I’m going to get hella flack for some of these films, but everyone is allowed to have an opinion, right? In over 100 years of film, there’s bound to be repeated ideas: remakes and reimaginings. Some are done better than others. I’ve compiled a list of my picks for remakes that are better than the originals. So in no particular order, let’s start some fights!
13 Ghosts (1960) vs. Thirteen Ghosts (2001)
Everyone who says the original 13 Ghosts is better than the 2001 remake has obviously not based their entire personalities off of the DVD featurette of said ghosts. Y’all need to go fix that promptly. While the original has the infamous “Illusion-O” glasses, the background and design of the remake’s ghosts is worth a lifetime of screams. Plus, Matthew Lillard as Dennis the psychic assistant is a sight to behold.
House on Haunted Hill (1959) vs. House on Haunted Hill (1999)
Sticking with the William Castle theme, House on Haunted Hill has had quite the glow up in the decades following its original release. The 1959 original — with Vincent Price, a scary floating caretaker, and one of the biggest burns in quote history — does have some faults; the scares are quite bland even for 1959, and the plot about an millionaire inviting randoms to stay and win money is a little odd. The 1999 remake solves those problems easily and makes the ghosts a hell of a lot more dangerous. Plus, the Black guy lives ’til the end!
Darling, the only ghoul in the house is you!
Annabelle Loren (Carol Ohmart), House on Haunted Hill (1959)
The Crazies (1973) vs. The Crazies (2010)
This one is pretty straight-forward. A more cynical world breeds more violent, messed-up, rampaging movies. The “crazies” in 2010’s remake are more sinister and the spread of the sickness is done a lot more smoothly. The remake is just an upgrade, similar to Romero zombies vs. Walking Dead zombies.
Halloween II (1981) vs. Halloween (2018)
I love pretty much every movie in the Halloween franchise, and I appreciate the effort put into every sequel. But Halloween 2018 is a whole ‘nother vibe compared to Halloween II. Forget a typical 80s slasher, Halloween 2018 gets right down into the nitty gritty with realism and trauma that only enhance the slasher nature that Michael Myers has. Jamie Lee Curtis does an amazing job reprising her role as Laurie, and James Jude Courtney’s Michael Myers is so menacing that it brought the fear back to Haddonfield.
Suspiria (1977) vs. Suspiria (2018)
Maybe it’s because I don’t come from this time period, but I’m not really digging the technicolor aspects of the original Suspiria. When I think of Berlin, I think of oppressive beige coloring and concrete block buildings — exactly what we get from the remake. The cinematography and styling are beautifully matched with the plot of the movie. And then we get the violent blood reds at the climax of the movie. Wow factor all the way!
Evil Dead (1981) vs. Evil Dead (2013)
Please don’t mistake my opinion; I love Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams more than the next horror fan. And knowing Sam Raimi films, I was fully prepared for a horror/comedy/craziness mash-up for the ages. That said, with a movie about an evil force brought to life with the Necronomicon itself, I expect at least some level of scare factor. In this instance, the 2013 Evil Dead is perfection.
REC (2007) vs. Quarantine (2008)
And in probably the most blasphemous sentence ever — I liked Quarantine better than REC. To be fair, I saw American-made Quarantine (in theaters) first, finally seeing the Spanish original (at home) much, much later. I understand that the style and pacing of the REC was fantastic, and I agree. However, I had a hard time feeling for the characters and liked everyone’s interactions with each other better in Quarantine. Frankly, I was bored watching REC. On another note, I also think the gore was better in Quarantine. I’m totally cool with subtitles and cultural differences, so I know that wasn’t the problem. It’s totally baseless, but it probably just boils down to which one I saw first.
What remakes are better than the originals? Let us know in the comments!
