Is There A Such Thing As A GOOD Movie Remake? Which?

[Nautica]

First of all, Netflix is Golden!:Bowdown:

I watched the original Carrie, then the Carrie remake. OMG :pissed:! I had to battle my way through that film!

So, has there, ever, been a good remake?

[GroobySteven]

The Magnificent Seven
A Fistful of Dollars
The Vanishing was ok.

[Prospero]

By good do you mean better?

[fred41]

King Kong...Naomi Watts, Jack Black was a good remake.

[RallyCola]

My list of remakes that are better than the originals

Scarface
The Departed
3:10 to Yuma
The Fly
True Grit (though this might be a push)
and while technically Batman Begins was a remake/reimagining of Batman 1989 that too needs to be mentioned at least as a push.

[GroobySteven]

My list of remakes that are better than the originals

Scarface
The Departed
3:10 to Yuma
The Fly
True Grit (though this might be a push)
and while technically Batman Begins was a remake/reimagining of Batman 1989 that too needs to be mentioned at least as a push.

Scarface isn't really a remake - two different stories. I re-watched the Pacino one recently and it has really dated, much more so than some other movies around the same time.

I thought The Departed was a poor remake.
Give you the others for sure!

[GroobySteven]

Actually just re-read the synopsis to the original Scarface and didn't appreciate how close it was.

[Prospero]

True grit - yep at least as good and, since I watched the original after the remake, it seemed better
Magnificent Seven? Well surely not better than The Seven Samurai and such a different film it sort of stands in the "inspired by" camp imho

worse... well Solaris for sure...

and how do you judge which Dracula is better? The german silent black and white - Nosferatu? Actually you can't compare for technical reasons - so the remake of nosferatu is better.

[Ben in LA]

Cape Fear

[Stavros]

Traffic (Steven Soderbergh, 2000) is a feature length version of a Channel 4 drama series called Traffik (1989) and is a very good film. The original was based in the UK, Germany and Afghanistan/Pakistan where Soderbergh's film is based in the US and Mexico

The Italian Job (F. Gary Gray 2003) is a remake of The Italian Job (Peter Collinson, 1969) with the action moved from Italy in the earlier film to California. The US film is as entertaining as the UK version and benefits from not having Noel Coward, who pollutes the earlier film to such an extent his scenes are unwatchable, but the classic ending of the Caine film has never been bettered, and the car chase in Turin is not bad.

The Bourne Identity (198-eight), made for tv with Richard Chamberlain is said by some to be closer to Robert Ludlum's book, whereas most people prefer The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman, 2002) without having seen the earlier version.

Shaft (Gordon Parks, 1971) with Richard Roundtree is generally considered superior to Shaft (John Singleton, 2000) with Samuel L. Jackson but I have not see either film.

CGI can do wonders with the Batman/Marvel stuff, but I assume that is more a case of updates rather than re-makes. The flops are too numerous to mention.

[GroobySteven]

The Italian Job (F. Gary Gray 2003) is a remake of The Italian Job (Peter Collinson, 1969) with the action moved from Italy in the earlier film to California. The US film is as entertaining as the UK version and benefits from not having Noel Coward, who pollutes the earlier film to such an extent his scenes are unwatchable, but the classic ending of the Caine film has never been bettered, and the car chase in Turin is not bad.


!?!? The remake was as unwatchable as the remake of "Get Carter" and Noel Coward was great in the film. I just watched this again a few weeks ago.

Actually the remake of "Tinker Tailor ..." I think equalled the original production with Alec Guiness.

[Jericho]

Four Brothers.
(By all accounts, a remake of "The Sons Of Katie Elder").

No mention of 'Oceans Eleven' yet?

[Stavros]

!?!? The remake was as unwatchable as the remake of "Get Carter" and Noel Coward was great in the film. I just watched this again a few weeks ago.

Actually the remake of "Tinker Tailor ..." I think equalled the original production with Alec Guiness.

Noel Coward is a walking disaster, everything he touches turns to shit. There is no comparison between the TV series of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, and the execrable film version which we may call Tinker, Tailor, wonder why...as in, why did they even bother?

[JenniferParisHusband]

Four Brothers.
(By all accounts, a remake of "The Sons Of Katie Elder").

No mention of 'Oceans Eleven' yet?

I think it's a generational thing. There is a part of me that likes the 60's version where the money gets burned. But I actually do like 2000's version with Clooney and Pitt better, it's more of a proper heist movie, where the original is truly less structured. I think it's the same thing with The Italian Job. I love the original (with the exception of Noel Coward, and that horrible song at the end), but think the story for the more recent version is a much tighter story, and has better visuals and flow. The 60's version car chase with the car going over the dome scene, it's pretty worthless, and you could tell it was just thrown in. The recent version with the subway/sewers, and train just seems to fit the story better.

For the actual topic though, here's a quick list of 20 I can think of off the top of my head.
1.) The Departed - although I love Infernal Affairs too.
2.) Zatoichi
3.) Scarface
4.) The Fly
5.) 13 Assassins
6.) Casino Royale
7.) A Fistful of Dollars
8.) True Grit - actually like the new one better
9.) Airplane - Yes, it is a remake of "Zero Hour."
10.) Saboteur - Hitchcock remaking his own film
11.) Man on Fire
12.) Bob & Doug MacKensie's Strange Brew - Remake of Hamlet.
13.) True Lies
14.) The Ten Commandments
15.) The Thomas Crown Affair
16.) Magnificent Seven
17.) Twelve Monkeys
18.) Heat
19.) Oldboy
20.) Gone in 60 Seconds

[buttslinger]

The absolute worst was Psycho, I was pleasantly surprised by the remake of "The Thing" which I had never heard of when I picked it up at the Blockbuster.

English films have a flavor of tea and crumpets while American movies have a flavor of buttered popcorn and candy. Movie theatres make all their money on concession sales.

[GroobySteven]

Noel Coward is a walking disaster, everything he touches turns to shit. There is no comparison between the TV series of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, and the execrable film version which we may call Tinker, Tailor, wonder why...as in, why did they even bother?

Oh I forgot, I don't bother on you with this stuff, it's just not worth it.

[malmonger]

How about The Manchurian Candidate? (Co-produced by Tina Sinatra)

The story line has changed considerably from the one her father was in, but it's a damn fine movie.

[GroobySteven]

Wonder what The Equalizer with Denzil is going to be like?

[Buddy Wood]

Cape Fear...without a doubt!

[JenniferParisHusband]

Wonder what The Equalizer with Denzil is going to be like?

The Equalizer was a great movie, once you got past the first 40 minutes, which were a little boring. It's not even close to the original TV show though. No son, doesn't place the ad until the last minute of the film, doesn't drive the sweet car. It's very different. But once the violence begins to happen, it's a good movie.

We didn't get "The Sweeney" on this side of the pond. Was the movie version of that worth seeing? If you cast Plan B in a movie, it kind of makes a joke of seeing it as you'd rather go with your Plan A movie.

[saifan]

John Carpenter's The Thing. Probably the greatest remake of all time (although it was based on the same short story and not the movie so...)

[GroobySteven]

The Equalizer was a great movie, once you got past the first 40 minutes, which were a little boring. It's not even close to the original TV show though. No son, doesn't place the ad until the last minute of the film, doesn't drive the sweet car. It's very different. But once the violence begins to happen, it's a good movie.

We didn't get "The Sweeney" on this side of the pond. Was the movie version of that worth seeing? If you cast Plan B in a movie, it kind of makes a joke of seeing it as you'd rather go with your Plan A movie.

The Sweeney movie was horrible, Ray Winstone was perfectly cast - and it was just an arsey film.

[Robinhood81]

I really liked the true grit remake too!


I think too many good movies are remade though and of late the time between then is even shorter, it's crazy.

[Jimmy W]

I think 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' was a superior remake. I understand it had the benefit of a Hollywood budget and big name stars, but maybe that's what it needed.

[Jimmy W]

On then other hand, I hated the Dances With Wolves remake they called Avatar

[RallyCola]

I think 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' was a superior remake. I understand it had the benefit of a Hollywood budget and big name stars, but maybe that's what it needed.

i find the rapace version to be better than the craig/mara rendition.

[RallyCola]

I think it's a generational thing. There is a part of me that likes the 60's version where the money gets burned. But I actually do like 2000's version with Clooney and Pitt better, it's more of a proper heist movie, where the original is truly less structured. I think it's the same thing with The Italian Job. I love the original (with the exception of Noel Coward, and that horrible song at the end), but think the story for the more recent version is a much tighter story, and has better visuals and flow. The 60's version car chase with the car going over the dome scene, it's pretty worthless, and you could tell it was just thrown in. The recent version with the subway/sewers, and train just seems to fit the story better.

For the actual topic though, here's a quick list of 20 I can think of off the top of my head.
1.) The Departed - although I love Infernal Affairs too.
2.) Zatoichi
3.) Scarface
4.) The Fly
5.) 13 Assassins
6.) Casino Royale
7.) A Fistful of Dollars
8.) True Grit - actually like the new one better
9.) Airplane - Yes, it is a remake of "Zero Hour."
10.) Saboteur - Hitchcock remaking his own film
11.) Man on Fire
12.) Bob & Doug MacKensie's Strange Brew - Remake of Hamlet.
13.) True Lies
14.) The Ten Commandments
15.) The Thomas Crown Affair
16.) Magnificent Seven
17.) Twelve Monkeys
18.) Heat
19.) Oldboy
20.) Gone in 60 Seconds

i would agree with Ocean's 11 being better with Clooney than Sinatra.

you have old boy on the list. Are you insane? The american remake was terrible.

[itsmall80]

On then other hand, I hated the Dances With Wolves remake they called Avatar

I still don't know how that craptacular movie made big money.

Just seen Footloose remake a few weeks back. Original was much better, but the remake was not that bad...had a quite a few throwbacks towards the original.

Dont get me started on Robocop remake...yes there was a Robocop movie worst then Robocop 3.

[saifan]

i find the rapace version to be better than the craig/mara rendition.

Craig is so much better than Nyqvist that it pretty much tips the scale for me.

Both based on a book though so is it a remake or a new adaptation?

[Jericho]

Planet of the Apes.
I like the original, but prefer the remake! :shrug

[maxpower]

Both based on a book though so is it a remake or a new adaptation?


Good point.

[Ben]

I liked the remake of Assault on Precinct 13:

Assault on Precinct 13 | Trailer | 1976 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaJR2zlnp7o)

Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) (Theatrical Trailer) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em5blAbl2Iw)

[JenniferParisHusband]

Craig is so much better than Nyqvist that it pretty much tips the scale for me.

Both based on a book though so is it a remake or a new adaptation?

Craig is better, and I think the pacing was better for what is a really slow build up. But Noomi Rapace, is just so much sexier than Mara. For me it made it easier to watch the Scandinavian version. That said, the two sequels were utter crap, even Noomi couldn't save them.

[JenniferParisHusband]

i would agree with Ocean's 11 being better with Clooney than Sinatra.

you have old boy on the list. Are you insane? The american remake was terrible.

We may have to disagree on Old Boy. I thought Brolin was great in it.

[Prospero]

The original Swedish version of "Let The Right One in" was miles better than the US remake. Movies with sub titles just don't seem to play in US movies theatres outside of centres of civilisation like New York and Boston.

[LongTom101]

The Omen remake surprised me by being actually pretty good

I really expected it to suck donkey balls so it was a very pleasant surprise

[Prospero]

The Birdcage was a lousy remake of the wonderful French comedy Le Cages Aux Folles. Martin Scorses remade Cape Fear... much less effectively than the original with Robert Mitcham. Remakes seldom improve on the original... unless you take something piss poor to begin with.

[GroobySteven]

We may have to disagree on Old Boy. I thought Brolin was great in it.

Love Brolin and I love Spike - but I thought it was a horrible mess, the original is one of my fave films. Maybe I should have stuck with it, I give up after 20 mins.

[LibertyHarkness]

The movie "The Thing" the remake in the 80s was far superior to the original one in the 50s .

Also Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a remake of an older 60s comedy film as well that had brando and niven in it …Dirty Rotten was much better imo .

[fuckstudent]

Maybe i'm strange, but i liked Texas Chainsaw Massacre rework better then the original classic. The same with The Hills Have Eyes.

[Nautica]

Definitely have to check out Casino Royale(saw the newer one), The Departed(saw the newer one), and The Omen(saw the old one)!

Thank ya'll!

[ILuvGurls]

Maybe i'm strange, but i liked Texas Chainsaw Massacre rework better then the original classic. The same with The Hills Have Eyes.

I would imagine that most all horror flicks would be better simply because of the advancement in special effects......

[itsmall80]

I would imagine that most all horror flicks would be better simply because of the advancement in special effects......

That's not all true. Since sometimes people go overboard on the special effects. Take Star Wars into account...beside the better story and acting of the originals the newer one had WAYYYYYYYY to much CGI.

[Yasmin Lee Fan]

True Grit

[nausicaa]

There have been many versions of The Front Page filmes - but I think His Girl Friday - teh 2nd version is the best