Remakes Superior to Originals?

[roquat]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:08pm

We all know most remakes suck. But are there any you can think of that were actual improvements?

Two come to mind--INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (the 1970s version starring Donald Sutherland) which took the 1950s ingenious little Twilight Zone-ish premise and created a true sense of creeping worldwide terror. It was also much wittier; 1970's experimentation became a new horror taking the place of 1950's blandness.

Also, the Judy Garland A STAR IS BORN, of course--it wiped from memory all traces of the 1930s Janet Gaynor/Fredric March soap opera. (let's not mention Streisand's later remake.)

[nitsua]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:10pm

I don't know if this counts, but BATMAN BEGINS is far superior than the other Batman movies combined.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:10pm

I disagree - considering when it was made - the original A Star Is Born is great. Not that I dislike Judy's - but its not superior.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:20pm

As far as A Star Is Born goes, I agree with Roquat. I recently saw the original and was disappointed. It seemed kind of flat. I liked judy's better.

I also agree with Invasion of the Bodysnatchers. I loved the original, but I do think the remake was better.

Most of the time I prefer original work. I can't even understand why some remakes are even attempted!

[nitsua]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:30pm

"I can't even understand why some remakes are even attempted!"

Besides being a cash cow, maybe a director thinks he can put a fresh spin on the story. PSYCHO ('99, I think?) was pointless. It added nothing to the original story.

Even though Burton's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY isn't a remake, Burton did a better job with the source material. Which is why it's better than the Gene Wilder version.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:34pm

Why do you say that Burton's version is NOT a remake?

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:38pm

"eing a cash cow, maybe a director thinks he can put a fresh spin on the story"

That's true. I should have been more specific and said that most remakes are an insult to the brilliance of the originals!

[nitsua]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:41pm

Sue: Burton didn't use David Seltzer's original screenplay for his movie. John August wrote an original screenplay based off the novel. They may share the same source material, but that doesn't make them remakes.

I think if a movie doesn't have a novel to base it off of, then the other versions are remakes.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:41pm

Count me as one who likes the original A Star Is Born much better than the Garland film, which has a brilliant performance at its core, but is overwrought, meandering and elephantine in every other respect.

I prefer the remake of Imitation of Life with Lana Turner, although the original with Claudette Colbert is very good.

I suppose since The Wizard of Oz had been filmed previously as a silent feature, the 1939 film is a "remake" of the book, but not of the previous film.

The Disney version of Alice in Wonderland is FAR superior to the 1930s Paramount disaster.

Scrooge (aka A Christmas Carol) had been filmed several times prior to the '50s classic with Alistair Sim.

I think MGM's mammoth remake of Ben-Hur is superior to their (very good) silent version.

The recent Batman movie is better than the original films, which are better than the theatrical film released with the cast of the TV series.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was an early silent film that doesn't compare to the Disney film, and neither does the earlier 1940s version of Swiss Family Robinson compare with the later Disney movie. Same with Pollyanna, filmed first in 1920.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:46pm

Updated On: 2/21/09 at 06:46 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:48pm

I also believe that if the story has been filmed before, regardless of its source material, then any other film version IS a remake.

Just because they didn't use the same script?

No.

They didn't use the same actors or director either.

But if it's based on the same material, and it's been filmed before... it's a remake.

Little Women is another one (and I'm SURE I'm in the minority on this) where I prefer the MGM production with the brilliant June Alyson as Jo over the RKO film with Katharine Hepburn.

EDIT: And I prefer the 1970 film Scrooge (musical) with Albert Finney over ALL other versions of A Christmas Carol. I also prefer Lionel Bart's "Oliver!" to the David Lean adaptation of the story (as wonderful as it is).

Updated On: 1/20/08 at 06:48 PM

[worrell4077]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:49pm

Even though I enjoyed both, I really liked the Tim Burton version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory rather than the Gene Wilder version. Burton's was more true to the book(the whole squirrel room thing was in the book) except for the backstory to Wonka, the way Wonka behaves, and Grandpa Joe working for Wonka. Also, in the book which I find interesting, both sets of parents for Violet, Augustus, Mike, and Veruca come with them to the factory yet both movies only have one parent, I find it interesting.

I don't know if I would consider it a remake, but Batman Begins is more superior to Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin and the TV show's movie seeing that Nolan understood that the movie should be focused on....Bruce Wayne/Batman and not the villian.

All the other remakes are terrible especially the Psycho remake(even though I own it).

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:53pm

I actually like BOTH versions of the Charlie/Chocolate Factory book.

Different in many ways, but equally successful.

I think it's a tie.

EDIT: Oh! And Rob Marshall's film of "Chicago" is superior to the silent movie and the RKO version called Roxie Hart with Ginger Rogers (which is kinda fun, though).

Updated On: 1/20/08 at 06:53 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:55pm

Updated On: 2/21/09 at 06:55 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:56pm

I'm glad the WilliWonka/Charlie topic came up. I was weirded out by the first film. I know this is purely aethetic tastes, but the characters in that film, the real people as well as the candy characters were so ugly that I didn't like watching them for all that time.

So I was looking forward to the remake, with Depp. OMG-I felt the same way! I hated what they did with the characters and the real people. Even Johnny Depp. I gotta say-I don't want to see either film again! eewww is my reaction.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:58pm

But if it's based on the same material, and it's been filmed before... it's a remake.

So The Wiz is a remake of The Wizard of Oz?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 7:17pm

"Burton didn't use David Seltzer's original screenplay for his movie. John August wrote an original screenplay based off the novel. They may share the same source material, but that doesn't make them remakes.
I think if a movie doesn't have a novel to base it off of, then the other versions are remakes."

So they have to use the same SCRIPT? And not be based on a book? Are you serious? You make absolutely no sense.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:46am

I vote for 3:10 TO YUMA.

[fabala4077]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:20pm

Some originals should NEVER be touched. Under ANY circumstances, unless it is a completely different and new take on the story. And sometimes, out of respect to the original... just don't, okay?

Dr Zhivago, for example, although the remake was only a tv series. The casting is reason alone - why did they think Kiera Knightley could honestly top Julie Christie's amazing performance in the original? And plus, in this day & age, no cinematographic efforts could ever come close to David Lean's startling accomplishments; sure, we have animation, bluescreens, and all around much better technology. But our new capabilities could never compare to what Lean did WITHOUT that stuff.

(I keep thinking of the scene at the beginning of the 2nd act, when the camera is on the front of the train and comes out of the tunnel into the Balkan mountains... genius.)

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:07pm

BBC Pride and Prejudice. I loathe the 1940 version, even with Olivier.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:32pm

I don't agree about A Star Is Born, I prefer the original. In fact, I hate the other versions, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I like every version of that, but don't find the remake superior, just different. As for films where I do find the remake superior, The Mummy, which took a tedious story about a zombie in bandages, and turned it into the greatest adventure film ever made; and, 1994's Little Women, is superior to either version that came before it. I also prefer George C. Scott's version of A Christmas Carol, and also his Jane Eyre to the originals. I prefer In the Good Old Summertime to The Shop Around the Corner. Judy Garland's line delivery is superior in every line, to Margaret Sullavan's, imo.

Willie Wonka was not part of my childhood, and for some reason I never watched it with my kids, either, though they saw it and liked it. About 2 years ago, I finally saw it, and really enjoyed it. I hated Tim Burton's version of the same story. Mostly, because of Johnny Depp's grotesque, and pointless performances.

[javero]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:52pm

A really unpopular opinion I hold is that Johnathan Demme's remake of The Manchurian Candidate surpassed the original done by John Frankenheimer. I'll admit that I saw the 2004 version during it's theatrical release and the former one about 4 months ago as a DVD rental. Perhaps it's due to the contemporary underlying Gulf War theme of the latter version that resonates with me better than the whole Communist witch hunt shadings of the original.

Updated On: 1/21/08 at 01:52 PM

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:57pm

I prefer the remake of Sabrina to the original.
(Am I alone there?)

And I prefer "You've Got Mail" to "Shop Around the Corner", although I'm not sure that completely counts... It's more a rip-off than a remake.

Updated On: 1/21/08 at 04:57 PM

[jigblob]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 7:13pm

don't kill me....but i liked the texas chainsaw massacre remake wayyy better than the original.

[AlexanderB]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:34am

Not sure if we are just referring to movies, but I was a big fan on the Godspell revival off-Broadway, yeah yeah, the one with Shoshana. So shoot me, haha.