CULT CLASSICS being REMADE ... The situation is OUT OF CONTROL!
August 9th 2007 01:36
Many of the following films are bona fide cult classics and should not be touched with a damn bargepole! Some are trashier and perhaps, perhaps, a remake might inject some blood’n’guts juice that the original lacked, although often that trashy element is what makes the movie so much fun in the first place.
I’m all for raising the dead, but most of these movies – the originals - are still able to kick some serious ass! It gives me the shits that they are being plundered simply to generate revenue because an original concept or story hasn’t been created, and it’s easier (read: lazier) to go back to an existing screenplay/plot/story/idea/co ncept.
Mena Suvari in Day of the Dead remake
But enough of all that bullshit, it’s all academic.
Here is the current lowdown on what’s being remade:
April Fool’s Day
- Director's Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores are also known as "The Butcher Brothers," who did the indie film The Hamiltons.
Horrorphile: The Hamiltons blew chunks, so no doubt they’ll butcher this one too.
The Bad Seed
- Supposedly will have more blood and a higher body count than the original (which won’t be hard since the original suggested everything).
- Director Eli Roth is hoping to have a new horror icon with the killer in this flick.
Horrorphile: If Roth can capture the same intense “Euro” feel of Hostel II then this will work well.
The Birds
- Co-producer Brad Fuller says they're not remaking Hitchcock's film, but adapting their own version from the original Daphne Du Maurier short story which is quite different in plot, and that the film will have an explanation as to why the birds attack people.
- Written by the duo of Stiles White and Juliet Snowden (The Boogeyman).
- Produced by Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes company who delivered the remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Amityville Horror.
Horrorphile: I was never much of a fan of the original. This looks to be big budget trash. The Boogeyman was no good either.
The Crazies
- Originally to be directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist), who has been replaced by Breck Eisner (Sahara) … yikes!!!
- Early drafts written by Scott Kosar (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Amtyville Horror remakes, and The Machinist).
- Original director George Romero is executive producing.
Horrorphile: I liked The Machinist.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
- Breck Eisner has been set to direct, shooting in the US and in Central and South American locales.
- Producer Gary Ross wrote the current screenplay draft, and is the son of original Creature writer Arthur A. Ross.
- Guillermo Del Toro was originally set to direct.
Horrorphile: Eisner again?! Oh dear. Well if Del Toro had directed it would probably be good. Oh well.
Zombies in Day of the Dead remake
- directed by Steve Minor (Friday the 13th Part 2 & 3).
- The film is supposedly undergoing re-shoots. The movie has been given much bad press after an early unofficial teaser trailer was released as well as a subsequent preview screening.
Horrorphile: I’ll be following this up in a more detailed post, as the original is one of my all-time favourite horrors. As for Steve Minor, what a hack.
The Evil Dead
- Original actor and current producer, Bruce Campbell says it'll be with a new group of people that will get affected by the Necronomicon, meaning there wont be an Ash character. He also believes that the goal with this remake is to make good use of today's visual FX and incorporate it into a "scary-ass un-rated horror film."
Horrorphile: I’ll be keeping tabs on this demon-zombie fer sure!
Hellraiser
- Apparently this project is in the very early stages of development, as there's not even a script yet, but Clive is very interested in re-visting the film, and to do things the original could never do.
- It's unknown whether Doug Bradley will return as Pinhead, however, the Pinhead in the remake will be different from the original. Clive Barker has said that this will be both the beginning and end of Pinhead, whatever that means.
- The Weinstein Company is behind this. Hmmm.
- Clive will serve as writer and producer to this re-dux, adding that he'd feel too weird to direct a remake of his own movie.
Horrorphile: I guess this means the sequel Hellbound (my fave) will get remade too. Sigh.
Last House on the Left
- European commercial director Dennis Iliadis is to helm the remake.
- French directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud (Ils) were originally "in talks" to direct the film.
- Co-producer (and director of the original) Wes Craven said that he doesn't want this remake to be as brutal as the original was, and instead wants it to be more story-driven, but to retain an even more “realistic tone” than the original.
Horrorphile: Not as brutal as the original? What’s the bloody point?!
Piranha
- Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes remake) will direct the film.
- Budgeted between $19 to 24 million.
- Screenwriter Chuck Russell has used elements of the original John Sayles script.
Horrorphile: Well, 20 million bucks is a tad more than original! Sayles script was very witty, they should stick closely!!
Prom Night
- Apparently very different from the original movie, and dispensing with almost all the blood and gore, thus aiming for a a PG-13 rating.
- Screenwriter Stephen Susco (The Grudge remake) has said that the film will be more supernatural and "scarier" than the original. Hmmm.
- Co-screenwriters are Brad Keene and Chris Skinner (The Gravedancers).
Horrorphile: PG-13?! Fer Chrissake!
The Stepfather
- J.S. Cardone (Zombies aka Wicked Little Things) is screenwriting and has said the script will be closer to the real life case of John List, whom inspired the original film, and that the film will be darker with the role of the stepfather being even creepier than Terry O’Quinn’s portrayal.
Horrorphile: I’m interested in the original case, but how could anyone better Terry O’Quinn in the original Stepfather?!
Suspiria
- Italian-based production company First Sun are behind this remake, saying "We intend to create a concept that will encompass cinema, video games, fashion and music and that revives the original for those who did not experience it. The Gothic resurgence is very strong around the world at the moment ... and we feel that a new version of Suspiria will fit very well."
Horrorphile: Leave the damn movie alone!!!
The Thing
- a sequel rather than a remake. Producer Frank Darabont has said "It’s not a remake as much as it is a miniseries sequel to the great John Carpenter movie. It got reported in the trades as a remake but I would not want to remake a movie as good as John Carpenter’s. But to do a loving sequel as a miniseries really does appeal to me. Then you’re not screwing up somebody’s great movie.
- Scripted by the re-envisioned Battlestar Galactica executive producer Ronald D. Moore.
Horrorphile: I’ll be following this one closely as The Thing is up there with Halloween, Day of the Dead, Suspiria and The Evil Dead in my all-time faves list. Now all we need are remakes of Alien, Phantasm and Possession to be announced and I’ll head off to my bedroom to sob.
Other remakes in various stages of production are:
The Changeling
Death Line (aka Raw Meat)
Don’t Look Now
The Entity
The Eye
Funny Games
It’s Alive
Long Weekend
Motel Hell
Near Dark
The Wizard of Gore
The Wolf Man
Thanks to www.upcominghorrormovies.com for the information
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Comment by Damo
Such a well made film.
Even the lack of reason added to the the story.
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a comedy. Some of those water scenes are pure farce.
I though Hellraiser was already so far over the top that any remake would not add anything.
As for Pirana. Any remake could only be an improvement.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Suspira - I'm sceptical as all hell about that one. I guess at least it's not an American film company looking at doing the remake. That would ensure it was terrible.
Surely someone in Hollywood can come up with an original idea!!!!! It can't be that hard!
Comment by David
What? No Shakespeare films on the remake list? They're slipping.
David ...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
The original Piranha was a treat, they better follow through on the kiddie smorgasbord at the end,.....bite those little toes...
I cant get more specific, to many treasures franchised
Comment by Chic Critique
Likewise for the Thing - that's a classic that shouldn't be touched.
These movies aren't even old let along dead enough to be resurrected!!
I also saw a featurette on Sci Fi for Evil Dead the musical. Yikes.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
IF you had
* A visionary Director
* Who had read the book (English version with final chapter, excluded from the film, included)
* And has never seen the film.
I know it's off topic, and I'm sorry, but yeah. just a thought.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
ah, Hollywood... the biggest graverobber of them all...
reshooting Day of the Dead? That's promising... the trailer looks positively awful..
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Cibby, re-shoots are always a bad sign though ... and they generally never save a picture.