David Lagachu
The thing with filmmakers is that once a formula clicks, they stick to it and make dozens of uninspired sequels in the hope of recreating the magic of the first one. But time and again, the audiences and the box office outcomes have confirmed the fact that it doesn’t always work out. However, there’s no stopping such filmmakers who want to build their careers by resting on the past glory of their own work or on the work of some accomplished directors. Reason: they get huge studio funding for working on remakes of cult classics. Such an exercise not only bore the audiences to death but is also a sign of a lack of creativity on the part of the makers. Here’s a list of 10 original horror movies that shouldn’t be remade come hell or high water.
6. Don’t Breathe (2016)
It was popcorn entertainment at its best. A blind veteran living with the burden of a tragic past comes face to face with three unruly teenagers when they decide to rob him of his fortune. The film does justice to its name because once the narrative picks up it leaves no room for imagination as everything happens so fast that you will literally be gasping for breath. Despite being in the predictable and already-seen-that-category of home invasion movies, it shocks you with its rawness of emotions, be it the angry veteran who is yet to come to terms with the death of his daughter or the teenagers who are desperate enough to break in and steal in order to start a new life.
5. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
This Sundance breakout was described by the critics as the first Iranian Vampire Western. The film opens with a young man standing on the side of a walkway dressed in James Dean’s avatar, and it is at that exact moment you realize that this one is going to rock the boat. A burqa-clad, roller-skating vampire vigilante in an Iranian town preys upon those who prey upon women; it doesn’t get more revolutionary than this. I don’t think anyone else can even come close to touching this one in terms of pioneering a new wave of horror.
4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Once in a blue moon we are blessed with a horror film that not only pleases everybody but also takes home multiple awards – in this case five Academy awards for ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. The USP of the film lies in the performances of the main players of the narrative. Jodie Foster easily towers above all as the feisty FBI trainee assigned to interview Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins). Hopkins not mere played the role of a famed serial killer with the precision of a compass but he lived and felt the monster within him. Just look at his eyes during the scenes when he interacts with Jodie Foster from inside his cell. This also explains why he won a best actor Oscar despite being given a screen time of only 16 minutes.
3. Alien (1979)
This sci-fi horror by Ridley Scott captured the imagination of an entire generation with its eye-catching visual effects and realistic portrayal of the extraterrestrials. The biggest USP of the film was the people’s fascination with anything from outer space fueled by media reports of UFO sightings in many places around the USA and Mexico. The best thing about the film was its aggressive antagonist who attacks a commercial spacecraft. ‘Aliens’ was a pioneer of sorts in depicting horror in outer space.
2. Don’t Look Now (1973)
The British-Italian horror film ‘Don’t Look Now’ is a perfect example of delivering scares without resorting to cheap thrills. Moody European landscapes and the aesthetic use of the colour red dominates the narrative that forces you to think if all that is going on is for real or a warped version of reality. The sizzling chemistry between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie is something no actor of today’s generation can recreate.
1. Psycho (1960)
On paper the story of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ may sound very dull but on screen it’s a revelation. Clever direction and the proper casting of Anthony Perkins in the role of the now-infamous Norman Bates are what make it a timeless classic. And, of course, how can one forget the ‘murder in the shower’ scene? If you are curious enough to know how Norman became Norman, you can check out the TV show ‘Bates Motel.’
