Remake vs Original: Evil Dead

By: Justin Hopkins

Welcome to the first blog of something I like to call, Remake Vs Original, and it’s very much what it sounds like. Going to take a remake and an original of a movie and discuss each one of them separately. Saying the things I like about each and whatever negatives there may be about them, and then give my verdict on which was better and why I came to that conclusion. Simple as that. As easy as it would be to start this thing off with Pet Sematary, since it’s fresh in everyone’s mind. Decided to make things more interesting and much more harder, and go with Evil Dead. Now, without further ado, lets dig a little deep and see if the remake was able to take the crown from the original, or if the original is still head of the franchise, as far as this Blogger’s opinion is concerned.

There will be spoilers going forward. Most of these movies are years to decades old. If you haven’t seen it and don’t want things spoiled, stop now, and come back later.

Remake – Evil Dead 2013- starring Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, and Jessica Lucas and Directed by Fede Alvarez

This movie revolves around a recovering heroin addict being brought to an isolated cabin in the woods to detox. When one reads from the Necronomicon and unsuspected, unleashed and evil demonic force, who begins to possess, torture and kill each of them in brutal and gory ways. Story focusing on Jane Levy who was brilliant in her role as Mia. taking the crowd on an emotional roller coaster. Feeling sorry for her she struggled to overcome her addiction, then becoming terrifying once she becomes possessed. Just becoming completely demonic and intense, and sexually perverse. Stealing the screen every time she was on. A dozen moments come to mind just thinking about it. From her taunting them from the basement or the tongue splicing scene with the box cutter. Then, did a complete one-eighty back to sole survivor and fighting the demon in the final conclusion. Keeping you on the edge of your seat all the way through.

Original – Evil Dead 1981 – Staring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, and Betsy Baker

The 1981 classic, that had five friends go off to an isolated Cabin in the woods, to party, get high, and to enjoy themselves. After getting lured into the basement and played a cassette that recited a passage from the Necronomicon, and unleashed an ancient evil into the world. Starting to possess, psychologically torture, and finally kill them one at a time. Taking a unique approach of making you think the main survivor would have been Scott, but killed him off rather quickly, and coming down to the one and only Ashley J. Williams. Having him alone and being tortured by just everything from the cabin, and having to kill his reanimated friends. Shedding out of his cowardly persona, and to that of a determined survivor. rooting for him like no other, wanting to see him survive and fight another day. The practical effects were something to behold, and went wild with the fake blood. Spawning two sequels, and gave us an iconic hero in the process, and what can I actually say about Bruce Campbell that we don’t already know. Long moments where he was the only one around, still made it must watch.

Final verdict, and winner of the first Remake Vs Original is –   Evil Dead 2013

Before you yell and lose your minds. This was far from an easy decision. Can totally see why you would think otherwise, but for my money, The remake trumps the original in every possible way. For starters they did what every remake should always do. Take the spirit of the original, but make an original idea from it. Directors who choose to make a remake, should look at this for influence. Practical effects were spot on and the torture and scenes where a character was being attacked was terrifying and made you feel sorry for each of them, even the jerk of the story. He takes such a pounding and in an organic way, no longer want to see him punished, but to survive. Toned down the campiness that turned the original from a horror attempt; to horror comedy. When Demon Mia is verbally abusing them from the basement, is so much more intense than funny. Comedic elements were used seldom and felt more deserved, and that death-blow at the end of the movie, is as iconic and memorable as anything the original has to offer, and should be held in horror movie legends for death scenes. Lastly, as much as I enjoyed Ash. He was much better in the sequels then the first, and Jane Levy’s performance won the day, and this head to head.

Thank you for reading