Hollywood produces more than 300 movies each year. Though most of these movies are original, Hollywood holds back from adapting or taking inspiration from non-Hollywood films.

Generally, movie makers in Hollywood buy the rights and officially adapt foreign language movies, instead of simply ripping them off. Foreign movies have also influenced Hollywood.

There are many instances where American movie-makers have taken inspiration from foreign films. Let’s have a look at a few Hollywood adaptations of non-English movies:

Hollywood remakes European movies:

Being socially and culturally similar to the United States, European movies often become the sources of inspiration for movie-makers in Hollywood. So many Hollywood movies are simply remakes or heavily influenced by European movies. And this trend started as early as 1938. Let’s check out a few of such top movies:

I am Legend

Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release: 2007

This sci-fi movie portrays a man who is the sole survivor of a plague. This mysterious plague has turned many into monsters. Dr. Robert Neville (played by Smith), the only human survivor, tries to find a cure using his immune blood.

This post-apocalyptic fantasy movie is adapted from L’ultimo uomo della Terra (1964), an Italian movie.

Algiers

Stars: Charles Boyer, Hedy Lamarr, Sigrid Gurie
Director: John Cromwell
Release: 1938

Algiers is a drama film where a criminal meets a beautiful lady in Algeria. The lady makes him yearn for a new beginning in his life.

This movie is inspired by the French film Pépé le Moko (1937) which has almost the same story.

Just Visiting

Cast: Jean Reno, Christina Applegate, Malcolm McDowell, Tara Reid
Director: Jean-Marie Poiré
Release: 2001

In Just Visiting, with the help of a wizard, a knight attempts time travel to save the princess he loves from getting murdered. But, he appears in 21st century Chicago where he meets his descendants. This fantasy comedy movie is a remake of the French film Les Visiteurs (1993) directed by the same director and starring the same key actor Jean Reno.

The Man with One Red Shoe

Cast: Tom Hanks, Lori Singer, Debney Coleman
Director: Stan Dragoti
Release: 1985

In this comedy movie, a man is randomly picked by the CIA. Then he is made the target of surveillance.

This movie is a remake of the French film Le Grand Blond avec une Chaussure Noire (1972). In the original one, the pawn was with one black shoe instead of red.

City of Angels

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan
Director: Brad Silberling
Release: 1998

City of Angels is a fantasy movie.

This movie is inspired by the German film Der Himmel über Berlin (1987) which has a similar plot.

Insomnia

Cast: Al Pacino, Hilary Swank
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release: 2002

In this movie, a detective named Will Dormer (played by Pacino) is investigating the murder of a teenage girl. He inadvertently shoots his co-detective during the investigation. Though he covers up the murder, the incident results in his inability to sleep caused by the profound guilt.

Insomnia is a remake of 1997’s Norwegian movie of the same name.

Hollywood remakes of Asian movies:

The Ring

Cast: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox
Director: Gore Verbinsky
Release: 2002

This psychological horror film is about a videotape which causes mysterious death of anyone who watches it. This movie is based on Ringu (1998), a Japanese film directed by Hideo Nakata.

The Lake House

Cast: Keanu Reaves, Sandra Bullock
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Release: 2006

In this romantic drama, a lonely doctor named Alex Wyler (played by Reaves) lives in a lakeside house. He starts exchanging love letters with its former occupant Kate Forster (played by Bullock) who is an architect. The mysterious thing about it is that they are separated by a gap of 2 years.

This movie is a remake of a Korean film, Il Mare (2000) directed by Hyun-seung Lee.

Top Hollywood movies inspired by foreign movies | American remakes of foreign films