Horror remakes are a difficult one, aren’t they.
No matter how much we adore a franchise or happily enjoy getting scared witless by the
same horror classic over and over again, we instantly coil back at the thought of another
cinematic interpretation.
Hands off horror cinema!
And rightly so, in some cases - because the majority of horror remakes are pretty crappy,
to say the least - and we’re not exactly living in the greatest cinematic age of creative
homage.
In some cases, horror cinema is a dime a dozen, and studios have traditionally looked to rework
some of their more successful franchises - repackage it and send it out to the next generation.
And it’s bad.
It’s really, really bad - we don’t want it.
But in some, rare instances - it’s actually really, really good.
Hello horror fans - what’s going on, and once again welcome back to the scariest channel
on YouTube - Top 5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Horror Movie Remakes.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that clip was part of the infamous Blood Test scene from
John Carpenter’s 1982 classic, The Thing - and by rights, The Thing should be making
this list - because technically it’s a remake of the 1951 sci-fi horror, The Thing From
Another World.
But we all know better than that, don’t we.
There’s only one movie called The Thing.
It leads us to an important segue though, because by rights - there are some incredibly
entertaining horror movies that should make this list, but just don’t live up to the
degree of scares that we know and love.
I’ll leave you to figure out my other picks down in the comment section below.
Kicking off at Number 5 - The Crazies, 2010
And it’s crazy, literally - because if you told me that the guy who directed 2005’s
Sahara, starring Matthew McConaughey before he finally started acting the way he wanted
- would actually go on to direct a horror remake of George Romero’s 1973 pulp horror,
The Crazies - and it actually turned out to be good, well - I’d think you were acting
a little, crazy - to say the least.
But in fact, studio-director Breck Eisner actually deserves all the credit he’s owed
- because 2010’s The Crazies is, strangely enough… pretty awesome.
Romero’s original had all the hallmarks of grindhouse, haphazardly pockmarked with
a few social commentaries on xenophobia and the tensions of a growing population - but
for the most part it was a somewhat forgettable entry in Romero’s unstoppable catalogue
of horror.
The 2010 remake circumvents everything that made the original what it was - and instead
of art-student special effects and low-budget cinematography - The Crazies is polished in
all the right places, while still delivering the bleak sense of rural America that the
original managed to capture.
Yeah, admittedly, it doesn’t exactly have the charm that Romero’s version had - but
it makes up for that by surprisingly being an incredibly thoughtful horror movie that’s
still relevant today.
Also, it stars frickin’ Tim Olyphant, aka my guy Seth Bullock from the incredible T.V
series, Deadwood - and yes, of course - Olyphant carries this film with his deadpan, no nonsense,
sheriff walking and talking gunslinging hips.
But that’s also what makes it great.
Honestly, on paper, this film should be a throwaway studio-driven remake that never
should have happened - but despite all of that, it’s really, really good.
Next up at Number 4 - We Are What We Are, 2013
I have to admit, I didn’t exactly know that I was watching a horror remake the first time
going into this movie, and on the surface, you may think that 2013’s We Are What We
Are isn’t exactly a horror film at all.
But trust me, I’ll be careful without giving any spoilers away - but there’ll be a point
in this film where you finally realise just exactly what you’re in for - and it’s
pretty damn terrifying, both psychologically and physically.
Written and directed by Jim Mickle, the film is actually a remake of the Spanish Foreign
Language movie of the same name, directed by Jorge Michel Grau - and although it takes
a few liberties in terms of narrative, it’s safe to say that both films are uniquely horrifying
in their own right.
Which is rare, because usually - remakes of foreign cinema are either complete shot for
shot ripoffs - or just straight up terrible.
We Are What We Are tells the tale of the Parker family, led by their overbearing father Frank,
who live out in the outskirts of rural America and keep themselves to themselves.
Behind closed doors though, the Parker family are held by a strict set of rules - ancient
traditions determined to be kept intact by the patriarchal Frank.
While it may not seem it on the surface, this film packs an incredibly weighty punch - and
the final conclusion of We Are What We Are is reward enough for any horror fans.
Again, I don’t want to spoil anything - and you’ll soon see for yourselves - but this
film has got so much more blood in it than first meets the eye.
Coming in at Number 3 - The Hills Have Eyes, 2006
I’m not going to lie.
I absolutely adore The Hills Have Eyes - and in many ways, I find myself preferring it
to the 1977 film of the same name.
Although, don’t get me wrong, Wes Craven’s original is at the height of 1970’s exploitation
cinema - the remake just manages to bring something else to the table that I can’t
quite put my finger on - but - stay with me, because I think I may have an inkling of an
idea.
European cinema.
Whereas the original was perhaps one of the most unashamedly American horror movies of
the decade, swimming with 1950’s post-atomic guilt, and brimming with incredibly creative
horror concepts - encapsulated in a cult like classic - the remake somehow manages to still
maintain all of that, but then somehow give us more.
Which is a rare thing to do - especially when using the untouchable horror legend Wes Craven
as your source material.
Enter this man, Alexandre Aja - who delivered horror cinema the 2003 French buzzsaw showstopper,
High Tension.
Now, if you’ve seen High Tension, then you’ll know exactly why his interpretation of The
Hills Have Eyes is strangely so refreshing.
You see, the film does nothing new - it’s pretty much the exact same narrative.
Family on a road trip - car breaks down in the desert - mutant cannibals descend from
the hills.
Which is awesome in it’s own right, kicking off one of the most memorable revenge killing
sprees in horror cinema - but Aja’s version just manages to look at the script with a
completely fresh pair of eyes.
Also, there are some *surprisingly* great performances in this film.
Yeah, it’s a personal bias - but if you can’t tell, The Hills Have Eyes is one of
my personal favourite horror remakes.
Swinging in at Number 2 - Cape Fear, 1991
And I bet you didn’t see this one coming, did you?
And to be honest, I’m absolutely stoked that I can finally place a Scorsese movie
on one of these lists - which leads us to an interesting point, really - because Cape
Fear isn’t exactly a horror movie, it’s kind of genre-less for the most part, yet
when compared to the 1961 popcorn thriller original of the same name - the two films
firmly hit the mark in terms of palm-sweaty psychological thrill-rides - but one thing
- makes the remake take the cake.
And that thing - is Robert De Niro.
If you’ve seen 1991’s Cape Fear already, you’ll know that De Niro plays a man named
Max Cady, a convicted felon that spent 14 years behind bars for the rape and assault
of a young woman.
The thing is, Max Cady has held a grudge against the public defender that served on his trial
- a grudge that he’s held for 14 long years - and thus, we have Cape Fear.
De Niro’s performance in this film is the stuff of cinematic legend, and the fact that
he spent his career building the image of playing loveable rogues - albeit often murderers
and criminals - all of the psychopathy and built up mental tension of those characters
obviously exploded with his role in Cape Fear.
De Niro is terrifyingly convincing as Max Cady, and what were served by Scorsese is
a horrifying experience that doesn’t really fit into any conventional genre - but that’s
what makes it all the more terrifying.
Cape Fear is a classic in it’s own right, and it’s one of the best remakes of anything,
regardless of genre.
And finally - coming in at our Number 1 spot - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, 1978
And well, there is one scene in 1978’s Invasion Of The Body Snatchers that I wanted to use
as our B-Roll clip, but for those of you that haven’t seen it - I really don’t want
to take that experience away from you.
But for those of you that have, then you’ll know exactly the scene that I’m talking
about.
Alright, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers is widely considered by pretty much anyone and
everyone to be the greatest remake of all time - and I wouldn’t be giving credit to
this list without placing it firmly at the top spot - because without beating around
the bush - it is.
It’s an absolutely terrifying sci-fi horror movie, and although it was made in 1978 - it
still leaves it’s intended mark on a contemporary audience.
The 1956 original, directed by Don Siegel and based on the classic sci-fi novel, The
Body Snatchers, by Jack Finney - is a classic black and white, slightly campy, pulp driven
horror film that had a lot to say for the time, and rightfully left its mark on horror
cinema.
However, it was very much exactly that - a product of its time.
But what the legendary Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake managed to do - is take those
small, referential nuances of the original - and infinitely expand upon it - giving us
one of the greatest science-fiction horror movies of all time.
Which again, is exactly that - timeless.
I won’t say anything about the plot, because part of the joy in this film is slowly watching
it unravel in an atmospheric, unstoppable, terror-inducing fashion.
For the most part, you have no idea what’s going on - but by then it’s already far
too late.
Also, the cast to this film are absolutely stacked - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers stars
Donald Sutherland, the late, great Leonard Nimoy - and frickin’ Jeff Goldblum - if
that’s not enough of a reason to give this film the credit it deserves, I’m not entirely
sure what is.
Well, there we have it horror fans - our list for the Top 5 Scariest Horror Movie Remakes
- what do you guys think?
I’m sure there’ll be many, many more recommendations for this list, so let us know your choices
down in the comment section below.
Before we depart from today’s video though, let’s take a quick look at some of your
more creative comments from over the past few days.
First up - Original Asherella says --
I think I woke up my entire neighborhood with my scream the first time I saw The Descent
and the cave person shows up in the camera.
-- Yeah.
Exactly.
Me too Asherella.
And I haven’t been caving since.
And finally -- VileSECRETS says --
Say Jack…
Don’t suppose I could trouble you for a list of five terrifying Irish or Scottish
horror movies at some point, could I?
-- And of course, although that’s terribly polite of you.
Don’t you worry, we’re planning on going all over the world with horror cinema - and
of course, I’ll be giving fair shout to my Gallic and Gaelic brethren and sistren.
Well - on that note horror fans, that’s unfortunately all we’ve got time for in
today’s video.
Cheers for sticking around all the way until the end - if you were a fan of this video,
make sure to hit that thumbs up button - as well as that subscribe bell, and I’ll be
seeing you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5
Scary Videos - and until next time, you take it easy.