The Top 10 Best American Movies Based on Foreign Films

5. Let Me In (Based on Let the Right One In)

Honestly, when it comes to remakes Let Me In is a pretty damn good one. It manages to capture everything that made Let the Right One In so haunting. That’s probably because it managed to cast the perfect creepy kids in the lead roles, Chloë Grace Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Then again, there are only two years between the original and the remake. In fact, interest in a remake apparently started before the first one was even released in Sweden, which is kinda weird, but I’m not going to complain since they’re two of the best vampire movies ever made. Of course, they’re also pretty creepy with the whole childhood romance between a bullied 12-year-old and a monster with eternal youth. Then again, at least the vampires don’t sparkle in this one.   

4. Sorcerer (Based on Le salaire de la peur)

Sorcerer is one of the great movies that almost was. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t made, but it had the terrible fortune of being released the same year as one of the greatest American movies ever made, Star Wars. not only that, but they literally came out within a month of each other, which is pretty bad luck. Still, the film is an incredibly taut thriller with an all-star cast of actors playing a group of men who volunteer to transport unstable nitroglycerine through an unforgiving jungle in South America. The stuff is so volatile that the slightest bump could turn them into a smoldering crater, and the roads they’re traveling on aren’t exactly paved. It’s truly an intense film and one you should definitely check out if you haven’t seen it.

3. Insomnia (Based on Insomnia)

Robin Williams and Al Pacino are making another appearance on this list in this movie based on the Norwegian thriller of the same name. Both follow a detective hunting a serial killer north of the Arctic circle. Fun fact, during some times of the year the sun never sets which makes getting a good nights sleep kind of impossible. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Pacino finds himself racked with guilt over a wrongful shooting he tries to pin on the killer he was sent to hunt in Alaska. Despite Pacino’s incredible performance as a sleep-deprived man slowly losing his mind, it’s Williams who really steals the show as he shrugs off his usual funny man routine and proves that comedians tend to give damn good performances when given the chance.

2. The Departed (Based on Internal Affairs)

Hollywood is no stranger when it comes to remaking Asian movies, especially when it comes to horror flicks. The Departed though is a far cry from the sub-par ghost flicks we usually see. That’s probably because it was helmed by one of the greatest directors of all time, Martin Scorsese. It also packs a pretty incredible cast with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, to name a few. Even though the original spawned two sequels, the American version racked up a ton of accolades which makes it one of the most successful American movies on this list. While sequels might not always be as good as the original, I wouldn’t mind seeing Scorsese take a swing at a follow up flick.

1. Some Like it Hot (Based on Fanfare of Love)

Coming in at the top of this list is not only a great remake but probably one of the best American movies of all time. This classic comedy stars three of the great powerhouses of yesteryear Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. It follows a pair of musicians that witness a mob murder and go on the run disguised as members of an all-girl traveling band. Of course, the film might be a little dated, but it’s still a pretty hilarious comedy (back from a time when a man dressing up as a woman was strictly for comedic purposes). I know that people tend to think that remakes are never as good as the originals, but who can resist a Monroe comedy? I can honestly say they don’t make movies like this anymore.  

Honorable Mention: 12 Monkeys (Based on La Jetée)

I was tempted to include this film on the list, but the fact that it’s “loosely based” on a 28-minute short film means that it just didn’t feel like an appropriate addition. Don’t feel too bad for it, because it still managed to make Stars & Popcorn’s Top 10 Asylum Movies.

There are a ton of other American movies based on foreign films out there, so if you have one that you feel like is missing from this list be sure to leave a comment below. I’d also love to hear if there’s a foreign film you’d love to see an American remake of. Personally, I wouldn’t mind an American I Saw the Devil from Chad Stahelski, Gareth Evans or David Leitch. As always, I’ll be updating the rankings on this list as new movies hit the silver screen, so be sure to check back from time to time to see the changes!