TEN HORROR NOVELS THAT ARE FAR SCARIER THAN THEIR MOVIE ADAPTATIONS

10 Books That Are Far Scarier Than Their Movie Adaptation By Brad LaCour – Published 9 hours ago Some of the best horror films of all time have come from literary classics. Frankenstein and Dracula haunted bookshelves before terrorizing the silver screen, and the tradition has continued ever since with modern masterpieces like The Exorcist and The Shining. That said, not all adaptations make the same impression, with some less impressive works leaving the discerning horror fan preferring to stick to the book over the film. From big-budget disasters to remakes that should have been left well enough alone, these are some of the horror movie adaptations in which the book reigned supreme. 10 'The Stepford Wives' (2004) Based on 'The Stepford Wives' by Ira Levin An idyllic community has a way of changing outspoken spouses' personalities in The Stepford Wives. Nicole Kidman stars in the 2004 remake as Joanna Eberhart, an overworked television executive who moves with her family to the town of Stepford for a much-needed change of scenery. When outspoken women around the neighborhood disappear, only to return as docile, subservient partners, Joanna believes a conspiracy is behind the changes. Possibly the book is scarier by design in this case because the 2004 version of The Stepford Wives seems less concerned with scares and more focused on laughs. The 1975 adaptation of Ira Levin’s novel starring Katharine Ross carried the same darkly satiric tone as its source material, but the Kidman version is cartoonish by comparison. While the novel was an international bestseller, the 2004 Stepford Wives was a high-profile box office failure that was quickly forgotten. YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfhUO27d16w 9 'The Relic' (1997) Based on 'Relic' by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child A ship filled with dead bodies leaves Chicago police detective Vincent D’Agosta (Tom Sizemore) on the hunt for a killer who might not be human in The Relic. A similar murder in the Museum of Natural History makes D’Agosta believe the two cases are related, and with the help of biologist Margo Green (Penelope Ann Miller), they work to solve the mystery. When the killer is discovered to be a giant monster, the two must work to stop the killing machine while convincing inept officials to close the museum off to the public. The Relic received mixed reviews with a current critical score of 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, but the novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child was much better received. As is the case with most adaptations from a novel, crucial aspects of the story were either cut or condensed, and in The Relic, two characters were combined to streamline the narrative. The Relic was a popular novel that benefited from a slower-paced plot that the creature feature movie didn’t have the luxury of with a 110-minute runtime. 8 'World War Z' (2013) Based on 'World War Z' by Max Brooks Zombies are no match for Brad Pitt’s star power in the action horror film World War Z. Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a father and husband who seeks a cure for the out-of-control zombie plague as it overtakes the world. The film would see Gerry directly in the middle of the conflict as he fights for survival in the face of hordes of fast and deadly zombies. The film was famously plagued with production issues that led to reshooting a large chunk of the story, but the film was met with decent audience reception. While the novel was an unsettling exploration of the breakdown of civilization, the movie was an action-heavy popcorn event that threw subtlety aside in favor of blockbuster set pieces. An example of an adaptation that stops at the title, the 2013 film’s choice to focus on a single protagonist robbed audiences of an epic and frightening story. 7 'The Haunting' (1999) Based on 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson When Nell (Lili Taylor) agrees to do a sleep study in a strange house, she unwittingly signs up for an encounter with malevolent ghosts in The Haunting. The 1999 adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel also starred Owen Wilson and Catherine Zeta-Jones as her fellow sleep study participants who are lured under false pretenses by Dr. David Morrow (Liam Neeson). The loose retelling of the novel had the group of strangers attempt to escape the large manor when faced with murderous spirits that want them to stay. The film had a strong opening weekend but quickly slipped down the charts with poor word of mouth scaring off anyone but the most ardent horror enthusiasts. Multiple versions of The Haunting of Hill House exist with warm reviews, but The Haunting currently sits at a 17% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. While The Haunting is a largely forgotten adaptation, Jackson’s novel is considered a timeless work of classic horror that influenced the majority of haunted house tales to come after it. YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4fWI5J4bEU 6 'Monkey Shines' (1988) Based on 'Monkey Shines' by Michael Stewart When an accident leaves Allan (Jason Beghe) paralyzed from the neck down, he receives a helper monkey named Ella to assist him. Enhanced by experimental injections to increase her intelligence, Ella forms a psychic bond with Allan. Their bond becomes deadly when Allan’s subconscious violent desires manifest into Ella’s physical actions in the George A. Romero-directed horror flick. Since its 1988 release, Monkey Shines has developed a bit of a cult following. However, it received mixed reviews from critics, who felt the movie was more melodrama than horror. Meanwhile, the novel is praised for its slow-burn approach, which slowly builds the tension until the story becomes a gripping page-turner. However, fans of Romero who haven’t seen Monkey Shines might consider crossing this off their completionist list. YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMjd3u9Fe4I 5 'Pet Sematary' (2019) Based on 'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King In Pet Sematary, Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) moves to a new town with his family and learns the dark secret of a burial ground that brings the dead back to life with a horrible twist. The film was a disappointing effort, considering of all King’s novels, Pet Sematary will sit as one of his greatest achievements. A genuinely disturbing exploration of how grief can drive a person to madness, free from the sometimes unruly length of the horror masters' later efforts. Pet Sematary, the novel, is as imaginative as it is heartbreaking, with the reader feeling the same gut punch as Louis does during the more tragic moments of the novel. The essential misstep in so many King adaptations is not understanding that less is more. The 2019 film attempts to add horrific visuals to shock the audience, but the manipulation of a grieving parent’s wish is emotionally devastating if allowed. The original film from 1989 was closer to capturing the hopelessness of the novel’s ending, but technology might still not be where it needs to be for this story to be adapted properly. YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK0LNzU2TQI 4 'Rawhead Rex' (1986) Based on a story in 'Books of Blood Vol 3' by Clive Barker An awakened monster causes havoc in the Irish countryside in Rawhead Rex. Howard (David Dukes) is a visiting historian from the U.S. researching a book with his family when a pagan monster, Rawhead Rex, emerges from the ground and goes on a rampage of terror. With little to no knowledge of what drives the monster, Howard will need to find an ancient weapon capable of killing Rawhead Rex before it takes more lives. Audience reception was equally unkind, pointing out that the costume for the monster was poorly crafted and reduced any chance of taking the film seriously. Although author Clive Barker wrote the screenplay for the 1986 film, he’s gone on record as not being happy with the film. Audience reception was equally unkind, pointing out that the costume for the monster was poorly crafted and reduced any chance of taking the film seriously. Although Rawhead Rex fell flat in cinemas, it did nothing to Barker’s popularity as a horror novelist, with his Books of Blood anthology series still highly regarded by his fans. 3 'Deadly Eyes' (1982) Based on 'The Rats' by James Herbert They haven’t built a mousetrap large enough for the oversized rats that attack the city of Toronto in Deadly Eyes. The film follows normal rats as they grow to incredible sizes after eating steroid-filled grain, and after their home is destroyed, they seek new shelter in the city where they find human-shaped food. Deadly Eyes might be low on actual scares, but it’s high on camp value, with dogs in rat costumes chasing actors on sets dark enough to sell the illusion. Fans of The Shining will possibly want to check out the movie to see an appearance of Scatman Crothers in a small role as an ill-fated health inspector. Fans of cheese (not the rats) will enjoy the grindhouse quality of the flick. Based on James Herbert's novel The Rats, Deadly Eyes currently has a 33% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans of cheese (not the rats) will enjoy the grindhouse quality of the flick. Meanwhile, Herbert's violent and gruesome novel The Rats was so well received that it led to a series of sequels that were highly regarded pieces of horror. YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exyxg4Q1E68 2 'It Chapter Two' (2019) Based on 'It' by Stephen King The sequel to the 2017 It directed by Andrés Muschietti, saw the Losers Club reunite as adults to fight the evil entity they know as Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard). Even though they were no longer kids, the danger was just as high with Pennywise preying on their fears before attempting to take their lives as long-overdue prizes. Returning to the cursed town of Derry would be an excellent cast, including James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and Jessica Chastain. When the adult cast for It Chapter Two was announced, the caliber of talent involved generated excitement, but unfortunately, they were all woefully misused for an uninspired adaptation. The special effects were underwhelming, considering the high-profile nature of the film, and they seemed like they were from a movie made ten years earlier. The ending of King’s epic tale of generational terror was always going to be difficult to film for a multitude of reasons, but the 2019 sequel made an odd choice to introduce immersion-breaking levity to the climactic finale. 1 'The Wicker Man' (2006) Based on 'Ritual' by David Pinner The search for a missing young woman leads police officer Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) to an island filled with strange people in The Wicker Man. Edward is trying to find his ex-fiancé’s daughter, but in the process, he begins to suspect the small community is hiding a deadly secret about her fate. After a dogged journey, Edward rescues the girl (Erika Shaye Gair), but that leads to a new set of problems for the police officer when he discovers the bigger plan the villagers were hatching the whole time. Currently sitting at a critics score of 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, the Cage-led movie is considered one of the worst remakes in recent memory. The film is both a remake of the 1973 film of the same name starring Edward Woodward and of the 1967 novel Ritual by David Pinner. While the reviews for Pinner’s novels are mixed, the reception to the book is far more kind than to the 2006 film that was lambasted by critics for a third act that borders on parody with a reliably over-animated performance from Cage. the-wicker-man-2006-film-poster.jpg The Wicker Man PG-13HorrorMysteryThriller A police officer embarks on a journey to a secluded island to solve the case of a missing girl, only to find himself in the midst of an eerie and secretive community. The island's inhabitants, with their peculiar traditions and rituals, hinder his investigation, leading to a series of bizarre and unsettling encounters. As he gets closer to the truth, he uncovers a chilling conspiracy that puts him in grave danger. The film blends suspense and horror, presenting a gripping narrative that explores themes of isolation, belief, and the harrowing depths of human nature. YouTube Trailer 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r86OlE7rlFc