Evil Dead Trap


Evil Dead Trap is a 1988 Japanese horror film directed by Toshiharu Ikeda and produced by Japan Home Video.

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 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

Special effects were by Shinichi Wakasa who would go on to a career as a monster-suit maker for several Godzilla movies.
Hitomi Kobayashi who plays the supporting role of Rei Sugiura was a top star for Japan Home Video under their adult video label Alice Japan. JHV financed the film as a vehicle for Kobayashi but director Toshiharu Ikeda, unsure of Kobayashi's acting ability, instead put Miyuki Ono in the starring role.

Release

The film was released theatrically in Japan as Shiryō no wana on May 14, 1988 and it was later released in Japan as a VHS tape on September 25, 1988 and as a DVD on June 23, 2000. A DVD version titled Evil Dead Trap with English subtitles came out November 7, 2000 from Synapse Films.

Reception

Evil Dead Trap received mostly positive reviews from critics.
Jon Condit from Dread Central awarded the film a score of 3/5, writing, "Evil Dead Trap is a fun and well crafted movie, but its enjoyability is seriously damaged toward the end. Ah, the precious ending where so much is at stake when it comes to winning over the horror fan who’s seen so much ass-tacular celluloid that’s it’s tough to sell them on anything." Mark Dinning from Empire Magazine gave the film 4/5 stars, writing, "Not one for the faint of heart, this is an effective and bloody slasher let down only by its last act."