Evil Dead Trap

Evil Dead Trap (known in Japan as Shiryō no wana (死霊の罠) lit. Trap of The Dead Spirits) is a 1988 Japanese slasher film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda and produced by Japan Home Video.

Evil Dead Trap
Theatrical release poster
Directed byToshiharu Ikeda
Written byTakashi Ishii
Produced bySatoshi Jinno
Michio Ôtsuka
StarringMiyuki Ono
Aya Katsuragi
Hitomi Kobayashi
Eriko Nakagawa
Masahiko Abe
CinematographyMasaki Tamura
Music byTomohiko Kira
Production
companies
Distributed byJoy Pack Film
Release date
  • May 14, 1988 (1988-05-14)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

TV show host Nami asks her viewers to send in 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 a 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.

Cast

Production

Special effects were by Shinichi Wakasa who would go on to a career as a monster-suit maker for several Godzilla films.

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. However, director Toshiharu Ikeda, unsure of Kobayashi's acting ability, instead put Miyuki Ono in the starring role.[1]

Release

Evil Dead Trap was released theatrically in Japan as Shiryō no wana (死霊の罠) on May 14, 1988.[2] It was later released in Japan on VHS on September 25, 1988[3] and as a DVD on June 23, 2000.[4] On November 7, 2000, the film was released on DVD in the United States by Synapse Films. The release included the original theatrical trailer, and audio commentary by director Ikeda and special effects manager Shinichi Wakasa.[5]

Reception

Evil Dead Trap received positive reviews from critics, with praise highlighting the film's mixing of giallo and slasher film genres, cinematography, and special effects, while most criticism was directed at the film's ending.

Jon Condit from Dread Central rated the film a score of three out of five, highlighting the soundtrack, story, and cinematography as being reminiscent to Dario Argento's giallo films. While calling the film "fun and well crafted", Condit criticized the film's weak ending.[6] Niina Doherty of HorrorNews.net also criticized the film's ending, while commending the cinematography, special effects, and mixture of elements from slasher and giallo films.[7] Empire's Mark Dinning gave the film four out of five stars, commending the film's cinematography, gore effects, and style, calling it, "an effective and bloody slasher let down only by its last act".[8] In their book Japanese Cinema: Essential Handbook, authors Thomas and Yuko Weisser awarded the film four out of four stars, calling it the best of contemporary J-Horror cinema, while also noting Argento's films as obvious inspiration.[9]

References
  1. Galloway, Patrick (2006). "Evil Dead Trap: Shiryo no wana". Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Berkeley, Calif.: Stone Bridge Press. p. 165. ISBN 1-933330-12-0.
  2. 死霊の罠(1988) (in Japanese). All Cinema. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  3. "死霊の罠 [VHS]" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. 25 September 1988. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  4. "死霊の罠 [DVD]" (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  5. "Evil Dead Trap - Synapse Films". Synapse Films. n.d. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  6. Condit, Jon (July 6, 2005). "Evil Dead Trap (1988)". Dread Central. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  7. Doherty, Niina (March 15, 2020). "Film Review: Evil Dead Trap (Shiryô no wana) (1988)". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  8. Dinning, Mark (January 1, 2000). "Evil Dead Trap Review". Empire. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  9. Weisser 2003, p. 91-92.

Bibliography
  • Thompson, Nathaniel (2006) [2002]. "EVIL DEAD TRAP". DVD Delirium: The International Guide to Weird and Wonderful Films on DVD; Volume 1 Redux. Godalming, England: FAB Press. p. 254. ISBN 1-903254-39-6.
  • Weisser, Thomas. (1998). "Asian Cult Cinema Report: Film, News and Gossip", in Asian Cult Cinema, #22, 1st Quarter, 1999, p. 4-6. (American premier of Evil Dead Trap)
  • Thomas Weisser; Yuko Mihara Weisser (2003). Japanese Cinema: The Essential Handbook : Featuring Japanese Cult Cinema Since 1955. Vital Books.
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