Movie Remakes That Are Better Than the Originals

from JoeUser Forums
The first one that comes to my mind is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. A remake of Bedtime Story; 1964 starring David Niven, Marlon Brando and Shirley Jones. (Yes, Shirley Jones from the "Partridge Family.") No, she wasn't the Jackal. Marlon Brando was. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has a twist. That's the main reason I think it's better. The twist was unexpected and brilliant.

Next: Judy Garland and James Mason's A Star is Born 1954. From Cinemania '96: Powerful, semi-musical remake of the 1937 classic, with Garland and Mason at their peaks as doomed Hollywood star couple, she on the way up, he down. Incisive script by Moss Hart; great Harold Arlen-Ira Gershwin songs include spellbinding "The Man That Got Away."

As for the 1976 Streisand/Kristofferson version, I think it's the worst of the three. I love Streisand's voice, but I can't stand Kristofferson. I don't think he can act or sing worth a damn. (That's one reason I haven't been able to get into the Blade films. And a male Slayer? As if.) From Cinemania '96: By-now familiar story is given an unconvincing treatment, with change of setting to the world of rock music. Only comes to life during Streisand's vibrant numbers, which transcend script and surrounding drama. But I hate her hairstyle.

Your additions and thoughts?
53,677 views 26 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

Planet of the Apes - Original Great!  Remake sucks!

Miracle on 34th Street.  Only the original, forget ALL the remakes.

King Kong - Original Epic!  Latest Remake - too long, 70s remake, forget it.

I will think of others.

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reply By: Dr. Guy


You seem to have read the title of this article "backwards".
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ocean's 11 : Original was a total waste of a great cast. Remake was great... but they are doing to destroy it all with sequels.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ocean's 11


I haven't seen either version.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
King Kong - Original Epic! Latest Remake - too long, 70s remake, forget it.


The best thing about the first remake was Jessica Lange's tits.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

You seem to have read the title of this article "backwards".

No, just could not think of any that were better.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm looking forward to seeing the original "Ladykillers". I loved the Coen Brothers version, and find it hard to see how the original could top it.

Other than that, I'm at a loss, too. Remakes just don't usually match up to the originals.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Other than that, I'm at a loss, too. Remakes just don't usually match up to the originals.


Yeah, I had a feeling this would be a short list.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
It was tough trying to think of some.

I would say The Wizard of Oz, The Ten Commandments, The Maltese Falcon and His Girl Friday (a remake of The Front Page).

Others that people might not agree with is Scarface, Shaft, Cape Fear, The Fly and The Magnificent Seven (a remake of The Seven Samurai).
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
I would say The Wizard of Oz


You mean The Wiz? You must be joking.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I just remembered another one: Ben-Hur.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hate to say it because I love Cary Grant but I think I liked the Preacher's Wife better than the Bishop's Wife. I just liked the music and I like Denzel. Plus the modern special effects made his angel powers much more impressive.

I really can't think of too many good ones. There are certain remakes that I enjoyed but I never saw the original.

I guess this falls under the category of if it aint broke don't fix it. I have to laugh everytime a remake bombs. You would think the movie studios would get a clue and maybe try to come up with something original.

Originality - what's that let's just remake a lame 70's tv show. The Jeffersons coming soon to a theater near you. Don't laugh some idiot probably has it in the works.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
The Wizard of Oz,


Actually, VERY good point. I'm impressed that you realized it was a remake.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
You mean The Wiz? You must be joking


Icon,

No. The Wizard of Oz that we know and love was a remake of a previous silent screen version.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
9 by uDigItTheMost
Sun, June 18, 2006 02:04 AM


Others that people might not agree with is Scarface, Shaft, Cape Fear, The Fly and The Magnificent Seven (a remake of The Seven Samurai


Oh MY God, to compare the mag.7 to the seven samurai, is blashphemy!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
No. The Wizard of Oz that we know and love was a remake of a previous silent screen version.


Wow. 13 minutes. lol. Thanks, GM.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
You would think the movie studios would get a clue and maybe try to come up with something original.


I think the original ideas have pretty much been used.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

I think the original ideas have pretty much been used.


nah, there are hundreds of books out every year. yes, some are a rehash of a tired formula but there are many that are witty and original.
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
It's driving me nuts. Me and my wife were talking about one the other day and I can't for the life of me remember what it was.

Offhand, I'd say Always was a good movie, and to me a far better movie than A Guy Named Joe.

I'm a huge Kurasawa fan, but I'd have to say I liked A Fist Full of Dollars better than Yojimbo. Otherwise I think the original samurai flicks are better than their wester ripoffs.

I'm tempted to say that Coppola's Dracula is better than the old Bela Lugosi one, but honestly they are so different that you can't really consider it a remake, just based upon the same material. On the other hand Branagh's Frankenstein rocks, and is tons better than the original or any previous incarnation.

As a Shakespeare fan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and commit a cardinal sin by saying I liked Zeffirelli's (Mel Gibson's) Hamlet a lot better than Olivier's or Branagh's.

It's driving me nanners trying to figure out what the one we were talking about the other day was. I'll check back in if I can remember.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Oh, another one that might spark debate is Lynch's Dune vs. the Scifi Channel remake. I like the miniseries version much better, myself, with the exception of missing Patric Stewart and Max von Sydow.

Does anyone understand why they are making scene-by-scene remakes of movies now, as with The Omen and Psycho? It seems weird to me, unless you just want to see the exact same movie with other people in it.
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ah, sorry to spam, but I finally remembered. I liked the 1991 Cape Fear with DeNiro a lot better than the old 1962 one with Robert Michum.


yeah but gregory peck was so much better than nick nolte at showing how a good man can sink to the criminals level
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
Baker, the only ones I've seen that you mentioned are Dracula and Cape Fear. I agree with you about Dracula. I don't remember either Cape Fear real well, but I think they're about the same.

You reminded me of another one: 1999's A Midsummernight's Dream. Great cast, great music. Mickey Rooney annoyed me in the 1935 version.
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top

I agree with you about Dracula.

That is one I had not thought about, but there have been so many remakes (the Latest Bram Stokers).  But I would agree that both that one and the many Frankenstein movies do have better remakes than the original (Actually, I never got into the whole Nosferatu craze, so most of the remakes are better in my opinion).