The first of the Evil Dead series was produced in 1982 for the remarkably small sum of $50,000. Its box office appeal spawned a sequel, which was released in '87; the budget had been kicked up to $3 million and the gross for the U.S. alone was $5.9 million. Success breeds excess. In '93, the third Evil Dead film was released and the U.S. box office doubled once again to $11.5 million. Alas, this time the film cost $30 million to produce, and the series seemed to come to a screeching (no pun intended) halt. Nonetheless, these movies seem to have attracted a loyal following, and the films have achieved a bit of a cult status. So let's take a look at director Sam Raimi's Limited Edition Director's Cut of The Army of Darkness.

Since this is a sequel, Raimi quickly brings us up to date with a little narrated exposition that describes events from previous films. Ash (Bruce Campbell) is a blue uniformed sales drone at S-Mart. He and his girlfriend Linda (Bridget Fonda in a cameo) escape to a backwoods cabin for a little weekend R&R. They discover the Book of the Dead and inadvertently unleash a nastiness that kills Linda and infects Ash's right hand. He cuts it off at the wrist with a chainsaw, bandages and binds the stump, and outfits it to plug into a socket he's fashioned for the saw. He recovers a twelve-gage shotgun from the car and holsters it behind his back. Evil returns. A vortex opens just outside the cabin and sucks him and his car several hundred years into the past and several thousand miles to the East. Ash lands in Medieval England (which looks remarkably like the deserts of our Southwest).

Ash is immediately mistaken by Arthur (Marcus Gilbert) and his knights as one of the warriors led by the dreaded Henry the Red (Richard Grove), a chieftain of a large, Scottish clan. He's captured and condemned to a pit from which only geysers of blood return as victims are thrown to their fates. We learn that Arthur and Henry are at each other's throats because each suspects the other of raids and brutal killings that Ash believes are actually the work of evil lurking nearby.

Ash survives his execution and tries to convince all that the real evil must be destroyed. When a wise man (Ian Abercrombie in a Merlin-like role) realizes that Ash must be the warrior foretold by legend, folks begin to listen. The wise man explains that evil must be seeking the Book of the Dead; if it finds it, everyone will be destroyed. It falls to Ash to recover the book, chant a special (and familiar) incantation to prevent evil from perceiving the book's recovery, and return it to the castle where it can be housed and defended. A much-needed wash, a little food, and a quick diversion with the lovely Sheila (Embeth Davidtz) - who ultimately will be magically mutated into a murderous hag - transform Ash into a serious fighting machine. Before you can say necromancy, Ash is battling demons and spirits, and everyone is up to their collarbones in more skeleton warriors than in twenty Ray Harryhausen movies. Fortunately, Ash just happens to have his old Chemistry 101 textbook in the trunk of his car, just the thing one needs when a little gunpowder is required.

This is truly a comic book brought to the screen: silly, satirical, and slightly goofy. Films of horror and medieval warfare are lampooned equally in a style that's not quite as outrageous as Monty Python. For a time when "camp" was in fashion, these films delivered. Exaggeration rules the day, and make-up artists William Mesa and Tony Gardner deliver wonderfully gruesome creatures to play havoc with our hero and the defenders. Don't expect excessive continuity. Ash rarely breaks the two-barrel shotgun to reload. And that same gun mysteriously appears after he returns from the pit of death.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film's theatrical aspect ratio is 1.66:1. Anchor Bay decided to use as many of DVD's available scan lines as possible, so the film's frame is flanked by narrow, vertical, black bars to accommodate an anamorphic transfer. Unfortunately, the video appears to be a non-anamorphic transfer that had been upconverted to create the illusion of anamorphic video. This can most easily be seen on horizontal and near-horizontal features where I can only describe the effect as line ghosting. And this is visible on my 17-inch computer monitor, not just the eight-foot wide screen in my home theater. My diagnosis could be wrong, but that is the only explanation I can devise for a transfer the likes of which I've never seen before. The colors, brightness, and contrast are fine, but what's the point? The video is soft and distorted by these unfortunate artifacts. They were a constant source of distraction as I sat through the film.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The Dolby Surround audio track is quite good. The monaural surround channels are somewhat active, both for sound effects and to broaden the score's soundstage. The bottom-most octave is not present. Some of the sound effects seem a bit compressed, but in general, this is a minor quibble. The dialog remains clear throughout, so all the silly lines are quite intact. The score is well rendered.

The Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

This DVD is a Limited Edition of 40,000. Each disc is individually numbered (mine was 00614/40000.) The extended cut is based on the foreign release - which is closer to the director's intent - but enhanced further. Universal had the U.S. theatrical distribution rights in '93 and forced a recut and a more upbeat ending. This DVD's version is a full 15 minutes longer than the domestic theatrical release of 81 minutes. Expect a bit more violence and gore, and just a touch of gratuitous sex.

Despite the additional length, Raimi has also included a number of Deleted Scenes, including an alternate opening. These are available with and without a director's commentary. Most are alternate versions of scenes that you'll find in the film, although none of these deleted scenes have ever been seen in any theatrical release. I think you'll agree that Raimi made the right choices as he cut the film.

Director Sam Raimi, actor Bruce Campbell, and Co-Writer Ivan Raimi may be heard on a Screen-Specific Audio Commentary Track. Like old friends, they bust each other's chops and have some fun as they reminisce during the film. I enjoyed the small details that run through their conversation; it helps us understand the making of this movie. They seem quite comfortable with the narration process, and we become comfortable as we're drawn into their reunion.

Creature Concept Drawings offers twenty or so artists' renderings of vile creatures that may or may not have reached the screen. The film's Evil Dead heritage becomes clear; many are labeled for Evil Dead 3. Ê Storyboards are uniquely presented. Turn the subtitles on and you're rewarded with translucent drawings in the lower right hand corner of the screen. They change as the film progresses; this is very clever, and I haven't seen such a presentation before.

Parting Thoughts

Fans have been waiting for this release. I'm sure most were hoping for a clean, detailed anamorphic transfer. Considering the state of DVD, mature telecine and authoring tools, and the demands of the marketplace, I'm at a loss to understand the neglect heaped upon this disc's video. Was this transfer yet another satirical statement, poking fun at our DVD perfectionism?