The Evil Dead Blu-Ray Edition Review

Written by: AshofDarkness   

What more can be said about The Evil Dead? I mean really, it's 2010. This movie came out nearly 30 years ago. Still, I think it's worthwhile to say a few words about the latest edition of ED, this time in glorious blu-ray Hi-Def.

First thing's first. Don't expect Star Trek. Don't expect Avatar. I say that as I consider those two movies as the benchmark in terms of overall video quality. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get to it...

Simply put, Evil Dead on blu-ray looks amazing! It looks like it could have been filmed last week. Albeit, with a 16mm camera. Sam Raimi's overseeing of the HD transfer was certainly the right call. The old-school film grain is still ever present, but the overall picture is clearer and crisper than any edition I've seen yet. So, anti-DNR folks shall be pleased. The beads of sweat on Scotty's face look ready to drip right off the screen. The lines in the floorboards are incredibly detailed. Color is wonderful as well. The greens in the woods are vivid, but true. The blood effects are beautifully deep and red. A marvelous job done by Anchor Bay on this video transfer.

In terms of the sound, we're also treated to an audible feast. The Dolby HD 5.1 sound is HUGE! The mix is clean and clear. I was actually able to pick up on some noises I never knew were there upon watching previous editions. The scene where Cheryl stabs Linda in the ankle is utterly gross, and awesome. Cheryl's shrill voice as she changes over from human to demon will drive right through your stomach and whack you in the spine. Voices are clear and strong and never weaken to the point where you can't hear the actors underneath the action.

As far as extras, there's an all-new, hilarious and insightful commentary with Bruce, Sam and Rob (hardcore fans will want to watch this). There is a second disc (a DVD) that includes all of the extras previously featured in the Ultimate Edition DVD.

All in all, I have to say this is the best I've ever seen and/or heard The Evil Dead. Big props again to those who finally brought this classic to the blu-ray family. I recommend any fan of the film, even casual horror fans, check this out.