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!

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