5. Candyman (1992)
Before Candyman stalked the Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago, he was a boogeyman looming over the fictional Spector Street housing estate in Liverpool, England. That’s where Clive Barker, the horror writer, and filmmaker responsible for not one great 20th-century horror movie series but two, set his short story “The Forbidden” in the Books of Blood anthologies. But while Barker adapted Hellraiser himself, he gave the reigns of his other adaptation, Candyman, over to Bernard Rose, who transported the story to America.
There, the character’s legacy took root easily as the country’s legacy of anti-Black violence fueled the creation of the Candyman myth. Tony Todd gives an inspired, terrifying performance as the wrongly persecuted man who returns to make sure the world remembers his name, while the film’s interpretation of Barker’s story has spawned three sequels that continue to interrogate rarely-examined ideas about race and class through the lens of horror and urban legend. (Valerie Ettenhofer)
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Whenever I start to get irritated at the fact that one of my favorite movies of all time, the slow-burn satanic pregnancy film Rosemary’s Baby, was made by someone as repulsive as Roman Polanski, I take solace in remembering that the filmmaker is in many ways just a faithful messenger delivering Ira Levin’s vision. Levin’s 1967 novel is remarkably similar to the final product we see on screen, from the increasingly ominous circumstances of young Rosemary’s pregnancy to the feminist overcurrents in a story about bodily autonomy.
For such an initially subtle story, Rosemary’s Baby lends itself surprisingly well to the screen, thanks in large part to Mia Farrow’s endearing embodiment of Rosemary and John Cassavetes and Ruth Gordon‘s slyly disturbing turns as her gaslighting husband and meddling neighbor, respectively. While the film is perhaps most remembered for its revelatory, creepy-as-hell final scene, it’s the baby’s horrifying conception – a scene that’s just as disturbing in the novel – that haunts me most. (Valerie Ettenhofer)
3. American Psycho (2000)
The ideal adaptation is one that maintains the core of what makes the source material memorable while still adding its own choices. The filmmaker becomes the new storyteller, taking over for the author and expressing the tale in their own voice, and that’s exactly what Mary Harron does with Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. Key elements are retained, but Ellis’ grotesquely detailed mutilations of female victims are out, while a sharper comedic tone and eye for set pieces are brought in. Patrick Bateman is still a killer (maybe?), but he’s no longer anything more than a cold prick – he’s a fucked up human being with fears, issues, and love for Phil Collins. Christian Bale is phenomenal in the role, melding the killer’s plastic exterior with the human struggling within, and the result is a film that thrills, entertains, and has you laughing even when you know you shouldn’t. (Rob Hunter)
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Not only is The Silence of the Lambs one of the greatest horror films ever made, but it’s also one of the best book adaptations to grace the screen. Released in 1988, Thomas Harris’ sequel to 1981’s Red Dragon was a runaway, award-winning hit; a terse, heart-pumping tale about a whip-smart FBI hopeful on the trail of a grisly killer. Because Jonathan Demme’s Best Picture-winning film adheres so closely to Harris’ text, it’s difficult to tell if the book is cinematic or if the film’s iconic gait has caused it to eclipse a fresh reading of its source material. While there are differences, of course (Clarice takes much more of a liking to the Smithsonian etymologist in the book, for instance), The Silence of the Lambs is, on the whole, incredibly faithful. And given the status of Demme’s film (the darn thing’s been entered into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, for goodness sake), its position this high up on this list should come as no surprise. Let’s grab some chianti to celebrate! (Meg Shields)
1. Jaws (1975)
Peter Benchley‘s 1974 novel about a great white shark that attacks a small seaside town on the south shore of Long Island was an instant success upon publication. While critics were mixed about the book, it was a best seller, and Universal quickly snatched up the rights and tagged Steven Spielberg to direct. Spielberg stayed true to the shark hunt in the back third of the book but dropped several subplots — including one of a pointless affair — and made the characters more likable. Perhaps Spielberg’s greatest addition was making the film’s protagonist, Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), deathly afraid of the ocean. Needless to say, Spielberg’s changes paid off in a big way. Jaws ushered in the studio blockbuster, forever changing the way films are released and permanently altering our summer plans. As a film, Jaws manages to be both a blossoming bromance between three studly studs and the exciting adventure of a cool shark that likes to eat people. 5 stars! (Chris Coffel)
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