Easily better than the original

Rating: 9/10 (5 September 2008)

To remake a 'cult' classic it seems, is to incur the wrath of those who loved the original so much that any thought of remaking it is blasphemy. This, it seems, is despite the imperfections of the original. For a horror film to be truly effective, however, never have the 'imperfections' been so important. For a horror film to work properly, you actually have to be scared. It has to be like the ghost stories older kids told you when you were kids (not the censored version your parents told you).
I think in terms of the 'The Ring' I was lucky in that I got to see the American version first. As a result, I didn't know the story and so seeing this version of the story as my first view of the tale had the same effect on me (no doubt) as people who saw the Japanese original for the first time.
I often believe that an original is better than it's remake ('The Vanishing', 'Yojimbo', 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' to name many). Let's not even bring 'The hitcher' into this discussion. In this case, however, the far superiour production values of the original make for a much scarier film than the original. I watched this version - the hairs stood up on my legs as I was watching it. I saw the original afterwards and it didn't have anyway near the same effect. Sure - you say - you knew what was coming! That's true - but then I watched this version again I had almost exactly the same sensation as when i watched it the first time.
Why? That's easy. For a film to work you need to be willling to suspend your disbelief. For a horror film to be scary, this is even more important. The superior production values of the remake make it much easier to suspend your disbelief and therefore it is more effective as a horror piece. Compare one directly to the other and you;ll see that the story is in no way compromised - but that the characters are richer, the acting is better, the effects are way, way ,way, way better and the tension is even more drawn out.
Simply put THIS is EXACTLY how to take an original film that used story to scare the bejesus out of you and then make a better film that has the same fundamental psychological effect. Those working on the "A Nightmare on Elm Street' remake please, please, PLEASE take note.