What To Watch Next If You Love The Evil Dead
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Ever since it debuted in 1981, Bruce Campbell and Sami Rami's Evil Dead franchise has shaped the way people view horror films. The increasingly wacky trilogy of movies, as well as the subsequent TV show, proved to the world that the horror genre doesn't have to be all gloom and doom. It can have moments of levity, and in some cases, downright bonkers action.
However, while horror films tend to borrow from the Evil Dead series left and right, it's hard to find movies that replicate the fun, fright, and gore of the franchise. But if you're looking for something to fill that Deadite-sized hole in your heart, have we got the list for you. Whether it's throwing in the odd comedic moment here and there or introducing a protagonist who's not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the baddest of the horror movie villains, it seems there's more and more of Ash being injected into the horror genre with each passing year.
So, to help those who need more groovy content in their lives, here's what to watch next if you love The Evil Dead.
Green Room has that claustrophobic Evil Dead vibe
One of the things that makes the Evil Dead franchise so scary is the sense of claustrophobia built up when it becomes apparent that our heroes are trapped in a remote location, surrounded on all sides and forced to fight for their lives if they want to see the sunrise. Fortunately, for those who miss that particular brand of survival horror, the 2015 movie Green Room manages to combine all of those elements into one convenient horror-filled romp. Although it's without supernatural villains, Green Room is sure to satisfy on gore and savagery.
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Hold the Dark), the film focuses on the members of a punk band who wind up playing a gig at a skinhead bar. But after the performance, one of the band members returns to the titular green room and discovers something he was never meant to see. As a result, the skinheads have to decide what to do with the rockers, and spoiler alert, they don't settle for giving them a gentle talking to.
Green Room not only boasts an impressive cast including Patrick Stewart as the main villain and the late Anton Yelchin as the main protagonist, but it succeeds in creating intense drama in a very tiny location. And when it comes to the violence, you'll be watching through your fingers. Plus, like any great horror movie, it constantly finds reasons for the viewer to ask themselves, "What would I do in this situation?"
Like the Evil Dead movies, Killer Klowns from Outer Space blends humor and horror
While the Evil Dead franchise started as a genuinely successful horror film, it embraced its own campiness as the series rolled on, with some moments being straight-up comedy. If your favorite part of Ash's story was his relentless gallows humor, you'll love the science fiction monster comedy Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
Released in 1988, the first film was heavily inspired by the Evil Dead movies in that it seamlessly blends some genuine shockers, claustrophobia, and monsters into a symphony of mayhem that's guaranteed to leave you satisfied. While it may not have you on the edge of your seat like some other horror classics from the 1980s, it will definitely amuse anyone that's seen the lighter side of the genre and wants more.
As for the plot, the film focuses on a sleepy town that, one night, is invaded by what appears to be a flying circus tent. When the townsfolk go to investigate, they find a mad carnival filled to the brim with sentient creatures that look an awful lot like clowns. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the pranks these jokers like to pull are far deadlier than the tricks performed by your average carnival clown. While the movie is mostly played for yucks, it should be noted that anyone with coulrophobia won't be amused.
Girl on the Third Floor is full of grisly gore
A lot of the fun in the Evil Dead movies involves Ash slowly slipping into gory, self-mutilating madness. As the story progresses, he's left with no choice but to harm himself and finally take up arms (pun intended) to brutally slay the monsters surrounding him. And a lot of those themes carry over into 2019's wicked horror flick Girl on the Third Floor. When a man with a nefarious past tries to get his life back in order by purchasing an old fixer-upper for his pregnant wife, he discovers the house not only has a grim history but a life of its own.
All attempts to renovate result in supernatural occurrences, such as the walls oozing a black, blood-like substance. It isn't long before the man is forced to start confronting the reality of his situation and diving into the horrific past of the home in order to fend off whatever haunting he's now invited into his family. Add in a sexy temptress played by Sarah Brooks and the surprisingly dark charisma of CM Punk, and you've got a movie that can help fill the wickedly twisted void left in your life by the end of the Evil Dead franchise.
However, be warned that it leans into the gore like Evil Dead, only this time with the benefit of 2019 special effects, which can look as gross as wounds do in real life. But even if you have a weak stomach, an 81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes might help convince you this underappreciated gem is worth it.
Ravenous is a black comedy with a bite
The third Evil Dead movie took a surprising turn by introducing time travel into the mix. Still, the madness, carnage, and desperation of the story ended up lending itself very well to humanity's past. And taking a page from that playbook is the movie Ravenous.
Set during the Mexican-American War, this film follows an army captain as he's sequestered at a remote fort in the wilderness. It's there that he learns the Native American myth of the Wendigo, which states that if a man kills and eats another man in the wild, he gains their strength. However, they then develop an insatiable, supernatural taste for human flesh.
As you may have guessed, the legend turns out to be true, and the captain must figure out how to survive in his harsh new conditions and also how to get other people to believe his tale and avoid becoming a cannibal or finding themselves on the menu. As a result, the movie captures the tension of the Evil Dead franchise and even includes a bit of its trademark levity. However, unlike Evil Dead, it boasts an impressive cast of surprisingly recognizable names, including Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, David Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, Neal McDonough, and John Spencer. So if you like a little bit of historical fiction injected into your horror stories, there's really no more apt option than Ravenous.
The Ritual thrusts you into a terrifying hiking trip
A primal fear that The Evil Dead expertly taps into is the fear of getting lost in the woods. Anyone that's ever gone off the beaten path and had even the slightest difficulty finding their way back knows how incredibly disarming it can be. That's part of what makes the 2017 British film The Ritual so scary.
The film focuses on a group of friends who go on a backpacking trip through Sweden as a way to honor their good friend who was murdered in a liquor store robbery. However, when one of the hikers injures his knee almost immediately, the friends hatch a plan to cut through the wild to get him back to civilization with as little suffering as possible. That proves to be a bad idea as they quickly discover that there's more to this stretch of woods and the nearby villagers than meets the eye.
Like Ash, each of the men are forced to figure out if they're simply having difficulty maintaining their sanity while trekking through the woods in a life-or-death situation or if something nefarious and supernatural is actually lurking in the trees, waiting to kill them. Also like Ash, each one is given the chance to figure out exactly what they're made of when push finally does come to shove. When the choice comes down to kill or be killed, maintain your composure or lose your mind, or even fight or flight ... where do you fall?
Like the Evil Dead movies, The Babysitter has a whole lot of laughs
There are a lot of films that have come out since the Evil Dead movies that bill themselves as the comedian's solution to the horror genre. After all, when you scream during a horror movie, it's expected. However, when you laugh, you remember that moment for the rest of your life. And that's why The Babysitter is perfect for fans of horror comedies, as it does an amazing job of blending the craziness of its premise into a story that never goes too long without a few laughs. Plus, its cast boasts some serious comedic chops, along with the ability to get pretty scary.
The film focuses on a young boy named Cole who's curious about what his babysitter is doing after he goes to sleep. What he discovers is that his parents didn't leave him with some ordinary high school hot girl. As it turns out, this babysitter is part of some kind of demonic, ritualistic cult, and she's enlisted her popular friends to be a part of the mayhem. Fortunately, Cole turns out to be made of heartier stuff than your average preteen.
If Evil Dead proved that a little bit of comedy can exist in a world filled with graphic and horrific murder, The Babysitter takes that ball and runs a mile with it. And while it's often the death of a good horror plot to cast young, unknown, and somewhat untested stars, this movie breaks the mold with its cast, including Samara Weaving, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, and Ken Marino in core roles that wink at the absurdity of the whole situation.
Creep is an incredibly effective found-footage flick
One of the interesting choices that sets The Evil Dead apart from other horror movies of its age is that it opts for its protagonist to be an able-bodied person that, quite frankly, knows how to handle himself in a fight. In an era and genre where the virginal, small woman was the go-to person to combat the monsters of the day, Ash was in a league all his own. The 2014 found-footage movie Creep plays with that idea a little bit by making its core villain and its protagonist a relatively even match. The fear and horror comes from the speculation about whether or not our hero is actually in a life-or-death situation.
The film focuses on Aaron, a videographer who answers an ad to film a man named Josef for a day. Josef lives out in the middle of nowhere, and he explains that he has an incurable brain tumor and wants to record himself so that his unborn child can know his dad. However, as the day progresses, Aaron has to decide if all of this is legit, or if he needs to fight his way out of the increasingly uncomfortable scenario. After all, Aaron might just be a really awkward guy ... or he might be a psychopath with sinister intentions.
In many ways, Creep is an incredibly grounded horror movie that keeps the viewer guessing until the very end. With a surprisingly masterful performance from Mark Duplass, the film sets up a world and a villain that's unlike anything that came before it, yet it somehow feels like it could exist in our reality. The movie was so unique and fun that it even spawned a sequel that you can fire up immediately after your done with the first film.
When it comes to comedy, Little Evil can holds its own with the Evil Dead films
A brilliant horror comedy that riffs on The Omen, Little Evil also borrows several pages from the Evil Dead playbook by thrusting an everyday schlub into a supernatural situation. Only this time, instead of Deadites, we're dealing with the spawn of Satan himself.
The film focuses on Gary, played by the always hilarious Adam Scott, as the stepdad to a boy named Lucas. As he unsuccessfully tries to bond with the child, Gary slowly starts to learn that he may have married into the family of the Antichrist. However, as he's not the type of hero that goes around chopping demons up with a chainsaw, much of the movie's plot is driven by Gary trying to avoid murdering the boy at all costs.
With the help of his cadre of local stepdads — including characters played by Bridget Everett, Chris D'Elia, and Donald Faison — he's able to find common ground with his stepson. However, by the time he does, the word is out about the boy's origins, and it may be too late for Gary to stop the apocalypse and save his stepson. This is a perfect movie if you're looking for something a little grim and spooky but don't want to be kept up late at night. This dark comedy, instead, leans on the charm of its cast, and it produces a story that's got a few scares here and there, but it's mostly an excuse for some very witty gallows humor.
The Golem is all about magic and monsters
Like The Evil Dead, The Golem focuses on a group of people who discover power in ancient, magical texts. However, unlike Sam Raimi's horror classic, The Golem is based on real Jewish folklore and tells a much darker story.
Set in 1673, this film tells the tale of a woman (Hani Furstenberg) whose village is threatened by invaders making horrible demands. They blame the Jewish people for the Black Plague befalling the area and decide that they want to wipe them out. So in an effort to save her village — and driven by the grief of losing her son — the woman conducts an ancient ritual to create a Golem to keep her people safe. For those unfamiliar, the broad strokes of a Golem are that you build it out of mud, and it's essentially indestructible and will obey the commands written on a scroll in its mouth. However, when the woman's creation arrives with all the strength of a Golem but a body similar to that of her deceased child, she must decide at what cost she's willing to protect her people.
This dark and foreboding tale is perfect for fans of the first Evil Dead movie who wish to see desperate people surviving at all costs in the face of a magical villain and real-life terrors.