FADE IN
On wisping smoke against a black background.
DISSOLVE TO
A close-up of a pair of haunted eyes. The rest of the face hidden in shadow, they dart about quickly in fear. The NARRATOR speaks to us with urgency.
NARRATOR
I know now that there is such a thing as a living Evil. A dark and shapeless thing that lives not in the spaces that we know, but between them. In the dark. In the night. (beat) Now listen carefully, because there isn't much time. Listen and believe, because it's all true….
FADE OUT
TITLE: THE EVIL DEAD
FADE IN
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — SWAMP
Something evil's lurking deep within the wooded mountains of Tennessee. Rising from the stagnant water‚ it sees autumn mist hanging about the bog. Creeping silently past fallen trees‚ gliding over a carwreck‚ it moves onward into the woods.
EXT. ROAD — DAY
Nearby‚ a stretch of road curves along the base of a mountain. A gold 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 comes into view.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
Inside're five students from Michigan State University. They're couples ASH and LINDA‚ SCOTT and SHELLY‚ and CHERYL‚ Ash's sister. Scott's driving, Shelly seated next to him. Ash‚ Linda, and Cheryl're in back. They listen to Shelly, who's singing Bruce Reynolds' "Word Back Here".
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — WOODS
It continues through the trees, over the brown leaves blanketing the ground.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
Scott's singing now, too.
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — WOODS
It's moving faster.
EXT. ROAD — DAY
The Delta 88 rounds a corner. The rumble of an engine can be heard. It's a large, red logging truck headed their direction.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
SCOTT
Hey, uh, Ash, where are we?
ASH
(tracing route on map with finger) Well, we just crossed the Tennessee border…
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — WOODS
It's getting closer.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
(cont'd) Which would put us…
SCOTT
(chuckling) Yeah?
EXT. ROAD — DAY
The truck's getting closer.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
(cont'd) Which would put us…
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — WOODS
A low-hanging tree lies directly in its path. It passes under a curved bough.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
(cont'd) Right…
EVIL FORCE'S P.O.V. — DELTA 88
The dark, brooding force stops atop a forest ridge, peering downward. It focuses on the Oldsmobile moving along the narrow road below.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
(cont'd) Here!
Suddenly, the wheel jerks from Scott's hand.
EXT. ROAD — DAY
The car screeches out of control into the opposite lane. The oncoming truck races toward the car on a collision course, horning blaring.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
Turn!
Their steering wheel's locked.
EXT. ROAD — DAY
At the last possible instant, Scott regains control of the wheel. As Shelly screams, the car swerves back into its own lane, the truck speeding harmlessly past them.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
ASH
(irate) What the hell was that? Are you tryin' to kill us?
SCOTT
Hey, don't blame me, it's your steering wheel. Damn thing jerked right outta my hand!
ASH
I can't understand it. I had this thing in for a tune-up yesterday and they said they'd go over everything!
SCOTT
Yeah, well, you better take it back 'cause the damn thing don't work. The only thing that does work is this lousy horn. (honking horn)
EXT. ROAD — DAY
Two local fishermen standing by the side of the road respond to the horn by waving. Scott leans out the window at them.
SCOTT
(yelling) Ah, go to hell, I'm not honkin' at you!
The men're still waving in the distance. Scott turns back to drive.
SCOTT
Jesus Christ.
INT. DELTA 88 — DAY
Shelly turns around in the front seat, holding up a jar of moonshine.
SHELLY
Here's to Scotty, who almost killed us.
SCOTT
Aw‚ eat shit and die, will ya?
The others laugh.
SHELLY
Okay‚ okay, alright — here's to a wild weekend in a wonderful cabin with good friends (glancing at Scott) provided we live that long.
Shelly coolly drinks from the jar then passes it back to Ash.
ASH
(askance) It smells like varnish.
Ash pours Linda a drink in the lid and keeps the jar.
ASH
Careful there. Don't let any of it get on your clothes.
They drink. Linda reacts harshly to the strong liquor. Ash tries to hide his reaction with marginal success.
ASH
(rough) Smooth. (passing jar to Cheryl) Here, Cheryl.
CHERYL
(raising hand) Nuh-uh-uh.
Ash passes the jar back up front to Scott.
LINDA
Hey, Scotty, what's this place like anyway?
SCOTT
Well, it's an old place, little run down, but it's right up in the mountains.
CHERYL
Are you sure it's deserted?
SCOTT
Oh, yeah. (beat) I think so.
Ash glances at the map again.
ASH
(pointing) Hey, I think this is where we get off.
EXT. BRIDGE — DAY
The car turns off the main road and follows a backroad to a dilapidated wooden bridge extending over a great chasm. There's a sign; it reads:
DANGEROUS BRIDGE
TRAVEL AT OWN RISK
3 TONS
LOAD LIMIT
CHERYL
(worried; O.S.) This is the bridge we're gonna cross?
Carefully, the vehicle crosses. As the rickety structure takes their weight, rotted wooden beams break off beneath, falling into the river far below.
SCOTT
(O.S.) Jesus Christ! The whole thing's falling apart on us!
ASH
(O.S.) Don't let the noise fool you, girls. This thing is solid as a rock.
As he says that, the left rear tire plunges through rotted planks. Ash opens his door and looks down as more wood falls into the water below. Startled, he quickly closes his door. Scott laughs at Ash as he pulls ahead.
EXT. DRIVEWAY TO CABIN — DAY
The car follows a narrow dirt lane that winds upward along a twin set of mountains.
EXT. CABIN/FRONT YARD — DAY
It's late afternoon when they finally arrive at their destination. Behind the small wooden cabin're the workshed and woodshed. The property's surrounded by thick woods. Scotty shuts off the car. The group emerges. A banging can be heard. The sound's coming from the porch swing; it's banging against the cabin. Scott moves to the front door of the cabin. He looks back briefly at the others, then reaches the door frame, where he finds a small ring of keys concealed on the shelf above the door. The swing stops.
SCOTT
It's supposed to be one of these on here.
After trying a few keys, he's able to unlock the door.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — DAY
The interior of the cabin's dark. Scott opens the door and stands silhouetted in the doorway for a moment‚ then enters to find the light switch. The illumination reveals white-panelled walls and a cedar floor. There're two closed doors which lead to the bedroom, kitchen/dining room, and bathroom areas of the cabin. The living room contains a stone fireplace set into the wall, a mounted deer head over the mantle, a rocking chair by the hearth. There's a desk, piano, and sofa, and hanging in one corner, partially hidden in the shadows, an antique wall pendulum clock. Located beneath the clock's a trapdoor leading to the cellar. This catches Scott's eye. Unlocking a chain securing the trapdoor with one of his keys, he tries to open the hatch but can't. It's been nailed shut.
EXT. CABIN/FRONT YARD — DAY
Ash and the girls're unloading the Oldsmobile.
INT. WORKSHED — DAY
Scott enters the small workshed. Greeted by a mounted cow skull, he finds a work bench and an assortment of tools upon the wall. After a short investigation, he leaves.
EXT. CABIN — TWILIGHT
The cabin windows glow orange in the deepening darkness.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — TWILIGHT
Cheryl sits alone in the living room near a window. She's drawing a sketch of the old clock. As she works‚ the ticking stops unexpectedly. Cheryl frowns at the clock. Its hands frozen in position, it starts chiming. A gust of wind comes through her open window.
EVIL FORCE
(faintly) Join us … join us….
Cheryl looks out the window but can see only the porch swing rocking. Something's outside‚ yet remains hidden within the woods. Cheryl glances down at her hand. It turns a pale white and begins trembling uncontrollably. She stares on incredulously as her hand‚ guided by some unseen force, grips the pencil tightly and begins scrawling a shape upon her pad. The wind dies down slowly as her hand completes the drawing, losing the pale cast as it comes back under her control. She lifts the pad to her face. The likeness of a book with some form of face on its cover's been crudely sketched.
A loud banging's heard from the cellar. Cheryl fixes her gaze upon the trapdoor, still nailed shut in the floor. It sounds as if there's something down there trying to get out. Then it subsides, leaving Cheryl shaken.
INT. CABIN/KITCHEN — NIGHT
A blender screams as it mixes up a drink in the kitchen. Shelly shuts it off and carries it to the dining area.
INT. CABIN/DINING ROOM — NIGHT
She joins the others who're now seated at the dinner table and serves the mixture. Scott sits between Linda and Cheryl.
SCOTT
(whispering) Dead bodies in the cellar … dead bodies in the cellar….
CHERYL
(annoyed) Will you stop it?
SCOTT
(imitating Rod Serling) Cheryl, there's a signpost up ahead, just beyond that ridge. You're about to enter—
LINDA
Scotty‚ leave her alone, will ya?
SCOTT
(facing Linda) Ah, c'mon. I'm just kiddin'. She can take a joke.
He stops talking as he hears/feels the trickling of water. He looks down to see Cheryl finish pouring a cup of water in his lap. The others laugh. Scott's silent for a moment‚ then begins chuckling to himself. He faces Cheryl.
SCOTT
(jokingly) I'm gonna get ya. (chuckling) I'll get ya.
With a napkin, he blots the water from his pants.
SCOTT
Cute.
Ash stands with his drink.
ASH
I'd like very much to make a toast here for all this evening.
The others voice their approval.
ASH
Ah, as a Greek friend of mine once said … uh … he said, "I…"
Ash falters, struggling to recall the words. Scott rolls his eyes.
ASH
(cont'd) No, okay, okay, okay. "Nis-nis … tu-tu-tu … tu-tar-im."
LINDA
Which means?
SCOTT
Party down! Yeah!
The laughter's stifled by a loud creaking of wood heard from the living room. All rise from the table and hurry to investigate.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
The nails that held down the trapdoor've been ripped out‚ and although still intact‚ the hatch's wide open. The five stand silently around it‚ looking blank as to what could've done this. Cheryl's slighly more nervous than the others.
ASH
What is this?
LINDA
Whatever it is‚ it's still down there.
CHERYL
I don't like cellars. Let's just close it up. It's probably just some animal.
SCOTT
An animal? An animal‽ (laughing) That is the stupidest thing I ever heard of. Jesus Christ.
SHELLY
Well, there's something down there.
Scott locates a flashlight.
LINDA
Well, maybe it is just some animal.
SCOTT
Yeah‚ you're probably right. Probably just some animal. (offering flashlight to Cheryl) Here, Cheryl‚ why don't you go check, make sure.
CHERYL
(pushing flashlight away) Scotty‚ I'm not going down there!
SCOTT
Okay‚ okay, you cowards‚ I'll go.
With flashlight in hand‚ he descends the narrow steps into the cellar's blackness.
SHELLY
Be careful.
SCOTT
Back in a minute.
He disappears below the floor. Shelly‚ Cheryl‚ Linda, and Ash wait above.
ASH
(calling down) Hey, Scotty‚ you find anything?
There's no answer.
ASH
Scotty. (beat) Scotty! (beat) Scott!
SHELLY
He's just kidding around. (beat) Isn't he?
There's silence.
ASH
Scotty! Scott!
No sounds come from the cellar.
ASH
Linda‚ get me a flashlight.
LINDA
That's the only one we brought down.
Ash spots a lantern on the fireplace mantle.
ASH
(pointing) Then get the lantern.
Opening the kerosene valve and lighting the wick‚ Linda brings it over. Ash descends into the basement.
INT. CABIN/CELLAR/MAIN ROOM
Down below‚ Ash scans with his light, revealing old stone walls and wooden beams which support the main floor above.
ASH
Scotty?
Condensation from water pipes above turn the cellar into an echo chamber as drips fall into shallow pools on the dirt floor below. Suddenly, there's a loud crash. In front of Ash stands an old door which leads to another section of the cellar. Cautiously‚ he moves toward it. Breaking into a cold sweat, he twists the knob. The door swings open slowly with a groan.
INT. CABIN/CELLAR/REAR ROOM
Ash steps through the doorway and deeper into the cellar. He runs squarely into a shadowy figure.
SCOTT
Boo!
Ash starts, the wits scared out of him. Scott breaks out in laughter.
ASH
What the hell are you doing down here‚ jerkin' off‽
SCOTT
Hey, c'mere. I wanna show you something.
Scott sweeps his light to another corner and reveals several items atop a small table: a double-barrelled shotgun, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, tapes, an ancient dagger, a box of shotgun shells, a shattered photograph of a smiling young woman, a book, and other paraphernalia.
SCOTT
Look at all this stuff.
They sit at the table. While Ash goes through some papers, Scott takes the shotgun, inspecting it.
SCOTT
I bet this still shoots.
ASH
(absentminded) Probably does.
Scott aims the gun at Ash's face. Ash looks up and jolts, again scared out of his mind by Scott. They both get a good laugh out of Ash's scare. Setting the papers down, Ash picks up the book. It's an ancient skin-bound volume, with the outline of a tortured human face on its cover.
ASH
Oh, God. Look at this.
Ash flips through the pages of the book; there're detailed illustrations, diagrams, and charts, chockful of horrific imagery of corpses and monsters, with lines of hieroglyphic text, all penned in red-brown ink on parchment.
SCOTT
Look at this.
Scott shows Ash the dagger. The serrated, tarnished copper blade has a handle fashioned from real bones, including the skull of a human fetus.
SCOTT
(cont'd) This kinda looks like your old girlfriend.
They both laugh.
SCOTT
C'mon, let's take this stuff upstairs. I'll grab the recorder and you get everything else.
Picking up the tape recorder, Scott leaves. Ash continues to look through the book after he's gone. He flips to the next page; it's a picture of the book itself, its face in an evil grimace, engulfed in flames.
EXT. CABIN — NIGHT
Lightning flashes outside the cabin, striking a tree. Inky black clouds roll across the face of the moon.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
The group sits huddled around the fireplace talking about school. Ash's rewinding the tape recorder.
SCOTT
(cont'd) This guy was a real turd, y'know. Everybody hated him — everybody.
SHELLY
Like, like you, kind of, right?
SCOTT
(jokingly) Yeah, just like me. I'm gonna break your face! (beat) He's into also — he's into this western stuff. He makes all of these little models—
Ash turns to the others who're talking.
ASH
Okay, shhh‚ listen to this. This is the tape I found downstairs.
Ash turns the tape recorder on. A distinguished male voice's heard.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.) This is Professor Raymond Knowby, Department of Ancient History, Miskatonic University, Log Entry #2.
EXT. CASTLE CA'N DAR — DAY (FLASHBACK)
A raging dust storm clears to reveal Castle Ca'n Dar, situated atop a barren plateau somewhere in Azerbaijan. Once a magnificent fortress of stone, its fallen into ruin after three-thousand years.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd)
It has been a number of years since I began excavating the ruins of Ca'n Dar with my wife, Henrietta, my daughter, Annie, and associate professor Ed Getley.
INT. CASTLE CA'N DAR/REAR CHAMBER (FLASHBACK)
Four figures appear in the recently unsealed entrance to the chamber. The first holds a lit torch. This' PROFESSOR RAYMOND KNOWBY, an intelligent, grey-haired man in his late fifties. Behind him's a large schoolmarmish woman, his wife, HENRIETTA. She moves to Raymond's side and takes his hand. Immediately behind her's their daughter, ANNIE, twenty-four years old, auburn hair, strong stance and beautiful, the same woman we saw earlier in the photo from the cellar. At Annie's side, a strapping, handsome blond man, ED GETLEY. They exchange excited glances, awestuck. In the darkness of the stone chamber, resting upon a small pedestal covered with cobwebs, are the skin-bound book and ancient dagger.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) It was in the rear chamber of the castle that we stumbled upon something remarkable: a volume of ancient Candarian burial practices and funerary incantations, the first of six, the others still lost. It is entitled Nacheron De'manto — roughly translated: Book of the Dead.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) The book is bound in human flesh and inked in human blood.
Linda, nervous, takes Ash's hand.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Knowby sits at his desk, dictating passages from the
Nacheron De'manto into the tape recorder. The framed photograph of Annie, pristine, sits upon the desktop. Behind him, Henrietta sits knitting in her rocking chair.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) Now my wife and I have retreated to a small cabin in the solitude of these mountains. Here I continued my research undisturbed by the myriad distractions of modern civilization and far from the groves of academe. It was here that I began the translations.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) This particular volume deals with demons, demon resurrection, and those forces which roam the Katardi, a dark, bleak underworld where the inhabitants know no sensation.
Thunder booms outside. Scotty and Shelly move closer together.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) The first few pages warn that these enduring creatures may lie dormant but are never truly dead. They may be recalled to active life through the recitations presented in this book. It is through recitation of these passages that the demons are given license to possess the living.
Cheryl turns off the machine at this point.
SCOTT
Hey‚ what'd you do that for? It was just gettin' good.
CHERYL
I just don't want to hear it anymore, that's all.
SCOTT
(singing) OOoooOOOooOOOOoooOOo….
ASH
Scott‚ c'mon. Leave her alone, man.
SCOTT
Hey, c'mon, I just want to hear the rest of it. No big deal.
He reaches for the tape recorder, fast-forwards it a bit, then turns the machine back on. The passage continues.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.) Katra … a'mistrobeen … asanta … tande'ea manoan…
EXT. CABIN — NIGHT
As the tape plays‚ smoke begins seeping out from underground.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) Manseez … o'han on'sopar…
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) Somant'ta rosa … kan-daa…
EXT. CABIN — NIGHT
Thin cracks appear in the ground.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
CHERYL
(tense) Shut it off.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) Kan-daa!
EXT. CABIN — NIGHT
Blue light and smoke pour from the cracks. Something evil's being fully unleashed.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
CHERYL
(louder) Shut it off.
PROF. KNOWBY
(V.O.; cont'd) Kan-daa!
A bolt of lightning strikes nearby, the thunder crash deafening. Overwhelmed with fear, Cheryl bolts up, covering her ears.
CHERYL
Shut it OFF!
A window shatters as a branch from a nearby tree comes crashing through, startling everyone. Scott turns the tape recorder off. Crying, Cheryl runs to her room.
SHELLY
(concerned) Cheryl, where you going?
Shelly follows her. Ash turns to Scott.
ASH
I can't believe this. Scott, you knew not to play that! I mean, c'mon, you knew it was upsetting her. You just don't know when you're taking somethin' too far.
SCOTT
Hey, don't give me that! You were playin' it, too. You could'a shut it off. I mean big deal! She's nuts. I mean it's just a joke, c'mon! Jesus Christ. She acts like she's three years old or somethin'.
Scott heads for his bedroom. Ash moves to the broken window, pushing the broken limb back out and closing the outside shutter.
EXT. CABIN — NIGHT
Outside‚ clouds roll in from the east‚ thunder booming in the distance.
INT. CABIN/LIVING ROOM — NIGHT
Ash's playing waltz music on the old piano. He's a very good pianist. Linda dances behind him, spinning in the semi-darkness of the living room, until finally Ash moves to her, halting her in mid-spin. Out of breath, hair tousled across her eyes, she stares deeply into Ash's, her lips parted in a sensual manner. He returns her stare, lost in her beauty. He pulls her close. She pulls away suddenly.
LINDA
I feel funny about being here. What if the people who own this place come home?
ASH
They're not gonna come back. Even if they do, we'll tell 'em the car broke down or somethin' like that.
LINDA
(cheeky) With your car, they'd believe it.
He looks at Linda lovingly for a long moment.
ASH
Listen, why don't we stay up for a while and listen to the storm?
LINDA
Alright, yeah. Let me check on Cheryl first to make sure she's okay.
Linda goes out into the hall. Ash peeks around the corner, spying on her; she's seen opening Cheryl's door a crack. Reaching inside his shirt, Ash removes a small box, placing it in his hand. As Linda closes Linda's door and walks back, Ash hurries to the sofa. Linda finds him sounds asleep with the box in his hand. Taking a seat beside him, she reaches for the box; Ash opens his eyes to watch. Linda looks at him; his eyes're closed again. Linda turns her attention back to the box. Ash watches again as she removes it from his hand. Quickly, Linda turns to him, but as expected, Ash's sleeping like a baby. She keeps her eyes on him. Ash opens his eyes, and this time Linda catches him with his eyes wide open.
LINDA
(pointing) Ah!
ASH
(laughing) Oh! (taking box back) Stealing from the blind, eh? (giving box back; sheepish) This is for you.
Linda opens the box. A silver magnifying glass necklace's revealed.
LINDA
Ash, how sweet of you. (beat) Would you put it on?
ASH
Oh, sure.
Handing Ash the necklace, Linda turns around for him. He fastens it around her neck.
ASH
I was gonna give it to you before we came down here, but things got so hectic, this is really the first chance we've had to be alone. (gesturing to mirror) Take a look.
Linda moves to a mirror on the wall.
LINDA
Oh, Ash, it's beautiful. (facing Ash) I really love it. I'll never take it off.
They kiss. They begin to dance together. Linda spins, laughs, then leaps into Ash's arms. They lower themselves to the floor, embracing.
