20 Surprisingly Great Horror Movie Remakes

In 1982, it was surely tough to appreciate what would make Paul Schrader, best known for writing Scorsese classics Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, a good fit to remake the classic 1942 RKO supernatural horror film Cat People.

But Schrader, who had no prior experience in the horror genre, benefitted massively from shifting audience attitudes of the time, allowing his 40-years-later remake to be explicit and red-blooded in all the ways that the more demure original story simply couldn't.

That is to say, Cat People '82 is a big, swinging-for-the-fences retelling packed with nudity, brutal violence, and profanity. 

But more than this, it also remixes the original story in some creative and unexpected ways, aided by Nastassja Kinski's mesmerising lead performance, the gorgeous cinematography, and David Bowie's awesome title tune.

Though not everyone loves Schrader's film, it's nevertheless one of the boldest and most unique horror remakes of all time.