Horror remakes are a reality we live with. More often than not, they fail to live up to the frightening heights of the classic originals they’re based on. However, every so often, a horror remake surprises us by not only succeeding on its own merits, but surpassing its predecessor in nearly every way. Just in time for spooky season, we’ve collected the top 7 horror remakes better than their original. Do you agree with our list?
Also Read: Top 5 BEST Animated Halloween Specials
7. It
While the original classic made for television adaptation is held in high regard by most who were there to watch it when it aired in 1990, it shows its age in the worst ways. The limitations that come with be being a TV movie in the 90’s, along with the smaller budget, make this a memorable product of its time; however, the 2017 remake from director Andy Muschietti brought demonic creature to life in the most terrifying way. The follow-up released two years later failed to live up to its predecessor, but 2017’s outing remains a modern horror classic.
6. The Crazies
The 1970’s The Crazies is considered a minor work from the master of horror George A. Romero. When compiling a list of Romero’s best films, it’s unlikely to squeeze into a top slot. This made it a perfect movie to remake, taking another swing at the creative zombie-esque plot. The 2010 remake, starring Timothy Olyphant is filled with gore, dread and thrills throughout, effectively achieving what the original had lacked. Best of all, it still holds up over ten years later.
5. The Blob
The Blob is a simple concept, both in the original classic and the 80’s reimagining. A monster that essentially consists of an alien goop that consumes and absorbs everything and everyone in its path sounds like a monster-movie with limitations. Those limitations are present in the 1958 version, with a monster that moves at a slow pace and depiction that lacks any real terror; however in the 80’s we got a brand new look at the monster, and this time it was quicker and deadlier, dispatching of its prey with gruesome effectiveness. This is one of the gnarliest horror films of the 80’s.
4. The Ring
The only horror remake on our list that remade a foreign film, The Ring terrified American audiences just four years after the Japanese original released . Ringu and the The Ring follow the same essential plot and story beats, but the remake utilizes its runtime more efficiently. By trimming story elements related to psychic abilities and maintaining a tight, dread inducing pace, The Ring cemented itself into the horror hall of fame, and it did so with a PG-13 rating. Too bad the sequels were largely failures in comparison.
3. The Fly
David Cronenberg is known for his boundary pushing, grotesque and often confusing films. 1986’s The Fly, a remake of a black and white 1958 film of the same name, was one of Cronenberg’s most accessible and mainstream films. That’s not to say it lacked his flair for body horror. In a genius move, the remake keeps the same premise and idea of the original, but alters drastically with the execution. Rather than having a fly and a man swap heads, Cronenberg’s version of the monster is a beast with the genetic codes of both a fly and a human. Throughout the film, we see more and more of the insect making its way to the surface until he’s become more fly than man.
2. The Thing
John Carpenter’s The Thing is widely recognized as one of the greatest horror remakes of all time. With an amazing performance from Kurt Russell, Carpenter crafts a paranoid thriller that pits man again alien in disguise. How do you know who to trust, when the alien could be anybody? The isolation achieved through the desolate arctic backdrop and a perfect use of practical effects, this is a film that gets better with age. Acting as a loose remake of 1951’s The Thing From Another World, Carpenter proved that remakes can surpass their source material.
1. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Coming in at number 1 is the 70’s remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Similarly to The Thing, this is a film that utilizes paranoia to craft its horror. There have been several remakes of the 1956 original, but only one of them comes close to surpassing, or even reaching, the amazing heights of the classic. With a fantastic ensemble cast consisting of Donald Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy and Jeff Goldblum, and one of the most shocking horror endings of all time, this one has earned its title as the best horror remake better than the original.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
