Evil Head

By: Peter Warren - AVN
In-House Review - Apr 08 2013

With the hotly anticipated new revamp of Sam Raimi's horror classic The Evil Dead having just hit theaters, this X-rated homage from BurningAngel to the same source material is perfectly poised to pick up some major traction from both fans of the original and those being indoctrinated for the first time into the gore-drenched cult franchise. And the fact of the matter is, while some purists will undoubtedly turn their noses up at the remake as utter sacrilege, they'll likely be much more welcoming of, even eager for a gander at Joanna Angel and company's take on the revered zombie slashterpiece.

As well they should be. Because Evil Head is an instant classic in its own right. This is Angel's third horror-porn collaboration with director Doug Sakmann, preceded by her 2005 breakout movie Re-Penetrator and '07 follow-up The XXXorcist. But while both of those were one-scene shorts, this time they've served up a full-length feature, and it is every bit the rollicking rollercoaster ride of gleeful grostesquery one could hope for.

Tommy Pistol, the third key player from the other two Angel/Sakmann endeavors, returns to the party as well, stepping into the shoes of-who else?-Bruce Campbell's Ash. Pistol is far and away the most gifted physical comedian in the business, and he pulls out all the stops here, turning himself into a living cartoon character at once astounding and uproarious.

He and Angel have become something akin to the Burns and Allen of porn; she, too, is at the top of her game here, and the two of them together is simply magic. What other pair could pull off verbal volleying like what follows while engaging in the carnal acrobatics of a double anal penetration (along with Danny Wylde)?

Angel: "What kind of fucking husband are you? What is wrong with you?"

Pistol: "I'll buy you a dress."

Angel: "This is what you want to do on vacation? You weirdo!"

Pistol: "You said you wanted to try something new."

BurningAngel girl Kleio Valentine also turns in a dynamite performance in the role of Shelly, the girl who falls victim to the famous tree in the original. Except in this version, she invites it, out of vengefulness over having just seen her man Scotty (Wylde) splooge all over Angel's face. So yes, she gets fucked by a tree. In fact, it gives her a d.p. of her own.

There are delights abound throughout this movie, but for horror aficionados, there's also an unexpected bonus treat: the voice on the reel-to-reel tape that awakens the evil spirit at the beginning was provided by none other than Lloyd Kaufman. Yes, THAT Lloyd Kaufman-the one who made The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke 'Em High, etc. There is a natural explanation for this, as Sakmann got his start at Kaufman's Troma Studios, but it's still a killer coup.

Evil Head is without question one of the most outstanding productions to ever come out of BurningAngel, and a high water mark in the performing career of Joanna herself. Surely it will be a treasure in any BA fan's collection, to be hauled out again and again for many years to come.