Cailyn Szelinski at CBR.com came up with her list of 10 Classic Horror Movies That Deserve A Reboot. Before you click over, here are my thoughts on her suggestions as well as a couple more.
Carnival Of Souls (1962) is a cult classic. As Szelinski points out, it was remade once to poor reviews. I’m not a big fan of the original. Unless you find someone like Guillermo del Toro who has a passion for the material, then I’d say, “Pass.”
The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) is one of the most beloved of all the classic Universal Horror movies. There is no need for a remake. Fans of the original would be a hard sell. Is the Bride really scary enough to bring in a younger audience? I’d again say, “Pass.”
The Wolf Man (1941). Most everyone likes werewolf movies. There’ve been many made, but few are considered great. Every time a new werewolf film comes out, I hope for the best. Yeah, I’m for a Wolfman reboot.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968). I think this is a great idea for all the same reasons as Cailyn Szelinski. You’ll see why when you click over.
Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) is one of my all-time favorite movies. I’m not just talking about horror either. Because I hold it in such high regard you might think that I would be against a reboot. I’m not. A reboot of The Creature has perhaps the most potential of all these films. Everyone loves the Creature. As Szelinski says with modern technology a truly terrifying update could be made. Someone do it!!
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962). I’m not sure this would work. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford didn’t get along in real life. Their public dislike for each other provided publicity and increased curiosity about the film. What two actresses could replicate that these days? Would modern audiences even care? Pass.
The Lost Boys (1987). With the right cast, I think that this would work.
The House Of Usher (1960). There’s been a remake that didn’t do well. Period pieces are a tough sell. Pass.
The Exorcist (1973). The Exorcist spawned several sequels. Movies about exorcisms are released fairly regularly. I’m not sure if a reboot of the classic that kickstarted the genre would work. For those reasons I say, “Pass.”
The Birds (1963). This is perhaps the most surprising horror film on Cailyn Szelinski’s list. It would be tough to top Hitchcock. Would modern audiences buy in to it? Szelinski says, “Nature is not a common antagonist in modern horror movies, as they rely on masked killers and illnesses that spread rapidly and turn people into zombies.” She’s right. But what if the birds are attacking people and carry a virus that turns folks into zombies? Who wouldn’t want to see that movie? (Or is it just me?)
Here are a few horror films, I’d like to see rebooted…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). It’s been remade once, but that was decades ago. Both the original and the remake are consider classics. Let’s reboot this baby.
The House on Haunted Hill (1959). This would be an easy one. Several strangers trapped in a haunted house just need to survive one night. But when people start getting murdered…
Them (1954). It’s a classic, but I’d love to see someone give it a reboot.
I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958). I loved it as a kid. The campy title might need to be changed, but the idea that a new bride believes her husband has been replaced by an alien has potential.
The Invaders (1967 – 1968). Maybe skip The I Married a Monster from Outer Space reboot and instead do a feature film adapting The Invaders tv show. UFOs are in. It could work!
What did we miss?
