Why The Evil Dead Remake Is Really A Sequel

Even after making a ton of money at the box office, being given praise by Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi and actually being a very solid movie, I still see many horror films railing against The Evil Dead for having the gall to remake such a beloved classic. That is, of course, the same argument used when any horror movie is remade, whether the film is good or not. It seems that we judge the films based not on the quality of the movie itself, but that it was made in the first place.

“How can you step on the toes of such a classic” or “Why remake a movie? Don’t you have any original ideas of your own?” And while, yes, originality has been low in Hollywood these last 10 years or so, we seem to forget that remakes have been a staple of horror/thriller movies since the beginning of film itself. How many times has Dracula been remade? Or Frankenstein, or The Wolfman or The Mummy? Why, even some of the finest horror/thrillers out there are blatant remakes. The Thing, The Fly, Cape Fear, Silence of The Lambs (originally made as Manhunter, which I will argue is a better movie than the much-loved Silence, but that is an article for another day), all beloved horror remakes. The Evil Dead seems to be a sticking point amongst the horror crowd, a dividing film, if you will.

For years now, fans have clamored for an Evil Dead sequel featuring Ash. Fact is, that is probably not going to happen. Lets face it, those movies were made nearly 30 years ago, when Raimi and Campbell were much younger, and frankly, in better physical condition. The sheer amount of physicality that is required by the “Splat-Stick” style horror comedy is most likely out of Campbell’s ability at this point in his life, no matter how much we beg and scream for it. What we got instead was the remake.

Now, with the usual moaning and complaining about a film that had, at the time, yet to be made, the film suffered the standard fan boy wrath long before even a single frame of film was shot, simply on the basis that it is being labeled a remake, even without the character of Ash. What we got was a new cast of characters, a new reason for the events to take place in a modern-day setting, with modern-day effects.

I will contend, and most of you will probably disagree with me on this, that Evil Dead 2013 is NOT a remake, but a sequel to the original trilogy.

Point 1: The Cabin is an exact copy of the original

We all know that the original cabin that was used to film the first movie was demolished years ago before the filming of Evil Dead 2. The makers of the remake could have used their own design, keeping the flavors and the essentials of the original (the shed with the chainsaw, the cellar door etc…), but adding rooms or corridors to aid in the plot and structuring of the film. They chose, however, to keep the same cabin design and actually show us new portions of the grounds on which it stood.

Point 2: It was set in Modern Day

Instead of being set in the 80′s like the originals were, it was set in modern day. As we know, the Necronomicon did not get sent back to the dark ages like Ash had been, so it would still be sitting around somewhere in the cabin or on the cabin grounds where, it is safe to assume, the girl from the beginning of the movie could have found it, unleashed a new wave of demons before being taken and eventually burned and having her head shot off by her father. It is then safe to assume that the witch-woman had bound the book in the plastic and barbed wire, sealing it in the basement of the cabin once again.

Point 3: Mia and David’s Grandfather was Professor Knowby

Assuming that this movie is a sequel and not a remake, It is safe to assume that Professor Knowby was Mia and David’s grandfather. Mia states early on that the cabin belonged to her grandfather, making Linda from Evil Dead 2 either their Mother or Aunt since Linda’s father was Knowby.

Point 4: Ash does appear in the post credit stinger

Made popular by the Marvel Movies in recent years, it is becoming common place for a post credit scene, or “Stinger” to be added onto the end to give those that wait through the credits a little reward for their patience. It was rumored that a scene had been filmed with Ash finding Mia walking down the road in a S-Mart truck, picking her up and delivering one of his famous lines. What we got was a quick shot of Ash’s face turning to the camera and saying “Groovy”, giving the thought that Ash does exist in this Evil Dead cinematic incarnation, thereby linking this “Remake” to the original trilogy.

This thinking may be considered a stretch by some, but it is one way to look at things with a fresh eye, even though I loved the film and consider it a loving tribute to the legendary trilogy while weaving a great tale on their own, but what do you think? Am I on to something here or simply delusional? Let us know in the comments below