Movie remakes - and horror movie remakes in particular - are usually, and rightly, looked down upon. The main problem is that Hollywood seems intent on remaking movies that were fine - if not perfect - in their original version.
There was no need, for example, to remake Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). The film built tension through unsettling scenes, images, and sound effects (remember the grinding, squealing sound of the Polaroid camera?). It inspired fear not only through graphic violence, but with an unrelenting pace and a gritty look that brought to mind old documentary footage. It looked rough, it looked creepy, and it looked real.
Flash forward to the 2003 remake and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been reduced to a dim, glossy, and wholly routine slasher flick. They messed with perfection and ended up with less than average.
Unfortunately, it made money and led to a string of horror remakes, most of them trying to recreate what was great to begin with, trying to reinvent the wheel, and proving absolutely abysmal.
In rare instances, though, movie remakes are actually not terrible and, in still rarer instances, the remake actually improves upon the original. This usually happens when a sub-par or genuinely dated movie is remade, with at least a modicum of skill, for the modern audience. In other cases, the remake is not so much a recreation of the original, but a new take on it, like a song remix.
Here are some horror movie remakes which, in my opinion, are worth watching.
Dawn of the Dead (2004): The original (1978) was not bad, in fact it’s a classic, but it has begun to smell a little ripe. It simply isn’t as fresh as it once was and Zack Snyder’s version modernized one of the great zombie films for a new - yet discerning - audience. There is no indication that this remake was a simple cash-grab, nor does it dumb down or sugar-coat the original. It is a solid zombie movie in its own right and both the script and direction take risks and use modern technology and conventions to their fullest. Like the original, the film’s strength lies in its characters and its excellent make-up effects.
Fright Night (2011): This is an example of a movie that simply offers a new take on an older tale rather than trying to recreate the original with a new cast. Like the original (1985), the 2011 version can be described as Rear Window with vampires. The characters are largely unchanged, but the plot makes its own way without referring to the original for directions. The dialogue is clever and modern and the characters are well-defined. It’s at least as funny, if not funnier, than the original but treats its scares with all seriousness. It keeps all the good of the original and then adds a dash of its own. It is not better than the original but stands as its own, good film.
Night of the Demons (2010): I actually didn’t like the original (1988). It may be considered a classic of its genre but I found it dated and self-conscious. Its worst crime, though, is in taking itself too seriously. The remake remedies this expertly and, in so doing, offers up a gory, sexy gift to horror lovers everywhere. It provides plenty of excellent make-up effects and a satisfying amount of giggle-worthy gore, but it also pokes fun at itself and aims numerous knowing winks at those horror lovers who’ve seen the original. It gives the movie a modern touch, with a male on male kiss (unheard of in horror movies predating the new millennium) and a Survivor Girl who actually gets to kick a little demon ass. This movie is funnier and more fun than the original by a mile.
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