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FILM ARCHIVE / WORKPRINT
Evil Dead II
Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) returns to a remote cabin in the woods with his girlfriend Linda, only to unleash an ancient evil after playing a recording of passages from the Necronomicon. When demonic forces possess Linda and begin tormenting Ash, he must fight for survival against supernatural creatures, possessed objects and his own increasingly unstable mind. Combining outrageous practical effects, slapstick comedy and relentless horror, Evil Dead II has become one of the most influential cult horror films of the 1980s.
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What changed in this version?
The Evil Dead II workprint is a fascinating early version of Sam Raimi's 1987 horror classic.
Unlike a complete rough cut, the circulating version is an incomplete assembly containing approximately the opening 20 minutes and final 10 minutes of the film.
Although much of the footage closely resembles the finished theatrical version, the workprint contains a small number of deleted and extended shots, unfinished sound elements and temporary music.
The surviving copy originated from a VHS recording and retains visible timecode markings, making it an interesting example of the film's post-production process.
Differences from the Theatrical Version
- Extended bridge sequence: Additional footage appears when Ash discovers that the bridge has been destroyed, preventing his escape.
- Alternative piano footage: A brief additional shot shows the cabin's piano with steam pipes visible.
- Extended demon-head sequence: The surreal scene involving the talking demonic heads contains extra footage.
- Extended vortex sequence: Ash's journey through the time vortex includes additional shots and visual effects absent from the finished film.
- Temporary soundtrack: Several sequences use music borrowed from other productions, including The Evil Dead, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Death Wish.
- Original production audio: Some scenes retain dialogue and sound recorded during filming, before additional dialogue recording (ADR) and final audio mixing.
Picture and Sound Quality
The surviving VHS-sourced version has several noticeable technical limitations.
The image is presented in fullscreen 4:3, with a timecode appearing across the top of the picture. The original tape has considerable deterioration, causing picture breakup, tracking problems and occasional signal dropouts.
Audio is also unfinished, featuring temporary music and original production sound rather than the completed theatrical mix.
A better-quality transfer has circulated, although it remains incomplete.
Other Versions
The 37-minute workprint should not be confused with the longer television or fan-assembled versions.
An alternative Mexican television version contains additional and alternate footage, while a German XXL Version incorporates behind-the-scenes material into the film. These are separate edits, not complete copies of the original workprint.
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