Horror Movies That Should Get Remade
Six horror films that might benefit from a second chance
Horror movies are getting remade, this is a fact that fans just need to accept. There are currently over 60 different horror remakes in different stages of production right now. The genre, which once thrived on creativity and originality, has become a machine, churning out the same old movie again and again. Studios think that with better CGI and sexy young CW stars, they can update old (and not so old) classics for a new audience. Most of the time (Amityville Horror, Black Christmas) they are wrong, but once in a while (The Thing, Dawn of the Dead 2004) a new masterpiece emerges. Some classic horror movies have become stale and dated and could probably use a good sprucing up.
In order for a remake to work, the original has to be a good film, but not a classic. Halloween and Friday the 13th are still too iconic and loved, even by the younger generations, for a remake to be met with anything other than skepticism. Movies that had a good plot, not a huge cultural impact, and outdated effects or acting are prime candidates for remakes. Here are six horror movies that could actually benefit from a second attempt.
There actually is a remake of this film in works, but it seems to be stuck in production limbo. Jamie Lee Curtis’ other 1980s slasher flick is surprisingly good, although not fantastic by any means. The concept is full of opportunities for tension – the killer is trapped in here with us! But we don’t know who it is because of masks and costumes! – and could be played up perfectly for a good, edge of your seat film that is all too rare these days.
Clowns are terrifying. This 80s movie was never good, but still terrifies anyone who watches it because clowns are just plain scary. Imagine how audiences would react if they updated this film, making it darker, with the clown manifesting itself as the children’s deepest fears. Audiences will cringe and hide their faces every time someone enters the bathroom, and a whole new generation will have nightmares about red noses and face paint.
It may have been done to death, but has anyone really done the Count right? People thought Batman couldn’t be redone until Christopher Nolan made the franchise a darker, more intense look at a hero that had become comical, and the same could be applied here. With a truly sold, A-List cast (Keanu Reeves need not apply) and a skilled director, it could be a great moody piece.
Zombies had their comeback, now vampires are cool again, so why not give werewolves a reboot? Serial killers, psychological trauma, a secluded retreat – everything in this film a recipe for tension and thrills. The only thing that could trip this up is cringe-worthy CGI. Have studios forgotten how realistic makeup and effects can look?
Because you don’t have to make a movie darker or scarier to make it better. Horror-comedies have their place in the world, along with so damn campy you love it movies. This one already fits that bill, but imagine an update with someone like Nathan Fillion in the lead, shouting quips while bludgeoning zombies, with Danny McBride as his backup. You’d see that in theatres twice. Throw in a Bruce Campbell cameo and it’s an instant cult classic.
Just one in a thousand examples of a good story by Stephen King being given a lackluster adaptation, Pet Sematary could use a second chance. Specifically, a chance with a screenwriter other than King himself, who manages to make a great story but always fall flat translating it to film. With someone like Alexander Aja behind the helm, this could become The Hills Have Eyes – with undead dogs.
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