Sam Raimi wrote and directed “The Evil Dead,” which arrived in theaters in 1981 (though it wasn't shown in the United States until April of 1983). The film tells the story of five Michigan State University students who go to a secluded cabin in western Tennessee for spring break. There, they find a copy of the Book of the Dead and an audiotape that awakens demons from the surrounding woods. Chaos follows. This is considered a cult classic and marked Raimi’s debut as a feature film director. The entire production cost only $350,000 and was filmed during 1979 and into early 1980. Bruce Campbell performs well in the lead role, and there are three appealing young women (Ellen Sandweiss, Theresa Tilly, and Betsy Baker), but Raimi seems to utilize their presence primarily with Sandweiss’s character, Cheryl. The initial portion of the film is quite good—it focuses on the students' arrival at the cabin and the early possession/attack scenes. It builds a strong atmosphere and is well-executed and engaging. However, the latter half feels repetitive. While each successive attack increases the intensity, it’s essentially more of the same in the same location (the cabin). The second part certainly delivers chaotic and chilling horror with plenty of over-the-top gore, but it lacks depth; there's nothing substantial to think about. It’s simply a series of people being attacked by grotesque creatures. This straightforward approach can sometimes be effective—as seen in “Gargoyles” from 1972—but that film had an interesting final confrontation within the gargoyle’s hellish cave. In contrast, the latter half of "The Evil Dead" just continues with one attack after another in a similar environment. This might entertain younger viewers who are impressed by cartoonish gore and constant thrills, but it doesn't satisfy audiences seeking something more intellectually stimulating or at least some change of pace. Another drawback is the final graphic sequence, which feels very low-budget and cartoony, though it’s skillfully done for a student film project. The movie has a running time of 1 hour and 25 minutes and was filmed in Morristown, Tennessee, with additional filming taking place in Michigan. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB