The Evil Dead

This program is sold out, but an additional screening has been added for Saturday, 4:00 p.m.



Dir. Sam Raimi. 1981, 85 mins. 35mm. With Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss. A group of friends come together for what they think will be an evening of fun, and possible romance, until they discover the tome known as the Necronomicon and unleash an unspeakable, ancient evil. It is a tried-and-true horror setup: reckless teenagers venture into a cabin in the woods and never come back out. A true cult classic in every sense, The Evil Dead was given the dreaded NC-17 rating upon release in 1981, and panned by critics for being uninspired, and at worst, too grisly and gruesome for public viewing. However, a rabid following of fans of the film, including author Stephen King, soon grew. It was their championing of this small, DIY production that launched the careers of director, Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man Trilogy) and lead star, Bruce Campbell (Burn Notice), and elevated this first landmark film into the stuff of legend.

“You thought those were zombies in Night of the Living Dead? Excuse me while I go buy you a copy of Richard Simmons Sings the Frank Stallone Songbook.” Joe Bob Briggs, Drive-In Theater.

This event is sold out. Tickets may become available on a first-come, first-served basis through a standby line. Visit the Museum’s admission desk after 5:00 p.m. to secure a position in the standby line. $15 ($11 seniors and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free for children under 3 and Museum members at the Film Lover and Kids Premium levels and above). 

Ticket purchase includes same-day admission to the Museum (see gallery hours). View the Museum’s ticketing policy here. For more information on membership and to join online, visit our membership page.