Harry here with that drunken hillbilly bastard named Vern. Now this Vern fella went and got himself one of those new fangled rubbery editions of EVIL DEAD. Now ordinarily I would be all against rubbery editions, but this is a rubbery edition that looks like the Book of the Dead… and cooler still, I’m apparently contained inside the Book Of The Dead as is the beer room of the Alamo Drafthouse, beneath the projector room…. whilst showing EVIL DEAD 2! That’s a mighty freaking cool feature to contain in a special rubbery edition. Anyway, I just ordered mine Click here to order your The Evil Dead (Book Of The Dead Limited Rubbery Edition)!!!!

Dear Harry and Moriarty,

Have you ever had a dvd that smelled kinda like rubbers? I have and it was called EVIL DEAD: BOOK OF THE DEAD EDITION from Anchor Bay. What this is is a new fancy ass, show off type version of the old Elite edition of THE EVIL DEAD. It comes in a mooshy rubber Necronomicon package sculpted by Tom Sullivan, who also made the book you see in the movie. You flip it open and it has pages from the Necronomicon (also drawn by Mr. Sullivan) and of course the dvd inside a nice little padded sleeve.

Since these are the usual limited editions and each one is a little different, we may very well see a repeat of the deadly Cabbage Patch Riots of ’83. So bring your baseball bats, boys, and stay focused. Keep your eyes on the prize. With a little luck and elbow grease you may come home the proud papa of a cuddly little evil dead jr. with realistic baby feel.

Or maybe you’re asking why in hell we need another version of the Evil Dead on dvd. I don’t need to explain to you that this is a movie that belongs in every individual’s collection. Unless you’re some kind of fuckwad but Harry, I don’t think you’re a fuckwad. Moriarty I’m not so sure but Harry, not a fuckwad.

(What is a fuckwad anyway?)

EDITOR NOTE: Harry here to explain what a fuckwad is. Whilst speaking to Moriarty’s therapist, I learned that a fuckwad is that pile of insemenated toilet tissue beside one’s computer after visiting this site!!! So no, Moriarty is not a fuckwad, though he may have several littering his room. Back to the review…

Anyway I agree, they need to stop with these multiple versions of Army of Darkness especially. I guess there are only so many Dario Argento movies you can release and you gotta pay the rent somehow, but it starts to get frustrating to us. The people who buy that kind of crap. No matter, this EVIL DEAD: RUBBERY BOOK VERSION really is an impressive special edition if you’re into, you know, the latex smell. Anchor Bay was even smart enough to acknowledge the many editions of the movie by including a thorough, nicely illustrated booklet about all the previous video, laser disc and dvd releases.

New things on this version:

1. FANALYSIS. This is a 26 minute documentary by Bruce Campbell. It has an individual in it named Harry Knowles. Although I don’t know if you noticed this Harry but they credited you as Harold Knowles. Then I think later they called you “Knuckles” or something like that.

Anyway what this is about is basically a bunch of nutballs who dress up as sailor moons and totorros and shit in public. Also it is about Bruce Campbell at home “in the pacific northwest,” shaving and walking around in nature and all that type of business. Reflecting on his celebrity.

I gotta be honest I would be a little disappointed in this as a stand-alone. The way it’s all put together and the music and everything is pretty cornball. That movie TREKKIES was a much more fascinating freak show, stare-into-the-abyss-and-it-stares-right-back-at-that-ass, heart of darkness type documentary about these type of people. But I liked the interviews with the gal who legally changed her name to Xena the Warrior Princess and the one at the end telling Bruce Campbell that the Evil Dead movies are dumb and that mainly stupid college guys like them.

Anyway as a movie it’s not too hot but as an extra on a dvd it’s pretty impressive. If you like Bruce Campbell, which you do if you’re on the internet, then you will at least semi-enjoy it.

2. DISCOVERING EVIL DEAD. A short, better than usual featurette about EVIL DEAD coming from an angle I’ve never heard before. This one focuses on the two british dudes who picked it up and released it to theaters and video (at the same time, did you know that?)

3. Various outtakes and shit.

4. Some special effects tests and clips from a recent (post September 11th, even) panel discussion with Rob Tapert “hidden” within the menus. These are what nerds call “easter eggs.” That’s because they’re easy to find and then your mom makes them into devil’s eggs I guess. I don’t know.

5. This is nothing to brag about really but I was surprised they bothered to update the talent bios. The one for Mr. Raimi is pretty in-depth and discusses his career all the way up to Spider-man. By the way he’s directing spiderman, not sure if you’re aware of that one Harry. You heard it here first, from Vern. copyright 2002 Vern. Please credit Vern whenever you mention that Sam Raimi is directing Spiderman. thanks.

6. Did I mention the package is rubber

Then you got the same old good stuff you know and love from the old dvd that if you were smart you didn’t buy because you were waiting a few years for this one:

a. 2 separate commentaries, one from Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, the other from Bruce Campbell. Bruce seems to know the movie alot better than the other two because he goes to so many of these fuckin Xena conventions he has the stories hardwired into his brain. And he keeps saying stuff like “On his track Sam will probaly say (such and such), but what really happened is…”

II. Trailer, tv spots, posters, stills.

3. Interactive menus!

4. Chapter selections!

What’s not on this edition:

They were advertising until a few weeks ago that it would have Within the Woods, the short film version of Evil Dead that Raimi and friends made to get financing. Didn’t happen. Not on here. Sorry. Anchor Bay announced that it fell through, they couldn’t get it, and don’t worry they’re not saving it for another edition. They just can’t get it. I bet they used the music from Star Wars or something. You heard about Starballz.

Anyway I highly recommend this new rubbery special edition, and Anchor Bay can be very proud of it. I know they are having some serious troubles right now, partly because they are suing one of their former top guys for embezzlement. (Have you noticed how every damn part of our world is totally corrupt now? I mean you expect it from the government and the oil companies

– but the ice skating judges? The crematories? I think if he was real even Santa Claus would be pulling some kind of bullshit scam now. [P.s. sorry kids, Santa IS real, didn’t mean to confuse things there sorry. Santa’s 110% genuine is what I meant to say. And if he’s dirty like I suspect please do as Santa says, not as he does.])

What I’m saying is, we love Anchor Bay. Maybe we love Anchor Bay like an alcoholic uncle, what with the problems in the quality control department (I mean how many different defective horror movies can one company possibly release?) but this definitive and huggable version of a great movie is an example of why we love Uncle Anchor Bay and need the old fart around. I hope if all this legal and money trouble gives them a tumble somebody will jump in and bail them out. They woulda done it for you, man.

Also one time they put out The Wicker Man in a wooden box, that was pretty cool too in my opinion.

Before I wrap up, I just wanted to point out one little known fact, that the theatrical version of Army of Darkness is actually way better than the director’s cut anyway so quit scrambling for the 2-disc version, you nerds.

anyway thanks harry, also moriarty thanks to you too. Hope you boys enjoy the dvd too.

–Vern

Originally posted at Ain’t-It-Cool-News: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/11542