By Dr.LoveGore
Dr.LoveGore's Favorite Horror Remakes since 2003
Remakes of Foreign films that were made just to resell to American audiences have been excluded. Examples: Quarantine, The Eye, etc...
Spoilers, ya bastards!
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In no particular order
10. Hills Have Eyes (2006)
I knew back in 2006 this movie was gonna be a banga! Alex Aja had directed the much loved "High Tension" in 2003, even with the lame twist it was still a good movie. Luckily for the Horror crowd Wes Craven chose this up and coming French director to remake his movie. This is in fact the definition of a remake. Only certain things were changed in the remake that Aja thought would make his film better. That's what I always understood a remake is, a movie that fixes mistakes the original film had. However, I do like the ending to the original better.
9. Mother's Day (2010)
A loose remake, but that's ok with me. Darren Lynn Bousman took the title and did his own thing with it. We do get a couple of echoes includin g the infamous drano death. The acting is much better and so is the story. It's a home invasion movie and these types of films can be extremely tense. Add director Darren Lynn Bousman to the mix and you can bet both ya buttcheeks there'll be gore, too. Rebecca De Mornay was perfect to play the mother. She still has what it takes to develop a hideous minded character.
8. Last House On The Left (2009)
Wes Craven remakes were on a role in the mid to late 2000's. Then "A Nightmare On Elm St" 2010 came and fucked all that up. Back to the good. Here we have another actual remake. Not only the name is taken, we have a good story that's tweaked just enough to put it in modern day times. If all the so-called remakes did what this movie and "The Hills Have Eyes" remake did, you wouldn't have members of the Horror community crying foul. "Last House On The Left" 2009 is a movie you should show to aspiring filmmakers so they can see how a remake is done properly.
7. My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)
The more I think about the remake subject while writing this list, I realize that remakes ain't all that bad when treated with respect and/or written, directed and produce by actual fans of the original movie. Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer knew exactly how to do this flick the right way. They even added 3D to the table and I was very happy walking out of the theatre...two times. Again, we have some changes, but the story is overall the same. Even similar death scenes pop up with a little curve to throw the audience off. A lot more nudity in this one, but I ain't complaining!
6. Amityville Horror (2005)
This is a remake that I can understand somebody arguing about. I like it because it's eerie, tries some different things and has a good cast. I didn't recognize Ryan Reynolds in the lead role at first. When I found out , it made me appreciate his acting even more. To be honest, I'm not sure why this movie gets shit on so much. I think it was a movie that needed to be remade unlike "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"<------ (that's how the original movie spells it). Anyway, I like the original "Amityville Horror," but felt it could have used a bit more of something...possibly gore. So, I like the movie and feel it's a worthy remake.
5. The Crazies (2010)
This was a pleasant surprise of a remake. It falls in the category of "doing it's own thing," but that was obviously the smart way to go. Breck Eisner made this his own movie. Yes...the original is a George A. Romero film, but fans were not so quick to be negatively vocal about this story being fresh as they were with Zack Snyders "Dawn of the Dead." "The Crazies" 2010 has surprises up it's sleeve, left and right. I didn't think I was gonna like it when a friend of mine popped in the blu ray. It was one of those times where I'm glad to be wrong. Timothy Olyphant owned his role and this movie.
4. The Wolfman (2010)
A remake disowned by it's director and responsible for making the legendary Rick Baker contemplate retirement due to CGI being added to his wonderful, practical effects work.
Still, it won an Oscar for best SFX and it has it's fans...I'm one of them. First of all, compared to a lot of shitty remakes, this movie's entertaining. The gore is proper, the acting is charismatic and Emily Blunt's presence gave the movie more class than it probably deserved. We also get a twist at the end I didn't see coming. Reason if you will, I think this is a decent remake.
3. Piranha 3D (2010)
What a fun fuckin movie! Yup!, I'm a 3D whore! "Piranha 3D" is a sick, depraved time without the 3D, but please do give the 3D a go if you have the opportunity. Alex Aja has another A+ remake victory on his movie making belt. Also, Aja casted two "Back to the Future Part 2" co-stars, Elisabeth Shue and Christopher Lloyd. I was sold before I saw it. I love this movie!
2. House of Wax (2005)
This is a rare one for the list. It's a remake in name alone, I really dig it though. I'm almost positive it will be remade again. In this 2005 version, the filmmakers turned it into a slasher movie. I watched this back-to-back with "Land of the Dead" back in '05, it wasn't a boring evening that's for fuckin sure. Dark Castle Entertainment produced some stank bombs, I consider "House Of Wax" to be one of their better achievements.
1. 2001 Maniacs (2005)
I obviously like this movie for the gore. I also really respected the Eli Roth prequel scene to "Cabin Fever." I love when movies do this. Gives me a fuzzmatic feeling. I know it's not the most popular remake and I respect that. Robert Englund crinkles the role as usual and Lin Shaye looks like she enjoyed playing her pre "Insidious" Granny character. Guilty freakin pleasure.
Honorable Mentions
I like these, they just weren't equally as good or better than the originals.
Fright Night (2011)
It was good, but sort of it's own movie. Didn't capture the spirit of the original which I feel it should have...or at least have tried to.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
I like this movie a lot, but it could of been called anything else. Would of gotten more respect, I think. When you toy with a film as cherished as "Dawn of the Dead," you're more than likely gonna get some backlash if it ain't a proper remake.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Ohhh this movie. I thought the idea of remaking TCM was brilliant...marketing wise. Then the remake trend started and hasn't ended to this day. What the fuck. Decent movie but compared to the original...get the fuck outta here!
Evil Dead (2013)
Not a remake, but part of the same universe as the original 3 films. I don't like the characters in this movie, but...the gore can't be ignored.
Suspiria (2018)
Not a terrible, just not a remake. They took the story, the title and did their own twisted adventure. It may test some people's patience, it's a good Horror movie though.
Sorority Row (2009)
This feels like a late 90's slasher movie, it was released in 2009 though. Carrie Fisher graced this movie with her presence and the death scenes were vigorous. Good acting from the overall cast.
King Kong (2005)
Peter Jackson did justice for King Kong. I'm not crazy about the CGI, but I can look past that. It isn't a favorite of mine obviously, but I wanted to mention it because it is entertaining.