Someone on Reddit found two videos, circa 1987, that show Sam Raimi on a British talk show called Central Weekend defending The Evil Dead to the “concerned public” in the wake of the UK’s video nasty scare. You can see both of them below…
The ’80s were arguably the best decade for horror. It felt like every month saw a new horror classic being released to the wary masses. ’80s horror was bold, and graphic. Naturally, there were a healthy amount of people who were turned off by this macabre direction that spooky cinema decided to take, and were all too eager to blame these movies for a wealth of societal issues. The Evil Dead was most certainly one of these movies.
Sam Raimi’s horror masterpiece was disgusting, shocking, visceral, and hilarious all at once. It was the perfect fodder for concerned parents: The Evil Dead practically encouraged viewers to take delight in the carnage on screen. As we have seen, time and time again, any form of art that challenges us to view the darker side of humanity will always be met with force. Whether it be heavy metal, Dungeons and Dragons, or a now classic horror movie.
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Originally published April 17, 2017. Updated November 21, 2019.
