5. House on Haunted Hill (1999)
Into our top five creeps House on Haunted Hill, a remake of the Vincent Price classic that levers the camp into the stratosphere. Think of it as a haunted house party thrown by someone with a bottomless budget for special effects and a wicked sense of humor. While it might not boast the subtleties of other entries on this list, its over-the-top theatrics and Geoffrey Rush’s delightful scenery-chewing performance make it a memorable update that’s frightfully fun.
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4. The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter’s The Thing is a masterclass in paranoia, with Kurt Russell and a crew of Antarctic researchers facing off against an alien force that can imitate anything—or anyone. The film’s revolutionary use of practical effects, combined with its oppressively claustrophobic atmosphere, cements it as not just one of the best remakes around, but one of the best horror movies period. It’s a chilling reminder of what horror can achieve when it’s as much about the monsters within as it is about those lurking outside.
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3. Evil Dead II (1987)
If The Evil Dead was a rollercoaster, then Evil Dead II is the entire theme park—zany, unpredictable, and utterly thrilling. Sam Raimi’s decision to lace this retelling with a heavy dose of slapstick humor doesn’t undercut the scares; it amplifies them, creating a horror-comedy that revels in its own outrageousness. Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams cements his status as a genre icon, armed with a chainsaw, a boomstick, and one-liners that kill (figuratively speaking).
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2. Suspiria (2018)
Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria takes the bones of Dario Argento’s classic and builds something utterly distinct upon them—an atmospheric tale of witchcraft, ambition, and corruption, set against the backdrop of Cold War Berlin. Tilda Swinton’s multi-faceted performance(s) coupled with Thom Yorke’s haunting score, ensure this isn’t just a film you watch; it’s one you experience. Where Argento painted with bold strokes of vivid color, Guadagnino uses a murkier palette to explore the horror lurking in the shadows of art and history.
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1. Evil Dead (2013)
Top spot honors go to Evil Dead, Fede Alvarez’s take on Raimi’s cabin-in-the-woods bloodbath. Where the original flirted with camp, this iteration dives headlong into the abyss of terror, offering an unrelentingly grim and gory experience that tests the limits of its characters and audience alike. It’s a film that understands the heart of the original lies not in its specific antics, but in its ability to evoke sheer dread. Alvarez’s Evil Dead doesn’t just homage; it horrifies, proving that the most profound respect you can pay to source material might just involve soaking it in gasoline and watching it burn in the most spectacular way possible.
In the end, these top-tier terrorizations remind us why we flock to the theaters or cozy up on our couches, armed with only a remote to fend off the darkness. Each horror movie remake on our list stands as evidence that, when done right, reinvention can lead to innovation in horror cinema. The filmmakers behind these frightening favorites chose not to merely rehash but to resurrect classics in ways that both honor their predecessors and carve their own paths in the haunted woods of horror history.
What do you think belongs on this list of best horror movie remakes? Let us know over in the Nightmare on Film Street Discord!
