Horror is a collaborative process. While there have been many fantastic original horror movies throughout the years, there have also been many fantastic adaptations. Horror has always been a popular genre, and horror novels have always remained a popular sub-genre of literature. From Bram Stoker to Edgar Allan Poe to Stephen King, horror has always permeated the pop-culture consciousness.
And we can’t ignore these brilliant minds and brilliant stories. And we haven’t. The results are some of the finest horror films ever made. These are the ten best horror movie adaptations from popular books.
Audition (1999)
Audition is arguably one of the most sickening movies to come out of Japan. The movie received solid reviews upon release, including an 81% over on Rotten Tomatoes, and it has remained steady in the horror canon.
Often called a predecessor, or perhaps even influence, on the torture porn genre, Audition absolutely sickened general audiences in 1999. What some people may not know is that this is an adaptation from a novel written by Ryu Murakami. You should check it out - that is, if you can stomach it.
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1920)
We understand that it’s tough to watch old movies, especially really old movies. But if you’re a fan of horror movie history (or just the horror genre in general), you owe it to yourself to watch the 1920 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
This adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s seminal novel(la) stars John Barrymore in the titular role and is often regarded as the best adaptation of the story. It currently sits with a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.0/10 rating on IMDb. It was also nominated for AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills list in 2001.
The Exorcist (1973)
And here we have the granddaddy of them all - The Exorcist. The Exorcist is a seminal horror film and widely touted as the greatest horror movie ever made. Incredibly controversial upon release, this movie was also the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture, and it was placed third on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills list in 2001.
The movie was based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name, which itself was influenced by a supposed demonic possession in the 1940s. That might be (and probably is) nonsense, but The Exorcist sure isn’t.
Frankenstein (1931)
Where would the horror genre be without Frankenstein? Frankenstein is easily one of the most popular and most influential horror films ever made, and the makeup work done on Boris Karloff remains some of the most iconic imagery in horror movie history.
Named the 87th greatest movie of all time by AFI (although later removed in their 2007 update), Frankenstein is an all-time classic. As is Mary Shelley’s brilliant novel, which was published in 1818. Mary Shelley was just twenty years old at the time. Now just imagine writing Frankenstein at 20.
Let The Right One In (2008)
Let the Right One In is a wonderful vampire film released in Sweden in 2008. It received immense amounts of praise (scoring 82 on Metacritic and 98% on Rotten Tomatoes) and won numerous awards, including Best Foreign Film at the British Independent Film Awards and Best International Film at the Saturn Awards.
While not very popular in North America, the source novel (Låt den rätte komma in) was incredibly popular in John Ajvide Lindqvist’s native Sweden. It has since become the subject of an American remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz. It’s good, but it’s no Let the Right One In.
Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatu is an enormously influential horror film, albeit a somewhat controversial one. Originally released in Germany in 1922, Nosferatu was actually an unlicensed adaptation of Dracula, Bram Stoker’s seminal vampire novel.
Aside from a few slight changes (“vampire” to “nosferatu”, Dracula to Count Orlok), Nosferatu remained dangerously close to Dracula and was successfully sued by Bram Stoker’s estate. Despite orders to destroy all copies, Nosferatu survived (much like a vampire itself) and became one of the most popular, influential, and scariest horror films ever released.
The Phantom Of The Opera (1925)
Much legend and fervor surrounded The Phantom of the Opera when it was released in 1925. Despite initially receiving a mixed reception, most critics and audiences commended Lon Chaney’s performance as The Phantom and his ghastly makeup, which supposedly made patrons scream and faint.
However, the film has undergone a bit of a critical re-evaluation throughout the years and is now regarded as a classic. It currently sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus calling Chaney’s performance “one of the benchmarks of the horror genre.”
The Ring (2002)
The 2000s were inundated with English remakes of Japanese horror films (typically referred to as “J-horror”), as we have The Ring to thank for that. The Ring was an oddly successful American remake of Ringu, which itself was adapted from Koji Suzuki’s novel of the same name.
The movie was generally well-received for its creepy atmosphere, spawned a franchise, launched the aforementioned J-horror craze of the 2000s, and grossed nearly $250 million at the worldwide box office. It’s a success from all angles.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Unfortunately, the legacy of Rosemary’s Baby has been tainted by the reputation of its director, Roman Polanski. But if we allow ourselves to separate art from the artist, then we can see that Rosemary’s Baby is one of the greatest horror films ever released. The film won a slew of awards back in the day and was placed ninth on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills list in 2001.
Ira Levin’s source novel was just as popular, selling four million copies and launching the so-called “horror boom” of the late 60s and 70s. It’s a great story, both in film and novel form.
The Shining (1980)
Stephen King is a horror maestro, but he has been the unfortunate recipient of some truly terrible movie adaptations. But not so with Stanley Kubrick’s timeless The Shining. Despite King’s own feelings of disappointment, The Shining is an undeniable masterpiece owing mainly to Jack Nicholson’s unhinged performance, Kubrick’s typically stylish direction, and the movie’s ambiguity and complex themes.
Much praise and speculation have been heaped on The Shining over the years, and we don’t expect that to stop any time soon.
