As Halloween approaches, it brings together family, friends, and community, and in my opinion, there is no better way to do that than sitting down and binge-watching movies together. However, for the longest time, the Halloween franchise has been a staple for binge-watching during the festivities, but now, I think we need to move on from Michael Myers and explore something else. So, here is a movie franchise that I think should take Halloween’s place this spooky season to entertain you and your loved ones.
First Off, There’s Nothing Wrong with the Classic Franchise
Now, when I say that we need to switch up on the classic, it in no way or form means that there’s something wrong with the Halloween franchise. There is a reason why Michael Myers is a name familiar to people who were not even born when the original movie came out. Having a tradition is all good, but eventually, it might get boring for some people, so there’s nothing wrong with switching things up once in a while, and that is all this piece is about.
This Halloween, Let The Evil Dead do The Trick For You
Coming to the central point, this spooky season, I would like to pitch to you “The Evil Dead”. The first movie in the franchise was released all the way back in 1984, and to date, it stands strong on the fandom it has built for itself. The most recent release from The Evil Dead was in 2023, titled “Evil Dead Rise”. The movie franchise has followed the basic formula given to it by the first movie, where five college students go to a remote cabin on a vacation and accidentally unleash demonic entities by playing an audio tape of incantations from Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, AKA The Book of the Dead.
Much like Slasher movie franchises, every film from the world of The Evil Dead follows pretty much the same formula with a few tweaks here and there, so in that aspect, it will not be a massive switch-up from the flow you would be used to. Moreover, if you have watched even one of the movies from this franchise, you know that it will spook you out just as well, maybe even more than Halloween would.
Here’s Why The Evil Dead Is the Perfect Halloween Binge-Watch Franchise
Now we come to the question of what makes a binge-watching experience on a Halloween night with your loved ones work. Usually, when it comes to this specific purpose, most people’s go-to genre is a Slasher franchise, and the reason behind it is pretty simple. These movies offer horror, a hint of twisted comedy, and would generally keep you on the edge of your seats, but guess what, even though not exactly a Slasher, Evil Dead gets the job done just right.
If you look at the first movie released in 1981, it was a low-budget horror flick that would completely revolutionize the genre. The movie was blood-soaked, gory, and featured some unique twisted humor, and that stuck with the audience. While the first movie leaned more towards terror and horror, the second movie, while keeping it just as horrifying, blended in some slapstick comedy, and this blend became a signature of the Evil Dead franchise for all its days.
Essentially, Evil Dead has to offer everything a Slasher movie, like Halloween, would, but in all honesty, Evil Dead does it better. While the classics have their place in our hearts, this spooky season, why not let Michael Myers have his much-deserved rest?
Aparna Ukil
