The place it all started, and still probably Campbell's most famous film, The Evil Dead is one of the most innovative independent horror films of all time. A combination of buckets and buckets of blood, Raimi's innovative direction and a brilliant balance between genuine horror and hilarious slapstick has made the film a cult classic. So why doesn't it top this list? Simple - it's far from Campbell's best performance. In fact, he comes across as somewhat "dull" throughout. If it wasn't for the wealth of material that he has been involved with subsequently, as well as his barn-storming performances in the two sequels, Ash simply wouldn't be the iconic character that he is today. Evil Dead is a brilliant horror film, no doubt. But Ash in this film is far from a brilliant horror character. He's not bad, by any means. Campbell does a very strong job of effectively playing an ordinary guy in a chaotic situation. But there is little in the first Evil Dead film that hints at the deadite-killing, one liner-throwing, one-armed, boomstick-wielding all-action hero that would come dominate the two sequels.