The Evil Dead is turning 40 this year and remains a truly wild movie. An ambitious and resourceful Sam Raimi scraped together a tiny budget and created a horror classic with buckets of fake blood, gross-out make-up effects, dynamic cinematography, and a Bruce Campbell with a high tolerance for pain.
The result was a splatter classic that became a monster hit. It made Raimi’s career, spawned two sequels, a remake, video games, comics, and an awesome (and unjustly canceled) TV show. The story isn’t over yet either, with the next movie, Evil Dead Rise, currently shooting in New Zealand and scheduled for a 2022 release on HBO Max.
But before that, it’s time to go back to the forest where it all began. 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of The Evil Dead and celebrations are afoot. Most eye-catching is that the movie will be re-released in theaters for one night in October via Fathom Events and Grindhouse Releasing. Fans will also be delighted that star Bruce Campbell is recording a new introduction to the movie that will be exclusive to these screenings.
Grindhouse’s Bob Murawski hyped up the release:
“We are proud to present this special 40th anniversary screening of Evil Dead with Fathom Events. The original film has always been my favorite of the series. It is truly one of the scariest and wildest horror films of all time. I’m thrilled that a new generation of fans will have the chance to experience it in the way I first did — on the big screen with a screaming audience!”
If you can’t make it to the theaters, Lionsgate Home Entertainment has your back with a new collectible box set featuring The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead II, and all three seasons of Ash vs. Evil Dead. Notable by its absence is the third installment Army of Darkness, though the rights to that film are a bit of a mess. In addition, the movie is now available on HBO Max (though fans have been grumbling about the censored poster)
The Evil Dead hasn’t been away from theaters for long though. With multiplexes mostly closed throughout 2020, drive-ins saw a resurgence in popularity, with Bruce Campbell taking the movie on the road and doing pre-show Q&As. Those screenings were sold-out successes, so I’m betting this will do similarly well.
The 40th-anniversary screenings of The Evil Dead will take place on Thursday, October 7th at 7:30 PM (local time). Tickets are available at www.FathomEvents.com and through participating theater box offices.
