From ‘The Fly’ to ‘The Hills Have Eyes’: Horror Movie Remakes That Deserve a Chance
Horror is a genre that has some of the most devoted audiences. While there are certain films that will always remain an iconic part of horror movie history, it can be nice to see some of them remade several years later. Film remakes such as It, Suspiria, and Halloween have stayed true to the original story but were retold in a creative and entertaining way. If you want to find some of the best horror movie remakes, then read on.
Special Effects Meant Everything In The Thing
Kurt Russell played the lead role in the 1982 science fiction horror film, The Thing. This was a remake of 1951's The Thing from Another World and focused on a group of American researchers in Antarctica who find a mysterious parasite and extraterrestrial creature.
The filmmakers spent 10 percent of their budget on special effects in order to make The Thing look both creepy and life-like. Paste Magazine said, "Every frame is a visual puzzle, as John Carpenter's camera drifts over empty hallways, open door frames and cloaked figures in the arctic air."
See Paris Hilton Act In House Of Wax
House of Wax is a loose remake of the 1953 film of the same name and 1933's Mystery of the Wax Museum. The 2005 version starred Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, Robert Ri'chard, Elisha Cuthbert, and more as a group of young adults who happen to find a tourist attraction with wax figures.
The figures turn out to be real and things start to get more intense as the film goes on. House of Wax grossed over $70 million with a budget of $40 million and was praised for the casts' performances and entertaining vibe.
Many Stars Make An Appearance In Piranha 3D
A lot of famous faces made cameos in 2010's Piranha 3D. Celebrities such as Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O'Connell, Christopher Lloyd, and more can be seen. It also makes sense that Richard Dreyfuss had a small role because the original 1978 Piranha was a satire of his film, Jaws.
Piranha 3D takes place at a waterside resort where carnivorous piranhas come out to wreak havoc on the guests. The film earned a "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the Associated Press said, "Run, don't walk: Piranha 3D is hilariously, cleverly gory..."
Silent House Is Underrated
Film School Rejects called Silent House "one of the most underrated horror movies of the 21st century." This was one of Elizabeth Olsen's first film roles and is a remake of the Uruguayan film La Casa Muda . The movie is meant to look like it's shot in one take during a night where Olsen's character experiences a home invasion.
Silent House opened at the fifth spot at the American box office and grossed over $13 million against its two million dollar budget. In order to make it look like it was shot in one take, the filmmakers used Canon EOS 5D cameras.
Suspiria Isn't For Everyone
Suspiria is a re-telling of the 1977 Italian film by Dario Argento, but the new film takes place in that same year. The 2018 version deals with themes of identity and revolution as a coven of witches must figure out a way to deal with the corruption they are facing in Berlin.
Movie fans may recognize actresses Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloë Grace Moretz, and more. Rotten Tomatoes said, "Suspiria attacks heady themes with garish vigor, offering a viewing experience that's daringly confrontational - and definitely not for everyone."
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Is A Must-See Sci-Fi Thriller
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) was a remake of the 1956 horror film of the same name and starred Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, and more. The story follows a health inspector in San Francisco who discovers that humans are being replaced with alien clones.
The film was a hit with outstanding performances, advanced special effects, and state-of-the-art cinematography. It received a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was called one of the best sci-fi horror remakes of all-time. Some may not know that the film was spoofed in the 2012 SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Planet of the Jellyfish."
Don't Be Frightened While Watching Nosferatu The Vampyre
Werner Herzog is one of the most famous German filmmakers, especially after making the 1979 horror film Nosferatu the Vampyre. It was based on a 1922 German vampire silent film, which was a re-telling of the 1897 Dracula novel by Bram Stoker.
Famed critic Roger Ebert said, "Here is a film that does honor the seriousness of vampires. No, I don't believe in them. But if they were real, here is how they must look." The reason why the German film did well in other countries was that there are two versions with the actors speaking English and German.
It Makes Stephen King's Story Come To Life
Stephen King is known as being one of the most prolific horror authors in the world, which is why many of his novels have been made into movies and TV shows. It is arguably one of his scariest works about an ancient, shape-shifting clown named Pennywise who terrorizes a group of kids.
The 2017 version is an adaptation of the 1990 miniseries and was later given a second part in 2019. It grossed $701.8 million worldwide at the box office with a budget of $35 million, which made it the 29th highest-grossing movie in North American history.
Maniac Made Audiences Faint
Elijah Wood starred as the villain in the 2012 psychological slasher film Maniac. It was based on a 1980 film of the same name and takes place in Los Angeles, instead of New York City like the original. Something that makes this horror film stand out from the rest is that it's shot from the antagonist's point of view.
Rotten Tomatoes said, "Shocking and bloody, Maniac is smarter than your average psychological slasher, but it's often undermined by its excessive gore." When audiences saw Maniac at the theater, it was reported that some audience members fainted out of fear.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown Is A "Southern-Fried Scream"
The writers behind Glee, American Horror Story, Riverdale, and more are also the filmmakers of the 2014 flick The Town That Dreaded Sundown. It is a remake of the 1976 movie of the same name and is about a Phantom Slayer who returns to take the lives of the residents in the small town of Texarkana.
Jonathan Romney from The Guardian called it a "southern-fried Scream" and Bloody Disgusting thought the visuals, performances, and special effects were great. The movie gives a nod to the original by dressing the characters in '70s era clothes, even though it takes place in the present day.
Rob Zombie Brought Michael Myers Back For Halloween
Rob Zombie wrote, directed, and produced the 2007 adaptation of Halloween, which is a remake of the 1978 version and the ninth installment in the franchise. It starred Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton, and more and follows the same premise with Michael Myers stalking a young lady and her friends on Halloween night.
Zombie used a $15 million budget and the movie grossed about $80.4 million at the box office. This led him to make a sequel that was released in 2009. Peter Hartlaub from the San Francisco Chronicle thought it did a good job of staying true to the original, while also adding new twists.
Let Me In Was One Of The Best Reviewed Movies Of 2010
Based on the Swedish film Let the Right One In, Let Me In is about a neglected 12-year-old boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who befriends a young vampire (Chloë Grace Moretz) in early 1980's Los Alamos, New Mexico. Abby the vampire is joined by her adult companion, Thomas (Richard Jenkins).
The film opened in the eighth spot at the box office during its opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes said, "...similar to the original in all the right ways - but with enough changes to stand on its own - Let Me In is the rare Hollywood remake that doesn't add insult to inspiration."
Fright Night Is Just As Funny As It Is Scary
The 2011 horror film, Fright Night, includes an all-star cast with Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Imogen Poots, David Tennant, Toni Collette, Dave Franco, and the late Anton Yelchin. It is a remake of the 1985 Tom Holland classic and the plot revolves around a teenage boy who sets out to defeat his vampire neighbor.
Although it's in the horror genre, Fright Night brings plenty of laughs. Even though most critics were skeptical of the movie getting a remake, they were pleased with the casts' performances.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Faces Supernatural Terrors In The Grudge
Something that sets 2004's The Grudge apart from other horror movie remakes is that it was directed by Takashi Shimizu. Shimizu also directed the 2002 Japanese version the film was based on. Sarah Michelle Gellar, best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played the protagonist who is haunted by a young demon child.
Some audiences weren't thrilled with the film, which the director attributes to it being told in a nonlinear way. "One of those movies that seemed destined to be iconic as soon as it was released. From its unique storytelling method to the utter creepiness of Toshio, it's unforgettable," said film critic Matthew Rozsa.
Robert De Niro Is The Ultimate Villain In Cape Fear
Robert De Niro played a psychopath who seeks revenge on the man who put him in jail in 1991's Cape Fear. This is a remake of the 1962 film of the same name, which was based on a 1957 novel by John D. MacDonald.
Cape Fear did great at the box office, grossing almost $183 million worldwide against a $35 million budget. Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances. Rotten Tomatoes said, "Smart and stylish, Cape Fear is a gleefully mainstream shocker from Martin Scorsese, with a terrifying Robert De Niro performance."
The Ring Is Filled With Gore And Creepy Visuals
The Ring is a remake of Hideo Nakat's 1998 film, Ringu, and inspired several other English-language remakes of Asian horror films such as The Grudge, Dark Water, and The Eye. In The Ring, Naomi Watts played a journalist who investigates a mysterious videotape that takes the lives of people after they watch it.
Collider said that its use of "visual motifs and stylistic trends" made it have some of the most unforgettable and upsetting imagery in horror movie history. The film won the Teen Choice Award, MTV Movie Award, and Saturn Award for Best Horror Movie.
Carrie Fisher Saves The Day In Sorority Row
While most horror movie remakes are based on top-rated originals, 2009's Sorority House is a re-imagining of the low-budget 1982 slasher The House on Sorority Row. Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, and Jamie Chung starred as sorority sisters who are stalked by a cloaked figure the night before their graduation. They are joined by their sorority mother Carrie Fisher.
While it's not as well-made as other famous horror movies, Sorority Row is a campy, cult classic that allows audiences to have some fun. Vulture compared the film to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas, and Nightmare on Elm Street.
Special Effects Were Crucial In The Blob
Some may remember the classic 1958 science fiction horror film called The Blob. It was remade in 1988 with the same name and focuses on a slimy amoeba-like creature who crash lands on Earth and starts destroying anything that comes in its way.
Janet Maslin of The New York Times said, "[The film] is more violent than the original, more spectacular, more cynical, more patently commercial, and more attentive to detail." In order to get the special effects right, they used silk bags filled with a thickening food substance called a "Blob Quilt."
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Was Jessica Biel's First Top-Billing Role
The 2003 version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows a group of young adults traveling through rural Texas who come face to face with a family of cannibals. This is a retelling of the 1974 movie of the same name and is the fifth installment in the franchise.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre grossed about $107.4 million at the United States box office against a budget of $9.5 million. Jamie Russell of the BBC said it was "a gory, stylish, and occasionally scary push-button factory of shocks and shrieks remarkably better than anyone had the right to expect."
