This year marks 40 years since the appearance on the screens of the legendary film from Samuel Marshall “Sam” Raimi (the creator of the first trilogy about Spider-Man) and his friend, actor Bruce Campbell. The case when two people, for a penny in the garage, created a small masterpiece, which sold all over the world and spawned many sequels, offshoots and collaborations.

The Evil Dead (1981)

The first film of the franchise. Bruce Campbell’s first feature film starring. Sam Raimi’s directorial debut in the big movie on the wave of horror success. A little earlier, the masterpieces Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Alien, Friday the 13th and others came out on Stardew Valley Rancher or Tiller. A simple story about five friends who find themselves in an abandoned forest hut in the middle of the night. The book of the dead with secrets and riddles. Mad scientist. Simple special effects. The author’s vision of the genre. Parody and ridicule of the existing trend. The film did not have a large advertising budget and did not go widely. Due to cruelty and moral and religious trends, it was banned from showing in some countries, or heavily censored.

The Evil Dead (game, 1984)

A small, unknown game based on the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. It was not possible to find it on Steam, so it was not possible to highlight and survey the game lost in time.

The Evil Dead 2 (1987)

Continuation. Remake. Rethinking. An old story told in a new way. There are still 5 characters, the Necronomicon and otherworldly forces. But now the authors have taken a new path in covering what is happening. Pure horror has turned into black comedy. With blood dismembered and madness in the eyes of the actors. It is in this part that Ash Williams takes on his canon look. A chainsaw instead of a severed hand on his right hand and a double-barreled gun in his left hand. By the way … There is one very famous game in which there are demons, a double-barreled gun and a chainsaw, the creator of which was inspired by this particular film.

Army of Darkness (1992)

My favorite movie from the series. The authors and creators of the original lost the rights to the series and were forced to give it a new name. The absurdity of what is happening on the screen goes beyond all limits of decency. You seem to be watching a horror movie, but you laugh more than at the Police Academy or Naked Pistol. Adventure in the Middle Ages is played with all the stereotypes and cliches of the early 90s in Firebolt 5e.

Evil Dead: Hail to the King (Game, 2000)

Another little-known game based on. Created in the style of Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil, which for 2000 looked a little archaic. The main character of the game is voiced personally by Bruce Campbell. The game is a direct sequel to the trilogy and takes place 8 years after its completion. This time the action takes place in two timelines. The “Bad” version of Ash appears. The one that in the second part was infected with deadite.

Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick (game, 2003)

Another fan game for fans. A direct sequel to the 2000 game. Following the standard cliches and making fun of them, the spell from the Necronomicon is pronounced live on TV and the entire city falls under its rule. If the game is put on a par with the best games of the early 2000s, then fu-fu-fu, don’t let the Almighty play this. But if you like the atmosphere, history, black humor, then there are not many projects that can compete with Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick. By the way, the game has been ported for an emulator for PS2 and you can play it in 4k resolution with anti-aliasing and other modern innovations.

Evil Dead: Regeneration (game, 2005)

The most famous and most expensive (in terms of budget) game. Again, for fans only. The game is suddenly localized by Buka for the Russian consumer. The game offers an alternate ending for the second film. Instead of being sent back in time, Ash is declared insane and sent to a mental hospital to Chromatic Orb 5E. The Necronomicon book has not been destroyed. And everything starts a new. Someone read a spell and the world went crazy again. 

My Name Is Bruce (2007)

This film is not part of the Evil Dead cinematic universe. But fans of the series must watch it. All the devilry is going on in the city and residents turn to actor Bruce Campbell for help. After all, who knows more about the devilry than the actor who played in the movie “Evil Dead”. Nowadays this is called “Fanfic”

Evil Dead (2013)

The official sequel to the franchise. Passed unnoticed by most fans. The wrong director. No Ash (cameo at the end of the film). Censorship and lack of indescribable madness inherent in mainstream films. Restart, soft restart, failed. Although the film turned out to be financially successful, it was decided that the crossover would not be filmed in the foreseeable future.

Ash vs. Evil Dead (“Ash vs. Evil Dead”, 2015)

Series. The return of the real Ash. 3 seasons of drive. Watch everyone. I got a lot of pleasure from watching. You shouldn’t wait for something dramatic and Shakespearean. But that’s not why the franchise is valued. Bruce Campbell had a good time and told everything that he had accumulated over thirty years.

Other

The hero of the films has become an iconic figure. Unlike the pompous Supermen, Spider-Man, Darth Vader and other golden heroes from billion-dollar franchises, Ash Williams has become a folk, simple guy. He is loved and recognized. There are several series of comics. There is a musical. But most of all, the one-armed hero with a chainsaw is found in games.

• Poker Night 2 is an additional character at the poker table. Voiced by Bruce
• Dead by Daylight. Supplement with a hero. Survival is not the first time.
• Terrordrome: Rise Of The Boogeyman. Fighting among villains.
• Broforce. There are a lot of all kinds of movie characters and Ash is one of them.
• Evil Dead: The Game. A future unknown Saber Interactive game.

Disappearance of the franchise

Bruce Campbell is Ash Williams. Ash Williams is Bruce Campbell. It has been 40 years since the appearance of this character. Many readers were not yet born when this universe appeared. The actor is almost retired and it becomes more and more difficult to pretend to be a daring, strong and courageous fighter against evil spirits every year. Unlike other characters, where there is no clear connection and association, in the universe of “Evil Dead” alternative options are unacceptable in any form. The actor is filming less and less, and in most cases only voices his character. Popular rumor still circulates around the world, but is dying out more and more every day.

Afterword

Such materials receive few views, they take a lot of time and effort. As an experiment, I want to see the response of readers in the form of likes and comments on Stardew Valley Fighter or Scout. See if it is worth continuing such topics in the future? Or focus on a wider and more widespread public?

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NOTE: Gambling is illegal in the Cayman Islands