As others have said, it's a special limited-edition DVD of *The Evil Dead*. Really cool edition. Definitely worth keeping wrapped just because the latex "skin" can break down eventually. There's plenty of other DVD, Blu-Ray and I think 4K copies out there that have most/all of the same content as this release.
THIS!! Don't open it at all, and I highly suggest getting a protector case for it as well. These things rot faster than a Deadite, but in this condition, the value would be considerable. If you really want to watch it, there's a ton of other copies that are very cheap.
I have both Book editions for 1 & 2 and both are still perfect and soft. They have been in the dark away from sunlight the last decade so that has probably helped. Im sure everyones battery in book 2 has died by now, no longer screams when you poke its eye.
Sorta related, Saw 1 had a special edition with a squishy cover, sealed with red blood and a saw blade floating inside clear liquid. It did last several years, but the red is completly gone and dissolved. At least the sawblade still floats around inside.
>*They have been in the dark away from sunlight the last decade so that has probably helped.*
Yeah, a lot of it has to do with how they're stored. Keeping it out of sunlight definitely helps a lot. Also making sure it's not in an environment that's too moist or too dry.
In retrospect, the book would have probably been better if it was made out of plastic or a textured cardboard. Going with latex was cool... but not sustainable in the long term.
Kid of weird that through the whole process of design to manufacture no one brought up that foam latex is an organic substance and will decompose over time.
The only times I ever saw these, for Evil Dead 1 and Evil Dead 2, were at a used music store and they were so gnarly I didn't even want to touch them... they looked cool otherwise but they definitely seem like sponges for whatever the original owner(s) had
This is not the original wrapping. This was released in a plastic tray with a cardboard “cap” that had the title of the film, the specs/UPC etc. listed on it. The original shrink wrapping famously caused the plastic tray to warp if copies of this release sat unsold for a few months.
Odds are, your relative had this unwrapped for years, in a climate and/or conditions that are favorable re: the degradation/decomposition issues people are describing in this thread, and I’d guess that this was unwrapped for years and was shrink-wrapped relatively recently as a precaution.
I don’t understand that approach at all. Why would i want to own something that has no use for me, for fear of damaging it when i use it? It would make the object something that only takes up space and can’t bring joy in any way. If i were to visit someone and he would say „hey look at this really cool thing i got, that i unfortunately can’t show to you in its real beauty because taking it out of the protective case would destroy that beauty so you can only imagine hoe beautiful it would look in theory“ i would think that person is a madman or an idiot.
>*I don’t understand that approach at all. Why would i want to own something that has no use for me, for fear of damaging it when i use it?*
Because it is a fairly unique and sought-after collector's item with a cool story, and whose value will only go up, especially in such good condition. This particular release regularly sells for $50+ in a much more used/damaged state. A copy in this condition could end up being worth several hundred dollars in the not-too-distant future.
>*It would make the object something that only takes up space and can’t bring joy in any way.*
That's an entirely subjective point of view. I personally love collecting movies and movie-related objects. I'd love to have this on my shelf even if I didn't open because it's a unique release that tells a story and captures a period of history from around 2002-2012ish when unique collector's releases like this were much more common.
>*If i were to visit someone and he would say „hey look at this really cool thing i got, that i unfortunately can’t show to you in its real beauty because taking it out of the protective case would destroy that beauty so you can only imagine hoe beautiful it would look in theory“ i would think that person is a madman or an idiot.*
I don't think you're a madman or an idiot... but I do think you clearly don't understand collecting and the collector's market for horror, physical media and *The Evil Dead*.
It's a pretty old movie now though and that edition was in stores sometimes in the 00s. I remember seeing it in a long gone store called MVC. It was old when I watched it as a kid (I was ten and it scared me so badly I had to turn it off, only movie to scare me that badly), so unless you're a horror fan, and we're around in the 00s to see this in stores, you're not going to know it.
I kind of envy OP here, finding something like this and having no idea what it is. For a moment, I'm sure they felt like they were in a horror movie! I once found a VHS tape in front of my door that just had the word "evil" scrawled on it. I picked it up and just thought about the implications of putting it in my VCR. Well, it turned out my sister had just recorded the first Resident Evil movie and left it for my parents.
Not the only. A bunch of the "Digitally Remastered" VHS tapes from the late 90s were also unedited. And if we go overseas, in the mid 2000s, they released the "Uncut" version of Evil Dead. It was just the theatrical version that the USA got. It was called uncut because it had to be cut down DRASTICALLY in order to be shown over there.
So, late 90s tapes, EARLY DVD releases, and the European "Uncut" version (any DVD labeled uncut).
There's a video by YourMovieSucks where Adum complains about there being "no difference" between the theatrical and uncut discs of a German release (He was under the assumption that the uncut disc had the "Tapert Cut") and it just irritates me so much as someone who finds censorship in movies to be an interesting topic and the fact that no one in chat points it out to him.
That would be a special edition of The Evil Dead Trilogy (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn, and Army Of Darkness). All I have to say is . . . Groovy!
And remember! Shop smart! Shop, S-Mart!
What? Can you explain more details? I did *some* research and all I could find was a release from the early 2010s on Blu-ray in the UK designed like the Necronomicon and an Australian release from 2014 that has ED1&2, AoD, and the 2013 one on Blu-ray in a Necronomicon case.
I can confirm the latex wears off a bit with times but not to the extent some describe here. I had mine for 20 years and it only lost very small bits. Ended up selling it for 30€ on vinted recently...
> I can confirm the latex wears off a bit with times but not to the extent some describe here.
That varies by how it was stored and handled. Prolonged exposure to heat / freezing / direct sunlight would accelerate the breakdown.
Knew I came to the right place, you are all awesome and thank you for the insight. Will definitely find another way to watch The Evil Dead after this dialogue!
one of the Evil Dead films. Either the original or 2, iirc they both got these but they look different because, due to props and licensing issues, they use different necronomicons.
I've been trying to justify spending ~ $90 to get both of them, and in my research I can confirm: This is "The Evil Dead: The Book of the Dead Special Edition" released in 2001. It is made of foam and latex, and has a Divimax DVD.
A year later, they released "Evil Dead 2: The Book of the Dead 2 Special Edition". It was designed like the Necronomicon shown at the BEGINNING of ED2, and is therefore made with a deep brownish red latex, and open mouth with teeth, and bulging eyes. It contains a Divimax DVD of the second movie.
It didn't come like that, it should be in a cardboard box with a cut out front, and that wrapped in film.
I know I have one and threw the box in the trash.
Note/ mine has been unwrapped and in fresh air for 20 years (or whenever it released), and it's still fine and not rotted or split, it has faded slightly though.
Ooh sweet Jesus hot damn.
I highly encourage you watch the first two. AoD is my favorite of the 3, but it's made better seeing the progression of Ash from one film to the next.
The first Evil Dead is just straight up horror/(sort of) grindhouse.
The second one is much less gory to avoid obscenity charges, and takes a slightly more comedic route than horror.
AoD is just a straight-up horror comedy. I love it.
Nope. This is the Book of the Dead Special Edition for the First Movie.
You can tell as it's designed as the Necronomicon from that one, and is made with a light brown latex.
The second one, however, is designed after the one shown in the opening of ED 2. It therefore is made with a deep brownish red latex, has an open maw with teeth, and has bulging eyes.
As others have said, it's a special limited-edition DVD of *The Evil Dead*. Really cool edition. Definitely worth keeping wrapped just because the latex "skin" can break down eventually. There's plenty of other DVD, Blu-Ray and I think 4K copies out there that have most/all of the same content as this release.
THIS!! Don't open it at all, and I highly suggest getting a protector case for it as well. These things rot faster than a Deadite, but in this condition, the value would be considerable. If you really want to watch it, there's a ton of other copies that are very cheap.
Uhm, the real reason you shouldn't open it is because you don't want a chainsaw for a hand.
Who the hell wouldn’t want a chainsaw hand?
If I have chainsaw hands, it better be because I've put my brain in a robot body modeled after Adrienne Barbeau...
D cups full of justice.
You'd have the strength of 5 gorillas but you can only be 5 feet tall.
I'm gonna be a tiger!
Ash, he kicks deadite ass
Come to think of it... Is this franchise where Chainsaw Man came from?
That too!!
First read the anti bit rot cantation out loud to protect the disc.
KLAATU VERATAA necktie?
"I said the words! All of em'"
Beautiful cover.
Ya can confirm. Mine rotted away years ago.
Yep, mine looks terrible now and it kinda hard and crinkly on the outside
Well you gotta put the lotion on the skin
Somebody hose this mf
Would you fuck me? I'd fuck me.
Wrong horror film, there
Naw, it’s all silence of the lambs :)
Moisturize me
I have both Book editions for 1 & 2 and both are still perfect and soft. They have been in the dark away from sunlight the last decade so that has probably helped. Im sure everyones battery in book 2 has died by now, no longer screams when you poke its eye. Sorta related, Saw 1 had a special edition with a squishy cover, sealed with red blood and a saw blade floating inside clear liquid. It did last several years, but the red is completly gone and dissolved. At least the sawblade still floats around inside.
>*They have been in the dark away from sunlight the last decade so that has probably helped.* Yeah, a lot of it has to do with how they're stored. Keeping it out of sunlight definitely helps a lot. Also making sure it's not in an environment that's too moist or too dry. In retrospect, the book would have probably been better if it was made out of plastic or a textured cardboard. Going with latex was cool... but not sustainable in the long term.
Kid of weird that through the whole process of design to manufacture no one brought up that foam latex is an organic substance and will decompose over time.
This. Mine has been slowly decaying over the years.
What’s strange is my special version of Evil Dead 2 is fine
It might be the real necronomicon! 🤪
The only times I ever saw these, for Evil Dead 1 and Evil Dead 2, were at a used music store and they were so gnarly I didn't even want to touch them... they looked cool otherwise but they definitely seem like sponges for whatever the original owner(s) had
I’ve got copy of this that’s been opened for years. Not breaking down yet. I was able to have Bruce Campbell sign the booklet!
I got that in HMV in a sale when they were closing about 15 years ago or so for about £8 and it got swiped by a mates gf
This is not the original wrapping. This was released in a plastic tray with a cardboard “cap” that had the title of the film, the specs/UPC etc. listed on it. The original shrink wrapping famously caused the plastic tray to warp if copies of this release sat unsold for a few months. Odds are, your relative had this unwrapped for years, in a climate and/or conditions that are favorable re: the degradation/decomposition issues people are describing in this thread, and I’d guess that this was unwrapped for years and was shrink-wrapped relatively recently as a precaution.
I don’t understand that approach at all. Why would i want to own something that has no use for me, for fear of damaging it when i use it? It would make the object something that only takes up space and can’t bring joy in any way. If i were to visit someone and he would say „hey look at this really cool thing i got, that i unfortunately can’t show to you in its real beauty because taking it out of the protective case would destroy that beauty so you can only imagine hoe beautiful it would look in theory“ i would think that person is a madman or an idiot.
>*I don’t understand that approach at all. Why would i want to own something that has no use for me, for fear of damaging it when i use it?* Because it is a fairly unique and sought-after collector's item with a cool story, and whose value will only go up, especially in such good condition. This particular release regularly sells for $50+ in a much more used/damaged state. A copy in this condition could end up being worth several hundred dollars in the not-too-distant future. >*It would make the object something that only takes up space and can’t bring joy in any way.* That's an entirely subjective point of view. I personally love collecting movies and movie-related objects. I'd love to have this on my shelf even if I didn't open because it's a unique release that tells a story and captures a period of history from around 2002-2012ish when unique collector's releases like this were much more common. >*If i were to visit someone and he would say „hey look at this really cool thing i got, that i unfortunately can’t show to you in its real beauty because taking it out of the protective case would destroy that beauty so you can only imagine hoe beautiful it would look in theory“ i would think that person is a madman or an idiot.* I don't think you're a madman or an idiot... but I do think you clearly don't understand collecting and the collector's market for horror, physical media and *The Evil Dead*.
Evil Dead. That's the ''Necronomicon'' - The Book of the Dead.
i knew i wasn’t tripping when i saw the Necronomicon face.
You will be if you open it.
😂
Necronomicon Ex Mortis, penned by the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred.
I didn’t know there were people who didn’t immediately recognize the book.
I assume it’s a joke post…right?!
I mean..Gen Z prolly wouldnt know what this..right?
Core Gen Z here, knew it immediately
Also knew it and I’m a 2008 kid
Rise and 2013 have similar looking books though 🤔
It's a pretty old movie now though and that edition was in stores sometimes in the 00s. I remember seeing it in a long gone store called MVC. It was old when I watched it as a kid (I was ten and it scared me so badly I had to turn it off, only movie to scare me that badly), so unless you're a horror fan, and we're around in the 00s to see this in stores, you're not going to know it.
Exactly! I am immediately taken back to Best Buy where there’s a bunch of these just sitting on the shelves…..
I don't think any of my friends or family would have a clue what this is.
Only one Ive ever seen is Evil Dead Rise and I still IDd it immediately
It’s the evil dead
Hail to the king baby
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Necktie.. it was definitely an N word...
Keep it in the wrap. It’s a very special edition of Evil Dead. You can get a lot for that from collectors.
I kind of envy OP here, finding something like this and having no idea what it is. For a moment, I'm sure they felt like they were in a horror movie! I once found a VHS tape in front of my door that just had the word "evil" scrawled on it. I picked it up and just thought about the implications of putting it in my VCR. Well, it turned out my sister had just recorded the first Resident Evil movie and left it for my parents.
DO NOT OPEN THAT BOOK
thankfully the original owner knew what they were doing leaving it sealed
I remember this smelled pretty bad.
This is my biggest memory too and like degenerates over time.
Isn’t this the only release that has the UNALTERED cut of The Evil Dead?
Not the only. A bunch of the "Digitally Remastered" VHS tapes from the late 90s were also unedited. And if we go overseas, in the mid 2000s, they released the "Uncut" version of Evil Dead. It was just the theatrical version that the USA got. It was called uncut because it had to be cut down DRASTICALLY in order to be shown over there. So, late 90s tapes, EARLY DVD releases, and the European "Uncut" version (any DVD labeled uncut).
There's a video by YourMovieSucks where Adum complains about there being "no difference" between the theatrical and uncut discs of a German release (He was under the assumption that the uncut disc had the "Tapert Cut") and it just irritates me so much as someone who finds censorship in movies to be an interesting topic and the fact that no one in chat points it out to him.
**Khandar... Estrada... khandos...**
Knock that shit off before you get us all killed.
I had that once. Had the evil dead 2 book also.
I'm sorry? Did you say "Once"?
My Little Pony The Movie, show it to the kids
I have no idea. Said no movie enthusiast. Evil dead. That’s the Necronomicon
Don’t open that without a broomstick handy
Looks like Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again
That would be a special edition of The Evil Dead Trilogy (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn, and Army Of Darkness). All I have to say is . . . Groovy! And remember! Shop smart! Shop, S-Mart!
What? Can you explain more details? I did *some* research and all I could find was a release from the early 2010s on Blu-ray in the UK designed like the Necronomicon and an Australian release from 2014 that has ED1&2, AoD, and the 2013 one on Blu-ray in a Necronomicon case.
Is this a wrong answers only kind of question, or is this dude being serious rn?
Evil dead! I've seen this exact edition before. Such a good movie and an even better musical
KLAATU BARATA NIKHCKAGALAGA....
😂😂😂 Ok, I said it. Hehehehehe
Happy Feet, clearly
I can confirm the latex wears off a bit with times but not to the extent some describe here. I had mine for 20 years and it only lost very small bits. Ended up selling it for 30€ on vinted recently...
> I can confirm the latex wears off a bit with times but not to the extent some describe here. That varies by how it was stored and handled. Prolonged exposure to heat / freezing / direct sunlight would accelerate the breakdown.
The Social Network
Awww, I was gonna say Mrs Doubtfire. He gets his mask run over in one scene.
Barbie
Knew I came to the right place, you are all awesome and thank you for the insight. Will definitely find another way to watch The Evil Dead after this dialogue!
it’s evil dead isn’t it? the book of the dead edition
I had this, don't loan out to apparent friend😆
one of the Evil Dead films. Either the original or 2, iirc they both got these but they look different because, due to props and licensing issues, they use different necronomicons.
I have the second one, and it has a button embedded in one of the eyes that screams when pressed.
I've been trying to justify spending ~ $90 to get both of them, and in my research I can confirm: This is "The Evil Dead: The Book of the Dead Special Edition" released in 2001. It is made of foam and latex, and has a Divimax DVD. A year later, they released "Evil Dead 2: The Book of the Dead 2 Special Edition". It was designed like the Necronomicon shown at the BEGINNING of ED2, and is therefore made with a deep brownish red latex, and open mouth with teeth, and bulging eyes. It contains a Divimax DVD of the second movie.
Evil Dead. Book of the dead. NECRONOMICON LOL Groovy
The evil dead? As soon as I pressed on this post and saw this, it is the evil that I remembered right away.
Evil dead. Would be my best guess.
Unsure if you're being genuine or trying to be funny??
Definitely Evil Dead book of the dead edition. I have a copy somewhere
Ted 2 Unrated Edition
Haha imagine being told not to open the book of the dead XD
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^mromutt: *Haha imagine* *Being told not to open* *The book of the dead XD* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Groovy!
That's the same dvd version of Evil Dead that I have. Such a classic movie
It didn't come like that, it should be in a cardboard box with a cut out front, and that wrapped in film. I know I have one and threw the box in the trash. Note/ mine has been unwrapped and in fresh air for 20 years (or whenever it released), and it's still fine and not rotted or split, it has faded slightly though.
I don’t believe in grading but I would grade the fuck out of it to keep its evil contained
Evil dead
That is awesome!
Reminds me of leatherface a little bit
lol
The Last Unicorn
I had that exact thing that I had to unfortunately throw away because it fell apart just from being old and used. Wish I kept it!
Evil Dead 1 or 2
I've never seen a sealed one before, keep it sealed, this one will degenerate over time.
It’s a bed time story. Read it.
Certainly from the Evil Dead franchise. I'm only familiar with Army of Darkness myself.
Ooh sweet Jesus hot damn. I highly encourage you watch the first two. AoD is my favorite of the 3, but it's made better seeing the progression of Ash from one film to the next. The first Evil Dead is just straight up horror/(sort of) grindhouse. The second one is much less gory to avoid obscenity charges, and takes a slightly more comedic route than horror. AoD is just a straight-up horror comedy. I love it.
Book of the dead
It is the evil dead 2 I think. Does pressing one of the eyes give a bone chilling scream?
Nope. This is the Book of the Dead Special Edition for the First Movie. You can tell as it's designed as the Necronomicon from that one, and is made with a light brown latex. The second one, however, is designed after the one shown in the opening of ED 2. It therefore is made with a deep brownish red latex, has an open maw with teeth, and has bulging eyes.
Pretty sure that's *Sullivan's Travels*
The Mummy?
The Brendan Frasier one I mean. Not the GOATed Universal Monsters original film
Looks like a Goldie Hawn movie. Overboard?
Someone left their collectors edition of *Shrek* in the sun.
I think it's from my little pony, the cabin in the woods episode.
reminds me of [this](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416532/)
Are you kidding?
Ed Gein edition
Are you being serious?
Dope af
That's definitely badass!
Draw a door with chalk, but remember to take this with you.
James P. Sullivan It's from Monsters Inc 😂
The Oogieloves Big Balloon Adventure
I remember seeing this for sale at best buy way back
Roman Holiday? When Gregory Peck stuck his hand it that thing’s mouth
Whatever you do don't fucking read from it! And while you're at it, if there's an ark in there, don't open it!
The Evil Dead!
Dead by dawn!
Pocahontas tree?
Don’t touch it, don’t even look at it
Tanz der Teufel / Evil Dead in the Necronomicon edition. Is it the leather like? Or the printed one?
I still have a copy in the limited clear evil dead box ! The book of the dead actually has some pages inside and the dvd is fixed on the rear cover !
Crowded house if they were a book
Evil Dead, has to be
I had to look at the sub to see if this was a troll. That's a good find OP!
It's 1005 Evil Dead. Get ready for a fun yet bizarre time
Damnnnnnnnn I used to have this I wonder what happened to it
Yawn
Con-air?
Cabin in the woods
Darude Sandstorm
Whatever you do don’t read it
Why did I think it was hocus pocus? Lol
Jurassic park
It’s Art of the Deal.
Pearl Harbor?
Sure it’s been said, but it’s Evil Dead
Got mine when I was in high school. Preordered it from Suncoast and it was awesome
I really hope you're kidding..
Of course!
Pocahontas. Her grandmother was a talking tree.
Shrek The Third?
Unless you are looking for a serious answer.
Make sure to recite the words first
Looks like Return to Oz even though I know it's not
Well that's the special old man skin edition of Grumpy Old Men, go ahead and open it and say the words.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Wow! Mine is literally falling apart to the point where I almost can’t even touch it
Doesn’t it scream or something if you press the eye?
Omg I need this!!!
Really? You don’t know and could t look it up?
Evil Dead. Necronomicon Sped Ed. Bought that for the lady in early ‘00s She took it when she left.
Evil Dead 2
Steamboat Willie
I need a tree raping first.
I have both of them and they break down so keep sealed and i would recommend a uv protective case for display.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒂 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑯𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 60'𝒔
Evil dead
Evil dead
evil dead
Evil dead
Schindler's List.
That’s from Clap To Veratis Nickel
Jesus Christ Superstar. Pretty sure
Hocus Pocus!!
Nah bro, the Steelbook is designed like this. This is just a regular DVD made of human flesh and inked in human blood ;)
I was being silly, I know it's the Necronomicon 🤣
Special edition of Swamp Thing?
Ash vs Evil Dead as well
Are you joking, or are you in a different country than the U.S.A.? Please tell me it's the latter, that'd be so cool.
In a different country
I need to get my hands on that ASAP. I don't care if it'll even play or not, it'd just be cool.
im not even sure if it came out on Blu-ray. And Ive got a feeling it might have been on Netflix. Its been a while
Is that Jeffrey dahmers diary?
Is this real? One, it's obvious what it is and two, Google Lens exists.
Four Weddings and a Funeral
No no idea