There was a time in the early 1980s when The Evil Dead was a subject of controversy for its graphic content and was actually removed from the home video release market in the United Kingdom for years after it was deemed a “Video Nasty.” Well, I guess you could say that the joke is on those who banned it because, these days, anyone in the world can watch the original classic — one of the greatest horror movies ever made, as far as I am concerned — and the rest of the Evil Dead movies on streaming and uncut whenever they want.
In preparation for the release of the series’ fifth feature-length installment, Evil Dead Rise, I had an eye-opening (and eye-popping) experience rewatching the first four movies — each of which I already owned on Blu-ray. Allow us to show you where to purchase Sam Raimi’s intensely scary — and often morbidly funny — saga of demonic possession tales on physical media, how to stream them, or how to rent them on digital. Prepare for “the ultimate experience in grueling terror” with one of the greatest horror movie franchises of all time with our guide below.
The Evil Dead (1981)
When you think of supernatural horror movies that involve demonic possession, the first image that may come to mind is a white-eyed, scar-faced young child strapped to her bed, a priest praying to expel the evil invading them from inside, or any other tropes first introduced by The Exorcist in 1973. Or, you might be a fan of The Evil Dead who pictures menacing, grotesque, decaying creatures with a wickedly morbid sense of humor who can’t be stopped by reading scripture or dowsing holy water, but, perhaps, with a chainsaw.
Writer and director Sam Raimi — who was originally against the official title — became one of the most inspirational figures of indie horror filmmaking with this astonishing breakout hit that he made with his friends on a shoestring budget and, arguably, even invented the modern “cabin in the woods” thriller. Producer and B-movie legend Bruce Campbell makes his debut as his most iconic character, Ash Williams, as he struggles to outwit the malevolent spirits that have taken over his friends in this terrifying classic that received high praise from Stephen King.
Evil Dead II (1987)
After their follow-up to The Evil Dead, 1985’s Crimewave, proved to be a flop, Raimi and co. returned to the cabin with a beloved sequel that would take the franchise in a whole new direction. By fusing the same freaky supernatural elements with a more cartoonish tone and comedy in the style of the Three Stooges, Raimi crafted one of the most dazzlingly unique horror-comedy movies of all time — if not the absolute best — with Evil Dead II, which is also available with a Shudder subscription.
Due to a rights dispute that prevented the filmmakers from using footage of the first movie, the sequel opens with a quick reimagining of its events before curdling into a more straight-forward continuation, in which Ash gets snarkier and his struggle against the insidious spirits worsens. The inventive visual style and manic hijinks of this enduring favorite became a staple for much of Raimi’s filmography going forward and Campbell’s committed performance solidified him as one of horror’s greatest icons.
- Stream Evil Dead II on IndieFlix
- Stream Evil Dead II on Plex
- Rent or buy Evil Dead II on Amazon
- Buy Evil Dead II on Blu-ray on Amazon
Army Of Darkness (1992)
What makes the Evil Dead movies one of the best horror franchises — if not the very best — is how each installment bears very little resemblance to the one that came before it. There is no greater evidence to this than the third chapter, which picks up right where Evil Dead II left off, with Ash — now more brave and (on the poster) bulkier, but also more buffoonish, than ever — finding himself transported back to medieval times.
Army of Darkness technically counts as a horror movie — still boasting themes of demonic possession and adding reanimated skeletons into the mix — but looks, feels, and sounds far more like a fantasy adventure epic, while leaning even harder into Raimi’s slapstick sensibilities. Easily the most unique of the franchise, the film is also the most quotable and the funniest.
Evil Dead (2013)
It would take another two decades for the Evil Dead franchise to return to the big screen and in a way that, once again, took things in a new direction. The feature-length debut of co-writer and director Fede Alvarez — who was handpicked to helm the project by Raimi, Campbell, and co-producer Rob Tapert — is the first to not include Ash as a main character (something that does not bother me like it may some other fans), but also the first to bring back the earnest tone and brutal violence of the original classic, but to even greater extremes.
The film also uniquely reinvents the plot by giving the cast of characters a more important reason to gather at the cabin — recovering addict Mia’s (Jane Levy) rehabilitation process — which leads her friends to assume she is merely going through withdrawals when strange and horrific things begins to happen. While it could also count as a reboot or simply another chapter to the saga, 2013’s Evil Dead is widely considered among the best horror remakes ever in the way it pays homage to what made the original films special by cranking everything up several notches.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Ten years after the reboot, the Evil Dead franchise would return to the big screen by, once again, setting things on a new path. Not only is Ash still not the central focus (while still featuring producer Bruce Campbell in a vocal cameo), the series' fifth installment brings the action out of the woods and into an L.A. apartment complex and is seen through the eyes of an unassuming family.
Guitar technician Beth (Lily Sullivan) risks life and limb to protect her nephew (Morgan Davies) and nieces (Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher) from the most horrifying Deadite imaginable: their own mother (Alyssa Sutherland, in an astonishingly creepy performance). Written and directed by Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise (also one of the best horror movies on Netflix) is a very bloody good time that marks a refreshing new step in the franchise's legacy with new characters and scenery, while still paying loving homage to its predecessors by keeping the original masterpiece's tone firmly in place.
- Stream Evil Dead Rise on Netflix
- Stream Evil Dead Rise on Max
- Rent or buy Evil Dead Rise on Amazon
- Buy Evil Dead Rise on Blu-ray on Amazon
BONUS: Ash Vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)
It would take just a couple of years after 2013’s Evil Dead for Campbell to be reinstated as the face of the franchise but, this time, on the small screen. Developed by Raimi, his brother Ivan, and Emmy-winning Watchmen producer Tom Spezialy, Ash vs. Evil Dead sees our chainsaw-handed title hero forced to come out of Deadite-hunting retirement well into his middle-aged years, with some help from his co-workers, Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo).
The series — which lasted three seasons on Starz — boasts, arguably, Campbell’s finest performance as Ash, which lends wonderfully to the show’s near-perfect balance of humor and horror in the vein of Evil Dead II. It also makes the actor’s retirement from the role following the series’ cancellation all the more heartbreaking, but fans agree it serves as a fun and fitting end to his story.
- Stream Ash vs. Evil Dead on Starz
- Buy Ash vs. Evil Dead on Amazon
- Buy Ash vs. Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon
According to Deadline, there are two new Evil Dead movies now in development —one by French Infested director Sébastien Vaniček and another by Francis Galluppi of The Last Stop in Yuma County fame. Maybe they can take a look at some of my ideas to keep things fresh as they craft these upcoming horror movies. Until they release, this is the complete guide on how to experience the Evil Dead movies (and one TV show) on streaming. Have a groovy time!
