Welcome to one of the main features of 'Castle Dracula,' the movie reviews section.
The reviews placed here are from all around the world, from the USA to the UK Japan
and everything inbetween. The formats reviewed are video and DVD. I have included the
origin of the film reviewed so you can check your player for compatibility. You may
also notice that there are some DVD-R reviews. These are not 'bootlegs' or 'copies'
but official screeners that I have been sent containing an as yet unreleased film to
review. All the reviews here have been reviewed either by myself or my current movie
reviewers. If you're an avid watcher of horror movies then why not join 'Castle Dracula'
as an official 'staff member' reviewing them. To do so, just click on the 'Join My Staff'
link in the menu to the left for details of this and other vacancies.
New reviews are normally placed here once a week, check my front page for under 'Castle
Dracula Updates' to see what latest movie reviews have been placed.
- Evil Dead 2:Dead By Dawn - US DVD -
"Legend has it, that it was written by the Dark Ones:'Necronomicon Ex Mortis',
roughly translated 'Book Of The Dead'. The book served as a passageway to the evil
worlds beyond. It was written long ago, when the seas ran red with blood. It was
this blood that was used to ink the book. In the year 1300AD, the book disappeared..."
As I watched the opening sequence with the above narration, the memories began to
come flooding back.
The sequel to one of the most brutal films of it's time, 'The Evil Dead.'
On it's original release I was worried that I wouldn't get to see it because the
original 'Evil Dead' was banned in this country (UK).
Thankfully, somebody gave me a good quality 'pirate copy' so it didn't matter.
Upon watching I was expecting more of the same gore filled nastiness that filled
the first.
So imagine my horror while watching the first fifteen to twenty minutes as I slowly
realised it was nothing more than a basic reworking of the first film.
To add insult to injury, it acts like the events of the first film never happened.
Luckily for me, I decided to carry on watching it anyway and treat it as just a
stand alone film, afterwards I thought to myself, actually, that was pretty damn
good.
Now we jump forward many years, my video copy has long since gone to the great video
player in the sky.
I have seen various versions of 'Evil Dead 2:Dead By Dawn' come and go since then.
All the time, I knew which version of the film I wanted to own and was determined
to hold out for.
Either this now deleted version I am reviewing now which has been distributed by
Anchor Bay, a company reknowned for doing horror movies the justice they deserve upon
their DVD release, or the much rarer 'tinned' version which is this same disc but
comes packaged in a 'tin can' with the cover of the DVD painted upon it and an
exclusive booklet and postcard replica of the artwork.
Though I would have preferred the tin version, it is extremely hard to get hold of,
this version was hard enough to find.
What makes this version of the DVD so much better than the rest is something we'll
go into later but first lets concentrate on the film itself.
This time around, Director Sam Raimi has decided to replace some of the violence
with humour. Well, when I say 'replace' some of the violence, it's more like make
the violence so over-the-top that it has to be humouress. So much so it's more like
an extreme version of 'The Three Stooges', slapstick, or as star Bruce Campbell
prefers to call it, "splatstick". Oh yes, there is still plenty of the 'splattery'
stuff flying around, instead of just 'red' though, it comes in all colours.
Depending on who, or more to the point 'what' is being chopped up at the time.
The story of the film goes like this, remembering to forget the first one happened
it seems. Ash (Bruce Campbell) takes his girlfriend Linda up to the log cabin of
the first film for obviously a bit more than just looking at the view. While there,
he discovers an old tape recorder which he plays. Upon it is the voice of a
'Professor Raymond Knowby,' telling the story of his and his wife's search and
finding of a book called the 'Necronomicon Ex Mortis' or 'Book of the Dead'.
He then goes onto to recite some passages he's managed to decipher, which are
supposedly able to bring back evil forces from long ago. Obviously, outside the
evil spirits are summoned once more and they attack and possess Linda turning her
into a demon. No longer being the 'easily scared Ash' from the first film, he's
now more of a 'wise cracking, super cool, kick ass Ash', he not only decapitates
her but has her buried within the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, she does not
stay buried for long and when 'Ash' tries to escape, he finds the incoming bridge
'ripped upwards.' Sounding familiar yet?
Well, all that's in the first twenty minutes and the similarities end there.
Now, 'Knowby’s' archaeologist daughter 'Annie' and her useless boyfriend 'Ed'
appear at the cabin looking for her father and mother, 'Henrietta' who they have
lost contact with since they came to the cabin, bringing with her more pages from
the book. Also with them are a local redneck couple called 'Jake' and 'Bobbie Joe,'
who agreed to show them an alternative way up to the cabin when 'Annie' finds the
bridge uncrossable. What they find though, is a bloodstained 'Ash' wielding a
chainsaw. So, the obvious thing to do is throw 'Ash' down into 'that' basement where
they believe they will be safe from him. What they don't realise is though, what is
already in the basement is what they need to fear and it isn't staying down there
for long. As I don't want to ruin it even more, I will not tell you what happens
from there, needless to say it is extremely bloody and very, very funny with some
great one liners from 'Ash.'
Even though this is a horror film at heart, it is also like a live action cartoon,
albeit a twisted one.
A good example, a highlight of the film and some brilliant acting from Bruce
Campbell comes when his hand gets possessed by the evil force. It proceeds to abuse
him by punching him, throwing him around the kitchen and battering him with plates.
Bearing in mind, this is only Campbell acting a part and so therefore doing it to
himself, yet it looks incredibly genuine, which showcases his obvious talent.
His solution to this predicament, simple, stab it with a carving knife and then cut
it off with a chainsaw. Placing it under a bucket, the ultimate insult he gives to
it is when he places a pile of books on the bucket, the top one being 'A Farewell To
Arms.'
Now as I said earlier, this is the best of all the versions.
The reason being, for a start, it has been digitally remastered into THX.
The picture comes in either full screen or in widescreen 1.85:1 enhanced for 16X9
TV's and is constantly sharp.
The audio comes in Dolby Digital 5.1 and sounds amazing especially when you consider
this was filmed in mono.
Of course, it has to come with extra's and again these don't disappoint.
Firstly, there's a commentary by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, co-writer Scott Spiegel
and special make-up effects artist Greg Nicotero which was originally on the Elite
Special Edition laserdisc. This is extremely funny, it is obvious that they all get
on extremely well as the serious parts are very few and far between.
There's a featurette entitled 'The Gore The Merrier' which is in much of the same
idea as the commentary, complete and utter madness. This is presented by special
effects men Robert Kurtzman, Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero and shows behind the
scenes footage and mainly what you'd expect from such a featurette, though a lot
less serious.
Finally, there is the obligatory trailer for the film, some production stills and
an advert for the abysmal computer game 'Evil Dead:Hail To The King.'
You will not get a better sounding or looking version of this film. As it's now
deleted though you may have a hard time finding it.
If you haven't got the film it is well worth the effort in trying.
Reviewed By Dracula
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