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joot29
Reviews
The Evil Dead (1981)
fiercely kinetic, unabashedly gory, excitingly original
Don't be fooled by the multitudes of younger horror fans who believe that the first "Evil Dead" movie is inferior. Unfortunately they've been weaned on diluted Hollywood style "horror" flicks with big budget scores, sets, and casts to detract from the actual horror. In the 70's and 80's the horror genre welcomed low-budget, no-frills horror films that truly excited and scared audiences (i.e., Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, the Fog). Even though I can now enjoy the twisted humor of Evil Dead II and III, I was disappointed that Raimi decided to veer further into "tongue-in-cheek" hi-jinks and laughs rather than the more serious tone of Evil Dead I. ED II & III can't truly be classified as horror films. I honestly can't think of a movie since 1985 that scared me as much as those 70's-80's horror gems. "Evil Dead"'s kinetic camera-work, adrenaline surged pace, and truly evil nature, takes you on a roller-coaster ride of terror. Watch all three and tell me which one's the real horror film.
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972)
heavy on atmosphere and mood, low on gore, spooky
Anyone looking for a gory action-packed zombie movie will need to look elsewhere. This movie has more of a "Night of the Living Dead" feel, with an added wry sense of humor that's distinctly 70's. This movie might bore you at first, but I dare anyone to watch it late at night alone (with the lights out). The ghoulish concoction of forest sounds, the dissonant harmonies of animals of the night, and crickets make up the soundtrack to this movie. Coupled with this aural effect are the setting and eerie darkness (all of it takes place at night in a cemetery). There are no Hollywood big budget type music in the background to diffuse the morbid aura this movie exudes, as you are forced to experience the claustrophobic despair along with the movie's characters. Your patience will certainly pay off in the end as this seemingly innocuous film builds to a heart-stopping, frighteningly realistic climax.