After the failure of CRIMEWAVE, Sam Raimi knew he needed a hit. His future as a professional filmmaker was in jeopardy. So, at the advice of his mentor and publicist Irvin Sharpiro, he went back to the well to create a sequel to his breakthrough film, THE EVIL DEAD.

But Sam Raimi being Sam Raimi, he wasn't content do just create a cash grab sequel. Instead, he used the bigger canvas — and bigger budget, thanks to producer Dino De Laurentiis — to create a film that was closer to his sensibilities than the first one. EVIL DEAD 2 is the distillation of all of Raimi's influences, equal parts Three Stooges and Hershel Gordon Lewis, and it remains one of his most popular films.

In this episode, we'll track the creation of the film from its earliest concept as a time travel picture, all the way through its eventual release and ongoing legacy.

GoFundMe for Alyssa Fowler: https://gofund.me/60e5d127

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

Episode archives & more: www.cinemashock.net