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Evil Ed
Evil Ed
Evil Ed
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Evil Ed
Film poster
Directed byAnders Jacobsson[1]
Screenplay by
Produced byGöran Lundström[1]
Starring
  • Johan Rudebeck
  • Per Löfberg
  • Olof Rhodin
CinematographyAnders Jacobsson[1]
Edited byAnders Jacobsson[1]
Music byHenriksson & Lindh[1]
Production
company
Evil Ed Productions[1]
Release dates
Running time
93 minutes[2]
CountrySweden[1]
LanguageSwedish[1]

Evil Ed is a 1995 Swedish horror comedy satire film directed, co-written, edited and shot by Anders Jacobsson and starring Johan Rudebeck, Per Löfberg and Olof Rhodin. The film's plot follows the ordinary peaceful film editor Edward Tor Swenson, who is transferred to a movie company's horror department after the last employee went insane, and as he has to watch and edit gory movie scenes, Ed goes insane, and embark on a murder spree.

The film makes satire of the moral panic about "video violence" and "video nasties" and in particular the debunked but then wide-spread fear that watching violent films could turn the viewer violent and deranged.

Plot

[edit]

When the original editor of the Loose Limbs series of splatter films commits suicide, the head of "The Splatter & Gore Department", Sam Campbell, assigns Edward Tor Swenson, an editor for European Distributors, to finish what the original editor was doing, and allows Edward the use of his private country cottage so Edward can go about his work in peace.

Over the course of a few days, having to watch and edit gory scenes every day, Edward begins to lose touch with sanity. One night, he dreams about a mental asylum patient telling him to kill others to "correct the world". When Nick, a young employee of European Distributors pulls up to Edward's house to deliver developed film to be edited, he is rudely reprimanded by Edward. Edward begins to have hallucinations about demons, a gremlin in his refrigerator, and other creatures. When Sam comes to check up on Edward's work, Edward hallucinates that he is a white demon, and accidentally kills him by snapping his neck in a panic.

The next evening, Nick comes by Ed's cottage to deliver more developed film, but is attacked by Ed, and left in critical condition. After this, Edward kills two intruders who break into his house. Worried for her husband, Edward's wife, Barbara, and daughter go to visit him, but are almost killed by Edward, until Barbara shoots him in the shoulder with one of the intruders' revolver. He is taken to a psychiatric ward immediately after the attack, while Nick, who managed to crawl outside where he was noticed by a passing car, is taken to the same hospital.

In the mental ward, Edward is sedated by doctors, but he hallucinates that the attending doctors are demons and kills them. As he leaves the ward, he also kills a mental patient, which catches the attention of a security guard, who quickly calls a SWAT team. Edward assaults Nick in his hospital room, and abducts his girlfriend, Mel, who came to visit him.

Edward sedates Mel and props her on a hospital bed. Edward soon gets into a gun battle with the SWAT team, killing all of them, and gets into a stand off.

Edward kills Mel by impaling her with hospital equipment. As he's about to perform surgery on Mel, he hallucinates that Mel is the mental patient, who tells Edward that he has to pay for his terrible job of correcting the world. As he's about to stab Mel again, Nick shoots Edward's hand off with the SWAT Team Captain's shotgun. He shoots him again, blowing his arm off, and finally his head, killing him.

Nick walks up to Ed's dead body, and then to Mel's body, revealing that Edward had only hallucinated killing her. A voice over of Nick is heard telling the audience that one day the world will be a happy place, and "it will happen" eventually.

Cast

[edit]

Cast adapted from Arrow Video release.[3]

  • Johan Rudebeck as Eddie
  • Olof Rhodin as Sam Campbell
  • Per Löfberg as Nick
  • Camela Leierth as Mel
  • Dannie Malmer as Zip
  • Mikael Kallaanvaara as Tom McCLane
  • Göran Lundström as Bondage Face
  • Kelly Tainton as White Demon
  • Gert Fylking as SWAT lieutenant

Production

[edit]

Evil Ed was originally titled The Censor and made over the course of three years.[4] Initially intending to make a grander film, the lack of money involved led to it being developed as a low-budget horror film.[4] The film was shot in four-weeks on 16mm and finished shooting in late 1992.[5] Evil Ed was filmed in Länna-ateljéerna, Jakobsberg and the former Roslagstull Hospital in Sweden in 1995.[1] Anders Jacobsson began editing while Göran Lundström began work in the United States on horror films like Necronomicon, Lurking Fear and Shrunken Heads. Lundström returned to Sweden when the filmmakers decided they wanted add more material to their initial cut, adding the opening McClane scene, and a new final act at a hospital. The film was completed in 1995.[5]

Release

[edit]

Evil Ed premiered on November 11, 1995 at the Stockholm International Film Festival as part of the "Twilight Zone" genre section.[1][5] It was released theatrically years later on May 4, 1997 in four theatres in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Uppsala.[1][6]

The film was released direct-to-video by A-Pix in the United States in September 1996 in both an R-rated and unrated version. It was released on DVD by Image Entertainment in 1998.[6]

The film was later released on blu-ray by Arrow Video. This is the first time that the longer so-called "special Ed-ition" and deleted scenes from the film has been released.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Evil Ed

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Evil Ed is a Swedish horror comedy directed by Anders Jacobsson, following the story of a mild-mannered editor named Eddie who is reassigned to the "Splatter and Gore" department at a video distribution company, where he must edit down excessively violent footage from the slasher series Loose Limbs of Death, leading to his gradual descent into insanity and violent outbursts. Written by Anders Jacobsson alongside Göran Lundström and Christer Ohlsson, the film stars Johan Rudebeck in the titular role, with supporting performances by Per Löfberg as Nick, Olof Rhodin as Sam (the company head), and Camela Leierth as Eddie's love interest. Produced on a modest budget of 250,000 Swedish kronor (approximately $35,000 USD at the time), Evil Ed marks the first from and serves as a gore-filled homage to 1980s horror classics such as The Evil Dead and Re-Animator, featuring practical effects, over-the-top violence, and satirical nods to the video nasty era. Upon its release, Evil Ed garnered a for its blend of dark humor, excessive gore, and low-budget charm, achieving an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 on from over 4,300 user reviews and 49% on based on 45 critic scores (as of November 2025), with praise often centered on its enthusiastic homages and inventive kills despite occasional criticisms of uneven pacing and . The film has since been restored and re-released in an extended "Special ED-ition" cut by Arrow Video in 2017, including new scenes and extensive bonus materials that highlight its production history and influence on independent horror cinema.

Synopsis

Plot

Edward "Eddie" Tor Swenson is introduced as a mild-mannered family man and editor working at a video distribution company specializing in releases, where he typically censors from arthouse dramas. Following the suicide of a colleague in the Splatter and Gore department, Eddie's boss, Sam Campbell, assigns him to edit the notoriously violent "Loose Limbs" slasher series, requiring him to tone down the excessive gore, , and for distribution in restrictive markets. To meet tight deadlines, Eddie is isolated in Sam's remote suburban cottage, equipped with editing gear and surrounded by the unfiltered, over-the-top footage of the series, which features satirical exaggerations of splatter cinema tropes such as exploding heads, flying limbs, and chainsaw massacres. As Eddie immerses himself in the gruesome material, his psychological state deteriorates rapidly; he begins experiencing vivid hallucinations, including demonic figures emerging from his refrigerator and monstrous entities mimicking the film's villains. These visions blur the line between reality and the onscreen carnage, leading to his first act of violence when Sam visits the cottage—Eddie snaps his neck, convinced the executive is Satan incarnate. Fueled by a hallucinatory directive to "cleanse the world of bad people," Eddie's breakdown escalates as he returns to the studio and murders his mocking colleagues in a frenzy of improvised weapons and gore-soaked rage, satirizing the desensitizing effects of repeated exposure to video violence. Committed to a after his rampage, Eddie continues his delusions, slaughtering the staff in a chaotic sequence that parodies institutional horror tropes with absurd, blood-drenched excess. He escapes and heads home, where he confronts his wife, Mel, holding her hostage amid further hallucinations that transform familiar surroundings into nightmarish battlegrounds. His friend and fellow employee, —a enthusiastic fan—intervenes, attempting to reason with Eddie while protecting Mel and their young daughter. The climax unfolds in a standoff at the family home, where SWAT forces arrive to contain the threat; Nick manages to rescue Mel, but Eddie, fully embodying his "Evil Ed" , is fatally shot during the confrontation with the SWAT leader. The film concludes with a poignant reflecting on the faint hope amid the , underscoring its satirical commentary on the psychological toll of editing and consuming extreme horror content.

Cast

The principal cast of Evil Ed consists primarily of Swedish actors whose performances blend earnest characterizations with over-the-top comedic elements, underscoring the film's satirical horror-comedy tone through portrayals of everyday professionals unraveling under pressure. Johan Rudebeck stars as Edward "Eddie" Tor Swenson, the shy and overworked film editor at a video distribution company who undergoes a shocking psychological transformation into a violent antagonist. Olof Rhodin portrays Sam Campbell, Eddie's unsympathetic and domineering boss who assigns him to the grueling task of editing the "Loose Limbs" slasher series. Per Löfberg plays Nick, Eddie's affable coworker and close friend who provides comic relief through his enthusiastic fandom of horror films. Leierth appears as Mel, Eddie's caring wife who navigates the escalating chaos with resilience. Supporting the leads are a roster of character actors who amplify the film's chaotic energy, including Gert Fylking as the bumbling team lieutenant leading the frantic response to the unfolding mayhem, and Kim Sulocki as , one of the victims in the story's violent encounters. Other notable roles feature Hans Wilhelmsson as Weld, a colleague at the company, and Anders Ek as the janitor, contributing to the ensemble's depiction of a mundane workplace turned nightmarish. Rudebeck's portrayal stands out for its dynamic shift from timid vulnerability to unhinged mania, effectively driving Eddie's central arc toward the climax while highlighting the cast's collective role in satirizing horror genre excesses.

Production

Development

The film Evil Ed originated as a satirical response to the surrounding "video violence" (videovåld) in during the , mirroring the UK's "video nasties" controversy, where public and governmental fears led to strict censorship by the Statens biografbyrå (Swedish Film Censorship Board). Initially conceived as a project to the board's heavy cuts to horror content, the idea expanded into a feature-length comedy-horror aimed at mocking censorship practices. Originally titled The Censor, the script was developed by director and co-writer Anders Jacobsson, alongside co-writers and producers Göran Lundström and Christer Ohlsson, who formed the core creative team for the independent venture. The project followed the filmmakers' unsuccessful Highlight (1990), prompting a pivot to this low-budget horror produced in a guerrilla style with no compensation for cast or . Jacobsson, who also served as and editor, drew from the era's debates—sparked in part by a 1980 television program Studio S—to craft a about a film editor driven mad by gore footage, emphasizing the absurdity of moral guardians. The concept emerged in the late amid ongoing debates, with scripting completed in the early . Produced under Evil Ed Productions as a low-budget independent effort, the project faced significant funding challenges, relying on limited resources estimated at approximately SEK 500,000 including (equivalent to about $60,000 USD at the time), which forced compromises from initial ambitions for a larger-scale production. Development spanned three years, highlighting the struggles of mounting an anti-establishment horror without major studio support. Key creative decisions centered on blending over-the-top, low-budget gore effects with comedic elements to lampoon boards, incorporating homages to horror tropes while keeping practical effects affordable through practical makeup and prosthetics. In , calls were held in , selecting Johan Rudebeck for the lead role of Eddie Tor Swenson to embody the everyman's descent into madness. Budget constraints dictated shooting on 16mm , chosen for its cost-effectiveness over more expensive formats, allowing the team to prioritize gore and satire over polished visuals.

Filming

Principal photography for Evil Ed began in late 1992 in Jakobsberg, , with filming resuming in early 1993, though production stretched over several years due to persistent shortages and logistical hurdles, including weather-related delays during winter shoots. Additional scenes, particularly for the film's finale, were captured in 1994 at a disused , extending the overall timeline to approximately three years before completion in 1995. These interruptions highlighted the challenges of operating on a shoestring with an amateur crew motivated primarily by enthusiasm rather than compensation, as director and Anders Jacobsson bartered equipment in exchange for like whisky to keep moving. Filming took place primarily at Länna-ateljéerna studios in Trångsund for interior sets, exteriors in the Jakobsberg area, and the abandoned Roslagstull Hospital in for the asylum sequences, which provided a gritty, atmospheric backdrop but posed difficulties with cramped and frigid conditions. The low-budget Swedish horror aesthetic is evident in the on-set , particularly in comedic elements, where and adapted scenes on the fly amid limited resources. The film was shot on 16mm film by Jacobsson, later blown up to 35mm for theatrical release, resulting in a runtime of 93 minutes with a 1.66:1 and sound. Practical effects dominated the gore sequences, featuring homemade prosthetics, squibs, and synthetic blood crafted by the core team, including Göran Lundström and production manager Kaj Steveman, though some setups proved hazardous, risking to performers. These effects emphasized the 's splatter , drawing from 1980s horror influences while embracing a raw, unpolished look. In , Jacobsson handled editing duties, integrating footage mimicking the in-film "Loose Limbs" series—a fictional violent that drives the protagonist's descent—mirroring his real role in assembling the movie's chaotic narrative from intermittent shoots. The entire production was captured silently, with added later to enhance its American horror , except for select performances like Camela Leierth's.

Release

Distribution

Evil Ed had its world premiere on November 11, 1995, at the , where it screened as part of the "Twilight Zone" section. This event followed the film's completion earlier that year, marking its initial public presentation. The Swedish theatrical release occurred on May 2, 1997, in a limited capacity across select cinemas, reflecting the film's niche positioning within the horror . Internationally, the film bypassed theatrical distribution in several markets, opting for releases to reach audiences. , A-Pix Entertainment issued it on in September 1996, targeting the market for horror enthusiasts. The video release, handled by 4 Front Video in 1997, faced censorship requirements from the (BBFC), which mandated the removal of 2 seconds of graphic violence (a shot of blood running over a during a knife attack in "Loose Limbs") to secure an .

Home media

''The film was first released on in the United States by A-Pix Entertainment in September 1996 as a title, available in both an R-rated version and an unrated cut that preserved more graphic content in certain regions. The DVD edition debuted in 1998 from Image Entertainment, presented in format with English subtitles to accommodate its original Swedish dialogue. Arrow Video issued the first Blu-ray upgrade in 2017 as a limited three-disc set (two Blu-rays and one DVD), featuring both the original 93-minute cut and an extended "Special ED-ition" running 99 minutes with newly added scenes. This edition includes a 2K restoration from the 16mm negative, original stereo and 5.1 tracks, English SDH subtitles, an with director Anders Jacobsson and editor Göran Svensson, a three-hour making-of documentary titled "You Keep 'Em Heads Rollin'," interviews including "Beyond Ed" on the filmmakers' careers, deleted scenes , "Reconstructing Edward" on the restoration, new scenes , trailers, teasers, and an image gallery. As of November 2025, Evil Ed streams on , Night Flight Plus, and (ad-supported), with options for digital rental or purchase on ; the Arrow Blu-ray limited edition remains in print through specialty retailers, though no significant new physical re-releases have occurred since 2017.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its world premiere at the on November 11, 1995, as part of the "Twilight Zone" genre section, Evil Ed was reviewed positively in some outlets for its bold humor and satirical take on horror tropes. Contemporary reviews were mixed, particularly in international markets. In the United States, Variety praised the film's low-budget charm and initial promise as a spoof contrasting with American splatter films, but criticized its uneven pacing, sporadic humor, and excessive gore that failed to shock or stylize effectively, ultimately calling it a "low-budget goof" that lost satirical momentum after the first half-hour. The film holds an user rating of 5.5 out of 10 based on over 4,300 votes as of 2025, reflecting divided audience opinions on its blend of comedy and violence. On , the film holds a 49% approval rating based on 45 reviews. Retrospective have highlighted Evil Ed's prescient commentary on media violence, with a 2017 review from We Are Movie Geeks describing it as an entertaining homage to 1980s splatter films like and , crediting its exploration of how editing violent content drives the mad as a clever of desensitization. The same review noted praises for inventive practical effects and numerous references, while acknowledging criticisms of amateur —despite Johan Rudebeck's strong lead performance—and dubbing issues stemming from looping, which created an unintentionally otherworldly mismatch between voices and visuals in the English-language version.

Cult following and legacy

Evil Ed developed a dedicated in the primarily through video rentals, where it emerged as a satirical take on and the over violent media, echoing the controversies surrounding the UK's "video nasties" list. The film's exaggerated premise—a mild-mannered editor driven mad by splicing gore films—resonated with horror enthusiasts who appreciated its defense of the genre against real-world fears of corruption through onscreen violence. This underground appeal was bolstered by its distribution to 60 countries, establishing it as a genuine among international fans of low-budget splatter comedy. The film's enduring popularity stems from its zany , over-the-top performances, and inventive gore effects, which have fueled discussions in online horror communities praising its self-aware humor and nods to '80s slashers. Fans often reference it alongside other Swedish genre entries like the vampire comedy (2006), highlighting its role in broadening the scope of Nordic horror beyond atmospheric chillers. The movie's playful critique of has kept it relevant for audiences exploring genre satire. In terms of legacy, Evil Ed exemplifies the low-budget horror satire tradition, drawing from influences like Peter Jackson's (1992) and Sam Raimi's (1987) while contributing to the subgenre's emphasis on meta-commentary and visceral effects. The 2017 Arrow Video Blu-ray release, a three-disc limited edition with a restored 95-minute "Special ED-ition" cut and over three hours of extras including a making-of documentary, significantly boosted its visibility and accessibility for new generations. No official remakes have followed, yet its charm persists in the streaming era, available on platforms like Arrow Player for gore-comedy aficionados. By 2025, Evil Ed stands as a of debates on media violence and Swedish regulation, amid the final years of strict with the last cuts occurring in 1996 shortly after the movie's production. The restoration has sparked renewed interest, cementing its place as a rare comedic outlier in Swedish horror history and a testament to independent filmmakers' resilience against institutional constraints.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116247/
  2. https://www.arrowvideo.com/p/evil-ed-blu-ray/12946766/
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116247/fullcredits/
  4. https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2017/05/evil-ed-1995-dual-format-29th-may/
  5. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/evil_ed
  6. https://www.arrowfilms.com/p/evil-ed-limited-edition-blu-ray-dvd/11416167/
  7. https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/blu-ray-review-anders-jacobsson-evil-ed-on-arrow-video/
  8. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/EvilEd
  9. http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/reviews/evil-ed
  10. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/25234-evil-ed/cast
  11. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/evil_ed/cast-and-crew
  12. https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2017/07/evil-ed-blu-review/
  13. https://www.attackfromplanetb.com/2018/08/evil-ed-1995/
  14. https://www.lecinemaclub.com/archives/stockholmsnatt/
  15. https://www.fangoria.com/video-nasties-evil-ed-and-censorship/
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wpo1-TRp3c
  17. https://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/sv/item/?type=film&itemid=24305
  18. https://deadshed.blogspot.com/2017/06/evil-ed-anders-jacobsson-1995-blu.html
  19. https://cinemasentries.com/evil-ed-blu-ray-review-not-evil-dead-but-evil-ed/
  20. http://geekchocolate.co.uk/evil-ed/
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116247/locations/
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  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116247/releaseinfo/
  24. https://www.ebay.com/p/3256451
  25. https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=297211
  26. https://www.ebay.com/itm/187629261795
  27. https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Ed-Marie-Bergenholtz/dp/6305090637
  28. https://www.bullmoose.com/p/290466/evil-ed-rubeck-lofbergh-clr-st-ws-snap-nr
  29. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Evil-Ed-Blu-ray/174125/
  30. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/evil-ed
  31. https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Evil-Ed/0K64L8PUHTFWUTZEH8AY95BFYH
  32. https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/evil-ed-1200444223/
  33. https://collider.com/absurdist-slasher-horror-movies-evil-ed/
  34. https://www.vulture.com/article/best-swedish-horror-films.html
  35. https://www.arrow-player.com/80s/videos/evil-ed
  36. https://www.oh-the-horror.com/page.php?id=2056
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