Ash Vs. The Evil Dead

Let's take a look at a suit-up scene from the movie that inspired this reviewer to commit his life towards realizing a career as a writer/director.

Ash and Annie have a considerable problem: Henrietta Knowby (Annie's mother) has been possessed by a Deadite; a ghastly force in both physical as well as intangible form that threatens to encroach upon our world and swallow the souls of the living. This creature has been quarantined in the fruit cellar with the stolen pages of the Necronomicon XMortis or more succinctly put: the Book of the Dead. Our hero must suit up for battle against this most heinous enemy in order to recover these pages...

In the tool shed, the two prepare Ash for his arduous task. Annie must help Ash with most of the process since one of his hands was possessed by a Deadite earlier and was swiftly self-amputated, or in his own words "it got into my hand and went bad...so I lopped it off at the wrist".

Metal couplings are fitted over his stump to be fixed into a brace fashioned at the base of a chainsaw; the very same tool he used to cut off his hand now becomes an extension or replacement. Belts are attached across his body to holster a shotgun but also serve as a means to start up his chainsaw: a catch was created to place the starter cord handle into, thus simply pulling the chainsaw down and away from his body, Ash can ignite this fierce weapon in an easy single handed, two part motion.

The psychology of 'phantom limb syndrome' turned into a source of strength is beautifully conceptualized.

The sound design of this suit-up scene stands out as the strongest feature. With each quick shot revealing the step by step procedure, a staccato sound punctuates each beat with no underscoring music. The tool shed door opens; sound of door. Light turned on; sound of cord being pulled. Rat scampers away on shelf; rat squeaks. Hand clears away worktable; scuffling of moved objects. Couplings thrown down; metal clinks. So on and so on with a build leading up to Ash's staccato memorable one liner, "Groovy..."

There is a great moment, an expectant look of trepidation exchanged between the two as Ash is ready to try out the chainsaw starter catch. Annie's face gives him courage with a subtle "Go for it!" expression.

The transformation from survivor to pseudo-action hero is truly a wonder to behold. It is classic cinema suit-up.