I just found out that they're remaking cult horror classic Evil Dead WITHOUT BRUCE CAMPBELL!

By the Gods, how could this happen? I should start a petition to protect the unspoiled legacy of classic films. So many great horror movies have had their reputations tarnished by crappy franchises - Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien and The Ring to name but a few.

I really thought they'd leave Evil Dead alone. It's a great film and the sequel rates as one of my favourite films of all time.

The remake promises to be yet another CGI fest and they've lost the main attraction (Campbell).

I'm distraught.

I read this a few months back when Raimi was asked about it. I don't know. I guess this'll sound indifferent but I'd welcome a remake so long as it offered something new. Otherwise, why bother? It's like that impending ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK remake; why do it, unless you're going to offer something uniquely engaging other than newer effects?

I think they're doing it for money. I love pre-Spider-Man Raimi, but isn't that why he's doing what he's doing? (I'm not dissing the fun Spider-Man movies, but I think Raimi probably did more incredible things with Darkman.)

Maybe it's for $$$, but EVIL DEAD doesn't have the built in audience that the Spidey movies did.

quote:

Originally posted by Trekscribbler:
Maybe it's for $$$, but EVIL DEAD doesn't have the built in audience that the Spidey movies did.

I'd beg to differ on that one.

Evil Dead is one of the most respected cult movies of all time. It's knowingly referenced not only in modern horror movies, but also name-checked in Donnie Darko and Hi Fidelity (Jack Black calls the sequel 'the greatest film ever made'). Donnie Darko goes as far as to incorporate Evil Dead into it's own plot.

There are millions upon millions of Evil Dead fans and Bruce Campbell himself commands a substantial cult following. It's the film that made Sam Raimi.

The people who fondly remember Evil Dead may be old, but there's a lot of them. Evil Dead 1 & 2 are hugely revered.

Yep, I have to agree with Duncan Black. Sorry, Trekscribbler, but the "Evil Dead" movies have a major cult following, of which I'm proud to say I belong. A big budget "Evil Dead" would be interesting. To see actual scary looking ghouls & a "realistic" headless woman with a chainsaw would be something! However, I'm not really sure these movies should ever be remade, especially without The Man, Bruce Campbell or that fantastic Oldsmobile. Screw it, D.B., I'll sign your petition! Protect the originals at all costs!

Walk any street and ask ten people at random -- get a truly random sampling -- and lemmeknow how many of those folks have ever heard of EVIL DEAD. "Cult" is "cult." And, then for fun, lemmeknow know how many of them have ever heard of DONNIE DARKO.

Don't get me wrong: I'm ain't snuffing DEAD. It's a great cult film. And a good score of folks will see a remake. I wouldn't be surprised if the remake actually makes more people go and investigate the original. But, no, it doesn't have the built-in audience that a SPIDER-MAN flick has. Nor will it have the merchandising. Nor will parents run to the theatres with their little kids to check it out.

I'll eat my PC if I'm wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by Monkey_Boy:
A big budget "Evil Dead" would be interesting.

Oh, I never said it wouldn't be interesting. I think I just said a remake would have to bring something new to the table, and even Raimi's few scant comments on the subject have questioned whether or not it would.

Are most of the posters here from the US?

I don't know what it's like over there for these films, but in the UK Donnie Darko was very recently voted one of the '50 films you must see before you die' on Channel 4 - it came in at about number 9, above Alien if memory serves. (Apocalypse Now was Number 1).

As for Evil Dead - I would expect an awful lot of people know about that film. One of the biggest selling tabloids over here, The Sun (a vile publication), is read by the majority of the population in the UK. Last year, they gave away free copies of Evil Dead with the newspaper in a series entitled 'Horror Classics'. Other films in the series included Dawn of the Dead, Halloween & Hellraiser. I'm willing to bet an awful lot of people are all too familiar with the film.

There have been a number of other UK promotions for Evil Dead, not least the film's inclusion on the Box of the banned DVD collection in 2005, to comemorate the 'video nasty' genre.

In the 80s, there was mass hysteria from film censors and the film was briefly banned in the UK, along with Driller Killer, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Cannibal Holocaust, Zombie Flesh Eaters, Nightmares in a Damaged Brain and I spit on your grave. It was labelled as a video nasty. Evil Dead not only achieved cult status, it gained noteriety and was recognised by the courts (I believe the film was shown to the jury, most of whom thought it was quite good).

Point is - video nasties were made illegal and the government claimed they would warp your mind. Quite naturally, everyone wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Evil Dead was unfairly singled out and proved to be a storming film. The bad publicity made it a big success in the UK. The public were made all too aware of the film and it's reputation as a classic is still very much in force.

A similar thing happened with Reservoir Dogs. It was banned for a few years, which made the public even more curious to see it.

Maybe Evil Dead is more famous in the UK? I don't know.

Again, I'm not saying it isn't famous or well-known. One could make an argument, however, that IF it were as well known as has been supposed here, then it would no longer qualify as a 'cult' film. I studied media in the early 80's in college, and, although my current career only tinkers with media, I keep my feet plenty wet. I could make an argument for how DEAD really re-started the Hollywood cult movie machine much in the same way STAR WARS launched the 'event picture' box office we enjoy today. But ... my original observation on DEAD was that it wouldn't have the built-in audience that Raimi's SPIDEY films have. Everyone else has argued otherwise.

I'm sticking to my position. DEAD won't get anywhere near SPIDEY in terms of profitability at the box office. (That gives y'all the chance to spin post-theatrical release numbers until you're in the grave!) I respect anyone's right to disagree.

I'm in the U.S., btw.

Well the Evil Dead movies were great cult classics and there's actually a bigger crowd than I thought that is really anticipating this movie.
I hope it's worth the money I'll pay to see it.

Hopefully they actually make a good movie this time. Army of darkness was embarrassing.