The first Evil Dead film, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, about a world of demons accidentally being opened, was filmed in true renegade-style, with a crew of 13 people in the remote thicket of Tennessee.
Though the sequel would have the budget to build a cabin exterior and a set for the interior, the first film had to use the real deal, with the entire crew also using the cabin to sleep, only adding to the hardship of the very rough shoot.
https://www.ign.com/articles/things-you-didnt-know-about-evil-dead-trivia
Art by M. Becker
To add to the above:
“Living conditions were terrible, and the crew frequently argued. The cabin didn't have plumbing, so the actors went days without showering, and fell ill frequently in the freezing weather. By the end of production, they were burning furniture to stay warm.”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083907/trivia/
Art by Paul Mann
“At the end of principal shooting in Tennessee, the crew put together a little time capsule package and buried it inside the fire place of the cabin as a memento of the production to whomever found it.”
The cabin was accidentally burned down a year later by trespassing youths, but the fireplace remains intact.
-From IMDB and IGN
Art by Francesco Francavilla
“The original script called for all the characters to be smoking marijuana when they are first listening to the tape. The actors decided to try this for real, and the entire scene had to be later re-shot due to their uncontrollable behavior.”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083907/trivia/
Art by Dan Mumford
Ash was originally meant to have died at the end of the first film of the series. Of course the character has instead held on for a run spanning nearly 40 years, including appearances in these films, as well as a television series, video games, comic books, and surely some other media I’m forgetting.
Art by Dom Bittner
Ash almost fought Freddy and Jason… “but due to creative differences between New Line Cinema and Bruce Campbell it never happened. The story did become a six-issue comic book series though, in 2007. In fact, Ash Williams has seen a lot of awesome action in the pages of comics, battling with the likes of Marvel Zombies and Dracula, meeting Danger Girl and Re-Animator, and cavorting with Sam Raimi-creations Darkman and Xena.“ - via IGN
“For The Evil Dead's premiere screening in Detroit, Raimi, a fan of these early-era gimmicks, particularly those done by horror director William Castle, hired ambulances to park outside the theater in order to let people know that, regardless of your age, this movie just might cause a medical emergency.“ - via IGN
Art by Maria Ku
“Bruce Campbell put up his family's property in Northern Michigan as collateral so that Sam Raimi not only could finish the film, but also blow it up to 35 mm film which was required for theatrical release. Raimi was so grateful for his financial contribution, he credited him as co-producer.“ - via IMDB
“A cameraman slipped during filming, smashing his camera into Bruce Campbell's face and knocking out several of the actor's teeth.” -IMDB
“Bruce Campbell twisted his ankle on a root while running down a steep hill, and Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert decided to tease him by poking his injury with sticks, thus causing Campbell to have an obvious limp in some scenes.” - IMDB
“Most of the demon POVs that glide across the ground were shot by mounting the camera to a 2X4 while Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell ran along holding either side.” - IMDB
There is SO MUCH cool trivia related to the 1st Evil Dead. It just goes to show that the making of low budget pictures is often much more interesting than the pictures themselves. (Not in this case, perhaps, but still…) I have to move on to the other movies in the series or I simply won’t get to them.
Ok, one more on the OG EVIL DEAD:
“ The film was initially released in the United States by New Line Cinema with an X-rating, revised to NC-17 in 1994. Home video copies produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment are uncut and unrated because the licensing studio, Renaissance Pictures, was not contractually obligated to provide an MPAA rating.” - IMDB
EVIL DEAD II is, “often considered to be a remake of The Evil Dead (1981); however, this is not accurate. The rights to show scenes from the original could not be obtained to recap what happened, so the beginning was remade to explain how Ash got to the cabin, etc.” - IMDB
Art by Christopher Shy
Bruce Campbell has said that EVIL DEAD II is his favorite of the trilogy (it’s mine, too 😉).
Art by Gary Pullin
“ Bruce Campbell completely improvised the scene where he fights his possessed hand in the kitchen of the cabin. Sam Raimi praised his performance and used the first take for the film.” -IMDB
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Art by Christopher Ott
“The producers insisted upon using different colors of blood to avoid an X rating. This proved futile, as the MPAA gave the film an X anyway. The film was ultimately released unrated.” - IMDB
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Art by Flyland Designs
“The sounds of the evil travelling through the forest were a combination of Sam Raimis voice and audio samples of Orson Welles, technically making this the last film he appeared in in any capacity.” - IMDB
Art by Dominick Woodcock
“Sam Raimi credits Stephen King for making the sequel (as well as the popularity of the original) possible. Raimi couldn't acquire enough money to fund the film so Stephen King made a few calls (since he was a huge fan of the original) and convinced financiers to give Raimi the money he needed for the sequel.” - IMDB
“The sexy, surly Bobby Joe was inspired by Holly Hunter, who was a housemate of Sam Raimi's in the early 80s, along with Joel Coen and Frances McDormand. One particular incident inspired the character: Hunter was auditioning for a hooker part and was unusually made-up and wearing a sexy, short-skirted outfit. She became angry at Raimi when he somewhat leered at her.” - IMDB
Art by Anthony Petrie
“The zombified Henrietta was actually played by Sam Raimi's little brother, Ted Raimi. He was forced to wear an extremely heavy full-body latex suit. With the addition of eye lenses and fake teeth, the only body part of Ted's the audience can see is his tongue when his mouth is open.” - IMDB
“A combination of heat and the cumbersome suit made the production extremely difficult for Ted Raimi. He would quickly become overheated and profusely sweat in the suit. The special effects team would have to pour the liters of sweat out of the suit into Styrofoam cups at the end of the shoot every day. In the climax of the film, the sweat can be seen pouring out of Henrietta's ear when she's flying through the air attacking Annie.” - IMDB
“There are a couple of Wes Craven Easter Eggs in the first two Evil Dead movies but the biggest one comes in the 1987 rebootquel Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, when Freddy Krueger's glove can be prominently seen hanging in the work shed. Makeup artist Mark Shostrom, who was also working on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors at the same time, borrowed the glove from the Dream Warriors set for a day and gave Dead by Dawn an added bit of Elm Street elegance.” - IGN
ARMY OF DARKNESS was originally released in the UK as ARMY OF DARKNESS: THE MEDIEVAL DEAD, While in Japan it was released as CAPTAIN SUPERMARKET.
Art by Anthony Petrie
Sam Raimi originally wanted to call the film THE MEDIEVAL DEAD, but Universal Pictures refused. Irvin Shapiro, the uncredited producer of The Evil Dead (1981) and executive producer of Evil Dead II (1987), came up with “ARMY OF DARKNESS,”with Raimi then planning to make that the subtitle, but the studio wanted the film to stand on its own from the rest of the series. - via IMDB
Art by Randy Ortiz
“The plot of Ash being transported the medieval ages and having to fight Deadites to return home was originally Sam Raimi's initial plot for Evil Dead II (1987). However, he was forced to keep the plot set at the cabin in The Evil Dead (1981) to make the film's budget affordable.“ - IMDB
Art by Digital Theory
“The original end saw Ash time hop once again, but this time to a post-apocalyptic London, hinting at a fourth Evil Dead film where Ash fights demons and ghouls in a ravaged, ruined future. All of this led to Army of Darkness becoming slightly notorious for having four different versions released to the public: the U.S. theatrical cut, the European theatrical version, Director's Cut (future ending), and a U.S. television release.” - IGN
“Bruce Campbell says that in order to make it appear that the chainsaw was always running, tobacco smoke was pumped through a tube that was slid up his right pant leg, up his shirt, and into the chainsaw.” - IMDB
“During the scene where Ash is being pelted with rocks, fake rocks were used, but to get a more realistic reaction out of Bruce Campbell (and partially as a prank), director Sam Rami pelted him with potatoes. This cut was used.” - IMDB
“During filming of the climactic sword fight at Arthur's castle, Bruce Campbell suffered a small gash to his face when a decorative pin on his cape cut him during a stunt. He was immediately taken from the Polsa Rosa Ranch location to see a plastic surgeon to assess the damage. At the examination the doctor had to have the actual injury pointed out amid the myriad special effect scars and cuts Ash's character had accumulated during the story.”
Finally… and sadly… ARMY OF DARKNESS is the first, and only, studio picture in which Bruce Campbell has played the lead.
Going to take a short nap before our Saturday Scarefest commences! Hope to see you all there.
Art by Dan Mumford
Back later with trivia for ARMY OF DARKNESS!
Don’t forget Saturday #Scarefest starts at 6:00 PM US Central Standard time zone!
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