Prelude To An Evil Trilogy

Within the Woods is the pilot for the Evil Dead. The film was inspired by a literature assignment Sam was assigned at MSU. This project required Sam to study the Book of the Dead. After doing some research, he decided to write a script for a film centered on a fictional book of the dead. Sam, with friends Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert, formed a motion picture company entitled Renaissance Pictures to film this script. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough cash, so Sam rewrote his script to seven pages and raised somewhere around $1,600 and set out to shoot this shortened version in hopes of snagging potential investors for the longer film. Their plan was to create a thirty-minute "senseless gore flick" with the help of special effects artist, Tom Sullivan.

The film was shot on Rob Tapert's family farm during the cold winter of 1978. Bruce of course was given the main role. Ellen Sandweiss, a college friend, played his girlfriend of the same name. She would later star with Bruce in Evil Dead 1 as Cheryl, his sister. Scott Spiegal was also in the film playing a self-titled character as well. Lastly, an unknown actress by the name of Mary Velenetti played Shelly.

Bruce spent exhausting days in latex and disgusting filth. After a while the latex on Bruce got really irritating, so Bruce improvised by gnawing the latex skin off.

The basic story of the film is Bruce and Ellen venture out for a picnic in the woods. Bruce tries to scare Ellen by telling her that the land where they were having their picnic was on an old Indian burial ground. Ellen does not really believe Bruce, but she soon will. Ellen goes gather wood for a fire while Bruce stays back to dig a pit for it. Bruce being the genius he is unknowingly unearths a grave where he finds an old sacrificial knife. Ellen comes back and Bruce shows her the knife, afterwards they fall asleep. When Ellen awakens Bruce is nowhere to be found. Ellen goes in search of Bruce only to find his dead and mutilated body.

Suddenly, the newly awakened Evil Force begins to chase her back to the house where Scotty and Shelly are having a rousing game of Monopoly (copyright infringement anyone?). There is a lot of suspense when Ellen tries to get in the house before the evil force gets her, but Scotty finally lets her in. Ellen tells Scotty and Shelly what happened to Bruce, but they don't believe her. Scotty goes in search of Bruce, but doesn't come back right away. Shelly decides to go out and look for the two although Ellen advises against it. As Shelly opens the front door, Bruce bursts in and brutally murders her in a very intense scene. The possessed Bruce then goes after Ellen. She quickly closes the door on him and goes to the kitchen to grab some knives. Scotty finally returns and is accidentally stabbed in the stomach by Ellen. He tells her to get the gun from the cellar, she goes, but when she returns she notices the open window and is suddenly confronted by her possessed-better-half. She takes the sacrificial knife and slices his hand off, but not quite, and Bruce is forced to chew is off. Ellen is frightened but not willing to give up her life, and she continues to fight Bruce until she has finally hacked him to pieces.

A lot of people ask where can I get a copy of Within the Woods? Currently the only way to find a copy of Within the Woods is on eBay or at horror conventions. The video quality is pretty bad due to people making copies of the original VHS tape. Luckily fans can watch clips of Within the Woods on Youtube.