Evil Dead on DVD again, nuff said?

Just when you think you've seen it all, the cash cow that is known as Evil Dead once again rears its ugly head on DVD, but this time with a few firsts. Some of this we've seen before, some of it we haven't, but either way, it looks like you'll probably want to add yet another version of this film to your ever-growing Evil Dead DVD collection.

In a nutshell, Evil Dead is the Sam Raimi classic that gave horror a facelift. The tale of 4 friends, a cabin in the woods, and the mysterious Book of the Dead. Need I say more? Evil Dead is highly entertaining from start to finish, as it has the power to scare us, make us laugh and turn Bruce Campbell into a cult icon.

OK, let's just cut to the chase. What's the deal with this special edition, and why should I or shouldn't I purchase it. Let's take this one from the beginning. This is the first time that The Evil Dead has been presented on home video LBX at 1.85:1 (anamorphic to boot). This transfer comes with many debates, as the film was originally shot on 16mm and blown up to Super 35 for theatrical screenings. Those familiar with The Evil Dead may find this edition a bit cramped, as there is some information from the top and bottom missing due to the matte. To be honest, it didn't really bother me too much. Sam Raimi did supervise the transfer, and it was matted at his request, so we can't argue with the director. Maybe Anchor Bay should have considered including a full frame transfer as well? Also new to this release is a DTS soundtrack that is quite outstanding. The 5.1 track is just as pleasing (similar to the previous Elite release) but as is the case with many titles, the DTS track gives the soundtrack a little more punch.

Some of the Extras were directly taken from the previous Elite special edition, including the dual commentary tracks. Track #1 features Sam Raimi and producer Robert Tapart, while the highly entertaining 2nd track features a solo Bruce Campbell. New to this release are 2 featurettes including a documentary directed by and about Bruce Campbell entitled Fanalysis (this alone is worth the price of admission in my book). The 2nd featurette is entitled Discovering Evil Dead, and is mostly about Europe's video nasties and how Evil Dead became one of them. We are also treated to trailers, a still gallery and bios.

The most obvious extra we haven't discussed yet is the packaging itself. The soft rubber replica of the Book of the Dead from the film is nothing short of astounding. Sculpted by Tom Sullivan (who also designed the original book), the book comes complete with the inside pages so you can also invoke the vengeful spirits of The Evil Dead in the privacy of your own home. The packaging is the real selling point here, and Anchor Bay doesn't disappoint, this is a true collector's item for any fan of The Evil Dead.

All things considered, this is another fine presentation of The Evil Dead (previous versions were fine as well, so add this one to your fine folder). The MSRP is quite high at just about 50 bucks, but you can find this edition for about 30 online and elsewhere. The picture quality is fantastic, and the LBX framing is just another way to experience this horror classic. Evil Dead fanatics will prob want to add this edition to their collection as a companion piece to the Elite Edition. Considering the Elite edition can be picked up for about 12 bucks online now, you can have them both for just over 40, not too shabby.

Click here for a comparison page of aspect ratios and image quality from the Anchor Bay Book of the Dead, and Elite Entertainment's special edition.