Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade

This collection was inspired by the observation that film remakes offer us the opportunity to revisit important issues, stories, themes, and topics in a manner that is especially relevant and meaningful to contemporary audiences. Like mythic stories that are told again and again in differing ways, film remakes present us with updated perspectives on timeless ideas. While some remakes succeed and others fail aesthetically, they always say something about the culture in which-and for which-they are produced.

Scott A. Lukas is chair of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Lake Tahoe Community College. John Marmysz is professor of philosophy at the College of Marin in California.