Evil Dead Tattoo

Evil Dead Tattoos: Common Themes, Tattoo Ideas & More

Feeling groovy? The world of Evil Dead fandom and its ink.

Evil Dead Tattoos

Thanks to tattoo reality shows, it’s natural that tattooed people get questioned about the story behind their ink.

Most people expect a deeply sentimental or meaningful answer, when in fact there are many people who get an image tattooed for them for no real reason other than they felt like it.

Somewhere between these two extremes lies the pop culture tattoo- a growing phenomenon.

A tattoo is the ultimate display of fandom, and it can be a calling card for like-minded folks.

These days people may get a tattoo of their favorite podcast quote, cartoon character, or album cover.

But the most rampant fan base seems to be in those pop culture icons with a cult following.

Getting something understood and enjoyed by a select audience means you can cause excitement and confusion simultaneously wherever you go.

There are many dedicated fandoms, but one of the most enduring is the Evil Dead crowd.

Bruce Campbell, the beloved star of the campy horror franchise, frequently meets people with tattoos of his own face.

The actor says he doesn’t mind, in fact, he thinks it boosts DVD sales.

Wearing an Evil Dead tattoo is kind of like a badge of honor.

It says you understand the franchise on a level not everyone does- and that you aren’t turned off by a movie with an unprecedented amount of fake blood on set.

Combine that with the painful and often misunderstood art of tattooing, and you’ve got a winning combination in terms of cool points.

But what is it that has cemented Evil Dead as such a classic among tattooed horror fans?

Let’s explore the Evil Dead franchise and what makes it so special.

  • The Sheer Tenacity of It

Evil Dead started as a $1,600 budget short film made by buddies Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell.

The 1978 film, titled Within The Woods was made for the sole purpose of raising funds to make a longer horror film.

The two had produced comedies before but didn’t think a feature-length comedy would stand out as a unique opportunity to investors.

To research the horror genre, Raimi and Campbell watched many a gory horror movie at the drive-in.

It was those trips to the movies that taught them what a horror movie audience wants: fast-paced storylines with plenty of blood and guts.

After making Within the Woods, they aggressively promoted the film and talked to as many people as possible until they had scraped together $350,000 to make The Evil Dead.

There were plenty of obstacles that presented themselves on set for The Evil Dead. At one point the film crew got lost in the woods.

Other times cast members would be injured and unable to receive medical assistance because of their remote location.

Nevertheless, the film set off an unbelievable chain of events that has led to sequels, a TV series, and a musical.

You’ve gotta love two people who go after their dream in a big way, and this team is a reminder that amazing things can happen.

Not the worst thing to immortalize on your body!

  • First of its Kind

There were campy horror movies before The Evil Dead, and there were horror-comedies before Evil Dead II. But this particular project was different.

It was gorier than the comedies of the day and funnier than the horror movie offerings.

It made an impression on fans of the genre, informing the sense of humor in movies that followed.

  • Bruce Campbell’s Charm

Though the first film in the franchise wasn’t meant to be funny, there’s a camp factor and shock value to it that makes people laugh.

This was something the team came to embrace for further incarnations of the movie, which got increasingly zany.

Bruce Campbell has a mix of classic good looks and goofy rubber-face that never fails to endear an audience.

Campbell is post Cary Grant, pre Jon Hamm.

He’s subsequently become a favorite at conventions because of his quick wit, rapport with fans, and fearlessness when it comes to sharing his opinion about other pop culture titans.

Common Themes

Aside from Campbell’s handsome face- the Evil Dead movies are full of memorable images, making it a natural choice for tattoos.

Ash’s Disembodied Hand

In Evil Dead II, a combination sequel and parody to the first film, our title character cuts off his own hand with a chainsaw after it becomes infected with the evil virus.

This hand then terrorizes Ash, making for some truly memorable moments.

Chainsaw

The chainsaw, a horror trope at this point, has been featured in every version of Evil Dead and was the source for a lot of comedy.

Getting a chainsaw tattoo is not only a nod to Evil Dead but a tribute to classic horror movies in general.

Necronomicon Ex-Mortis

The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, or Book of the Dead, is an evil book bound by human flesh with a distorted human face on the cover.

This is the source of all the hideous events in the series and is instantly recognizable to any fan of the franchise.

Evil Dead Tattoo Ideas

Thinking of getting an inky homage to your favorite comedy horror series?

Not sure how to properly show your love?

Check out our Evil Dead tattoo gallery for some inspiration, and maybe a few chills!

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