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 finally premiered on October 15, 1981. Although its budget was just $375,000, it was a moderate success at the box office, grossing a total of $2,400,000 in the U.S. upon its initial release. Despite getting mixed reviews by critics at the time, it is now widely accepted as a classic of the horror genre and has a worldwide cult following.

Five friends (Ash, Cheryl, Scotty, Shelly and Linda) All decide to spend a nice, quiet weekend at a cabin out in the woods. When they get there, they discover a book made out of flesh and inked in blood. They also find a tape recorder, with a strange man's voice on it. When they play the tape, it begins with the man translating what is written in the strange book. The translation awakens evil demons which have been resting in the woods, and now, they are ready to attack the people that have awakened them from their slumber. Written by HHP

Five friends go up to a cabin in the woods where they find unspeakable evil lurking in the forest. They find the Necronomicon and the taped translation of the text. Once the tape is played, the evil is released. One by one, the teens become deadly zombies. With only one remaining, it is up to him to survive the night and battle the evil dead. Written by Chris Sealy

Five friends go to a cabin in the woods for a vacation. They discover The Book of the Dead and a tape recorder belonging to a professor, who also owns the cabin. One of them plays back what is recorded on the tape-- which just happens to be Candarian resurrection passages translated from the Necronomicon (Book of the Dead) by the professor, which unleashes an evil force from the woods. The people start turning into evil deadites, and the others soon learn from the tape that the only way to kill a person who is turned into a deadite is by total body dismemberment. People are dying left and right; one girl early in the film looses control and runs off into the woods, only to be raped by the trees. Written by Ash

Five friends are spending the weekend in a remote cabin in the woods. Whilst investigating the cellar they discover a tape and a decaying old book full of strange incantations. The tape is played and it unleashes powerful evil force from the forrest, determined to destory every last one of them. Written by Col Needham