"You bastards! Why are you torturing me like this? Why?"

It's been much ado in the blogosphere this week about Ash vs. Evil Dead, to be sure. Seems like Netflix only just picked up the first two seasons, then Start announced they're dropping the show at the end of season 3. Some folks fired up petitions to have Netflix produce season 4, 5, and so on until the end of time, but then Bruce Campbell announced he was retiring as Ash, then some suggested they could continue the series with its other characters, like Pablo and Kelly, but especially Kelly, then some told those people they're stupid because Evil Dead is about Ash and the remake sucked, but then some said they wouldn't toss Kelly our of bed for eating crackers, and everyone with sense and good taste was grossed out by the sexist comments, but luckily there aren't many folks with sense and good taste commenting in horror groups on Facebook.

I must say it's been a welcome change from hearing people bitch about the It remake. 

This week's Thursday Thriller is The Evil Dead. 

Do you really need me to tell you what it's about? Brah, you haven't seen Evil Dead? What do you mean, brah? It's The Evil Fucken' Dead! You're joking, right? Everybody's seen Evil Dead! Brah!

Alright, I'll let you in on it, but only because I love you, brah.

Sam Raimi directed this 1981 film about 5 young adults who trek out to the woods to spend a weekend in and abandoned cabin. In the cellar, they find a weird, old book, a reel-to-reel tape recorder and a big, scary dagger. They play the tape and listen to the notes of an anthropologist who had been translating the Necronomicon Ex Mortis, the book of the dead. It actually translates to book of the dead of the dead, if you want to split hairs, but why would you want to do that, considering that's two different languages? Sounds scary, anyway, right?

The recorded incantations awaken evil spirits in the woods and soon Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) gets raped by vines. Soon, she is possessed by a highly communicable demonic madness that can only be cured by total bodily dismemberment or a stab with the dagger. Campbell plays Ash, who I talked about earlier, and is Cheryl's brother.

Evil Dead is a fiercely original film, which is odd considering it wears all its influences on its sleeve. It's like a great mash-up of Night of the Living Dead, The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Friday the 13th, heavily seasoned with the Italian spice of a Fulcian vomit-fest. It stands out among other low-budget genre fare of its day with its fast-paced action, slapstick humor and ingenuity in camera work and sound effects. The sum is greater than or equal to its parts. It's a true classic. If you haven't seen it, it's time, and if you have, it's time to see it again.

The Evil Dead streams on Shudder.