EVIL DEAD TRAP (1988) Reviews of Japanese horror classic

  

evil-dead-trap

Evil Dead Trap is a 1988 Japanese horror film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda and produced by Japan Home Video.

Plot:
TV show host Nami asks her viewers to send their home movies; she receives a snuff film apparently shot at a nearby factory. Taking a camera crew out to investigate, Nami finds the factory deserted.

As Nami and her crew begin to scour the factory, they are murdered one-by-one in grisly fashion until only Nami remains. She ultimately discovers that the killer is Hideki, a small, fetus-like man conjoined to his fully grown, naive twin-brother, who seems unaware of the killings…

edteye_05

Special effects were by Shinichi Wakasa who would go on to a career as a monster-suit maker for several Godzilla movies. Hitomi Kobayashi who plays the supporting role of Rei Sugiura was a top star for Japan Home Video (JHV) under their adult video (AV) label Alice Japan. JHV financed the film as a vehicle for Kobayashi but director Toshiharu Ikeda, unsure of Kobayashi’s acting ability, instead put Miyuki Ono in the starring role.

Sequels followed in 1992 and 1993. Avoid the British DVD which has footage substituted, containing a milder version.

evil-dead-trap (1)

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

” ..the film at least serves up an atmospheric, if somewhat slow, package of slice and dice. Viewers should be warned, however, that although for most of its running time the film lurches around quite happily in its own semi-coherent universe, the final act will either astound the audience with its sheer weirdness, or have them throwing empty bottles at the screen.” Beyond Hollywood

e

Evil Dead Trap starts out with a fresh concept and some clever suprises, but quickly deteriorates into a splatter-by-numbers flick that we’ve been seeing for thirty years now. The final arc of the story is a different tale altogether, but comes as too little too late to redeem the pedestrian middle act. And, as I mentioned, it’s pretty goddamn silly.” For the Retarded

“It’s tense, it’s genuinely horrific, it’s beautifully directed by Ikeda with a real eye for colour and marvellous use of the geometry offered by the perspectives of corridors. Really absolutely one of the best horror films (Japanese or otherwise) I’ve ever seen.” MJ Simpson

51oVm-YsqQL

YouTube reviews:

Kill count video

MOVIES & MANIA provides previews, our own film reviews and ratings, plus links to other online reviews from a wide variety of trusted sources in one handy web location. This is a genuinely independent website and we rely solely on the minor income generated by internet ads to pay for web costs and cover yet more movies. Please support us by not blocking ads. Thank you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.    
What do you think of this movie? Click on a star to rate it