Several iconic horror movies from earlier decades just don’t hold up to today’s standards, which often makes them get overlooked by modern audiences. At the time of their release, they might have been groundbreaking, but with their limited technology and simpler storytelling, a lot of them can easily feel outdated nowadays. Additionally, older horror films often relied on implied scares and slow build-ups, which is why they don’t really hold the attention of today’s viewers.
Modern audiences want a faster pace, more exciting horrors, and complex characters. Plus, certain themes from old-school movies just don’t click with the way we see the world now. That’s where new adaptations come in. From Re-Animator to Cannibal Holocaust, there are quite a few iconic horror movies that deserve a modern reboot. If done right, these titles could get a fresh spin while honoring the originals’ legacy, giving them a whole new life for a whole new generation.
10
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Directed by Fred Dekker
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Night Of The Creeps
R
HorrorComedySci-Fi
Night of the Creeps is a 1986 science fiction horror film directed by Fred Dekker. The story follows a group of college students who must fend off a horde of alien-infected zombies. Tom Atkins stars as a hard-boiled detective drawn into the chaos when experiments from decades past resurface, unleashing terror on a small town. The film blends elements of horror and comedy, creating a cult classic within the genre.
Release Date
August 22, 1986
Runtime
88 Minutes
Cast
Jason Lively
, Tom Atkins
, Steve Marshall
, Jill Whitlow
, Wally Taylor
, Bruce Solomon
, Vic Polizos
, Allan Kayser
Director
Fred Dekker
If you’ve never seen Night of the Creeps, you’re in for a treat. This 1986 cult classic is the perfect mix of campy humor, horror, and sci-fi, delivering as much fun as it does scares. It borrows elements from alien invasion flicks, zombie movies, and slasher films, blending them into a chaotic and entertaining ride. It’s like someone grabbed all the tropes from the 1950s and gave them a 1980s twist.
Arguably, the movie was ahead of its time, yet it now feels dated. It’s very 1980s in terms of visuals, pacing, and effects. A modern reboot could easily bring this story to a new audience with updated special effects and a sharper script that plays up the humor and thrills. Luckily, producer James Wan said he wants to remake Night of the Creeps, so we might just see this wish come true.
9
Dead & Buried (1981)
Directed by Gary Sherman
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Dead and Buried
R
In the small town of Potters Bluff, several tourists are brutally murdered by a group of locals, but they don’t stay dead for long. Shortly afterward, they reappear in the city as residents.
Release Date
May 29, 1981
Runtime
94 minutes
Main Genre
Horror
Cast
Melody Anderson
, Jack Albertson
, Robert Englund
Director
Gary Sherman
When talking about Dead & Buried, it’s worth mentioning that it’s one of Robert Englund’s best horror movies that aren’t Nightmare on Elm Street films. Yes, before he terrified us as Freddy Krueger, Englund had a smaller but memorable role in this underrated 1981 gem.
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Notably, Dead & Buried doesn’t rely on jump scares or flashy effects. Instead, it creates an eerie, slow-burn atmosphere that sticks with viewers long after the credits roll. The mystery is fascinating, and the big reveal is shocking, but modern audiences haven’t had a chance to discover its genius. A modern reboot could elevate Dead & Buried by focusing on its unsettling themes, and with today’s special effects, the gore and the reanimation sequences could be even more disturbing. This is the perfect movie for fans of creepy, small-town horror stories like Midnight Mass or The Wicker Man, making it the ultimate candidate for a revival.
8
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Directed by Herk Harvey
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Carnival of Souls
PG
HorrorMysteryThriller
Mary Henry finds herself as the sole survivor of a fatal car accident. As she tries to rebuild her life, she moves to Utah and becomes a church organist, but is haunted by harrowing visions. As the visions take over, Mary is drawn to the deserted carnival, where she discovers secrets linked to her tragic past.
Release Date
September 26, 1962
Runtime
84 minutes
Cast
Candace Hilligoss
, Frances Feist
, Sidney Berger
, Art Ellison
, Stan Levitt
, Tom McGinnis
Director
Herk Harvey
Carnival of Souls is one of those eerie, low-budget classics that has stuck with horror fans for decades. It’s a haunting story directed by Herk Harvey, who is sadly a part of the “best directors that only did one great movie and then quit” club. After making this one gem, Harvey never made another feature film. Carnival of Souls remains his legacy, standing out as a deeply unsettling film that still holds up, despite its age.
However, despite its on-point atmosphere, the original feels dated, especially when it comes to the visuals and pacing. A modern reboot could give the story the emotional depth it lacked at most times, not to mention the elevated sound and visual design that could be achieved with today’s technology. Although Carnival of Souls didn’t make a big impact when it was first released, modern horror fans would undoubtedly embrace it in a reimagined version.
7
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Directed by Georges Franju
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Eyes Without a Face
Approved
HorrorDrama
Release Date
October 24, 1962
Runtime
90 Minutes
Cast
Pierre Brasseur
, Alida Valli
, Juliette Mayniel
, Alexandre Rignault
, Edith Scob
Director
Georges Franju
Eyes Without a Face is one of the 1960s horror movies that should be on your watchlist, rebooted or not. This French horror masterpiece about a surgeon trying to restore his daughter’s disfigured face is hauntingly poetic and deeply disturbing at the same time. However, despite its influence on later films, such as Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In, it remains lesser-known among general audiences.
Eyes Without a Face stands out as a timeless story that’s still incredibly relevant, especially with today’s focus on appearance and beauty.
While the film’s style does feel a bit old-fashioned, its emotional depth and disturbing elements are still as powerful as ever. Eyes Without a Face stands out as a timeless story that’s still incredibly relevant, especially with today’s focus on appearance and beauty. A modern reboot could take the story in so many directions, from ethical questions around cosmetic surgery to obsession with perfection, taking what worked in the original and making it even more appropriate and unsettling for today’s horror enthusiasts.
6
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Directed by John D. Hancock
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Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
PG
HorrorMysteryDrama
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, directed by John D. Hancock, follows Jessica, recently discharged from a mental institution, as she settles into a country house with her husband and friend. Her fragile state is further shaken by the presence of a mysterious girl and the ominous forces that begin to unfold around her.
Release Date
August 27, 1971
Runtime
89 Minutes
Cast
Zohra Lampert
, Barton Heyman
, Kevin O’Connor
, Gretchen Corbett
, Alan Manson
, Mariclare Costello
Director
John D. Hancock
The beauty of Let’s Scare Jessica to Death lies in its slow-burn approach to horror, which is why it’s one of those horror movies from the 1970s that definitely deserves more love. The 1971 film is a haunting, psychological horror that doesn’t rely on traditional jump scares, but instead builds an atmosphere of creeping dread and confusion. It effortlessly plays with psychological horror, paranoia, and the fear of losing control.
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Though Let’s Scare Jessica to Death is an underrated gem, it is a product of its time after all. With modern filmmaking techniques, a reboot could take the way the film blurs the lines between reality and madness to new heights. Additionally, given its emphasis on psychological horror, modern storytelling techniques could easily make Let’s Scare Jessica to Death stand out in the horror genre if given a fresh look.
5
The Sentinel (1977)
Directed by Michael Winner
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The Sentinel
R
HorrorMysteryFantasy
The Sentinel, released in 1977, follows fashion model Alison Parker as she moves into a Brooklyn Heights apartment filled with eccentric tenants. Confronted by unsettling events, Parker seeks to unveil the ominous secret behind her new residence’s troubling inhabitants.
Release Date
January 7, 1977
Runtime
92 minutes
Cast
Chris Sarandon
, Cristina Raines
, Martin Balsam
, John Carradine
, José Ferrer
, Ava Gardner
, Arthur Kennedy
, Burgess Meredith
, Sylvia Miles
, Deborah Raffin
, Eli Wallach
, Christopher Walken
, Jerry Orbach
, Beverly D’Angelo
, Gary Allen
, Tresa Hughes
, Kate Harrington
, Jane Hoffman
, Elaine Shore
, Hank Garrett
, William Hickey
, Jeff Goldblum
, Nana Visitor
, Tom Berenger
, Richard Dreyfuss
Director
Michael Winner
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Although The Sentinel had a unique concept, it never quite got the attention it deserved. On the other hand, when watched today, it can feel a bit old-fashioned in its execution. It’s one of those lesser-known horror movies that blends supernatural terror with psychological dread, themes that could easily be worked with to meet more modern standards.
Centering around a young woman named Alison who moves into a Brooklyn apartment, only to discover that it is already home to dark secrets and sinister residents, The Sentinel has great potential to be remade. Pair the movie’s timeless plot with more shocking visuals, a deeper exploration of the occult, and an amped-up claustrophobic setting of the haunted apartment building, and a modern version of this 1977 gem is ready to be introduced to a whole new generation of horror fans.
4
Black Sunday (1960)
Directed by Mario Bava
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Originally titled La Maschera Del Demonio, Mario Bava’s Black Sunday is a grossly underrated Italian horror from the 1960s that helped shape the genre of its era. The movie follows the story of a vengeful witch, played by the iconic Barbara Steele, who is resurrected from the dead and seeks revenge on the descendants of those who condemned her to death.
Lauded by many as the hallmark of gothic horror, Black Sunday is an ode to striking visuals, a masterful balance of light and darkness, and a captivating color palette. Just focusing on those elements, a modern reboot of this masterpiece has the potential to captivate horror fans across generations. It boasts all the elements needed for a successful revival, from a timelessly appealing story to deeply unsettling horror elements that could easily be brought to life with today’s technology and filmmaking techniques.
3
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
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Cannibal Holocaust
r
Horror
Cannibal Holocaust is a controversial 1980 horror film directed by Ruggero Deodato. It follows anthropologist Harold Monroe (Robert Kerman) and his rescue team as they venture into the Amazon jungle to investigate the disappearance of documentary crew that went missing while researching a cannibalistic tribe.
Release Date
June 21, 1985
Runtime
95 minutes
Cast
Robert Kerman
, Francesca Ciardi
, Perry Pirkanen
, Luca Barbareschi
Director
Ruggero Deodato
Considered to be one of the most controversial horror movies ever made, Cannibal Holocaust is known for its brutal violence, disturbing visuals, and groundbreaking approach to blending documentary-style filmmaking with horror. The film is infamous for its shocking scenes, including animal violence and graphic gore, creating an experience that feels raw and unsettling, to say the least.
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Even though many modern horror movies are set in the 1980s, this real-life ’80s trailblazer never got a modern reboot. Despite its controversial core, a modern take on the film’s aesthetics could bring it to life in a fresh light. The original’s gritty, documentary-style shooting could be reimagined with current technology to give it a more polished feel while still amping up the sense of dread. With an undeniable legacy in horror, Cannibal Holocaust stands out as a title more than worthy of a modern remake.
2
Re-Animator (1985)
Directed by Stuart Gordon
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9/10
Re-Animator
Horror Sci-FiComedy
1985’s Re-Animator is a feature-length film based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, Herbert West–Reanimator. The Horror and Comedy release follows a man that spends time attempting to create a reagent that will reanimate the dead.
Release Date
October 18, 1985
Runtime
84 minutes
Cast
Jeffrey Combs
, Bruce Abbott
, Robert Sampson
, David Gale
, Barbara Crampton
Director
Stuart Gordon
Sequel(s)
Re-Animator: Evolution
There is no question about it — the Re-Animator movies deserve remakes, with the initial release standing out as the pinnacle of the horror trilogy. Released in 1985, Re-Animator is a horror-comedy cult classic that blends over-the-top gore with dark humor. Based loosely on H.P. Lovecraft’s story Herbert West–Reanimator, the film follows Herbert West, a brilliant but mad scientist who invents a potion that can bring the dead back to life.
For Re-Animator, the special effects team went through an astounding twenty-four gallons of fake blood. Makeup artist John Naulin called it the bloodiest film he’d ever worked on, noting that he had never used more than two gallons in any previous shoot.
Notably, Re-Animator is known for its outrageous special effects, quirky humor, and memorable characters, mixing campy humor with gruesome horror in a way that was ahead of its time. With this unique combination being a fan favorite today (think Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and What We Do in the Shadows), a modern reboot of this niche sensation has the potential to be even more iconic than the original.
1
The Entity (1982)
Directed by Sidney J. Furie
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The Entity
R
DramaHorror
The Entity is a supernatural horror film directed by Sidney J. Furie, starring Barbara Hershey as Carla Moran, a woman who experiences terrifying assaults by an unseen force. The film, inspired by a true story, centers around Carla’s struggle to convince skeptics of the paranormal nature of her torment, seeking both psychological and scientific help.
Release Date
September 30, 1982
Runtime
125 Minutes
Cast
Barbara Hershey
Director
Sidney J. Furie
As a supernatural horror based on a true story, The Entity makes for the ideal contender to remake in a more modern light. The story centers around Carla Moran, a woman who is repeatedly abused by an unseen force. Despite its terrifying premise, The Entity suffers from the expected issues that come with being a product of its time. The special effects and pacing feel outdated by today’s standards, which might make it harder for modern audiences to fully connect with the story.
If done right, a revival [of The Entity] has the potential to offer fresh intensity that the original somewhat lacked.
However, its core idea, the trauma of being attacked by something invisible and the fear of not being believed, remains incredibly relevant and chilling. Updated film technology of today could bring a reimagined take on The Entity to life in a more relatable way, without sacrificing its terrifying essence. If done right, a revival has the potential to offer fresh intensity that the original somewhat lacked.