10 Times Horror Directors Admitted They Went Too Far

Despite its legacy and influence on the horror-comedy genre, The Evil Dead was notorious for its unsettling visuals, which resulted in it being banned or heavily censored in several countries. 

Now, some directors would accept these criticisms and wear them like a badge of honour, since it proves they didn't compromise their work, but writer-director Sam Raimi has admitted The Evil Dead overstepped its boundaries. In most of Raimi's horrors, he implements a tongue-in-cheek tone so that the gore comes across as goofy rather than scary, which has inspired similar zomedies, like Braindead and Shaun of the Dead.

However, the horror elements are played more straight in The Evil Dead, which is probably why Raimi's directorial debut generated so much controversy. Though the film depicts all sorts of ghastly dismemberments and decapitations, the most infamous moment is when Cheryl is attacked and penetrated by a demonic tree.

While speaking to San Diego Reader, Raimi flat-out admitted he shouldn't have put the scene in, calling it "unnecessarily gratuitous and a little too brutal". Though a similar scene was included in the 2013 reboot, it was heavily toned down.