Horror is a genre of film that has existed for more than a century. Seeing the supernatural and macabre onscreen is both frightening and fascinating. One of the first pioneers of the horror genre was French filmmaker Georges Melies, who produced a few short silent films in the 1890s.
Other countries began experimenting with the horror genre around the same time, including the American film industry. Many American horror movies actually started out as foreign films that were remade and adapted for American audiences. There have been many remakes of foreign horror that have done very well in America, and some that have not.
7 Funny Games (1997)- More Sadistic Than Funny
Funny Games is a psychological thriller about two violent young men who hold a family captive while on vacation. The family is forced to play twisted games if they want to stay alive.
The original film, written and directed by Michael Haneke, was released in 1997 and was set in Austria. Haneke has stated that the movie was not intended to be a horror film but more a commentary on violence portrayed in the media. In 2007, Haneke helped co-produce a shot-for-shot remake of Funny Games, this time set in the United States.
6 The Ring (2002)- TV Can Be Deadly
The Ring is an American horror film about a reporter who investigates a videotape that kills people 7 days after they watch it. The film was released in 2002 and became one of the highest-grossing horror remakes.
The original film, Ringu, is a Japanese film adaptation of a novel by Koji Suzuki. The film was such a success that it helped Japanese horror gain international recognition. It has inspired The Ring franchise which includes the Western catalog of remakes as well.
5 The Grudge (2004)- Evil Has A Way Of Sticking Around
The Grudge is a film based on the idea that if a person dies in a state of rage or sorrow, their entity stays behind in a place like a curse. The original film titled Ju-On: The Grudge, is a Japanese film by Takashi Shimizu.
After the success of the American remake of Ringu, Sony Pictures proceeded with The Grudge film, bringing on Shimizu to direct. Despite some unfavorable reviews in comparison to The Ring remake, The Grudge had the highest opening box office weekend for a horror film remake.
4 The Uninvited (2009)- Things Aren't Always What They Seem
A Tale of Two Sisters is a South Korean horror film, the first South Korean picture screened in American theatres. The film tells the story of a girl who was recently released from a mental institution. She returns home to her sister, father, stepmother, and the dark secrets of the family's past.
The original film was very successful and is the highest-grossing South Korean horror film. An American remake titled The Uninvited was released in 2009, but received mixed reviews, proving that not all remakes are guaranteed success.
3 Let Me In (2010)- Young Romance And Horror
Let The Right One In is a Swedish horror film set in 1980s Stockholm. The story is about a young boy named Oskar, who befriends a strange child named Eli after they move in next door. Unbeknownst to Oskar, Eli has a dark secret.
Even before the film's release, there was already interest in producing an American remake. The remake Let Me In, premiered in 2010, and received positive feedback for staying true to the original film. The American adapted movie also inspired a prequel in the form of a comic book, which tells the backstory of the young vampire.
2 We Are What We Are (2013)- Gruesome Family Rituals
We Are What We Are is a 2010 Mexican horror film about a cannibalistic family. After the father and provider dies, Patricia and her children must figure out how they will continue to survive and more importantly how they will eat.
The film is a sequel to the 1993 film Cronos, directed by Guillermo del Torro. An American adaption by the same name was released in 2013, and although it seemed like it would get a prequel and a sequel, there have been no new updates about the projects.
1 Suspiria (2018)- Dancing And Murder
Suspiria is an Italian horror movie set at a dance academy in Germany. Actress Jessica Harper plays an American ballet student who transfers to the academy in Germany and soon discovers that the dance company is a front for something far more sinister.
The 1977 movie was actually released in the United States after 20th Century Fox gained distribution rights. An American remake would not appear until 40 years later in 2018. Dakota Johnson starred as the titular character, but despite some praise for the acting, the film did not fare well at the box office and was considered a failure.