I recently discovered that Hollywood’s next horror remake project will be The Craft (1996). Another one? Why? Is The Craft not already a masterpiece? The news got me thinking, why does Hollywood insist on revamping untouchable horror classics?
We often refer to these projects as “remakes,” but most of the time, the plot, characters, and even setting, are completely changed and reinvented. For example, the most recent cheesie horror remake that barely scratched the surface at the box office was this year’s Poltergeist. Though the director changed most of the plot and even added a few new characters, Poltergeist (2015) basically became a movie unto its own, almost completely dissociated from its 1982 original. Many even referred to it as a sequel to the original, rather than a straight remake.
Another example of this needless reinvention process is Nelson McCormick’s 2008 remake of the slasher-film classic, Prom Night. The remake was not memorable, to say the least, and Brittany Snow’s performance was incomparable to Jamie Lee Curtis in the 1980 original. McCormick additionally changed the plot drastically, as well as most of the characters. Though the 2008 used the same title as the original film, the main character had a different name and the backstory was totally different. In the 1980 classic, a murderer sets out to seek vengeance on a group of teens on prom night for the careless death of a child in the past. In the 2008 film, the murderer is completely fixated on Snow’s character, proving to be a person from her past. His obsession turns into a killing spree, resulting in the deaths of all of Snow’s friends until he finally gets to her. There was nothing about vengeance and the death of a little girl.
The problem with classic horror remakes, or reinventions, is that they normally do not do well in the box office. Nostalgia becomes a huge factor when releasing these films; usually, the remake of the most nostalgic classic horror film is highly anticipated by lovers of the horror genre. For example, though unnecessary, a remake of The Exorcist (1973) may stir up some cinematic excitement, mainly because the original is an absolute classic in the horror canon.
However, another problem is that these remakes are almost forgotten about a week-or-two after their release. One or two viewers usually trickle into the theatre, though most of the time, one can look around the theatre and almost hear crickets because it’s so dead.
The two highest grossing horror remakes in the box office to this day are The Ring (2002) and The Grudge (2004) —both remakes of Japanese horror films. The third one down is The Haunting (1999), which was a remake of a 1963 film of the same title—both being adaptations of the 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson, a great read, for the record. All three films only obtained a lifetime gross that ranged between $90 million and $130 million, which is nothing compared to box-office-breaking films like Titanic, The Dark Knight, and Avatar.
So, what does this say about plans to remake The Craft? For one, The Craft is a ‘90s classic. If its director is relying on the nostalgia-factor behind the film to direct its remake into a success, then he/she is definitely on the right track. The Craft is a cult classic, meaning that it’s got a very impressive, deeply attached following. Many people have already expressed their excitement for a remake, simply because they want the film to make a comeback. Many are also expressing their distaste for a remake. The fact is, however, that many are already anticipating the film, whether it is negative or positive anticipation. This will probably drag a lot of people out to the theatres on opening night. Imagine, for instance, if The Breakfast Club were to be remade? A terrifying thought, I know, but would it not attract viewers? What about Gone with the Wind? Or Breakfast at Tiffany’s? All nostalgia-ridden films.
Another problem with remakes, or reinventions—or whatever you want to call them—is that the originals often feature actors and actresses that made the original impressive. For example, one cannot simply recreate Ringwald’s, Nelson’s, Sheedy’s, Hall’s, and Estevez’s performance in The Breakfast Club in the same way that Jamie Lee Curtis’ original performances in Prom Night and Halloween cannot be matched.
As for The Craft, I am not sure that I want to see a reinvention. Yes, the directors will most likely change the plot and even some of the characters, but the film’s original actresses, Balk, Tunney, Campbell, and True, are what made the film what it was and what it still is.
Maybe some things are just better left alone.