Like A Virgin: Sean Roberts, 'Til Death Do We Part, Evil Dead

When we dig deeper into our favorites, be it favorite foods, favorite colors or even favorite movies, we often find that those warm and fuzzy feelings we hold are often due to the memories that come along with those favorites.

For Hack or Slash’s Classic Horror Connoisseur, Sean Roberts, his love for Universal Monsters of yesteryear are tied to years of screening those movies with his grandmother, shading them in the rosy colors of nostalgia that still remain today when he revisits classics like Frankenstein (1931) or The Mummy (1932). 

Those memories are so meaningful, that he’d prefer to not have to watch them again “for the first time,” because it would never top watching them with his grandmother.

For this reason, and for the many other reasons he’ll talk about himself, Sean has elected to pay tribute to another movie, one that could be argued as a classic in its own right: The Evil Dead (1981).

How old were you when you first watched The Evil Dead?

I was probably around 11 or 12 when I watched this movie for the first time.

Describe the first watch. Where were you? Who were you with? How did it make you feel?

I remember watching this for the first time at my best friend David's house. We have been friends for 28 years! 

This movie felt like it was made for us. The perfect balance of camp and horror. 

Obviously Evil Dead 2 is much more campy and ridiculous, and that's a wild and great time, but The Evil Dead (1981), is just a solid time and it quickly became one of our favorite movies, horror or not, even to this day.

What about this movie made such a strong impression on you?

This movie is probably one of the best possession movies since dare I say, The Exorcist (1973).

I would be hard pressed to find a more twisted tale of demonic possession. The camera work is truly a work of art and really works to just pull you into this hellish nightmare. The practical effects were fantastic. I loved how every deadite was an a-hole and made for an extremely entertaining, fun and funny!..watch.

When was the last time you watched The Evil Dead?

I probably haven't watched this one since we did a rewind episode on it for the podcast, which was back in February 2023.

How does the experience differ now from your first time?

Well, I know everything that's going to happen. I admire the scenes more, I have fun with it...I can quote parts of the movie. 

I just really wish I can experience this movie for the first time again because I want to be surprised by the events unfolding...I want to be taken aback by the attitude of these deadites and the chaos they caused again. I want to feel mesmerized by the fun and awesome practical effects again.

You never forget your first horror milestones. They stay with you, they sometimes comfort you, they can even show you how far you’ve grown. They are important even years later to the makeup of who you are today.

So go ahead, be kind, rewind and press play again.

Stay tuned for future editions of “Like A Virgin” featuring your favorite members of the Hack or Slash family!