Premieres and Versions

We will deal with the version specificates first and then the premiere dates and cerrtification details.

Versions

There has been a raging debate about the various versions of the movie ever since it's release for home viewing. Not only was there a difference in the endings but also general differences in certain scenes throughout the film. The list that follows will compare the UK/US versions with the Australian and the infamous Japanese 'Captain Supermarket' versions.

This table shows the features available in Australia, Japan and UK versions before the introduction of the Special Edition DVDs in the States;

• A shot is included during the pit scene: Ash decapitates the female deadite and a shot of black blood splashes on the wall.
• Ash and Shiela make love (tastefully) in front of the fire on a bearskin rug. Then there's another shot on the tower: as Ash looks out over the field, Shiela comes up to him, and places a blue cloak on his back, they then kiss.
• Lengthened scene as Ash enters the windmill. Re-edited, shortened Little Ash torture sequence, missing most of the music.
• Extended conversation between Ash and Badash:

• Instead of "Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun," Ash says "I ain't that good".
• Ash's return to the castle is scored with "The Forest of the Dead" in the regular cut; here it is unscored.
• Scene featuring back and forth camera movement as Arthur's men, featuring Ivan Raimi, argue about staying at the castle.
• Extended speech by Ash to the castles people.
• Ash encourages the troops on the stairs to the parapet: "I know you're scared; we're all scared, but that doesn't mean we're cowards! We can take these Deadites, we can take 'em!.....With science." Extended "Building the Deathcoaster" sequence that includes the complete music cue.
• Evilash asks his scout for a looking glass to attempt to fix his hair, before tossing it away.
• Ash runs up a spiral staircase which is open on the back wall before viewind the army's approach on the tower. This effect was achieved through camera movement rather than cutting, as in the regular print.
• Henry the Red's army has a different fanfare, based on the deleted theme from "The Deathcoaster," as it appears on the album.
• The alternate ending is included as a bonus after the end credits.
• I have it on good knowledge from some e-mails that a scene deleted from the US version, but was part of the original script, included a scene where Ash and Arthur fight when they first meet before Arthur's army breaks it up

The original US version was devoid of the above featuring only the S-Mart ending. In the UK the cinema release featured the above plus the S-Mart ending. The UK video rental and first sell-through releases were altered to the 'Apocalypse' ending. In 1997 a video version was released in the UK that featured both endings - one after another. There is currently no DVD release in the UK as of the 3rd December 1999.

Premieres

What follows is a list of premiere dates and certificates from as many countries as I could find;

The 1993 Portugese premiere was as the Fantasporto Film Festival where Sam Raimi won the Critics Award for best movie.