Hi all!
Welcome back to a new segment on my blog, where I pit an original horror film against its remake and discuss which one, I personally believe is better. You can check out the dedicated category here. There will be a few factors to take into consideration: a.) Does the remake improve the original story, b.) Is the original already so superior, the remake is quite irrelevant and c.) Do both films exist side-by-side, complementing one another in horror cinematic history? For our second subject, we are going to be tackling Wes Craven’s, The Hills Have Eyes from 1977 and Alexandre Aja’s reboot from 2006. If you didn’t know, these movies follow a suburban family that become the prey of psychotic cannibals on their way to California. Just remember, it’s okay if we don’t agree. This is just my opinion. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Round #1 – Improvement
Did the remake improve the original story? 100% yes. Not only did it give us more gore, creative kills and a creepy post-apocalyptic town, it gave the cannibals a mutant makeover! The additional radiation plotline upped the scare-factor significantly, as well as the overall stakes. I think the director did an excellent job taking an existing idea and injecting it with grotesque elements. It helped that Wes Craven produced the film, allowing him input. Clearly, he approved of it!
Winner – The Hills Have Eyes 2006
Round #2 – Relevance
Was the original already so superior, it didn’t require a remake? No. In my opinion, it was fine, but it lacked the charm and terror you see in similar films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wolf Creek and Wrong Turn. I know it was made in the 70’s, but I wasn’t a fan of the racist language and overt sexual assault scene. The acting was a bit too over dramatic for my taste as well. The movie benefited greatly by having a reboot.
Winner – The Hills Have Eyes 2006
Round #3 – Cohesion
Can these two movies exist cohesively, side by side? Yes, I think so. The remake is not a continuation of the original story, but I do believe it improves upon it. Both plots are relatively similar but the add-ons from the 2006 version made it more horrifying and for me, that’s always a winner. If you appreciate the film from 1977, I totally understand. It would have been so shocking for its time. I just feel the reboot took it to a level that it needed.
Winner – The Hills Have Eyes 1977 & 2006
THE WINNER IS: The Hills Have Eyes 2006
I usually prefer the original but, in this instance, the remake took the gold. Unlike Suspiria from my last post, this was a perfect example of an improvement on the original story.
Thank you so much for reading! What are your thoughts? I have a whole list of films I’m going to be covering but if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I’ll be back next time to tackle House on Haunted Hill.
Peace & Love xoxo