Let's see if there are any surprises, eh!
Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper) based on Poltergeist (James Kahn) - There is a reason the movie made my list of favourite grim, grinning ghosts. It's one of the more terrifying ghost stories ever told so you know the bookish version has got to be just as haunt-worthy!
Rosemary's Baby (Roman Polanski) based on Rosemary's Baby (Ira Levin) - I hate creepy children and this story is pretty much the reason why. The movie was released one year after the book was published and I do have to commend Polanski for remaining faithful to the source material.
The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock) based on The Birds and Other Stories (Daphne du Maurier) - Hitchcock was known for adapting scary books to the silver screen. His idea for The Birds came from a collection of short stories by du Maurier, one of them aptly titled, The Birds.
Black Christmas (Bob Clark) based on Black Christmas (Lee Hays) - It's hard to know this movie was based on a book, especially since the book has been long out of print. Where the novel delves more into the psychology of the characters, the movie versions do just as good a job detailing the murder and mayhem behind it all.
The Ring (Gore Verbinski) based on Ringu (Kôji Suzuki) - Most of us probably know that The Ring is an American remake of a Japanese horror film. What you probably don't know is that it's based on a book and its author, Suzuki, actually wrote the screenplay to both movie versions.
The Fog (John Carpenter) based on The Fog (Dennis Etchinson) - The Fog is one of Carpenter's scarier movies and it's no surprise when the source material is just as scary. This book was part of a series of novelizations of 80's horror films written by Dennis Etchison.
The Blob (Chuck Russell) based on The Blob (David Bischoff) - While it's not very common knowledge that The Blob we've all probably seen is actually a remake, it's a little known fact that the movie is actually based on a book of the same name. While events in the story correlate more to the movie's sequel, in the end, isn't it all the same? When it comes to murderous goo, you just can't win.
Alien (Ridley Scott) based on Alien (Alan Dean Foster) - Alien was one of the scariest movies (and video games) I'd ever seen. Foster's novels are some of the more popular screen adaptations (Terminator: Salvation, The Chronicles of Riddick) but I'd say Alien was his best! He even wrote books that correspond to the first three Alien films!
Friday the 13th (Sean Cunningham) based on Friday the 13th (Simon Hawke) - This movie is a cult classic and epitomizes everything we know about slasher films. Well teenagers beware because Jason Voorhees is just as deadly in these low key novelizations too!
The Exorcist (William Friedkin) based on The Exorcist (William Peter Blatty) - As much as I hate creepy kids, possession is what really freaks me out. Filmed during what many call "the golden age of horror films," this movie remains the scariest movie I've ever seen. And why wouldn't it be when it's based off a staple in the bookish community. Book and movie alike, it's a classic in the horror world.
Let's get scared! Did you know that any of these movies were based on books? Are there any that surprised you? What are some of your favourite books/films in the horror genre?
I just learned about The Ring as a book today, looking up scary covers. Interesting list, I never knew for most of these!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
I know! I knew it was a Japanese movie first but never realized it originated from a book. Pretty crazy, eh?!
DeleteOoh, what a great twist! Some of these I knew about (and have read!) -- Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist. But the rest, I had no idea! Poltergeist, a book? And Alien? Some of these movies are terrifying -- I can only imagine how scary the books must be!
ReplyDeleteLisa
I know, right?! The Blob and Friday the 13th were really surprising to me. I'm definitely going to have to check out a few of these books and report back on them.
DeleteOh I like the twist you did with the list. Awesome picks! :)
ReplyDeleteOur List
Andy @ Owl Always Be Reading
Thanks, Andy! :)
DeleteGreat list of scary movies, Nikki! I love Rosemary's Baby, and I need to find it to re-watch. I've read the book too and loved it. I think the biggest surprise on your list is Alien! I had no idea that was a book.
ReplyDeleteThe video game version and the movie really creeped me out so I can only imagine how creepy the movie must be. I'd have to say Friday the 13th and The Blob were my biggest surprises.
DeleteFantastic list! When I was little, The Blob was one of my fav horror films. And that scene in The Ring, oh my gosh. I was watching that movie alone and I remember being too scared to run out of the room when she came out of the tv like that. And Alien....well, I don't think it gets better than that franchise in the sci-fi horror genre. I watched The Exorcist as a kid, and it was the first and last time I've been able to watch it. It scared me for the rest of my life...lol.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know any of these were books! Great post. Happy Halloween!
I figured you were already aware of a lot of these, Naida.
DeleteBetween the coming of the TV scene and the first scene where you see the girl scared stiff, those were the ones that really freaked me out in The Ring. And Alien, OMG YES! It's still one of the creepiest movies I've ever seen. They really knocked it out of the ballpark there. And I still can't watch The Exorcist.
I meant I didn't know *some* of these were books.
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