‘Evil Dead Rise’: Inside The Year’s Scariest Horror Film

The Resurrection of a Zombie Franchise In this day and age where reboots and sequels are common in cinema, there are some franchises that just never seem to go away. The Evil Dead is one such franchise. The original movie released in 1981, directed by Sam Raimi, became an instant cult classic, thanks to its raw mix of black humor and extreme gore. The film’s sequels, Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992), followed in the footsteps of the original and further solidified the franchise’s cult status. Now, over 30 years later, the franchise continues with the release of the latest installment, Evil Dead Rise.

Director Lee Cronin Takes Charge

Lee Cronin, who made his directorial debut in 2019 with the supernatural horror movie The Hole In The Ground, is the mastermind behind Evil Dead Rise. After impressing Sam Raimi, the original director of The Evil Dead, at the Sundance Film Festival, Cronin was invited to lunch with Raimi. The two talked about movies and influences, and when Cronin expressed his love for The Evil Dead franchise, Raimi was taken aback. It had not occurred to him to ask Cronin if he was interested in directing a new Evil Dead movie.

The Making of ‘Evil Dead Rise’

After the initial shock had passed, Cronin pitched his idea for the fifth installment of the franchise to Raimi, producer Robert Tapert, and star Bruce Campbell. They fell in love with the story Cronin was trying to tell, and over the next six months, Cronin developed the full storyline with the team. Evil Dead Rise is set in Los Angeles and features no cabin-in-the-woods setting or Ash Williams, the demon-slaying lead from the previous films. Cronin explains that the franchise needed to step into some fresh territory to reinvigorate what was there.

The Scary Bits

Cronin’s vision for the movie was to create something that would truly scare audiences. Raimi gave him two pieces of advice: “make sure the Deadites are really scary” and “make sure there’s a lot of fake blood”. Deadites are the demonic spirits that possess and control the living, and they have been a staple of the franchise since the beginning. To make them scarier, Cronin used practical effects and stunts to create some of the most intense horror scenes in recent years.

A Gory Spectacle

In an interview with The Guardian, Cronin described Evil Dead Rise as a “full-frontal bloodied scream right in your face”. With an R-rating, the movie promises to be gory and intense, a blood-drenched spectacle that pushes the limits of horror. Cronin’s goal was to pay homage to the original movies while also bringing something new to the franchise. With Evil Dead Rise, he has done just that.

Get The Latest Updates From The World Of Music, Movies, TV, Culture, And Fashion In Musical States Magazine. Please Follow Us On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, And LinkedIn To Receive Instantaneous Updates