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'The Evil Dead' Returns To Drive-In Theaters Across The Country Beginning This Weekend

By Ben Pearson

Sam Raimi's 1981 independent horror classic The Evil Dead was billed as "the ultimate experience in grueling terror," and now you can get scared all over again in the comfort of your own vehicle.The Evil Dead is returning to drive-in theaters across the United States, beginning this Saturday in Westbrook, Maine. Get the details below.

It was just a couple of days ago that we learned a new Evil Dead movie is officially in the works with a title and a director, but now fans will have another chance to see how it all started. Grindhouse Releasing has announced that they'll be bringing Raimi's indelible horror classic The Evil Dead back to the big screen, starting this weekend. But since many movie theaters aren't open yet (AMC is looking to ramp back up in July), you'll have to venture to your local drive-in to check it out.

And actually, you'll need to do more than that: Grindhouse Releasing is suggesting that people contact their local drive-ins and request that the movie is played there. Right now, the only planned screenings are at Westbrook, Maine's Pride's Corner Drive-In this Saturday night, June 13, and Sterling, Illinois's Midway Drive-In on July 11. (That particular screening is part of a horror-themed triple-feature, with I Drink Your Blood and The Beyond as the other two movies.)

In 2019, a 4K remaster of The Evil Dead with a reimagined score by original composer Joseph LoDuca played at MondoCon and was released in theaters. Star Bruce Campbell explained why that was a big deal at the time. "Mixing the sound for Evil Dead in the early '80s, we were forced to shove everything into one monaural box," he said. "As a result, Joe LoDuca's great score had to compete unfairly with Kandarian Demons, gore sound effects and lots of screaming. With this new release, Joe can finally have his dynamic composition mixed, balanced and featured properly – for perhaps the first time ever!"

Now, Grindhouse is giving drive-ins the option of what version of The Evil Dead they want to play. The company told Bloody-Disgusting:

"We're now releasing the original version to drive-ins – scanned from the 16mm camera negative in 2K with Joe's original score and soundtrack. If exhibitors want to show the 4K DCP of 'Evil Dead Reimagined', we can supply it, so it depends on the individual drive-ins. (I know of at least one that will be showing the Reimagined cut, and another drive-in that's showing it in 35mm.)"

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