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  1. #1
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    The Best and Worst Remakes of All Time...

    I hate remakes, but sometimes a few squeak by that are tolerable and others wish you had been born blind as to save yourself the horror of seeing it. Here are my top 10 best and worst:

    THE SO-CALLED BEST

    THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978) Dir. by Philip Kaufmann and starring Donald Sutherland, this film truly understands the original film and even keeps a similar tone and more or less just updates the classic.

    WAR OF THE WOLRDS Dir. by Steven Spielberg. Whether people like Tom Cruise or not he is not what makes this remake tolerable. The film captures the essence of the original and really ups the ante a bit, despite a poor ending. For the most part this one keeps you on the edge.

    OCEANS ELEVEN Dir. by Steven Soderbergh. It's not like the original film was that great to begin with and in many respects this film is tighter and probably to some degree more entertaining.

    THE SORCERER Dir. by William Friedkin. Most people probably have not seen the original film called WAGES OF FEAR, but this is a adequate remake and worth seeing even if you haven't seen the original.

    MEET JOE BLACK (1998) Not everyone liked this film and it's easy to see why, but despite the really ridiculous Brad Pitt on-screen death, which is worth the price of admission for this film, it's actually much better than most might play it off to be.

    KING KONG (2005) Peter Jackson knew what he was doing and finally brought justice to a film that needed a slight update.

    SCARFACE DePalma's remake serves it's purpose and is not really a straight up remake and in some ways that's what helps the film out.

    THE FLY Cronenberg's masterful film that is both unique and also respectful of the original.

    CAPE FEAR (1991) Scorsese handles this classic with such respect and keeps much of the original intact, while adding his own little stylistic moments to freshen it up. I also like the use of Gregory Peck in the courtroom scene as a lawyer, very funny!

    DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004) Director Zach Snyder does justice to George Romero's Zombie flick and adds some great humor as well that would make any horror fan proud.


    THE WORST

    PSYCHO Gus van Sant....oh my. Need I say more?

    HALLOWEEN This ghost says one thing: BOooooooo!

    THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE Terrible terrible remake of the classic Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn film CHARADE. Just terrible. Shame on Mark Wahlberg.

    THE STEPFORD WIVES Awwwwwwwwful.

    THE WICKER MAN The original is certainly unique and has a cult following, but this bizarre remake with Nicolas Cage is insanely dumb.

    THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE There should be laws against making films like this that attempt to out-do the original classic directed by John Frankenheimer.

    THE PLANET OF THE APES There should be two laws against this attrocious remake. The first is that Mark Wahlberg should not be allowed to make any more remakes, enough is ENOUGH. The second is that Tim Burton should also not be allowed to remake any more films after this crime.

    THE LADYKILLERS The Coen Brothers lost nearly all of my respect after this nightmare.

    ROLLERBALL Did anyone actually survive this remake to tell about it?

    CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY And yet, Tim Burton makes another remake of a classic that should NEVER have been touched.

  2. #2
    Forum Regular jim goulding's Avatar
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    I agree with Body Snatchers and thought this remake was way better than the later one, too. I think the original Bedazzled with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore was way better than the remake. Having seen the original Lady Killers, I can agree with that. Haven't seen 3:10 to Yuma. Ten 4 on Psycho. If I can think of anything else, I'm dry at the moment, I'll come back.
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  3. #3
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim goulding
    I agree with Body Snatchers and thought this remake was way better than the later one, too. I think the original Bedazzled with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore was way better than the remake. Having seen the original Lady Killers, I can agree with that. Haven't seen 3:10 to Yuma. Ten 4 on Psycho. If I can think of anything else, I'm dry at the moment, I'll come back.
    Thanks Jim for the comments...I still need to see 3:10 TO YUMA.

  4. #4
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    I haven't seen all of Cronenberg's work, but has he ever directed a bad movie? I mean besides Naked Lunch ("I can think of two things wrong with that title" - Bart Simpson) . I even liked the woefully misguided Crash. At least Cronenberg is always going for something.

    Oh, sorry, but I never got/liked the Cape Fear remake. Just didn't see what all the fuss was about. Otherwise I can't quibble with the remaining list. Meet Joe Black (1998) is still a favorite of mine. Long and slow, but purposefully so. Pitt's performance is good weird. The way he eats peanut butter always reminds me of Malcolm McDowell being spoon fed at the end of Clockwork Orange. Just a weird, brilliant, highly stylized performance. Plus you get to see Claire Forlani in a tight bathing suit.

    Serious question though, Peru. Did you actually watch the Stepford Wives, Wicker Man, and Rollerball? Because those are the ones that I haven't seen. I only saw the first 20 minutes of Truth About Charlie be for turning it off. I'm still waiting to see Halloween. I ask because I'm curious as to how committed you are to finding overlooked gems, which seems to be a theme through alot of your posts.
    Last edited by SlumpBuster; 10-24-2007 at 11:29 AM.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlumpBuster
    I haven't seen all of Cronenberg's work, but has he ever directed a bad movie? I mean besides Naked Lunch ("I can think of two things wrong with that title" - Bart Simpson) . I even liked the woefully misguided Crash. At least Cronenberg is always going for something.

    Oh, sorry, but I never got/liked the Cape Fear remake. Just didn't see what all the fuss was about. Otherwise I can't quibble with the remaining list.
    I've enjoyed a large bulk of Cronenberg's work, including EASTERN PROMISES, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and CRASH, but didn't really care for 2002's SPIDER that much. Most of his work prior to that I really enjoyed, especially DEAD RINGERS, THE FLY, the DEAD ZONE, VIDEODROME, and of course SCANNERS.

    I agree that he is always trying something new and at least attempting to make original films.

  6. #6
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    THE SORCERER Dir. by William Friedkin. Most people probably have not seen the original film called WAGES OF FEAR, but this is a adequate remake and worth seeing even if you haven't seen the original.
    Too bad The Sorcerer is only available in full screen DVD (4:3) in USA, and video contain alot of noise. An special edition is long overdue.
    Back to topic......

    Best of Remake:

    The Thing (1982): John Carpender let it all out in this remake, and it worked.


    Tombstone(1993): Although an outstanding performance from Kurt Russell, it was Val Kilmer portray of Doc Holiday that blow everybody away.


    Worst of Remake:

    Out Of Towners (1999): Even with John Cleese, this movie just didn't work.


    Dukes of Hazzard (2005): I know this is a Tv show remake, but it stink so bad.

  7. #7
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    Smokster...

    To my knowledge the film (THE SORCERER) does not exist in any home video format in widescreen, not even the laserdisc that I own. That is a key title to eventually get a good solid transfer, maybe the HD formats will resolve this.

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    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    Smokster...

    To my knowledge the film (THE SORCERER) does not exist in any home video format in widescreen, not even the laserdisc that I own. That is a key title to eventually get a good solid transfer, maybe the HD formats will resolve this.
    Got lucky and ran into that movie in Walmart's Bargain Bin few months back.

    Haven't seen that movie since it premiered back in '79 on HBO, but always had vivid memory of truck trying to go over the collasping bridge.


  9. #9
    Forum Regular jim goulding's Avatar
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    Here's one we can chew on. That is, if anyone besides me has seen em both. Shouldn't be that rare. Michael Mann, before he was big time, directed the first movie based on Thomas Harris' novel, Red Dragon. It was called Manhunter and featured Brian Cox in the first thing I can remember seeing him in as a very cold Hannibal Lector. In fact, this movie IS chilling! Lector has only a small part in this picture, but you won;t forget him. William Petersen plays the investigator, injured by Lector, called back to hunt a new serial killer. The guy who plays the serial killer . . about 6'6", quiet and obviously anti-social, is perfect. An ominous figure of a man not seen before in film. BTW, Petersen dresses his ass off in this but not out of character. The remake is The Red Dragon with an all star cast of which not a one of em can hang except for Anthony Hopkins, of course. The original was probably made for about 1/15th of what the remake was made for but the original is just chilling in a way the bigger remake is not. Arguably, one might like the ending of Red Dragon better, but not me with Ina Godda Vida (I don't know how to spell it) playing in the background. Petersen has an intensity that Edward Norton does not. Same for the bad guy. It's the intensity and that chilling thing that make it the better movie.
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  10. #10
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim goulding
    Here's one we can chew on. That is, if anyone besides me has seen em both. Shouldn't be that rare. Michael Mann, before he was big time, directed the first movie based on Thomas Harris' novel, Red Dragon. It was called Manhunter and featured Brian Cox in the first thing I can remember seeing him in as a very cold Hannibal Lector. In fact, this movie IS chilling! Lector has only a small part in this picture, but you won;t forget him. William Petersen plays the investigator, injured by Lector, called back to hunt a new serial killer. The guy who plays the serial killer . . about 6'6", quiet and obviously anti-social, is perfect. An ominous figure of a man not seen before in film. BTW, Petersen dresses his ass off in this but not out of character. The remake is The Red Dragon with an all star cast of which not a one of em can hang except for Anthony Hopkins, of course. The original was probably made for about 1/15th of what the remake was made for but the original is just chilling in a way the bigger remake is not. Arguably, one might like the ending of Red Dragon better, but not me with Ina Godda Vida (I don't know how to spell it) playing in the background. Petersen has an intensity that Edward Norton does not. Same for the bad guy. It's the intensity and that chilling thing that make it the better movie.

    MANHUNTER is definitely a good film, and I really liked William H. Peterson in this, along with another underrated and under-seen film these days TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., which was directed by William Friedkin. Both are excellent. Another film from that same era that seems to go unnoticed is Michael Cimino's YEAR OF THE DRAGON with Mickey Rourke and is worthy of rediscovery now that it's available on DVD, finally. It was hard to find back in the day on VHS. Also on DVD is Cimino's remake of DESPERATE HOURS, which was a Humphrey Bogart film, which is available through Paramount and is a good DVD to grab if you can.

    The 1955 DESPERATE HOURS was shot in VistaVision and looks very good on DVD considering it's age and such. The 1990 DESPERATE HOURS doesn't look so good and it's a shame that they didn't release this film one year later after Anthony Hopkins hit it big with SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, perhaps it would have received more attention.

  11. #11
    Forum Regular jim goulding's Avatar
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    I think that To Live And Die In LA was our first introduction to Willem DaFoe, too. And I personally like the rest of those you mentioned.
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  12. #12
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim goulding
    I think that To Live And Die In LA was our first introduction to Willem DaFoe, too. And I personally like the rest of those you mentioned.
    The opening sequence for TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. is just brilliant and thoroughly demonstrates how to make fake money, which of course is outdated, but still clever and demonstrates that movies actually can have an opening credit sequence that is meaningful and important to the film. Dafoe is awesome, although there are some funny moments that make me think about his role in BOONDOCK SAINTS...just creepy.

    MAJOR SPOILER ALERT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>




    I can't believe that William H. Peterson gets killed in this film, no matter how many times I see it, he gets his face blown off with that shotgun, which comes out of nowhere! Just crazy, I love it! How many films have the balls to do that these days?

  13. #13
    Man of the People Forums Moderator bobsticks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim goulding
    Here's one we can chew on. That is, if anyone besides me has seen em both. Shouldn't be that rare. Michael Mann, before he was big time, directed the first movie based on Thomas Harris' novel, Red Dragon. It was called Manhunter and featured Brian Cox in the first thing I can remember seeing him in as a very cold Hannibal Lector. In fact, this movie IS chilling! Lector has only a small part in this picture, but you won;t forget him. William Petersen plays the investigator, injured by Lector, called back to hunt a new serial killer. The guy who plays the serial killer . . about 6'6", quiet and obviously anti-social, is perfect. An ominous figure of a man not seen before in film. BTW, Petersen dresses his ass off in this but not out of character. The remake is The Red Dragon with an all star cast of which not a one of em can hang except for Anthony Hopkins, of course. The original was probably made for about 1/15th of what the remake was made for but the original is just chilling in a way the bigger remake is not. Arguably, one might like the ending of Red Dragon better, but not me with Ina Godda Vida (I don't know how to spell it) playing in the background. Petersen has an intensity that Edward Norton does not. Same for the bad guy. It's the intensity and that chilling thing that make it the better movie.
    Good call on that jim. Geez, you're gonna make me dig that one out but I think its Ralph Fiennes that plays the maniacal killer so well. And, I'll agree that it was a very well done and oft overlooked film...made even better by the fact that if you can find it, it's usually under ten bucks.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobsticks
    Good call on that jim. Geez, you're gonna make me dig that one out but I think its Ralph Fiennes that plays the maniacal killer so well. And, I'll agree that it was a very well done and oft overlooked film...made even better by the fact that if you can find it, it's usually under ten bucks.

    RED DRAGON was lam-O. I mean, really bad. I have never seen such a waste of talent as in that film....then again Brett Ratner is not known as Brett Hackner for no reason.

    Talent wasted in that film:

    Anthony Hopkins
    Edward Norton
    Ralph Fiennes
    Harvey Keitel
    Emily Watson
    Philip Seymour Hoffman

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    Forum Regular jim goulding's Avatar
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    I think the producers and studio must have been counting on the belief that not very many people saw the original. They have box office figures at their disposal. And that the two bigger budget Harris based films that preceded it were an indication that it would earn big. Hollywood is always lookin for winners (?). Bet it lost money. Obviously, I agree with you.
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    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim goulding
    I think the producers and studio must have been counting on the belief that not very many people saw the original. They have box office figures at their disposal. And that the two bigger budget Harris based films that preceded it were an indication that it would earn big. Hollywood is always lookin for winners (?). Bet it lost money. Obviously, I agree with you.
    Even as a stand-alone film, it's poor on many levels. Now in comparison to the rest of the series...it's incredibly poor and doesn't really fit. Unfortunately this is one of the most inconsistent series out there, but they do make money because the name Hannibal arouses curiosity, even when the films don't deliver. The biggest setback with the series though is that Johnathan Demme's SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a flat-out masterpiece and will be one of the first films of the 1990's to be considered a classic, which it nearly is now anyway. Not only is it a masterpiece, but it's one of the most modern film to be so influential and it continues to do so and none of the sequels could match it's genius.

  17. #17
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    Dislikes:
    Sabrina. The original with Bogart playing against type as the uptight executive, Audrey Hepburn as the flowering teenager and William Holden as Bogart's playboy brother is a classic comedy. The Harrison Ford remake was just pathetic, lifeless and dull. Where as the original made Hepburn a star, no one remembers Julia Ormond in the remake. See the original.

    The Getaway. Peckinpah's original with McQueen and McGraw falling in love on screen and killing everything in sight is vastly superior to the slick and cheesy Baldwin / Basinger remake. Read the Jim Thomson novel, even better!

    Oceans 11. The original Rat Pack version is a classic. Please note that in the original, they do not end up with the dough, changing the whole dynamic and intention of the film.

    Point Blank is a little seen early 70s Lee Marvin crime classic, the Mel Gibson remake, Payback misses all the originals subtlety, style and grit. Plus the ending gets changed, ruining the whole point. Rent the original, you'll love it.

    La Femme Nikita was super gritty French film about breeding a sexy hit-woman, the American remake Point of No Return with Bridget Fonda lacks all the originals' style and emotional impact.

    Likes:
    Add me to the very short list of people that think the Coen Brothers remake of The Ladykillers is much funnier, more relevant and entertaining than the original.

    Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was much funnier than the 50s Bedtime Story even with David Niven and Brando.

    The remake of Thomas Crown Affair was much more entertaining than the tedious original.

  18. #18
    Forum Regular jim goulding's Avatar
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    Troy- I admire your perception if not all of your arguments. Of course, the CC Bros version of Ladykillers in more revelent to modern US audiences and sensibilities. The original was made in the early 50's for British audiences. Other Alex Guiness gems from that time include Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Man In The White Suit. I did think Tom Hanks was good, however, if a little over the top, Comparatively speaking, way over the top.

    Booby- No, Ralph Fiennes was in the turd version. I was gonna add the actor's name but can't find my copy and I can't remember who I loaned it to either. Damn.
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    Man of the People Forums Moderator bobsticks's Avatar
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    Right you are jim, and yeah that's good stuff from Troy. Cheers to Ruprecht the Monkey Boy.

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