His crowning glory was his 1981 big screen directorial debut, The Evil Dead, a film that combined over-the-top gore with ample lashings of dark humour.

Reportedly made for less than $400,000, the film has become a cult classic. Much of its success can be attributed to the creativity of Raimi and the stellar performance of his lead actor and childhood friend Bruce Campbell.

Plot-wise, The Evil Dead traces the horrific events which unfold when a group of five friends vacationing in a cabin in the Tennessee woods unwittingly summon evil spirits via the playing of a mysterious tape they discover in the cellar, along with a book bound in human flesh called the Necronomicon.

One by one the friends are possessed, leaving Campbell's character, Ash, the tormented sole survivor.

The popularity of the film led to the release of a big budget sequel in 1987, in which Campbell reprised his role.

While the gore was ample, there was a greater reliance on comedy, including elements of slapstick and numerous one-liners — the majority coming from Campbell.

In the course of the film Ash loses his hand to the "deadites" and replaces it with a chainsaw. His other choice of weapon is a shotgun, or "boomstick".

Made in 1992, Army of Darkness is the third film in the trilogy, taking up from where the second instalment left off.

It sees Ash sent back in time to a medieval world where knights do battle with the forces of evil.

Ash must join the knights while also looking to recover the Necronomicon and find a way back to his own time.

While still technically a horror film, Army of Darkness is much more about the comedy and action.

Campbell's Ash is more casual and cool than in the first two films.

This newly restored version of the film, available on both DVD and Blu-Ray, will no doubt be celebrated by the many dead devotees.

In the words of Ash: "groovy".

For your chance to claim a DVD copy of Army of Darkness write your name, suburb and phone number on the back of an envelope and send it to: Army of Darkness Competition, Fairfield Champion, PO Box 905, Fairfield, 2165. Entries close on Friday, January 27, and winners will be notified by phone. Entrants must be aged 15 years or over.