Remaking 'The Evil Dead': Should it happen?

Just awesome.

I voted for both options.

Double No.

I'm kind of torn on this issue. I really hate remakes, especially when they are pointless such as this one. However, if Raimi is directly involved it can't be all that bad. Obviously they aren't using Bruce for Ash, which does indeed suck, but maybe by making this one we can finally have a true Evil Dead 4 with Bruce. Or maybe it's just too early and I'm not thinking straight....

I'm torn.

Who wants to wager it'll be PG-13?

Yeah, this movie's gonna punish the fans all right.

If it's not done with Bruce Campbell, than it's going to be fraggin' retarded....
I can remember watching ED 1 and 2 at home with the lights out when I was about 13 and being WAAAAAYYYYY frikkin creeped out. Not only because it was a killer-ass horror movie, but because some of it was just so wierd.
The scene (part 2 I believe) in which the house starts laughing at Ash (Ya, you remember the elk's head) still gives me the chills.

I just don't see a remake even coming close to that.

As long as Bruce Campbell has a walk-on cameo during "the big dance" where he says, "Hey, I hope you have the time of your lives," I'll be there.

PG-13: The death knell of the horror genre.

I can imagine the studio bastards trying to convince Romero "Land" should be PG-13.

What's the bet they'll all be going up there to smoke weed and have promiscuous sex? I'm hoping not, because it's those kind of morals that infected the TCM remake, although just one of many reasons why it sucked.

I have yet to hear a strong rationale for a remake beyond the obvious financial gain for Mesrs. Raimi and Tapert. A remake seems doubly uncalled for in this case given that Evil Dead II re-capped/revised the first film in its opening ten minutes, making the new story version 2.5.

The first two Evil Dead movies are like the Bible for low budget filmmakers, the How-To-Make-Kick-Ass-Movies-With-Creativity-Due-To-Lack-Of-Millions-Of-Dollars.

Remaking an Evil Dead movie with major studio backing is probably the death knell of American horror, its even worse than the PG rating it'll inevitably get, its worse than the pop culture references that will be strewn throughout the movie, its worse than the forced marketing campaign it'll get, its just FUCKING BAD BAD BAD and shows that horror in America is dead or dying, that they have to go and remake not only other countries horror films, but they're own classics, such as Psycho and now Evil Dead.

The only possible reason I can think of why Raimi would be involved is because he knows it'll be remade anyway so he might as well be involved in it, but even this way of thinking is too merciful on him, as if it were me I would be nowhere near such a horrible event. (edit: I just read somewhere Raimi is not involved, either its still up in the air or he has sense)

I urge you all to boycott American 'horror' movies and spend your money on DVDs of quality Asian horror instead to send the Hollywood studio system a big "Fuck you", and hopefully a wakeup call to get their asses in gear and hire talented writers to pen original and creative horror films.

To avoid fainting, keep repeating "It's only a cash-in...It's only a cash-in..."

This is like saying that Van Sandt's Psycho had the opportunity to destroy the future of thrillers. Or that Battle Beyond the Stars spelled doom for cheesy sci-fi. The effect of a ED remake is clearly being over blown, leaving us with people's attachments to the source material.

Raymond Chandler said it better than I, and I'm too dumb and lazy to remember or look up the quote, but allow me to paraphase: Guess what? That copy of Evil Dead over on your shelf? If the remake happens, that disc won't vanish into oblivion. It'll be right there. Remakes existing in the same universe as originals won't fuck the space-time continuum. Even if your copy touches a DVD copy of the remake, they won't pull a Ron Silver, and dissolve into nothingness.

The entire genre of horror films doesn't turn on the fortunes of an Evil Dead remake. Could a great flick nudge the trend along? Of course. But at some point, the steam's going to run out of this horror kick that the studios have gotten back on. That'll happen regardless of anyone redoing ED.

Remakes are stupid. I can't think of one that was worth it. Now an Evil Dead 4......that has potential.

"I urge you all to boycott American 'horror' movies and spend your money on DVDs of quality Asian horror instead"

So that Hollywood can pick out the ones that succeed and remake them.

Off the top of my head in ten seconds, I'd say:

Magnificent Seven
A Fistfull of Dollars ( & Last Man Standing)
The Man Who Knew Too Much

I'll even be bold and throw Pete Jackon's Kong in there.

Remakes don't have to be pointless, useless affairs. I mean- they usually are. Sometimes remakes add something to a familar story and give it a new dimension. Like Evil Dead 2.

Also: THE THING, THE FLY.

I have no problem with remakes that improve on a film that wasn't so good, or maybe bring older values into a contemporary culture. It's movies like DAWN OF THE DEAD and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE that I have a problem with, movies remade because of the brand name rather than anything to do with the product itself.

*Now flagellating myself not not mentioning The Thing.*

Touche'. I forgot about The Thing being a remake. Can't stand Jeff Goldblum, didn't make it through The Fly. Maybe I'll give it another go.

Ok, well they're few and far between.

The Thing is also based on a book, though. If Evil Dead had originally been based on a book, I wouldn't really mind it being "remade."

First off, this is GOING to happen whether we like it or not. I am at least mildly happy that Raimi is overseeing it himself.

Second, by doing a remake, it is the kiss of death for Evil Dead 4. We all know this, but some of this are just in denial. The only way we could get ED4 is my following suggestion......


New group of people going to the cabin for a fun weekend because they hear it is "haunted". locals warn of a crazy hermit in the woods. They go to the cabin, play the tape or read the book or whatever, and the evil is unleashed of course. 2/3rds into the movie, the "crazy hermit" appears and helps the survivor(s) battle off the rest of the evil dead. Crazy Hermit = Bruce Campbell as Ash. That way Raimi gets his remake and we get our sequel. So basically, it'd be half and half like Evil Dead 2.

I would love for that happen. Will it? I severely doubt it. While I would have immensely preferred ED4, I am kind of interested in what a talented new filmmaker (hopefully) would do with the story.

Why do some kids INSIST on saying Evil Dead 2 is a remake?

Because a financial roadblock was circumvented by restaging the original film's setup - because of, what - like NINE MINUTES??

Evil Dead 2 is a SEQUEL. "The sequel to the Ultimate Experience in Gruelling Terror" - ring a bell?!

Not a remake - not "half and half". Nine minutes of an 82 minute movie isn't half.

I mean - if we're all gonna' obsess here, can we at least get the facts right...?

No. Dear god NOW! Remaking this movie is a travesty.

Its the internet, I'm allowed to be over the top.

But the Thing is awesome.

Remakes generally are bad and insulting, and inevitable only if people watch and buy them. (the bad ones)

I've always considered ED2 as some weird, alternate reality kind of revision of the first movie. I know the facts don't really support it, but I've always been prone to my own (mis)interpretation of things.

I'd rather watch an Evil Dead remake than anything Uwe Boll ever touches.

No, but they're going to do it anyways, so lets just get the hell over it.

True. If Uwe Boll ever even TRIED to touch an Evil Dead remake, I would kill him. Seriously, I mean it.


Now that it has been broadcast on CNN that Alone in the Dark is just as much a piece of shit as House of the Dead, please explain to me how Boll is STILL hiring famous actors to his films. Apparently Donald Sutherland has signed on to star in Boll's film after Bloodrayne (which has Ben Kingsley in it), Hunter: The Reckoning. I am beginning to believe that Boll has indeed sold his soul to Satan in exchange for a film career.

And if you needed any help I would give it to you. I'm also serious. Uwe Boll is the type of person who should have a restraining order placed on him against every film company in the world. I love the BloodRayne video games, and when I heard that this joke of a director was making a movie from the games, I almost started to plan a way to end his meaningless life. Sure, the movie would suck no matter what, but with Uwe Boll behind the controls it will suck in the highest way possible.

As for the remake of Evil Dead, I wish that I could vote many times here. This is by far the worst remake idea that I've ever seen. Anyone who watches this movie and claims to be a fan of the original movies is a ****ing liar. When this piece of shit is finally made, I hope it bombs 10 times worse than Catwoman or Elektra.

I'm also the kind of fan that thinks a 4th Evil Dead is out of the question. It is too late to make any more Evil Dead movies, since Bruce Campbell is showing a bit of age, and he probably doesn't want to play Ash anymore. Or maybe he does, I'm not sure how he feels about it.

You know what. I'm almost to the point of not caring anymore everytime they announce a remake. As long as they get someone talented behind the camera and don't pull a Gus Van Sant, I'll be alright.

Oh, and how much do you want to bet that the "huge Halloween news" that we are supposedly getting from Akkad this month is that he's remaking Halloween? It's only a matter of time, since they are remaking everything else in sight:

The Hills Have Eyes
Scanners
The Fly
Prom Night
The Evil Dead
Suspiria
Black Christmas
The Amityville Horror
Wait Until Dark
Deathdream
King Kong
The Crazies
It's Alive
The Bad Seed
The Changeling
House of Wax
Terror Train
The Fog
Stephen King's It


I'm sure there's at least 10 others that I have forgotten.

All right ...... The results of the poll os close but I THINK the answer is No. I know its too early to call it but, I'm going with instinct.

They're remaking It? Cool, maybe it'll be good this time.

They are apparently going to tell the story from the girl's point of view, other than that I don't know a thing about it.

Oh, they are remaking Pet Sematary as well.

I never really liked the first one. The comedy 'splatstick' of the sequels really won me over.

Splatstick all the way. I love all three, but the first the least.

on the comment of uwe boll getting this, i highly doubt that would happen

who i'm worried about getting this is paul anderson. god help us if he does

Somehow I highly doubt Raimi would hand this over to Anderson. At least I hope to God he wouldn't.

I'm still trying to get my subconcious to believe Raimi when he promises us that not only will he make Evil Dead IV after Spidey 3 with Bruce & Co., but he and Ted are beginning to script ideas as we speak. I WANT to believe that he is sincere and will actually make it, but my brain tells me I'm setting myself up for disappointment.

As far as the remake goes, my intial anger and frustration of it actually happening is gone, and I am actually becoming interested in seeing some talented newbie's interpretation of it. That and it was nice to finally find out that no one will be carrying the name of "Ash" in it, as per Bruce's request.