Horror movies have seen a recent resurgence in popularity, especially in recent years. While some are getting entirely remade and updated, other original horror movies are helping to redefine the genre. However, horror has always owed a little bit of its popularity to some of the original writer’s ideas.
With Stephen King movies being so popular, many other horror films are released that people don’t realize were originally a novel. To honor some of those great horror books, here is our list of 10 horror movies you didn’t realize were based on books.
Jaws
Steven Spielberg’s classic, Jaws (1975), broke new ground for the horror genre upon its initial release. To this day, it remains one of Spielberg’s highest praised films. However, not many people know that Jaws was actually based off of a book. Under the same title, author Peter Benchley published the original story in 1974. This means that, in under a year, Benchley’s novel adaptation had begun production. Jaws remains a popular horror film even today, but many people still don’t realize that it was, in fact, a novel first.
The Woman In Black
The Woman in Black (2012) stars Daniel Radcliffe in one of his first major roles since leaving the Harry Potter franchise behind him. The film itself was met with relatively mixed reviews, mostly because of the way the film ended. However, most people don’t realize that it was also a book, long before it was adapted into a film. Susan Hill wrote the original novel in 1983 and the novel remains just as terrifying as it was during its original release. While the movie may not have done the book justice, the original The Woman in Black is easily one of the most frightening reads, even decades after its release.
The Haunting Of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson was such a popular horror novel, that it has received two live action adaptations. In 1999, Liam Neeson starred in The Haunting from director Jan de Bont. Though the film has relatively poor reviews, some still consider it to be a cult-classic. Later, in 2018, Netflix launched their own adaptation of the story.
This version was met with high praise that, though not considered to be the scariest show, had enough plot structure and strong characters to make it a very entertaining watch. While both adaptations are a fair departure from the source material, both are still interesting adaptations in and of themselves, making them worth a watch.
Psycho
Despite being one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous films, many are unfamiliar with the fact that Psycho (1960) was originally a novel. Furthermore, the novel by Robert Bloch is actually based on a true story. Knowing that the movie is inspired by real events just adds a whole extra layer of horror to it. Furthermore, knowing it was based on a book makes people wonder just how gruesome the extra material may be. While the movie doesn’t hold up to the same standards as modern horror flicks do, the book easily retains the suspension and eeriness that always made it so great.
The Ring
Most fans of The Ring (2002) know that it is actually based on the Japanese film, Ring (1998). However, the Japanese version of the film is based on a series of stories, Ring, by Koji Suzuki.
Fans of the American version can rejoice, as there are several other takes on the same story, offering a lot of small variations to what is considered one of the better modern horror films. The novel has been translated into English, making it ideal for any horror fan in general as well as any fan of the film.
I Am Legend
I Am Legend (2007) is unique in that it doesn’t incorporate many elements of traditional horror. Instead, it functions more as a story of survival with the monsters having a heavy presence at the end. Those who have read the book by Richard Matheson often consider it to be the better of the two, with the book focusing a bit more on the creatures than the film version does. However, the film is still held in a relatively high regard. Of course, Will Smith does a fantastic job in virtually any role he is given, which, combined with the great storytelling from the book, make both of them worth checking out for any classic horror fan.
From Hell
From Hell (2001) is a mystery/thriller starring Johnny Depp as he and other detectives try to track down Jack the Ripper. Like other films on this list, From Hell was met with some mixed reception. The book, however, is actually a graphic novel by comic book legend, Alan Moore. For those unfamiliar, Moore is most known for books like Batman: The Killing Joke, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and most of all, Watchmen. Like many of his other titles, From Hell is typically met with high praise, despite being one of the author’s lesser-known books. As a result, any fan of mystery, horror, or comics should find comfort within the world of From Hell.
Interview With The Vampire
Interview With The Vampire (1994) stars Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the story that redefined vampire’s role in cinema. However, this popular cult-classic was originally a novel by Anne Rice before it broke ground in theaters.
Those who like the different take on the classic monsters should easily be fans of both the novel and the film, despite the drastic age gap between the two. Considering the novel was published in 1974, it shows just how much it has withstood the test of time, making both of them worthy of the attention of any vampire fan.
American Psycho
Christain Bale famously brought the character of Patrick Bateman to life in 2000’s American Psycho by director Mary Harron. Not only is American Psycho praised for its contributions to the horror genre, but also for its portrayal of a unique character study. However, many of these elements are pulled straight from the book by Bret Easton Ellis. Not only is Ellis’ storytelling incredibly dark, but he really did a phenomenal job in creating a unique and interesting character that surprisingly made sense, despite being a psychopath. Because of this, it makes sense that both the movie and the novel would receive such high praise.
Candyman
At the moment, Candyman (1992) is one of the most recent films to receive the remake treatment, with the next interpretation set to release next year. The original film, starring Virginia Madsen, Vanessa Williams, and Tony Todd, remains one of the more beloved horror classics to this day. The interesting thing about the film though is that it is based on a short story by Clive Barker. Under the Books of Blood, the Candyman was first introduced, later going on to inspire the live action version. Though the stories are different, the core appeal to the Candyman remains consistent, making fans excited for what is to come.
