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

[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.