Evil Dead I & II

[Scott]

We are debating on whether EVIL DEAD I & II are really Zombie films. Please leave your vote and thoughts for a finally decision on the Zombie Database Poll. You are allowed to change your vote by removing your vote then re-entering a new vote.

You can also add comments on ARMY OF DARKNESS if you would like to.

[Andrew]

Strictly speaking, I guess that they are not - falling more into the realm of possession films like "The Exorcist," "Demons," and even (shudder) "Demon Wind."  Still, there are some undead things that pop up and defy classification.  We need some researchers to go out there and do fieldwork and help study the hideous things that lurk just out of sight.  Unfortunately, they all will, sooner or later, go insane.  Do not get too attached to them.  That is the way the game was made.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I have to go with no. Like Andrew said it falls more into demon possession. I actually watched Evil Dead 2 today and most of the people who changed where possesed and came back to life or didn't die at all.

[KYGOTC]

I can't beleive that this is this difficult. izznt it obvious? No! Not zombie fliks! The only undead things that i can remember from the e.d. trilogy are the skeletons in e.d.3. whicha of course, not zombies.

[sideorderofninjas]

I thought most researchers who run across zombies wound up as meals rather than being driven mad unless there are a group of Lovecraft zombies just hiding in the background before striking when the stars are right. 

Well, the Deadites aren't zombies under the traditional voodoo sense.  They also don't fall under the Romero definition which seems to be the source for practically zombie movie since Dawn of the Dead. 

[Dennis]

Evil Dead I & II, Army of Darkness definitely demons and possesion, no real zombies. 

[dean]

Whilst they may not be zombies in the strictest sense, especially since Raimi has somewhat created his own mythology with the Deadites, you really do have to admit that the Evil Dead series has the spirit of a zombie film beating in it's decimated, decaying chest...

Sure, it may not fit as a definition, but hey, it's the spirit that counts to me.

[daveblackeye15]

In the strictest since, no they're not. I know they are possesed but something about them makes me think of them as semi-zombies.

I call them a cousin of the definite zombie. So I put 'yes.'

[Dennis]

Today at work I spoke with a young woman who is believed, at least by her friends, to be an expert on Army of Darkness, so I asked her for a definitive answer to the question, her response was that given a loose interpertation of the term zombie the deadites would be zombies but that technically they are undead, so I guess it just depends on your point of view. While they are zombie like I wouldn't consider them zombies in the sense of a Romero people eating zombie or a voodoo type zombie

[Rombles]

Whilst they may not be zombies in the strictest sense, especially since Raimi has somewhat created his own mythology with the Deadites, you really do have to admit that the Evil Dead series has the spirit of a zombie film beating in it's decimated, decaying chest...

Sure, it may not fit as a definition, but hey, it's the spirit that counts to me.

I get what you mean about the feel of the movies, but don't agree that that makes them zombie movies.  Bad Taste has a similar feel - could be a zombie movie but for the lack of zombies.  Ditto ED 1&2 - could be zombie movies apart from the lack of zombies.

If you could move out one level, and ask "are Evil Dead 1 & 2, and all zombie movies, films about attacks by scary humanoid creatures who can be justifiably killed without remorse?"  - then the answer is yes.  So I agree that they could be looked at as being in the same genre, but still don't actually count as ZOMBIE movies.  We just need another better name for whatever the broader genre that encompasses both ED and all zombie movies is.

[trekgeezer]

I agree Rombles, the people in the Evil Dead films are possessed, not walking dead.

[Just Plain Horse]

Today at work I spoke with a young woman who is believed, at least by her friends, to be an expert on Army of Darkness, so I asked her for a definitive answer to the question, her response was that given a loose interpertation of the term zombie the deadites would be zombies but that technically they are undead, so I guess it just depends on your point of view. While they are zombie like I wouldn't consider them zombies in the sense of a Romero people eating zombie or a voodoo type zombie

It's easy to be an "expert" on a movie they show on TV almost every month...

I did want to say that while I don't consider the Evil Dead series zombie films, it's important for all the novices to remember that zombies didn't always eat brains, infect people, or herald the end of civilization. There was a time when they stood for possession by a voodoo priest or some such mysticism. It may sound strange, but I always thought the idea of being perfectly aware and coherent but unable to control your actions was more frightening than becoming a shambling, gorey member of a flesh-hungry Makeup 101 zombie mob.

[Torgo]

The people in Evil Dead are possessed, they aren't zombies.

[Dennis]

...

I did want to say that while I don't consider the Evil Dead series zombie films, it's important for all the novices to remember that zombies didn't always eat brains, infect people, or herald the end of civilization. There was a time when they stood for possession by a voodoo priest or some such mysticism. It may sound strange, but I always thought the idea of being perfectly aware and coherent but unable to control your actions was more frightening than becoming a shambling, gorey member of a flesh-hungry Makeup 101 zombie mob.

You are right, being aware and being the servant/slave of a voodoo priest is a frightening idea, however I think that turning into a shambling rotting flesh eating zombie or being eaten alive by said zombies is equally frightening and that, thanks to Romero's zombie films is what most people now think of as either a zombie or a zombie victim.

[Just Plain Horse]

You are right, being aware and being the servant/slave of a voodoo priest is a frightening idea, however I think that turning into a shambling rotting flesh eating zombie or being eaten alive by said zombies is equally frightening and that, thanks to Romero's zombie films is what most people now think of as either a zombie or a zombie victim.

Hmm... I guess being eaten alive by pretty much anything would have the same effect, I'll grant you that. But, if we're going to get into hypotheticals, I have to wonder how much awareness zombies have of what they are doing... it seems that the longer they remain zombies, the less basically being cannibals bothers them. It really seems more like an insatiable craving or something of the like. Also, wasn't it originally stated in Romero's first film that zombies eat the flesh of the dead or something like that? Am I wrong on this, or does this indeed exist and does that contraditct the whole 'eating people alive' thing... I mean, what if zombies had to kill their prey before consumption? That would make things more difficult. Frankly, the whole thing seems like such an inexplicable conundrum...