In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Blistering performances.

Doctor C.J. Arnold (Richard Crenna) buys a dilapidated mansion which he intends to turn into a drug rehabilitation centre. Assembling a group of volunteers, C.J. sets about trying to clean up the building, but inadvertently releases an ancient evil force in the process.I'm not the biggest fan of haunted house horrors: they always seem to play fast and loose with the rules, with logic rarely an issue just so long as there are enough scares and atmosphere to last for a reasonable running time. The Evil is just as guilty as most, characters dying off one by one when they could all easily be dispatched in a single moment, but the film still manages to be one of the better examples of the sub-genre thanks to a decent cast, some impressive effects (an effectively spooky ghost, a nasty scene involving a circular saw, and two impressive full body burn stunts), and even an encounter with the Devil himself (played with more than a touch of camp by Victor Buono).In short, I wouldn't class The Evil as essential, but would definitely recommend it to those who particularly enjoy the sub-genre (it's nowhere near as good as The Shining, but is roughly on a par with The Changeling and Superstition, and better than The Legend of Hell House and Burnt Offerings).

"The Evil" (also known more appropriately as "House of Evil") is a very simple, relatively low-budge film that was shot in only 30 days. So, you'd expect it to be crap...but oddly, it isn't.Richard Crenna and Joanna Pettet head a cast of various folks who are soon to become victims of a demoniacally possessed mansion. However, most of the folks spend much of the film trying to rationalize and explain away the weird and malevolent happenings in the place. But when folks start getting tossed about like rag dolls and the place seems to have a mind of its own, the only reasonable explanation is evil!The film has a lot going for it. The ghosts look amazingly realistic and the stunts do as well. Plus, the film is more than just gore and death. Well worth seeing if you like horror flicks.

The movie is wasted only by scenes of people sliding around and people getting killed by electric shocks. There isn't enough to qualify this as spine-tingling fun. It is also laughably dated in visual material! Try to watch that sick girl shake all over the floor in her undies for a change and you'll see why! The only exception would be Andrew Prine sinking in mud and attempting to commit suicide.At first, I was expecting a shrieky classic haunted house spook show, but this wasn't it. Granted, THE EVIL suffers from a serious lack of diversity, or a story. You know a movie that has a conflicting situation between good and evil, and the end always turns out to be quite simple.Any low-budget horror movie can do A LOT better than this, but for the moment, give THE EVIL some extra credit for its dark and thunderous setting that lives up to my expectations. This one spoils the most hardcore horror fans for not being frightening enough though.

This is a by-the-numbers horror film starring Richard Crenna and Joanna Pettet as a psychologist duo who purchase and old mansion and invite a small crew of friends and patients to help clean the place up. Unbeknownst to them, the mansion harbors a cellar door - the gateway to hell. If you are in the mood for a clichéd horror film, then look no further, but if you want something inventive, then this little film won't appeal to you.VIOLENCE: $$$ (Rather subdued, albeit the scene where a guy cuts his hand with a saw - rather gruesome mind you. Fans of inventive deaths scenes will not like this as every character seems to be electrocuted in some fashion).NUDITY: $ (Nothing to speak of. Mary Louise Weller adds the good looks but her character was underdeveloped).STORY: $$ (Cliched, but view-worthy nonetheless. This offers nothing new to the genre but the casting of Victor Buono - who is about as menacing as a department store Santa - seems to have attracted a few viewers).ACTING: $$ (The best performances are by Crenna and Pettet with the other actors simply "phoning-in" their roles. The screenwriter fails to develop any characters outside Pettet's character and seemed to have forgotten about Mary Louise Weller (Animal House) who disappears for about twenty minutes and only resurfaces to be electrocuted like everyone else in boring fashion).