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Sam Raimi's Ghost House Remaking Anguish and Room 205

by Kevin Powers
February 11, 2009

Sam Raimi might finally return to his campy Army of Darkness days of old with Drag Me to Hell, as our friend Nick claims, but don't expect that influence to carry over to two new films that Raimi's Ghost House Pictures has acquired. They are remaking two European horror films - Anguish from Spain and Room 205 from Denmark. Ghost House has been behind some decent additions to the genre (30 Days of Night and The Grudge), but they've also brought to the screen duds like Rise and Boogeyman 3. The attached names also don't lead us to believe that either of these two will ascend out of C-grade territory.

Anguish, which centers on two girls who discover their lives begin to mirror the plot of a scary film they recently watched, will be penned by Jack Wade Wall (When a Stranger Calls, Hitcher). There's no director for the remake of the 1987 original yet, but we do know Anguish's production team will also include members from Vertigo Entertainment, the same guys previously involved with The Strangers.

When Room 205 debuts in English form, it will actually be called The Dorm, and is set to be helmed by the director of the original film (which was released last year), Martin Barnewitz. I can't say a story about a college freshmen and the scary forces that inhabit her room is terribly intriguing, but I am encouraged that the original director is involved and scribe Stephen Susco (The Grudge, Red) will adapt. I just might have to try and find Room 205 (aka Kollegiet), since that appears to have a bit more promise than Anguish. While I hope these films might be the next The Descent or The Grudge, I'm doubtful. What about you?

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