From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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The Evil Dead (also known as Evil Dead, The Book of The Dead, Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead and The Evil Dead: The Ultimate Experience in Grueling Terror) is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, and starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss and Betsy Baker. The film depicts five college students and their vacation in an isolated cabin in the woods, which turns into a nightmare when they find an audiotape that is a key to unlocking evil spirits.

The film was extremely controversial for its graphic violence and gore, being initially turned down by almost all U.S. distributors, until a European company picked it up. It premiered on October 15, 1981 to moderate box office receipts, grossing $2,400,000, considering its $375,000 budget and mixed critical reaction. Today, it is widely accepted by critics and audiences alike as a classic of the horror genre and has a worldwide cult following.