I'm one of those people who thinks the original “Evil Dead” was a lot better than either of the so-called sequels. Evil Dead 2 is technically a “retcon” or “retroactive continuity” sequel, meaning it's not really a sequel at all because it disregards what happened in the first movie. Army of Darkness is a straightforward sequel to Evil Dead 2, but neither of them is really a sequel to the original Evil Dead.

So, why do I think the first one is better? Mostly because it's a true horror movie and a very effective one, at least considering the limitations of budget and special effects available to the film-makers. The sequels are horror-comedy. Now, horror comedy can be great- Peter Jackson's early stuff comes to mind- but if you're in the mood for demonic forest spirits possessing the dead and slaughtering college students in a remote cabin, then are you also in the mood for lame jokes and cheesy double entendres?

I, personally, am not. I liked what they did with the original, which was so uncompromising and horrific by the standards of its time that it was actually banned in several countries. The movie sets a mood of tension and anxiety that rapidly evolves into a shrieking bloodbath, combined with some of the coolest “evil” dialogue ever delivered by a Sumerian forest spirit. They're remaking the original as I write this, and I'm hoping they stick to the same theme and leave the comedy out of it.