up to this point. Each film somewhat works on its own, as its own self-contained story but put together they also form a trilogy with a coherent flowing narrative. From this we are also introduced to another main story element in the form of Ash’s love interest within the film, Sheila who has the traditional character arc of hating the character first. Evil Dead films made up of iconic one-liners, as in this predicament Ash finds himself in the past pissed off and in a different time. It makes sense that throughout the Ark of the three films they would turn him into a smug arsehole, with lines such as “Well hello Mister Fancy pants. Well, I’ve got news for you pal, you aren’t leading but two things, right now: Jack and shit. And Jack left town.”
The pit sequence a sequence that has the only gory scene in the entire film as the rest of the movie plays out like a straight comedy. This element is further showcased through Ashes arseholeish nature throughout film. This however makes sense in the context of the film of all Ashes been through up to this point it makes sense that he will be annoyed and pissed off within the film. The comedic fight scene within the pit highlights the comedic nature of the action scenes throughout the entire film as well as the tone of the film itself that being a slapstick comedy. The pit scene is also the only time in the film ash uses his chainsaw. It is interesting that in a franchise where the iconic image of the protagonist is one of him wielding a chainsaw arm and sawn off shotgun the chainsaw is hardly used at all. After the fight Ash climbs out of the pit and punches King Arthur in the face. This scene demonstrates his transformation into funny Arsehole Ash a character type and transformation that makes sense given the situation with all the crazy stuff Ash is being put through it makes sense that he would transform into a cynical selfish dick. Within the film Ash wanders through the mediaeval setting subverting it, destroying it, and ultimately using it for his own gain. This is evident when he shoots Arthur’s sword with the shotgun in the famous “this is my boomstick” scene.
The next scene further showcases how Ash corrupts mediaeval setting for his own gain with him being fed grapes by women showcasing his embracement of the saviour role. This is then interrupted when the wise man says that says that he must travel to get the book of the dead (Necronomicon) to return home. However yet again army of darkness subverts the traditional hero’s journey by ash not caring for the people and ultimately wanting no part of it and instead embraces the selfish aspect of just wanting to find the way home. Throughout the evil dead films Ash is the ultimate reluctant hero. Ash is a average person in a terrible situation that’s false to suffer and endure crazy experiences as throughout the film’s ashes by no means shown to be a saviour or an idealised action hero more lucky guy who just gets by and somehow manages to kill Demons. This whole idea then changes by the Demons attacking ash. Like all three evil dead films the Demon surprises the heroes who attack and levitate before collapsing seemingly dead. Ash in Army of Darkness shows the level of self-awareness where he states that the death is merely a trick, causing the pursuing fight scene where again the film showcases its acceptance and glorification of Ash and these films as almost all of the dialogue is made up of one-liners such as in this scene with “I’ll swallow your soul” and “yo she-bitch let’s go”, it is only due to these very real threats that Ash finally accepts his quest. What follows is a remake of the evil dead classic chainsaw arm seen only this time it is a metal hand complete with the iconic “groovy” line. Ash could be said to act almost like a self-aware hero within the film as at first, he acts nasty towards Sheila before effectively forcing her to kiss him. Ash roams around within the narrative doing and thinking what every he wants not caring about the destruction of both the setting of itself and the traditional structure of what certain plot points and character types would be like within other film scenes and subverts and destroys for his own end. Ash ultimately accepts the request to get the book in which he has to say “Klaatu barada nikto” (from the day the earth stood still) before he retrieves it, this further illustrates ash does not want to be the hero and is only doing this to find a way out.
Whilst on to venture ash again gets attacked by Demons. The POV of the Demons is an iconic feature of the evil dead films which gives us a unique slasher-esque movie perspective to the main antagonists of the evil dead franchise. Ash closing the door just in time as the Deadite pounds on the door is another trait of the evil dead films only this time used for comedic effect given the tone of the film. Little versions of Ash come out of a broken mirror and starts attacking him in a slapstick scene. Throughout The Evil Dead films Ashes reflective self’s symbolise his own evil and crazy nature. Within Army of Darkness this is subverted using slapstick comedy as the army of mini Ashes attack our protagonist. What follows is a Gulliver’s travels-esque scene as Ash is pinned down to the ground as one of the tiny Ashes jumps down his throat resulted in a comedic scene where he tries to kill the tiny Ash by drinking boiling hot water. This results in the birth of our main antagonist as Bad Ash grows from Ashes body resulting in a slapstick fight and where the film again showcases that Ash’s character is made up of one-liners with the phrase “good bad I’m a guy with the gun”, as the dichotomy between good and evil is a trope exploited throughout the Evil Dead films. The scene then concludes in another classic Evil Dead trope where Ash hacks up the body and puts a cross on the grave only this time the scene is used for the sake of comedy with the decapitated head talking to him and mocking him that he will never retrieve the Necronomicon.
Within the graveyard scene the Necronomicon is also used for comedy. Three books are shown on the alter to confuse Ash for him to pick the right one. The first book he chooses sucks Ash into a vortex and contorts his face wide in a clay puppet -like manner. The second book on the other hand, becomes alive and starts flying around and biting Ash. Finally, Ash gets to the third and correct book but says the words incorrectly, causing everything to go wrong as Ash runs away. This scene further illustrates Ash is no hero within the films as within Army of Darkness the evil that awakens his ultimately his fault. The reluctantly becomes the hero of the films barely surviving in trying to sort out the situation as it happens. The slapstick skeleton hands in the graveyard scene again show the comedic aspect to the film as well as the repercussions of what he had done as ultimately everything past this point is that the result of Ashes incompetence further showcasing that he is not the hero of the film. Ash in many ways could be said to be both the hero and villain of the film as the both causes and destroys the Army of Darkness as is evident in as Ashes regeneration. Again juxtapositions are shown with the traditional hero’s welcome of Ash returning to the village but instead he brings about their end showing by how he acts to the villagers a non-caring way which in turn makes the villagers turn on him. Things then go from bad to worse for Ash as Sheila is captured by the deadlines. Sheila’s character revolves around her relationship with Ash due to the obvious characterisation of her being the love interest as well as her kidnapping being the catalyst that eventually causes Ash to accept his saviour destiny and become the hero of the film.
At this point all the villagers are panicking about and the army of the dead coming to attack. It is in this moment that Ash finally becomes hero of the story and getting everyone into stay and fight alongside him as well as convincing Henry the red and his men to join them thereby creating and forging a new pact between friends that were once enemies ultimately lead to a new kingdom. Sheila’s evil transformation in the film also demonstrates one of the franchises iconic staples that being the idea of having to kill the people that you love. Throughout Evil Dead films the demons possessions build to a degree of inner turmoil in the acts they have to commit in order to stay alive by killing their loved ones. Throughout the franchise Ash is very much a sympathetic character as ultimately everyone around him as either died or been turned into a deadite meaning he must kill them.
It is at this point that Ash uses his “man from the future” morphology to help the mediaeval people. He ultimately takes advantage of his place in the story using his predicament for the better to showcase his redemption by helping the people in their time of need. The arrows filled with an explosive chemical further showcases the main battle starting as well as Ashes contributions of using modern practices to defeat a mediaeval army. This is further showcased with the use of explosive catapults again highlighting Ashes contribution of putting modern flair into mediaeval weaponry. Ash is finally coming into his own using his man from the future title and knowledge to truly help the people and give himself his own redemption. However, as the battle starts all hope seems lost as they army of the dead break through the defences and start attacking the people. However, Ash again excepts his destiny as the ill-fated hero but a hero nonetheless, again using the future in order to destroy the evil of the past. This is clearly indicated by the weaponised car he uses to mow down the skeleton army. However, this is put to an end when he sees Sheila causing him to flip over and ultimately destroy the car. This idea of Ash’s actions leading to the demise of some sort is showcased with the Demons entering the courtyard and slaughtering the villagers. Ash then fights Sheila. A common theme throughout The Evil Dead franchises the idea being fighting the one you love showcasing the morality of having to kill people that you care about due to the demonised stage creating sympathy throughout the films as well as giving Ash a complex conscience and sense of duty as instead of mowing down faces enemies has you would except he is doing this for the people he cares about. With Henry the red coming to help it shows Ash has united two once warring people’s together again showcasing his redemption and hero arc. In true B-movie action adventure style all seems lost when evil Ash goes to get the book however then in this moment ash truly becomes the hero of the film standing up to fight the evil Ash while. In this scene Ash fights Sheila again reinforcing the having to fight the ones you love ideology that is present throughout the Evil Dead films as well as this, this scene contains another one of Army of Darkness’s most famous lines Shelia: “you found the beautiful once” Ash: “Honey you got real ugly”. This leads to the main fight between Ash and evil Ash containing both tension and comedy as in one instance Ash walks down the stairs fighting to people with two swords. Ash and evil Ash then engage in a climactic fight scene in which evil Ashes seemingly dies showcasing what would typically be the death of the main building. However, by the army of the dead killing the hero troops it is clear that the battle is not over which is showcased during evil ash becomes a skeleton. As this fight scene continues, an explosive charge signals the climax of the film. All seems lost however, until Ash becomes the prophesized saviour to the people by cutting evil Ashes hand off allowing him to take the book before launching him into the sky with the gunpowder causing him to explode saving the day. However, all is not fine as the issue of Sheila still needs to be resolved, however in typical film fashion it turns out that she has returned to normal. Ashes involvement in the story brings two once warring factions together allowing piece to happen again showcasing the hero and saviour aesthetic that Ash has now Fully embraced. Ashes final kiss and goodbye to Sheila at the end is bittersweet as it is tinged with the knowledge that they will never see each other again, as evident by the cross fade showcasing his return to the modern world, where he told his story to a fellow S-mart employee. However, in true Evil Dead fashion we are shown at Ash has messed up yet again a ending staple throughout these films as a deadite has followed him back to the present day. In a scene paralleling the beginning of the film all seems lost for the girl until Ash becomes the hero one more time killing the Demon again creating his own epic ending for himself in which he saves the day and gets the girl creating what he ultimately wanted to do originally within the main narrative of the film, complete with an epic hero line “Hail to the King baby” in a perfect ending bringing Ashes story closer creating ending in a happy satisfying and meaningful way where he has finally become the hero. This is where The Evil Dead ended for 21 years until The Evil Dead remake in 2013.
Evil Dead
Evil Dead 2013 remake of the 1981 film The Evil Dead, directed by Fede Álvarez and starring Jane Levy about five friends who to a remote cabin where they discover the Book of the Dead with summons demons living in the woods that possess and kill them. From the very beginning of the film it’s obvious that the remake is going for a darker and more serious version of the original. This showcases the film’s departure from the B-movie aesthetic into a straight horror film as well as showcasing the style of Demons present with blood spewing at their mouth and constant swearing again giving a more dark and scary approach to the original Evil Dead franchise. However, this also shows a common thread throughout the series being psychological manipulation as the Demons can get into people’s heads illustrating The Evil Dead franchise is more than just a gorefest and it able to use quite subtle techniques in order to build fear and suspense. Ultimately, The Evil Dead remake creates a more serious and creepy atmosphere as opposed to the rough and raw B-movie aesthetic of the original in order to create a more unique setting on premise of the film instead of being a carbon copy. The remake also constantly references the original case in point being the brother David giving a necklace to his sister Maria in the same way that Ash gave a necklace to his girlfriend Linda. The whole premise of the film of Mia and by extension the rest of them to be there is for her to get off heroin and to make her go cold turkey gives the characters in the remake more of a reason for being there whilst in the original they just so happen to be travelling at the kick cabin because the plot needs to be there. This is further illustrated by a little more character development and back story within this film as compared to the original as the cabin itself is the family cabin of Maria and David as they are up there with their childhood friends giving the characters in more believable reason being in this situation. It also gives more back story and character development to the main characters such as the mother of Mia and David supposedly went crazy resulting David abandoning her making Mia having to take care of her which insinuates the possible cause of the heroin addiction as well as creating tension between the two characters in giving more character development compared to the original. This gives more characterisation to the main character of Mia being a recurring drug addict who almost died as well as highlighting family tension again showcasing more depth to the main character.
Classic scenes in the original such as finding the book of the dead in the cellar are very much like The Evil Dead from 1981 but given the darker and more serious tone as indicated with the cellar filled with dead animals. As well as the film containing a lot of references to the original such as sawn off shotgun. These references are shown throughout the film such as the electric saw cutting the meat as a reference to the original similar hard Transition of a red coloured drink being blended, as well as foreshadowing for later on in the film where Natalie cuts her arm off.
In a reimagining of the classic saying the forbidden words in the book scene the Necronomicon is given a modern update as it is covered in bin lining and barbed wire. Although this look might not be as iconic as the original it still shows a sense of danger and the imagery presented in the book is just as disturbing as the original. However the original film gives a more believable and realistic way of allowing the Demon’s to awaken when they play the tape player they had no idea what was going on and therefore could be simply bad luck. However in the remake with the character pronouncing the words in the book covered in satanic imagery seems like a stupid decision to make. The POV demon shots are still incorporated in the film like the original but instead of simply possessing her a showcase of flashing and freaky imagery is shown causing her to vomit in a scene that I believe is less scary and less effective than the original. Although the aftermath of her freaking out is understandable as they would think she is a crazed drug addict the three rape scene and of itself is both less and more disturbing than the original. Scene begins with the disturbing imagery of mere crashing the car and crashing through the swamp causing blindness to wrap around so go up her skirt in a more disturbing sequence in the original. In this scene the POV shots of the Demon chasing her showcases a classic staple of The Evil Dead films only here there is more complex camera movements due to the higher budgeting of modern technology. The vines wrapping around her seen this less cheesy than they were in the original however the actual three rape is less brutal and disturbing than the original where a big thick branch goes inside the woman. In the aftermath of the tree rape scene the characters act crueller than they were in the original when Cheryl gets raped by the tree. In the original they automatically try and drive her out of there only to be stopped by the trees. Although in the remake this decision could be attributed to her being a drug addict and then not believing her it still seems somewhat cruel compared to when Ash didn’t believe her first due to the fact that she was acting and panicked frenzy however in the original although scared and panicked she seems somewhat more calm and therefore more believable when she explains the story.
Throughout the film the book foreshadows events that will happen later on in the film. Although this is a somewhat clever device a lot of key scenes in the film are also ruined because of this. The dog dying first both links into the idea of systematically killing them off one by one like in the original as well as the beginning of the film where they kill and torture the girl. As they try and escape a similar scene happens to the original in which the path is blocked with foreshadowing that creates the tension of the film.
The Evil Dead remake in some ways could be said to be even gorier than the original with the possessed Mia vomiting blood onto Olivia. This virus like type of demon possession again links to the idea of drug addiction in the film with the concept of infestations and mutations of the body creating a film are more akin to the body horror genre than the supernatural Demon possession angle of the original. The whole film is ultimately a metaphor for drug addiction and the roads to recovery and redemption. The gruesome nature of the film showcases the evil dead remake as being a straitlaced serious interpretation of the film as well as showing the key themes of diction and infection, such as when Eric bashes Olivia’s brains in.
That being said the idea of psychological manipulation is still apparent in this film is showcased by Mia reverting back to her normal state to try and lure the surviving members into the basement. This results in a scene in which Mia cuts her tongue in half and French kisses Natalie. This could be seen as a parallel to HIV infection and how drug addicts can spread HIV to each other by sharing used needles. Again Natalie’s arm transformation scene is reminiscent of the famous Evil Dead 2 hand possession moment only this time played seriously as well as commenting on HIV infection within drug addicts. This results in Evil Dead 2-esque scene where Natalie’s arm becomes possessed and infected so she cuts it off electric carving knife again only this time played serious with no comedy.
Bodily dismemberment, alive burial and purification by fire over all things showcased in the book demonstrating how to get rid of the Demons and are incorporated later into the film, this further goes to show the omens of doom-esque story telling incorporated into the film. As the film comments on things like abuse neglecting addiction with Mia being processed and becoming a monster mentor parallel her mother the film ultimately combines horrific violence and psychological horror in order to create a effective experience.
The film constantly switches between brutal violence showcased in the nail gun shooting as well as psychological manipulation within the form of the Demons. As Natalie reverts back to her normal self in a possible Evil Dead 2 reference, but with the bittersweet string that she is already dead. The film goes out of its way to showcase some parallels between David and Ash making you believe he will be the last man standing. First of all it seems as if he’s the only character left alive as he starts to burn the house down. Also, the character’s designs look like one another. As well as this, like Ash with the chainsaw scene with David shows his sense of morality as he will not kill Mia so like Ash he decides to bury her alive. The David versus Mia fight scene in the basement is reminiscent of the climax of Evil Dead 2 but only this time taking seriously with more of a emotional anchor due to the fact that they brother and sister. The Evil Dead remake however still pays tribute to do rules governing the films reality as like with all previous Evil Dead films the body is still shown to be conscious even whilst being buried alive. A common theme throughout the franchise seems to be the idea of killing the ones you love and if you are able to do this and accept it a concept which The Evil Dead remake also capitalises on. Again ideas of neglect and abuse within the family dynamic are a core theme of The Evil Dead remake. It is showcased here that Mia has to look after her crazy mother in the absence which caused her drug addiction as well as a detachment from David. This gives the characters within The Evil Dead a layer of depth not present within the original showcasing more of a emotional response to the characters as opposed to the typical young adults present in the original. When David picked up Mia it showcases his redemption as well as saving Mia he is doing the right thing. With his makeshift defibrillator made from needles it showcases a sense of irony is once a needle has ruined her life but it is also her salvation as it was used to revive by David in a demonstration that shows that they do truly love each other. However, this is an Evil Dead film things can’t be overly happy as David is stabbed to death by the demonised Eric. David ultimately sacrifices himself for Mia showcasing his love for her has symbolised by the necklace she holds onto. As blood rains down from the sky it seems hell is unleashed upon the earth as a Demon comes up from the ground showcasing the all that was foreshadowed in the book has now come true. Mia runs from the Demons like she runs from her drug addiction. Armed with a chainsaw the film showcases the parallels between this film and The Evil Dead trilogy. In scenes such as her going in between sections of the house in a moment that is reminiscent of Evil Dead Two where the Demon chases Ash. In another Evil Dead Two-esque scene Mia rips her own hand off after a truck plans on. As she symbolically rips away herself from her addiction she puts the chainsaw on her stump assuming her new identity outside of drugs and sticks to the chainsaw through the head of the Demon baptising her new identity and overcoming her drug addiction. In the final scene Mia walks away victorious as the final girl ready to start a better life but with the necklace also showcasing that she will still remember her past in a more optimistic ending than the original.
This remake although another part of The Evil Dead morphology was in some regards a holdover for fans wanting a genuine continuation of the original series. For this they had to wait two years, until the release of Ash vs. Evil Dead.
Ash vs. Evil Dead
Ash versus Evil Dead in which thirty years after the events of The Evil Dead trilogy the demons are released leaving Ash as humanities only hope seems to be a self reflective look at the 80s horror movie hero in question and how he would work within the context of modern day. Within the first shot it is clear that Ash is still living in the 80s glory days as the Demon slayer but in reality his just another loser. His image of himself has been fabricated in order to look cool and to still revel in his past as showcased when he has sex with the woman in the toilet. When this happens it showcases the deadites return demonstrating his return to character as well as showing the same old Ash we all know and love with him still having sex with the woman. Although the Demons are released by Ash getting high and drunk and accidentally reciting the words. This is a more arseholeish version and less likeable from the release in original where it happened by accident, however the incident is still funny and very much plays into Ashes character. Ash versus Evil Dead seems to have some genuine fear and suspense in trying to create actual horror scenes as opposed to the B-movie universe the originals took place in. This is showcased with the scene with the police officer which creates genuine horror and suspense through disturbing imagery as well as highlighting a key trait of Evil Dead showcasing the psychological manipulation. However it is not too long before the show goes back to its roots showcasing slapstick gory horror. Ash versus Evil Dead also showcases the sad tragedy of Ashes life as the once infamous demon killer now lives in a trailer park and still works at S Mart. The only thing in Ash’s life he was ever good at was killing Demons therefore it could be argued that Ash is somewhat grateful of his incompetence as it allows him to accept his life’s calling. A new cast of characters include Pablo the goofy comedic sidekick and Carrie the moody one. In a Childs Play-esque scene a doll that has been possessed fights Ash. This shows the different Demon types in the show as well as the numerous call-backs throughout the series such as the plant pot scene being reminiscent of Evil Dead 2’s dinner plate scene. The back story of how Ash came to be within the context of the franchise is then told. A chosen one idea is also created within the franchise reminiscent of Army of Darkness. Call-backs are used throughout the series such as Ashes manager getting demonised in a similar way to how the original Evil Dead ended. After this the Demon attack happens in full. Ash realises that he has to own up to his hero identity by killing the Demon. The directing, camera work, cinematography and editing of the show is all reminiscent of the original Evil Dead trilogy such as when the Demons attack the trailer from all sides in a POV perspective. It is in this moment when Ash regains his Demon killer identity as he leaps forward for the flying chainsaw strapping on his stump cementing himself as the Demon killer as he cuts its head off. Ash versus Evil Dead carries on several motifs from the original trilogy such as Ashes asshole nature in just wanting to do what he wants to do, whilst also being mixed in with different techniques such as a heavier leaning on suspense and atmosphere compared to the previous films. Ashes life seems to revolve around the Demons and it showcases that he can never truly escape it. Within the show old rock music is constantly used in order to showcase Ash as a man out of time as well as further driving home the fact that the horror movie hero from the 80s has now been brought out of retirement. Ash sloppily killing his old boss with a broken beer bottle shows a do-it-yourself nature of Evil Dead as well as the way that Ash only just about saves the day. Within the show agents are tracking Ash and again believing he is the killer giving another layer and more suspense to the narrative. A good use of bait and switch happens where Ash and Pablo burst into the house only to find that Kelly’s parents are okay. Not only does this showcase the comedy of the franchise but also the psychological manipulation present within The Evil Dead. Ash however has dealt with this type of psychological manipulation before and knows this is a setup, showcasing a certain level of smartness not seen the previous Evil Dead films. Ash saves the day in the most Ash way possible by punching Kelly’s mother effectively being an arsehole to reveal the truth the reincorporation of the Hush Little baby scene Allah Evil Dead 2 again showcases the manipulation of the Evil Dead franchise and when they return to Demon from the idea of killing the ones you love is also present. However this time it is for comedy as Ash puts the crosses on the grave only for Kelly to comment “you know they were Jewish right”. Ash versus Evil Dead effectively revolves around several strands of people all after the McGuffin of the book of the dead this being Ash and his friends and Amanda the cop and Ruby who after Ash and book for different reasons. Ruby is a character that is very much entangled within the Evil Dead universe and understands its rules on what is happening which is clearly shown with the reincorporation of the kandarran dagger. We are given back story to the Evil Dead franchise with the dark ones were half Demons who created both the dagger and the book witch is inked in human blood and bound in human flesh in order to act it as a portal from the Demon realm to the human world giving more of a origin to The Evil Dead book. Again the use of things such as a summoning circle as well as different Demon types with techniques and abilities such as mind erosion and the fact that Pablo’s uncle is a shaman create more of a morphology to The Evil Dead universe. As Ruby saves Amanda hinting to the fact that she has knowledge about the deadites the POV perspective of The Evil Dead makes a return as the deadites chase and attack the car causing it to break down. With the dust being scattered we are shown more of a manifestation of the evil as the shaman’s voodoo adds more of a morphology to The Evil Dead universe. As the show re-incorporates elements such as Ashes severed hand highlighting that this is still very much part of the Evil Dead world, Ash then goes on a hallucinogenic drug trip in order to dive into his psyche. At first it is comedic in nature showcasing Ashes vein heart however it is obvious that he is haunted by his past as the image of Jacksonville Florida in his mind showcases what could have been. As this happens Kelly becomes demonised again a classic aspect of the Evil Dead. The show showcases the idea of a second narrative in Ash having to return to the beginning to finish what he started. As the Demons invade Ashes mind it further showcases the psychological manipulation of Evil Dead as it manifests from his past to the real world choking Kelly who he sees as a Demon. Kelly as the Demon makes the uncle kill Ash trying exorcise him in a scene reminiscent to Evil Dead 2 Ash gets demonised and is going to kill as the demonised Kelly temps Pablo like a succubus. Meanwhile, Ruby and Amanda are hot on the trail of Ash with the help of his hand as it shows that the walls are closing in around him. Kelly tries to get Pablo to blow his brains out witch ultimately makes the Demon reveal itself through Pablo’s own insecurities. Again, more morphology to The Evil Dead universe is given such as the idea that Demons and shaman’s have no real effect on each other. The holy water purification scene shows different ways of taking care of Demons as it transfers itself to try and get into Pablo by clawing out of Kelly and in the process kills his uncle. Burial is a theme throughout the Evil Dead franchise as his uncle passes the shaman mark over the Pablo. Another call-back is then made as Pablo creates a robot hand for Ash alla Army of Darkness. Ruby and Amanda are still on the trial for Ash as the tension is broken by Ashes car backfiring, however a Demons rises from the grave supposedly killing Ruby. As they make their way to the cabin it is obvious that both it and Ash are haunted by the past. Ash vs Evil Dead showcases both the old and the new as the shaman magic interacts with the criminal Nikon meanwhile Ash is still alive. Ash struggles with the cop being under arrest due to the misunderstanding he’s a killer the Demon then reveals itself to fight however killing a kid in a comedic fashion feels somewhat out of place in the Evil Dead universe and could be more akin to a Troma movie. Ash then becomes the Chainsaw arm sawn off shotgun wielding badass we all know and love, allowing Kelly to also decapitate the Demons in some ways cementing themselves as Demon killers however this wasn’t be a Evil Dead show without Ash reverting back to his womanising ways after saving the day. The episode with militia feels stand-alone and in many ways outside of anything else, as it is ultimately a bottle episode with one setting. The episode showcases the idea of different factions and people within the Evil Dead world know what is going on but showcases them as idiots believing a government conspiracy theory. As this happens Ruby comes back from the dead showcasing that she is an integral part of the series. As the Demons possess everyone it seems to indicate that Ashes life will always be this hilarious tragedy. The idea of the evil killing these people off seems to be a parody of not just conspiracy theory gun nuts but these types of zombie survival films in general. In true Evil Dead fashion all sweet romantic moments with Ash are interrupted with gory slapstick. As they defeat the Demons Ash realises that he must face the evil himself as a hand called towards the cabin the epicentre of it all. As Ash returns to the cabin this is very clear that this place is different from any other place within the series as it is obvious Demons are here, the atmosphere seems genuinely unnerving and the most horror like Ash versus Evil Dead has gotten. With Ash gearing himself up the process seems almost ritualistic as he prepares himself for the end. The idea of being haunted by the ghosts of your past is a common theme throughout Ash versus Evil Dead as the creepy atmosphere of the cabin haunts his mind. However, Ash versus Evil Dead finds a sense of humour with this as Demon circle around the cabin showcasing the evil is very much still there. Ash seems to have PTSD-related flashbacks to the events that transpired here giving a layer of depth to the character as demonstrated by Linda’s skull he can’t let certain psychological scars die. This is further shown when evil Ash with his Demon possessed hand shows up showcasing the duality of the character as well as this environment as objects start attacking Ash. Evil Ash stabs Amanda with a butcher knife where she falls into the dear statute symbolic of her first kill, this paints a sad picture for Ash’s character as it seems as if he can never find happiness. As Ash again ends up fighting himself this scene showcases the duality of people a theme running throughout the Evil Dead franchise. As this happens Pablo and Kelly burst into the cabin only to discover two Ash’s in the classic I’m Ash now I’m Ash scene set up where the guns go back-and-forth between the two Ashes with the real Ash revealing himself to kill both of them. It is very obvious that at this point Ashes insanity has become normalised to himself as with the quote “chopping up my evil clone. Maybe someday that will feel weird”. In Ashes discussion with the book of the dead the book makes a valid point in which it states that its existence gives Ash purpose in life as without the book Ash is effectively nothing. While the hikers state “Guess he can’t do anything right” as one of them dies it reinforces the idea that everyone Ash meets shares the same fate. When Ruby talks to Ash it is clear that in her own sick twisted way she does have a point Ash has led a cursed life and everyone who has got involved with him has died in some shape or form by allowing Ruby to do what she wants to do it levitates him of the Burdon. When Ash rejects this however and decides to deface the book he becomes somewhat sentimental over this as it seems as if he needs his enemy as after years of killing Demons he has grown a certain attachment to the book. It seems at first as if the movie is shown to reverse the evil but then the book latches on to Pablo and the main twist of the first season is revealed that being that she is a bad guy and that she wrote the book. We finally get our end of the world scenario with Ash again acting in a cocky way. The key elements of The Evil Dead being the book of the dead attached the persons face and the Demon with the chainsaw arm showcases that all hope is lost at this point this is driven home by the rapid camera movements and the effects. However once again just when all hope seems lost Ash sub comes to his reluctant hero persona and chainsaws Amanda showcasing that he can never truly have happiness. This entire season has led up to Ash confronting his own personal fears and his past as he once again ventures down into the basement. As Ash is transported to his trailer he’s back in the past where it all began. Ruby is like the devil within the series wanting to making deal with Ash so that she can be the Demon Lord and in turn giving Ash his ideal life. However Ash rejects the deal showcasing that he does have morals underneath it all and is more of a hero than he would like to believe. Again Ash must face his fears within the basement of the cabin showcasing a demonic force unlike anything else in the series as a he comes into contact with the scars of his past. Meanwhile, Ruby creates a new book from flesh and blood showing that the cycle will haunt Ash forever. Ash versus Evil Dead has more of a focus on body horror as new Deadite children vomit out of tableau’s stomach and hatch. He never dies as the house ultimately takes her for its own by dragging her into a room and killing her. The morality of Ash is also shown with him not wanting to kill the demon child unless he absolutely has to which is also used for humour. Kelly burns down the cabin in order to try and put an end to this as Ash shoots Ruby again cementing his antihero nature. Pablo attacks Ash again cementing the theme throughout The Evil Dead franchise of fighting the ones you love and as Kelly fights Tableau Ruby starts to create new pages of the book. In the climax Ruby gives Ash and a deal with the devil in which Ash accepts. We then see Ash and his friends idealistic setting of them going to Jacksonville when they’re supposed happy ending however the true Evil Dead style it shows that Ruby has double crossed them as the evil is still out there.
Season two picks up more or less right where season one left off as Ruby still having the book of the dead fights of demons showing how her plan has messed up. Ash however is living his life by drinking showcasing that he never wanted any of this. With Ash coming back showcasing that in one way or another if he will always have to be the demon slayer. However the recurring use of the nickname “ashy slashy” shows that Ash is haunted by the scars of his past. Pablo’s connection to the book of the dead is still very much present throughout the Evil Dead series as he sketches the book. As this is going on we are given a more in-depth look into Ashes psyche as he believes he is a murderer showcasing the scars of his past. There is a almost An American Werewolf in London-esque vibe is given off as Ash walks into his local bar reminiscent of The Slaughtered Lamb showcasing the town still hates him. As this is going on Pablo becomes attached to the book of the dead this idea of controlling the infection as they are kidnapped and attacked one by one by the Demons as the shaman works his magic is a key element throughout the show. The idea of two Kelly’s showing the duality in her evil personality is also a key element to The Evil Dead and like Evil Dead 2 it turns out to be a hallucination complete with blood gushing from the wall drowning Kelly alla Evil Dead 2 as this is going on Ash in a very Ash way saves Ruby due to her attractiveness causing them to join forces in desperate times. As it turns out Ash is chased out by his dad as they have a bad relationship as they run away from each other as they are both haunted by the past concerning Ash’s sister and Brock’s daughter Cheryl. As this is going on Ash has to find the Necronomicon within a corpse in the classic disgusting nature of Evil Dead. Ash once again hacks up corpses only this time to retrieve the book resulting in comedy as it turned out that it was in the obviously hacked up corpses entire time. The monster starts attacking Ash showing the new types of Demons as mutations of viruses. In the scene Ash goes inside the corpses anus, intestines and stomach showcasing the disgusting nature of the Evil Dead franchise. As the cherry on top of Ashes life it turns out that people stole the Delta for a joy ride with the book of the dead still inside. From flashbacks we get the idea of the Delta being a key part of Ashes life as the cliché set up of stupid teenagers stealing a car that turns out to be evil. As this happens Ashes ingenious plan takes shape of him getting drunk and high, as this occurs a Christine-esque sequence happens with the evil car complete with slasher movie style dumb teenage victims. In the midst of all of this, we are shown the character development of Kelly not wanting to run away, as the characters are killed off by the demon car. In true Evil Dead fashion a rodeo often seems to be the most logical way of sorting out father-son relationships, as Ash decides that he does not want to save his dad and would not mind if he was killed. The meanwhile, Ashes car kills the teenagers in a slasher movie-esque way as Ash confronts his demons, due to this he saves his dad by killing the deadite showing that he was right however, this heart-warming moment between Ash and his dad is cut short the car runs over his dad in both a heartbreaking and hilarious scene. Ashes dad’s death is funny yet sad as the possessed car showcases Ash can never find happiness. the series showcases several plot points involving Baal and his use of psychological warfare to manipulate people as well as being the big bad of the series. We are also shown that destinies bound by the book as the idea throughout the series of a cursed life is present within the evil dead franchise. Ash always ends up chasing after things in motion his car is used as a weird symbolic idea of the circle of life as the car goes back to the junkyard from once it came from. As they fight the evil offspring reinforcing the idea of killing the ones you love, Baal the big bad Demon awakens using the skin of a woman to assume a new identity a common trope within the Evil Dead films. As this is happening at the Demons have Ash over the phone a common horror movie tropes like all tropes used throughout the series. Other horror film troupes are used such as Ash getting blamed for everything in a The Thing-esque scenario showing that the Demon could be anyone as ash saves Laura showing that he is the better man as opposed to her husband as the book hatches from Pablo. Pablo’s connection to the book of the dead is a theme throughout the series as the book is festering inside Pablo. As this is happening Baal the big bad of the show is effectively the devil possessing and manipulating people. As this happens a angry lynch mob comes after Ash showing that this guy cannot catch a break, as the cop under Baal’s influence sends the lynch mob to kill Ash. Exorcism in the Evil Dead franchise are shown within the show as Ash faces his own metaphorical Demons in Cheryl’s room is a real Demons come through the house. Again the psychological manipulation of the Evil Dead is shown as Cheryl appears normal as Ash must face and fight the Demons of his past to not allow history to repeat itself. With the blood flowing down the walls it further showcases the idea of ash being haunted by his past as well as the tragedy of his life with Cheryl. This all culminates in the climactic fight of Cheryl and the rednecks the showdown between the two main evils as well as Ash and Ball.
As this is going on through stylised surreal sequences of flashbacks of Ashes experiences shows that he is in a mental asylum and that everything Ash has experience in due to his warped mental state. Ultimately this idea seems reasonable as the idea of a crazy guy murdering four people in a cabin is more realistic than Demons taking over their bodies forcing him to kill them, as well as creating interesting idea of what could be inside Ashes mind. The Ash puppet is a perfectly funny representation of Ashes subconscious as Baal in goes into Ashes mind in order for him to go crazy. The mental asylum shown in a haunted house type of way acts as Ashes broken mental psyche. Ash also envisions Kelly in the mental asylum further showcasing her insanity. This is also shown when Ashes giving electric shock therapy as Chad is seen in Ashes mind. Again parallels to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest are shown as the patients go crazy and Ash gets taken down. The two sides of Ashes subconscious brain representatives both in self and the doll then work together to escape the mental asylum. The scene seems to have a element of truth to ash having a mental break from reality causing him to go crazy and have delusions by the fact that he killed everyone. However it is then shown that this is not the case is in reality it is he is shown to be murdering people as Ashes subconscious remembers his loved ones. From this fiction and reality blur into one as Ash submits to his delusion as it infiltrates and possesses his mind with the idea of destroying the Necronomicon.
As they walk through an abandoned mental hospital a typical horror movie setting Baul manipulates people such as Ash showing his identity of that like the devil. Lucy becoming a deadite again shows a manipulation of people in Ashes life, as well as the psychological manipulation of the weak as the Demons pray on this due to the policeman’s death at the hands of his daughter. What follows is a classic Demon girl fight scene complete with one-liners as Ash like Evil Dead 2 becomes possessed and demonised showcasing his other evil self a theme throughout the franchise. Ash has now become a slasher movie villain as Pablo gets possessed by the book of the dead again showing more of a possession element to the series with a body horror motif. As evil Ash tries to kill Pablo, the Ash puppet showcases the disturbing comedy of the evil dead as the possessed puppet attacks in a comedy horror way. They then try to appeal to evil Ash in typical evil dead-esque scene demonstrating the idea of not running away from your problems in a theme throughout the Evil Dead franchise. As this is happening demons are being birthed in a ritual as we are shown the comedic tragedy of Ashes life as Baal makes Ash chainsaw Pablo to death.
We are further shown the hilarious tragedy of Ashes life as he drives around with the corpse of his dead friend in his car as well as introducing the element of time travel another staple of the Evil Dead franchise. Through a Back to the Future-esque scene of Ashes car time travelling they end up in the 80s. As the Demons swarm via the classic POV shots we are shown a Army of Darkness-esc scene as the infected leg grows another Ash showing the comedic manipulation of The Evil Dead, and again like Army of Darkness where he swallowed boiling water Ash kills his growth with hot food. Ash must once again venture into the cabin in order to confront his past. This time however in a call back to Evil Dead 2 it seems as if Henrietta is still human however Ash already being fully aware of Demons is not convinced by this and beats her up in a scene both comedic as well as highlight in his growth as a character. We are also given more back story to The Evil Dead by the book possessing the doctor and him ultimately helping the evil hence Henrietta had been chained up due to this the evil trees grab Ruby as the evil has awakened culminating in a re-creation of evil dead two Ash must once again face off against Henrietta. The demonised Henrietta kills the girl in the basement and demonised Ash kills Kobe further showcasing Ashes cursed life. Ashes once again decapitates Henrietta as the two Ruby’s face off against each other. What follows is effectively a remake of the Evil Dead 2 Henrietta fight scene however this contains gross out humour with Demon breastmilk. As call-backs occur such as the projector seen in The Evil Dead and the neck growth scene like Evil Dead 2 the scene once again culminates as a comedic boxing match. The younger Ruby supposedly kills the other one showing an element of sadness in her fake out death. This seems to be an element of all’s well that ends well as history has been changed meaning Pablo is still alive and Ash has two hands however this happiness is short lived as it turns out that Pablo was Baal this entire time. As evil Ruby kills good Ruby and the Demons spawn again as it turns out Baul was inside Pablo the whole time. In a very Evil Dead-esque way Ash and Baul have a fist fight to the death over the fate of humanity. Ruby however wants no part of the ego battle is Baul turns into Ash showing the use of psychological manipulation. In this sequence Ash gets his hand lopped off twice as Ash also fights Sheila reinforcing the idea of killing the ones you love. Ash killing his own dad in the bath again reinforcing the tragedy of his life. On the fly Ash strikes Baul and Ruby uses his finger to slice him open killing him. The Demons are burnt alive and burn the book in the cabin. As a deal has been honoured Pablo returns. Ash is now welcomed as the hero with the spirits of the dead watching happily however, in a very Ash-esque way he effectively roasts the people of Elk Grove before giving the classic hero speech. Ash then kisses the girl at the end in a scene reminiscent the Army of Darkness however as the scene shows Ruby is still on the prowl.
Season three of Ash vs Evil Dead starts with Ash in a very Ash way using his own shameless self-promotion in order to advertise his store, as in Ashes retirement he seems to do a very Ash thing by opening a hardware and sex toy store. Howeverthey have the book of the dead back it shows that Ashes life will be forever bound by the Demons and the person that reads it releases the evil as well as showing the return of Pablo’s book bound Demon body. This idea of Demons taking the form of everything is shown in them taking the form of the school mascot in a very Evil Dead-esque scene showcasing the comedy of the masked killer. Ash however in a very Ash way does not care about his ex-wife or daughter as well as showcasing his past having sex with her in a trait that seems very typical to the character. As this is going on Ruby is still alive and bleeding on the book as Demons grow out of her showcasing her destiny as the mother of Demons. This this is further highlighted when Demons show up again where Ash sees flashes of Demons come and go in the darkness mixing horror with humour as the Demons stop playing music and using the musical instruments as a weapon. All this culminating in Candy Bandy’s mother and Ashes daughter getting decapitated by a symbol further showcasing the hilarious tragedy of Evil Dead. As Ash slices up her friend with a harp further showcasing the hilarious tragedy of Evil Dead Ash fights the Deadite in a Tiger costume before the Knights of Samaria show up again creating more law to The Evil Dead franchise. Ruby has the Demon spawn hatch from inside her and the brutal alien -like way supposedly killing her however when the Demon baby kils the hikers it turns out that Ruby is alive. Meanwhile, Brandy is freaking out over Ashes Demon killer lifestyle as him and his daughter have a relationship mirroring Ash and his father. Again more back story from The Evil Dead franchise is given as the Demon Woman of Fire betrayed the other Dark Ones and banished them from earth, then their ancestor Car is stole the power of the Necronomicon and was seduced by it whereby their souls were taken and bound within the book and now only the chosen one can save the world. Throughout Ash versus Evil Dead we are given more back story to the universe. As this is going on Ruby using her position as a teacher tries to get close to Brandy to get rid of Ash as Pablo has been marked by evil and must accept his destiny as a Broho. As Demons manipulate Ashes daughter Ash tries to track down if he has any more kids in a comedic way by going to a sperm donor centre. However, the Demons attack – not wanting any more heroes to be born resulting in this fight in a sperm clinic, where all the seeds of Ash are destroyed. There is a parenthood connection running throughout the season with Ash and his daughter and Ruby and her offspring. In true Evil Dead style, a somewhat sweet and tender moment between Ash and his daughter at the morgue is disrupted with the realisation that her mother is a Demon. As Ash tries to be a father despite the tensions between him and his daughter as the deadite version of Candy attacks Ash showcasing everyone in his life turns on him. Ash just cannot catch a break as well as reinforcing the main themes running throughout the seres of killing the ones you love. After a hilarious scene of Ash rising from the coffin as people believe that he violated a corpse as well as some character development concerning Pablo’s Broho status it shows they must again venture back to the cabin to get the dagger as everything within The Evil Dead circulates around a singular point. It turns out Ruby is raising Demons from the dead as they manipulate Ash and his daughter by posing as his dead dad. As the evil returns to the forest with the cabin as Ash chainsaws his dad to death reinforcing the theme of killing the ones you love as Brandy watches showcasing Ashes life just gets worse. After a funny scene in which Ashes hand messes up due to being a cheap import Ash talks to his dead dad about his daughter problems. As Pablo gets infected again reinforces are the main theme to the franchise killing the ones you love. As this is going on Ashes dad returns to him in a ghost of Christmas past-esque fashion to help him find the missing pages as Brandy bonds with Kelly in an older sister like way. Ash once again ventures into the basement to retrieve the missing pages of the Necronomicon. As this happens, he finds the souls of the people before they were Demons trapped in the wall. Ash is attacked by vines another staple of The Evil Dead as Pablo is carrying the Necronomicon in a body horror-esque way. Meanwhile, in Ruby’s house we see her as the mother of Demons as she has a gory mobile for a possessed Demon kids in a very evil dead-esque image. The Demon spawn of Ash complete with a chainsaw arm attack Ash in a Child’s Play-esque scene. As this happens Pablo’s mouth grows out of Kelly’s leg as Ash versus Evil Dead has a lot more body horror imagery than its predecessors. As Pablo helps from beyond the grave as the killing the ones you love theme becomes relevant. As Pablo grows another mouth the Kandarian dagger acts as a conductor to exercise Pablo, meanwhile the woman knocks out Ash as she believes he is in league with Ruby. As this happens Pablo accepts his destiny to become a Bruho. The child kills the German woman as Pablo has to choose between the good and bad blood. The baby crawls up the German woman’s vagina to wear a comedic fight scene ensues with the headless corpse of the German woman. The gross out comedy of The Evil Dead is shown as Ash sticks a bowling ball up the dead woman’s vagina as Pablo makes a blood sacrifice to become a Broho. Meanwhile, Ashley’s daughter bond over crime and kidnapping babies and Demons.
Meanwhile, Kelly possessed goes crazy and shoots Ruby with a shotgun, turning on Ash. Ash and Brandy have a weird father and daughter bonding moment over Demons and potentially killing her teacher as Ruby and Kelly have a one-on-one battle. As Pablo opens the rift in which a comedic moment juxtaposes the Knights eagerness to go into battle with Ash not wanting to Ruby stabbed Kelly with the dagger supposedly killing her. As a Demons infect the Knights Kelly is infected by Demons as Ruby is inside Ashes body. Kelly is now a Demon influencing Ash. Evil Ash fighting good Ash shows the dualistic nature of his identity a theme running throughout the franchise. As evil Ash calves up teenagers’ Ruby acts as the devil in Brandy’s ear manipulating her. Ash versus evil Ash is a running theme throughout the franchise as a Demons Whispering people’s ears. This is an order to show the duality of good and evil and that there are two sides to everyone. As evil Ash becomes a slasher movie villain Brandy sacrifices herself for her dad by taking the knife for him showing that she loves him as now she is trapped in the Demon realm. With Brandy trapped in the Demon realm an alternative dimension of reality, Ash steels his daughter’s corpse for what is ultimately a good deed but in classic Evil Dead fashion on surface level seems messed up. Visually the Demon round seems reminiscent of The Upside Down from Stranger Things. Pablo kills Ash by stabbing him with the dagger so that he can go into the Demon world in a tragic yet hilarious scene, as Pablo fights Deadites in the real world. Dunstan one of the Knights of Samaria sacrifices himself to save Ash as Pablo gets Ash and Brandy back but Kelly is still trapped in the Demon world. As Ash finds Brandy alive in a body bag as they are reunited in a hilarious scene as Ruby goes off to create another book. Ruby slices the flesh off one of the nights as her and kaya decides to rewrite their destiny. After cutting off her skin and sticking her fingers in her eyes to kill Kaya in the gory sequence reminiscent of the original Evil Dead Pablo uses his Necronomicon vision to see through the eyes of the book of dead in order to witness Ruby’s plan. During a sweet and tender moment between ash and his daughter during which Ash gives her his boomstick as a symbolic gesture both to protect her and how much he loves her the scene is undercut by the comedy of her throwing up. The Dark Ones exit the portal as the necklace attaches itself to Pablo showcasing that the Deadites have returned. As this is happening Demons chase Bandy around the house in a very Evil Dead-esque way via POV camera shots. As the emotional manipulation of the phone is used by the Demons resulting in Bandy’s thumb being bitten off now having a similar injury to her dad. As Ash readys himself for the final showdown it seems as if Brandy must cut her hand off in the same way Ash did complete with the classic “who’s laughing now” line until it’s revealed to be a hallucination. Ash and Ruby prepare to face off against one another for the final time until the dark ones show up and kill Ruby with Ash reacting in a very Ash way and not caring about her death. The Deadites run all over the place as Ash goes crazy over his job as defender of mankind. The Dark Ones have the Necronomicon and all hope seems lost as a giant monster erupts in the ground. In the last episodes of Ash versus Evil Dead we are given an apocalyptic scenario with rioting in the streets as the dark ones are released. As big as this episode is it also contains nice little character moments such as in brandy stabbing a deadite in the mouth with the kandarian dagger to which ash replies “I have never been so proud”. In this worldwide apocalyptic event, it shows Ash is the one who must fight the Demons. Ash hates being the saviour of humanity, having no point to carry on fighting before rising to the occasion. However, this cool moment is undercut with the classic Evil Dead comedy of Ash getting stuck in the chair. Ash and Brandy enter the sewers as Pablo wheels Kelly around this post-apocalyptic setting. Ash gives Brandy Linda’s necklace symbolising that he loves her as Ash and Brandy fight the Demons together. Kelly returns from the dead with Pablo kissing her cementing the will they will not they romance arc for the two characters with Ash acting in a very Ash way towards the scene giving it humour. However, the end of the world situation is still very much apparent with Demons possessing soldiers, with this Ash decides enough is enough and rounds off his story by himself via sacrificing his life for humanity and goes after the Demon one-on-one. In a badarse and somewhat sad moment Ash sticks a dagger in the tank shell. However, in true Evil Dead fashion it does not work until Ash arms it thereby he kills the Demons and is trapped inside the tank ceiling his own coffin. However, Ash wakes up in a futuristic sci-fi setting, although the established tropes are still in place such as Ash being a pervert. It turns out the Ash is in a post-apocalyptic future as he and the woman he meets go off together to fight the dark ones as Ash gives his immortal line “groovy” as they drive off together in one of the biggest cliff-hangers in television history given the fact that Ash versus Evil Dead was cancelled after season three.
The Evil Dead franchise is a hodgepodge of various elements coming together to create the B-movie masterpiece. From the over-the-top gore to the hilarious and lovable main character to the weird surrealistic editing, camera work and the imagery, The Evil Dead franchise is overflowing with various creative elements and ideas in order to showcase an experience unlike anything else and in turn created one of the most beloved horror franchises of all time.
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