The Redford Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, premiered The Evil Dead on 15 October 1981. New Line Cinema didn’t agree to distribute it for a year. And they released it only on 15 April 1983.

I love the film. But it is one of those films that has a large and annoying fan base. What’s more, there is even a break-off movement of people who claim all the later films are not canon.

To be clear, I agree with them! Evil Dead II is not a sequel. It is a comedic reboot of the original. And all those films and TV episodes don’t have anything to do with this original film. (But to be extra clear, I love all that stuff too — especially Ash vs Evil Dead, which is pure fun.)

I see why people prefer the funny later stuff. Ash as an idiot is great. But I do prefer The Evil Dead because Ash is just a regular, sweet guy. As such, I’m invested in the story in a way that I’m not with the later stuff. Again: one isn’t objectively better than the other. But I’ve long felt that horror-comedy is a tightrope act with the net; pure horror doesn’t have a net and works better when it works. And it works here.

There isn’t a lot to say about The Evil Dead. It’s hard to say why it works so well. It certainly isn’t because the direction is particularly innovative. The acting is good but nothing you can’t see in lots of other films. And frankly, the “camera on two-by-four” shots haven’t aged especially well. But the film is good. It is engaging. It is committed. Above all, it works.

Any time is a good time to watch The Evil Dead. But its 44th birthday is a particularly good time to watch it!

Other 15 October Birthdays and Releases

Filmmakers

• Mervyn LeRoy (1900-1987): Director of Broadminded and I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang.
• Nigel Green (1924-1972): Actor known for The Masque of the Red Death, Jason and the Argonauts, Countess Dracula, and more.
• Peter Haskell (1934-2010): Character actor in parts in The Phantom of Hollywood, Child’s Play 2, and Robot Wars.
• Linda Lavin (1937-2024): Actor best known for the TV show Alice.
• Penny Marshall (1943-2018): Director known for Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Big.
• John Getz (1946-): Actor known for Blood Simple, The Fly, and more.
• Lynn Lowry (1947-): Actor known for The Crazies, Shivers, and more.
• Tanya Roberts (1949-2021): Actor known for The Beastmaster, Sheena: Queen of the Jungle, and more.
• Larry Miller (1953-): Outstanding stand-up comedian best known for his work with Christopher Guest.

Films

• Unknown Island (1948): Dinosaur island.
• Fight Club (1999): Training film for aspiring incels.
• Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002): After a car crash, a man finds himself in a kind of limbo.
• The Final Cut (2004): In the future, cutters take the memories of the recently dead and create memorials. But one family doesn’t want the memories out.
• RED (2010): Retired black-ops agents get once last mission. Until the sequel.
• The Mortuary Collection (2019): Excellent horror anthology with a good framing story.

The Evil Dead (1981) poster via Wikipedia under Fair Use.