This week has been a mixed bag of fruits for those who enjoy horror films.
The Nightmare on Elm Street remake is now been greenlighted, while the Near Dark remake is now almost definitely off. To add to this Rob Zombie is getting a sequel to his badly taken (but successful) Halloween remake.
I watched A nightmare on Elm Street the other day and while the film has dated in it's jump scares and effects, the film still works well as a horror film. Its sub-text and dream logic is still hard to beat within the realms of mainstream Horror. The problem is America has almost given up on the idea of an original horror idea and seem set on releasing every old film under the sun.
These films are being thrown out at great speed and with mixed (mostly poor) results. While a remixed Nightmare could be a great idea with spruced up effects and a modern touch. Most remakes seem to forget what made the original films so special in the first place. A great example of this is the U.S remake of The Ring. By spelling out plot moments and ruining one of the most effective set pieces in modern horror, the end result is a bloated and lackluster film.
Many Horror fans can see a New Nightmare being devoid of those primal fears that made the first film so memorable and being given a tepid slasher movie. The jump scares improved but the creepiness gone.
I'm quite happy the Near Dark idea is being scrapped after hearing Producer Brad Fullers comments. Likened to Twilight? Granted i haven't seen the film yet but from the previews, the only thing that connects the two films are vampires. Replacing Near Dark's Neo noir western feel with OC style angst does not float my boat.
This brings me on to Mr Zombie. One of the main reasons I avoided the Halloween remake is because of the 2002 statements made by the director before making the film. After making the film obtaining the poor reviews and the outrages (but making a large amount of cash to be fair). Zombie said he's not going to make a sequel to the film....guess what folks....that's right!
Annoyingly this is after making this statement
Many on the boards have stated that Zombie made an OK film and I feel his a competent director in his on right. But one of Zombie's bad original ideas (read Devils Rejects) appears more watchable than a money motivated sequel. I maybe wrong but Zombie came into the horror scene as a raw and hungry director with original ideas blended with old school pastiche. Why turn around make such derivative films?*
*While I know i haven't seen the Halloween remake as of yet, But seriously, giving Micheal Myers such an elaborate backstory makes him lose his appeal and effectiveness.
