I thought the remake was just as scary as the first.
I think if you have a fear of being alone in a house and someone is stalking it, then this type of genre is going to put the bejesus up you.
The Exorcist scared the hell out of me as did Carrie......but these two films were pioneers for even worst and far more scarier films to come around that era.
But others that were unique around the same period were The Shining, Misery, When A Stranger Calls, The Omen, Don't Look Back, The Witch, Halloween, The Thing, Rosemary's Baby...............and then to our modern day Grindhouse type of horror.
I think that everybody has their own secret fear...and some films will scare, whereas others will not feel affected.
However, whilst there is fear, we will always use it to empower our fellow human beings......sadly
I think each of us knows that much is true.