Best and worst horror remake?
 

I know that most people hate remakes, but it doesn't mean they are all bad.

Best-Evil Dead

Worst-Hellraiser revelations

True... they're definitely not all bad. I just think most of us are sick of them because there's so many of them these days.

So...

WORST remake: "House of Wax"

BEST remake: "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)

It seems most remakes are worse... unless it's just most remakes after 1990... But there's definitely some good remakes:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers 78
The Thing 82
The Fly 86
Evil Dead 2 87
The Ring 02

All the originals were good too though.

Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead is one of the best splatter films made in the last few decades and easily one of the best remakes from any genre ever.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark produced by Guillermo del Toro had the creepy atmosphere but wasn't as scary as the original. Still I found it enjoyable.

The Marcus Nispel remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was decent and I was glad to see R. Lee Ermey cast as the sheriff.

These are more re-adaptations of the same source material than they are remakes of the previous films.

Philip Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers adapts the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney but also has some great homages to 1956 film. My favorite being the car scene with Kevin McCarthy and the rest of the casting is phenomenal.

John Carpenter's The Thing also has some great homages to The Thing from Another World but it's a far more accurate adaption of the John W. Campbell short story Who Goes There?.

David Cronenberg's The Fly re-imagines the George Langelaan short story and the Chris Walas' special effect makeups are incredible.

True, there's a technical difference between remake and re-interpretation, but I didn't get the sense the OP (original poster) was making that distinction. Using that distinction, I really have little, to no, interest in ever seeing a remake. I don't see any sense in making anything but re-interpretation films.

I agree with most everything you mention on the re-interpretation films, except for one. I most decidedly did not think much of Evil Dead 2013. I've seen all three versions. I've posted a review of film already, I don't really want to go into it now, but looking at the mass reviews (such as Rottentomatoes Critics 62% and Audience 64%), I think my assessment of it has a whole lot of company. But I am glad you liked it. I wished I liked it that much.

I've said this probably countless times on here but Tom Savini's 1990 remake of Night Of The Living Dead is a criminally overlooked remake.

I quite like that one as well and it was interesting how it was updated for the times. Patricia Tallman as Barbara is much more of the kick ass female protagonist we had come to expect from our horror heroines. Was this Tony Todd's first horror movie? I think it predates his role in Candyman (which I am also a fan of).

Favorites: I Spit On Your Grave and Friday The 13th

Least Favorite: Halloween, Last House On The Left,

For sure thar Last House On The Left remake was indeed up there with the worst. I hated it.

Yeah I believe so. Candyman is great definitely his best role.

Best - Ju-on

Worst - Dark Water

big fan of that one as well ..

I have the press kit signed by Savini - got it shortly after the movie came out - Savini himself wasn't happy about it - thought the patricia tallman character was too 'Ripley' but i dug it.

Really liked the score too

It's definitely a class act. It's a film that steered me down the path of all things horror when I was younger. I saw it before the original (which in pre-DVD times was near impossible to lay my hands on over here). That's one good thing about remakes is that they mark spark some sort of interest in the original films for those who aren't die hard horror fans.

It's kinda crazy that remakes are a subgenre of their own now!

I look at remakes the same way I always have - some are good - some not so good - just like any other film being made.

and yeah they serve a purpose to introduce the originals to younger viewers - the ones that will dig deeper ..

the 'we hate remakes' club is sad and pathetic ...
most horror fans are idiots who apparently would rather see no horror films being made at all ..because they cant grasp the concept that the film business is a business - movies aren't free gifts to them.

If remakes are the movies that are putting asses in the seats - as they continue to do - then that's what the studios can afford to make.

I have no idea why this is so hard to understand.

the only remake I've ever refused to see is Alfie.

see - ultimately it's a choice. I am perfectly able to choose not to see it. I don't wish death on the guy who remade it or automatically assume it's shit - I just have no need to see it.

and somehow - life continues!!

Best - The Thing. (only because it's one of my favourite films)


Worst - A nightmare on elm street. How can anyone even try and top Robert England. That would be like trying to out do Tim Curry in It or Legend. It can't be done.

Savini wasn't happy about what? The way his film in general turned out? That's interesting.

I should say, I saw the original first, and really appreciated it. Maybe I should keep this to myself, but I didn't like the remake. It's not that I thought it was the worst movie I ever saw. I watched the whole film. I just didn't think it was very good -- but I surely couldn't help comparing it to the original. In that comparison, I thought it was inferior.

I do like some remakes. For one, I thought The Ring 2002 was excellent.

I understand films are made to make money. In my experience, only about 1/10 true remakes (as opposed to re-interpretations) are entertaining to me. I really don't get making a shot-by-shot remake, unless the original has been lost, can't be released, or has no good quality copies remaining. The choice between a new original film like Nightmare on Elm Street being made, or a near shot-by-shot remake of Night of the Living Dead being made... I admit, I don't get why anyone would choose to see the later over the former. Of course seeing both is an option; just not likely the way I'd want spend my leisure time.

Worst
Wicker Man
Likely Suspiria when it is released. My hope for this one is as thin as Hitchcocks hair
Friday the 13th. Bring in the other Winchester and exorcise it from memory.


Best
I'd have to agree with Savini's Night of the Living Dead
Evil Dead - only because they didn't try to re make another Ash. Although not a remake, Wither is as much a remake as ED is of the original. More inspired by, than actual remakes in my opinion. Wither did have a male lead with black hair and blue button down. Just saying.

One of the all time worst remakes must be The Vanashing. Holy mother of god that was bad. Another one was the American version of Insomnia. Talk about missing the point. So bad. The Wicker Man remake looks horrendous. Any remake will be hard-pressed to top the Day of the Dead remake for sheer awfulness. At least the Day of the Dead remake had a campy factor where it was a 'fun' type of bad movie.

Shady
I forgot about the Vanishing and Insomnia. Pass the air freshener. You are so right. Can we throw in Nightwatch? I don't mean the fantastic Russian film Night Watch or it's sequel Day Watch.

I haven't seen the original Insomnia, but I thought the American version was good. This was directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Dark Knight, The Prestige, Inception). I thought Al Pacino and Hillary Swank did a find job. It was well received by critics and audiences (Rottentomatoes critics 92% audience 76%). I heard the original was stellar, but I think the remake was at least decent.

I saw the original Vanishing (Spoorloos) recently. It's highly acclaimed. I thought it was well made. It didn't knock me off my feet. I doubt I'll see the American remake.

Best Remakes:
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers: 1978 version

Worst Remakes:
Wicker Man: 2006

The remake is hollywood schlock in comparison. I liked Momento, but Insomnia took Nolan down a peg for me. It made me realize that yes, his movies have clever premises, but they are mostly just feinting at high brow. I hate to sound harsh, but that is just how badly the remake of Insomnia missed the point of the original.

I saw the one with Ewan MacGregor, and I didn't even know it was a remake before you mentioned that. I thought it had its moments but resolved in too pat of a manner. I liked Nick Nolte's performance though. I will have to see the original now.

In a similar vein, I took an opportunity to see the Hollywood remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I went in expecting to hate it, but to be honest I didn't think it was that bad, in fact I think there aspects where it improved on the original. However, Noomi Rapace is still the best Lisbeth Salander.

Remakes I really liked:
THE THING (1982):scared to death:
DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004)
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990)

Those I did not like:
FRIGHT NIGHT (2010-?)
HALLOWEEN (2007)
THE OMEN (2006)
My normal take is the original is usually the best.

Best I spit on your grave
Worst maniac, a total insult

Personally, the best: The Thing
Worst: The Wicker Man

I thought Maniac was great - very creepy and unsettling and the Hobbit took the killer in a nice direction from Spinell's hulking sweating master piece. Loved the soundtrack too.

ISOYG was ok, it was well made/shot but the her revenges were too contrived and wouldn't have looked out of place in a Saw sequel.

Best Remake - Night Of The Living Dead

Worst Remake - Day Of The Dead,

Yes, most remakes suck. Then again, most original movies suck.

Best: TCM '03

Worst: F13 '09

Honorable Mention: The Hitcher '07

the wicker man remake has to be one of the worst films in history, let alone remake

The best: Evil Dead (loved it)

The worst: Nightmare on Elm Street

I liked:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (best)
The Fly
House on Haunted Hill

I didn't like:
The Invasion
Prom Night
Village of the Damned (worst, but these 3 were really bad)

Not sure if I posted but whatever

Best: The Thing

Worst: One Missed Call

I spit on your grave remake was good.
I really didn't care for the Nightmare on elm street remake.

I'm looking forward to the Pet Sematary remake. I know it probably won't hold up to the original, but I just have to see how this pans out. How are you going to get somebody to be as scary as Andrew Hubatsek to play the character of Zelda? Holy crap that guy scared the hell out me.

That's a tough one for me. I am a huge Stephen King fan and Pet Semetary was one of the few movies that Hollywood didn't completely destroy from his books!! I don't think they should remake this one......

worst remake The Fog
best remake Dawn of the Dead (although I still prefer original)

Best: Cat People.

I forgot about that one, good movie!!

Best - Evil Dead (way prefer the original(s) but this was a lot more fun than I anticipated!)
Worst - The Fog (god they turned this movie to shit)

I agree, the Dawn of the Dead remake was good although the original set the standard for me. Also holds the distinction of being the first zombie film I saw. I admit loving the Night of the Living Dead remake.

Not sure yet about the Rob Zombie Halloween remake. I like it for a lot of reasons. However I found it unnecessary to have gone into the whole back story so much. Still enjoyed it though.

Worst remake has to be....
Would the Friday the 13th reboot count?

Off topic, Tim Curry is the man and I think trying to outdo him in any role would be a failure of epic proportions. Such an under-rated, overlooked actor. Might I add, anyone else trying to play Frank from The Rocky Horror Picture Show to that list or Wadsworth from Clue.

That said, the worst remake I've ever seen has to be A Nightmare on Elm Street not only because there was no Robert Englund, but because they tried to recapture the dark, foreboding atmosphere as the original but in a different way and they failed.

The best remake I've ever seen? There are a few, but I think Night of the Demons has to be it. They hit the same ridiculously fun vein as the original, it didn't take itself too seriously. and I appreciate that. Plus, they put their own spin to things without trying to out-do the original source. Both are ridiculous, neither are particularly good movies, but darn if I didn't have a good time watching both!

I liked Rob Zombies Halloween, but hated the 2nd one, still can't think what happened there.