THE EVIL DEAD

US, 1983, 79 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Campbell.
Directed by Sam Raimi.

The Evil Dead looks like many other gory horror films of the early '80s - only more so. It takes up the style set by Friday the 13th, under the influence of Halloween. Five young adults go to spend a weekend in a cabin in a remote area. Demons are in the forests. In the cellar of the cabin there is a book left by an archaeologist with a tape recording. It has spells to summon demons - with devastating results for the archaeologists.

The plot of the film shows the five youngsters coping with the demons, their horrendous appearances and taking possession of them, corrupting them (with, of course, expert special effects). The men and women prey on each other, the demons are in the trees and there is a lot of imagination with the diabolical devil trees. The expected horror is there as well as the shocks.

Writer-director Samuel M. Raimi has the courage of his convictions as well as a knowledge of many horror films. There are many homages to these films - which means that the deliberate and exaggerated style will appeal to cinema horror buffs.

The film has become something of a cult feature.