HCR Rates The Movies #57: EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN

[DTM]

So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?

Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all:

EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN
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Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.

Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.

So, what say you all?

Next Film: ??????

[DTM]

Now I know we dont normally do sequels until the first one is put up, but ED2 is more of a remake of the original than a true sequel, so I figured wed make an exception to that rule here.

[Sigdr]

Vicious. Brutal. Hilarious.

We all know that zombies have only one weakness: Bruce Campbell.

9/10

[Inbetweener]

There is no film that made me laugh harder as a child and it still works on so many levels to this day...it's serves as a one of kind hybrid of two great genres...it lampoons it's own zombie genre, while topping all the others within the genre at the same time. It's a trick that can never be done the same way again. Flying eyeballs being inconveniently eaten, fat slapstick witch zombies who contort with stop-motion unseen since Clash of the Titans, possessed hands flipping their host and beating him with teacups and plates, girlfriend's taunting heads barricading through doors, girlsfriend's headless body cutting down it's own torso with a chainsaw, blood spewing out of the walls like geysers and many more classic gags that walk a thin yet unexpected line between comedy and horror, in outstanding style. I credit mostly Sam Raimi were it not for his old scenery chewing college buddy Bruce Campbell playing the ultimate everyman hero, Ash. Ash endures all the typical b-movie-evil that one could possibly endure and still manages to kick evil's a$$ with one-liners so uncool that they're cool, and therefore make even Arnold jealous. He is the anti-horror icon...the anti-slasher...he is the guy equipped to mess up the likes of Jason, Freddy and Leatherface with just a jury-rigged chainsaw hand and his boomstick.

Way back Spin Magazine named this the greatest film ever made. Pretty crazy huh? I happen to agree 100%.

Rating: 10

[DTM]

While Ill agree that this film is definately a Cult Classic, Im not sure Id go so far as to say its the greatest film ever made, personally. :) I remember seeing this film way back (talking roughly 20 years ago) when my friends and I were renting whatever Horror films we could find, and this gem has stuck with me ever since. (as has the "tree raping" scene, which being young boys at the time we saw this we had to rewind about 4 or 5 times :) ) This film definately had its share or gory gross-out parts, creepy thrills, and "what the heck did I just see" laughs. While this isnt one of my favorite overall Horror films (Im more a Halloween, Exorcist, Omen kind guy, and like my HORROR a bit more on the serious side) it definately has a special place in my heart. Not just for what it is, but for what it did, introduce us to Bruce Campbell (who I Love), and Sam Raimi. (not to mention the evil spirit cam) :) A great film, a true cult classic, and one that I definately need to add to my DVD collection ASAP.

Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn - 9 / 10

[DTM]

CURRENT HCR MEMBER RATING:

EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN - 9.33 / 10

(3 members rating)

[Dark Flash2099]

I really only have one word for it: Groovy.

9/10

[lurker]

This is such a great film, for me it's THE perfect mix between horror and comedy. There are so many great parts to this film, one in particular which sums it up for me is when the tape recording mentions someone was buried in the cellar which results in the tense scene where the guy wants to get out the locked trapdoor before the demon gets him. There's this buildup of excitement and it's all released when that friggin' eyeball flies across the room. Man I laughed so hard. There's not many movies that can combine laughs like that and still get you scared in other parts afterwards. And as far as Ash goes, he's up there with all the great heroes. Pity Army of Darkness had to go too far into comedy. But Evil Dead 2 is one of the best of its kind, if not the best, and I would recommend this to everyone and still enjoy watching it every single time.

9.5 out of 10

[spacedye]

Not many voters for Evil dead?! What is this?

Firstly, I'd like to point out that Evil Dead 2 is not a remake. It's a sequel, period. In each movie after Evil Dead they re-capped what happened previously, but they had to re-shoot it vs using original footage because each movie is owned by a different studio (same reason America won't see a box set) so they didn't have rights to the footage.

Anyway, I love the Evil Dead series. 1 is my favorite, then 2, then Army. I know I'm in the minority with 1 being my favorite, but I'm sticking to it. I do, however, still love 2. The slapstick is a great addition to horror, and Bruce Campbell really shines here.

9.5/10

[DTM]

Im pretty sure Raimi himself claims ED2 is basically a remake of ED1, just with a bigger budget.

[spacedye]

He hasn't.

One tagline of Evil Dead 2 is "The Sequel to the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Terror"

The fact that it's called "Evil Dead 2" says it's a sequel

And it directly follows the events of Evil Dead.

[DTM]

Well, I think they used words like sequel and Part 2 to show it was from the same ED1 film, though again I do remember this question being brought up previously and other did mention that Raimi admitted ED2 was more of a remake (which is pretty obvious in seeing both) than a sequel to ED1.

I also wouldnt say it follows the events of ED1, as Bruce Campbell is now back again at the same cabin, playing the same recording, that brings the same demons out to attack him and his friends (also I believe BC "died" off camera at the end of ED1) To me, and I dont believe Im alone, theyre 90% the same movie.

[DTM]

A quote from Rogan regarding the ED1 / ED2 remake issue:

You have it right.

The Commentary Track and the booklet inside the special edition of Evil Dead 2 by Bruce Campbell explains that Sam Raimi got a big budget for a remake and that's what he did.

If you watch Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 back to back you can see the remake.

[lensnart]

One of the only movies on Rotten Tomatoes to have 100 per cent good reviews and for good reason.

9 out of 10

[Rokk_Krinn]

I'm confused...wasn't there more of this thread when it first came up for voting? Like the aforementioned Ro-Gan bits?

[DTM]

I think they were mostly in the Army Of Darkness thread, which is where I found Rogans post above.

[spacedye]

Well, I think they used words like sequel and Part 2 to show it was from the same ED1 film, though again I do remember this question being brought up previously and other did mention that Raimi admitted ED2 was more of a remake (which is pretty obvious in seeing both) than a sequel to ED1.

I also wouldnt say it follows the events of ED1, as Bruce Campbell is now back again at the same cabin, playing the same recording, that brings the same demons out to attack him and his friends (also I believe BC "died" off camera at the end of ED1) To me, and I dont believe Im alone, theyre 90% the same movie.


But it's not a remake. In each movie they re-cap what happened previously so people that haven't seen the other movie(s) can still enjoy this one and follow it. They would have just used the original footage from Evil Dead in the opening of 2, but they couldn't secure the rights, to they decided to re-shoot it. In re-shooting it they realized that all of the "other" characters were not necessary to the story so they edited them out. After that, Bruce gets hit by the evil (i.e. the end of Evil Dead) and the story continues after that. Ash didn't die, as you can see by watching Evil Dead 2.

The whole "remake" aspect lasts about 10 minutes, with the other 80 being completely new. It's definitely not a re-make.


And nowhere in the commentary or booklet does it say it's a remake.

In the special edition version of Army of Darkness, on the commentary, the question is posed to Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. They comment that the three films can be edited together as a whole. Though they don't comment on whether this means Evil Dead II, is a sequel or remake.

[iameleveneight]

12/10 (ok ok 10/10 geeeeeeeeez) This is hands down one of my favorite movies. Its goregeous, genius, and has Bruce Campbell. You absolutely can't go wrong.

[labria4]

This movie is flipping awesome. How can you go wrong with a comedic horror film.

8/10