Are re-makes ever better?

[Mafoobula]

Scarface. Some film snobs might scoff at the 1983 version in favor of the original "Scarface: Shame of a Nation" from 1932, but there's no denying that the remake is a hell of a movie, if only because Al Pacino as Tony Montana is one of the most culturally pervasive movie roles since it came out nearly 30 years ago. Everybody and their niece knows "SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!" Also, as I have admitted on a few occasions, I'm a huge sucker for a good monologue, and Al Pacino's "bad guy" speech struck that chord pretty hard.

Metropolis. Originally a 1927 German expressionist film, it was roughly adapted into a manga in 1949, then into an anime in 2001. I'll admit, I never saw the original film (don't intend to, ever) and I barely remember the anime, as I only saw it once maybe 7-8 years ago. HOWEVER, the impression it left on my young teenage mind will remain until the end of days, like the first time you see Akira. Again, film snobs, yada original is artsy yada remakes suck every time yada. The anime was awesome.

According to the Nostalgia Critic, the remake of The Karate Kid was, taken as a whole, a superior film to the original, and I agree. Was it better in every way? Of course not, but some of the key points are just better done. In particular, Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi is a more believable person, with real emotional moments and a more fleshed out back-story. Also, it's Jackie fuck-mothering Chan.

King Kong. Was the re-make at least a half-hour too long? Probably. Was it even close to as ground-breaking as the original? No way. Was it still a great film? Absolutely. Was the re-make better? I think it was. Can I make a film snob joke one last time? Sure, but it's too obvious for this one.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

There have been more than a few really good or at least pretty decent remakes out there.

An Affair to Remember, The Blob, Nosferatu, The Birdcage, Little Shop of Horrors, Dawn of the Dead, The Ring, The Fly, The Producers.

I'm sure there are others but you get my drift I think.

The problem with a lot of the most recent remakes have been made with little to no intention of making a good movie to begin with, let alone bothering to do good remake.

Let's take the good folks over at Platinum Dunes for example. Their entire reason for existing is to pump out contemporary remakes of older horror or suspense movies. In and of itself I don't have a problem with that premise, the idea of updated reboots of The Ammityville Horror, or Friday the 13th seem like a good thing on paper.

Unfortunately everything they've released so far has been painfully boring, uninspired, mass market produced cack.

 

[Vrex360]

I preferred the remake of Fright Night to the original Fright Night for numerous reasons.
First it's because the best friend character:

Spoiler

The one who gets turned into a Vampire

Actually comes across as funny and likeable and even sympathetic, whereas in the original the best friend was annoying, obnoxious and his voice just made me want to punch him.

Second the girlfriend actually comes off as strong and capable this time rather then helpless and weak and in the redoing of the 'night club scene:

Spoiler

Where Jerry the Vampire hypnotizes and ultimatley seduces and infects her.

She actually looks like she's struggling against it and trying her best to resist it which in turn actually gives the scene some 'menace' to it. Plus it makes her look less like a floozy because in the original version of the movie the actress looked a little too into it for me to believe that she was being hypnotized.
At least here, there was some strength and active attempts to resist rather then just immediatley becoming compliant.

Third was that Peter Vincent in this movie was just freaking hilarious.

Plus the movie actually hurries up and gets to the point rather then spending hours on the 'nobody believes me' plot.

Also while I'm here, the Thing, the Fly, the Blob and even the Rob Zombie Halloween movies I actually quite liked.

 

[teh_Canape]

How about Casino Royale? Haven't seen the original, so I can't comment personally, but for how well the newer version turned out, and the obscurity among Bond films the first one fell into, that may have a case.

I think the original Casino Royale was a spy comedy, but don't take my word for it, I only remember seeing very little from it, so I may be wrong

as for games, one that comes to mind is Tomb Raider Anniversary
that one was fun and I thought it improved on the original one
if anything, on the controls

 

[Erja_Perttu]

Here's betting this won't be a popular opinion, but I loved The Mummy (which I think was a remake one of the old horror movies with Boris Karloff in it). It sure was good fun.

 

[Berk]

Have you ever sat through a re-make of a movie and thought that it was actually an improvement of the original?

So what do you think, are re-makes ever a good idea?

Of course, I thought the remake of The Hills Have Eyes was better than the original.

I would say yes, because if you're a fanboy of said remake, deep down, you know you loved it just to see that your fandom was reevaluated, and important enough for that reevaluation. Personal Note: The Dark Knight.

 

[Alduin Silas]

Query to answer this question. Is the New series' of Doctor Who better than the ones from the sixties and seventies?

 

[Michael Hirst]

Here's some amusing remakes for you.

A fisful of dollars
The Magnificent Seven
Star wars (A New Hope)

All remakes of films by Akira Kurosawa, I'd say Star Wars it the only one I prefer to it's original "Hidden Fortress"

But remakes back then were more for the sake fo crossing a cultural gap ie the Japanese audience to the western audience whereas now most remakes are made in the mind of a stagnant Hollywood system with no originality trying to cash in once again on once great films with sub par flashy remakes such as Halloween

Oh and one videogame remake: Resident Evil, in my mind the only remake that has completely blown the original away.

 

[Toriver]

OK, thank you to everyone for the information, I understand. Please stop quoting me with corrections.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Only remake I can remember liking more is "The Italian Job".

 

[Aurgelmir]

Have you ever sat through a re-make of a movie and thought that it was actually an improvement of the original? Or are they always just hollywood money grabs trying to pull a few of the older fans into a movie they would other-wise never see?

The only re-make that I ever liked more than the original was The Thing from the 80's. But, to be honest it pretty much has nothing to do with the original black and white version. Other than an being set in an arctic setting, it has no similarities. So, I really do not think it should have been called The Thing.


So what do you think, are re-makes ever a good idea?

Well some times the originals are so old, and so not on peoples mind that it can work. Oceans 11 is a really good movie, though I have never seen the original.

Some times the "original" was just so low budget/quality, like Captain America.

All in all it depends on which version you saw first. Old movies tend to be paced differently than new movies, so they don't always work with younger audiences.

 

[Mausthemighty]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood compared to Full Metal Alchemist.
I loved the story better and the characters were better fleshed out.