10 Horror Remakes That Are Better Than The Original

9. The Grudge (2004)

After the success of Hideo Nakata's Ringu and its inevitable US remake, J-horror became a worldwide phenomenon, one which film makers from both the East and West were quick to capitalize on. One of the more popular movies released as part of this new wave was Ju-on: The Grudge, which was already technically a remake of director Takashi Shimizu's direct-to-video Ju-on: The Curse. Sam Raimi's production company Ghosthouse Pictures jumped on board with a US remake, bizarrely asking Shimizu to return to the franchise yet again to helm an English language version, making this his third film based on the same story. Fortunately, Shimizu used a screenplay penned by a different writer called Stephen Susco, enabling him to approach the material in a fresh, new way. The Grudge's inclusion on this list may not be a popular choice for some, but this third version of the vengeful spirit's story retains the artistry of the original thanks to Shimizu's involvement, while tightening the focus of the interweaving, non-linear narratives into something more coherent. Of course, there are moments which feel too heavy-handed at times and the soundtrack is abused more than once in an attempt to derive some cheap scares, but this was also true of Ju-on: The Grudge on occasion. Neither film is exactly a modern classic i.e. they're both average at best, but if you're looking for a fun, easy-going horror movie, The Grudge just about overtakes the original in this case.