Make it Again, Sam

2

Comments

  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    DarthDimi wrote:
    A remake which is vastly superior over the original?

    Okay, here goes:

    * Kaufman's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (versus Siegel's already impressive film from the 50s)

    Oh no DartDimi I can't agree with you there. Certainly better than the Craig/Kidman version but no.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    DarthDimi wrote:
    A remake which is vastly superior over the original?

    Okay, here goes:

    * Kaufman's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (versus Siegel's already impressive film from the 50s)
    * Carpenter's The Thing (1982) (versus the 50s The Thing From Another World)
    * HEAT (1995) (as it is technically a remake of the TV movie L.A. Takedown)
    * Wyler's Ben-Hur (1959) (as opposed to no less than two previous films)
    * The Time Machine (2002) (I will get knocked down for this but I actually prefer this film over the 1960's version)
    * Appleseed (2004) (versus the 1988 OVA)

    Well you are definitely right about Body Snatchers! I forgot about that one. Remake is better.

    And another note: please don't anyone ever try to remake M*A*S*H or The Shining.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Has anyone seen Infernal Affairs, and if so, is The Departed better?
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Has anyone seen Infernal Affairs, and if so, is The Departed better?

    I have seen both and I like The Departed a lot more.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,572
    St_George wrote:
    Given the good number of excellent remakes there's been, I see no reason why anything should be off the table, to be fair. Certainly in theory. Why should there be?

    After all, how many times have great stories, novels and plays been filmed? And, in all fairness, the two examples of 'untouchable' movies in the OP (Gone With The Wind and The Wizard Of Oz) weren't 'original' themselves, they were adaptations of novels. Why shouldn't someone be allowed a crack at them again one day to try them in a different way? Just the reason 'because they're so good they should be off the table' isn't really strong enough when you consider how many great stories have been fully or partly adapted over the centuries in so many different art forms.

    Absolutely spot on.

    Henry V by Brannagh was not a remake of Olivier's film, simply a new virsion of the Shakespeare play.
    So if someone feels the need to film GWTW, then it will be their interpretation of the original novel. Similar to True Grit I guess.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,657
    DarthDimi wrote:
    A remake which is vastly superior over the original?

    Okay, here goes:

    * Kaufman's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (versus Siegel's already impressive film from the 50s)

    Oh no DartDimi I can't agree with you there. Certainly better than the Craig/Kidman version but no.

    I find the Siegel one to be a great film - no doubt there. However, Kaufman's is a lot scarier IMHO. There's a particular end scene which I find terrifying but I won't spoil it. :P
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    DarthDimi wrote:
    DarthDimi wrote:
    A remake which is vastly superior over the original?

    Okay, here goes:

    * Kaufman's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978) (versus Siegel's already impressive film from the 50s)

    Oh no DartDimi I can't agree with you there. Certainly better than the Craig/Kidman version but no.

    I find the Siegel one to be a great film - no doubt there. However, Kaufman's is a lot scarier IMHO. There's a particular end scene which I find terrifying but I won't spoil it. :P

    mmm, I find the Kauman one tends to drag a bit toward then end, though it is a good ending. Plus it's got Mr Spock in! But for me it can't outdo the original.
  • edited July 2012 Posts: 7,653
    There is The Maltese Falcon from 1931 with Ricardo Cortes as Sam Spade. In 1936 we get Warren Williams (A vastly underrated actor imho) as Sam Spade in Satan met a lady, the lady being played by Bette Davis. Before we get to 1941's the Maltese Falcon with Bogie. While Cortes & Bogie did play the part serious Warren went for the more humorous approuch and somehow all three worked.
    Humprey Bogart is the major star we remember and so we remember his version best. But do yourself a favor watch all three if you can. (they are available in a Bogart Boxset).

    A remake or rethink are not always that bad. The 2005 King Kong had some great moments and the ape this time was shown to have a heart. A brilliantly done part by Mr. Gollum himself.
    I would love to get a new Saint movie or a new Fantomas movie, The Shadow is welcome too.

    There have been some great remakes in time:
    Philadelphia story - High Society (with Bingm Frank & Satchmo)
    The hound of the Baskerville has been done several times and remains a classic in most forms
    The Thing by Carpenter was a great remake.
    The Shining was remade as a tv-series and made more sense for me, I was not that interested in Kubricks vision. (neither was King)
    There are 3 Titanic movies each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
  • St_GeorgeSt_George Shuttling Drax's lovelies to the space doughnut - happy 40th, MR!
    Posts: 1,699
    NicNac wrote:
    St_George wrote:
    Given the good number of excellent remakes there's been, I see no reason why anything should be off the table, to be fair. Certainly in theory. Why should there be?

    After all, how many times have great stories, novels and plays been filmed? And, in all fairness, the two examples of 'untouchable' movies in the OP (Gone With The Wind and The Wizard Of Oz) weren't 'original' themselves, they were adaptations of novels. Why shouldn't someone be allowed a crack at them again one day to try them in a different way? Just the reason 'because they're so good they should be off the table' isn't really strong enough when you consider how many great stories have been fully or partly adapted over the centuries in so many different art forms.

    Absolutely spot on.

    Henry V by Brannagh was not a remake of Olivier's film, simply a new virsion of the Shakespeare play.
    So if someone feels the need to film GWTW, then it will be their interpretation of the original novel. Similar to True Grit I guess.

    Quite so. Many of the all-time classic movies - or at least the all-time classics of Hollywood - are adaptations from literary sources. Who's to say somebody shouldn't have another stab at filming them again someday?

    And, after all, very few stories are actually original... ;)
  • edited July 2012 Posts: 12,837
    HASEROT wrote:
    here's my personal list of movies that should remain as they are, and never EVER be remade...

    Jaws
    Star Wars
    Raiders of the Lost Ark (or any of the Indy flicks for that matter)
    Rocky
    Back to the Future

    I can only think of a few remakes that outdid their original counterparts IMO....

    Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
    A Fistful Of Dollars ('Yojimbo' originally)
    Scarface
    The Magnificent Seven ('Seven Samuri' originally)
    Cape Fear
    The Fly
    The Thing (1982)

    Halloween (1978) is my favorite horror film of all time, yet I also really like Zombie's remake... while it did tread over the same ground, i felt like it brought something different to the character, and made him interesting again... if for nothing else, Rob made the movie his own, and wasn't going in for an easy and quick cash in (despite what people think)... i wish i could say the same for the other 2 slasher remakes.... those were horrid..

    The thing that was scary about Myers though (at least for me), was the mystery surrounding him, giving him a backstory in the Zombie version sort of ruined that.

    I agree with all the films you listed that shouldn't be remade, especially Rocky and the Indy films. I never knew Scarface was a remake.
  • Posts: 12,837
    As for the F13 reboot, I thought that was far better than the original. But then, I saw the F13 films out of order, so F13 to me is Jason in the iconic hockey mask.

    I prefer Jason too, but I just didn't like the reboot. The original is my favourite, even without Jason.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,601
    I quite enjoyed the reboot. Typical, cliche, gritty fun, and Jason is just as scary as ever in it. I heard we were going to get a sequel to the reboot, and it was going to take place in the snow, but I guess they scrapped the idea. I'm sure it will return at some point, the series has been going for nearly 30 years now.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I didn't think much of the recent FT13. Just unintelligent, badly acted mush.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,657
    As for the F13 reboot, I thought that was far better than the original. But then, I saw the F13 films out of order, so F13 to me is Jason in the iconic hockey mask.

    I prefer Jason too, but I just didn't like the reboot. The original is my favourite, even without Jason.

    I agree with you, sir. The original is still the most concise, frightening and original one IMO. Thus, my unconventional top 3 ranking goes as follows:

    1) F13
    2) FvsJ
    3) The Final Chapter

    So there's a non-Jason film and a Freddy film before I get to a clean all-Jason movie. ;-)
  • Posts: 12,837
    DarthDimi wrote:
    As for the F13 reboot, I thought that was far better than the original. But then, I saw the F13 films out of order, so F13 to me is Jason in the iconic hockey mask.

    I prefer Jason too, but I just didn't like the reboot. The original is my favourite, even without Jason.

    I agree with you, sir. The original is still the most concise, frightening and original one IMO. Thus, my unconventional top 3 ranking goes as follows:

    1) F13
    2) FvsJ
    3) The Final Chapter

    So there's a non-Jason film and a Freddy film before I get to a clean all-Jason movie. ;-)

    Mine is pretty similar.

    1) F13
    2) Freddy vs Jason
    3) F13 part III
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 13,911
    Unconventional? I'll show you unconventional...

    1. The New Blood
    2. Pt III
    3. Jason Goes To Hell


    Yes, there was intended to be a Pt II to the reboot (and the word was that it was going to be set in a snowy location), Platinum Dunes were going to green light it once the ANOES remake was done. That's come & gone, and there's been no mention of it since.


    Les Diabolique (1955) / Diabolique (1996). I've seen bits of the original, but I really liked the remake. Adjani puts in a fine performace as the meek wife.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 23,657
    Only one thing is needed now: Freddy versus Jason versus Ash (although the comic series wasn't very good. ;-) )

    Just joking. I think a decent reboot outside PD is in order. A new aesthetic needs to be applied. On the one hand, every generation is entitled to their own Jason. On the other hand, the 80s / 90s Jason wouldn't work anymore for the teen crowd and let's face it, slashers are essentially marketed at teens, not at old farts like us. ;-)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,911
    They'd reboot the series and cast that Twilight fella as Jason. ;)


    All jokes aside, i'd like to see Jason vs Leatherface. Those two would be more evenly matched, so the showdown would be EPIC. I had to type that in caps for full effect. :-\"
  • edited July 2012 Posts: 2,341
    @haserot
    I agree the 1983 remake of Scarface was superior to the 1932 with Paul Muni
    The Fly 1986 is far superior to the fifties original, though I for one always found the 1986 version extremely depressing
    The Magnificient Seven, though good falls short of the classic Kurosawa film
    The Thing 1982 is better than it's original. Kudos to Carpenter
    Cape Fear 1991 has it's moments. In 1962 they were afraid to touch the real issue that Cady had: he was a pedophile. this subject was not so taboo in the remake. And Scorsese did a good job. Hats off to "Marty" .
  • Posts: 1,143
    OHMSS69 wrote:
    @haserot
    I agree the 1983 remake of Scarface was superior to the 1932 with Paul Muni
    The Fly 1986 is far superior to the fifties original, though I for one always found the 1986 version extremely depressing
    The Magnificient Seven, though good falls short of the classic Kurosawa film
    The Thing 1982 is better than it's original. Kudos to Carpenter
    Cape Fear 1991 has it's moments. In 1962 they were afraid to touch the real issue that Cady had: he was a pedophile. this subject was not so taboo in the remake. And Scorsese did a good job. Hats off to "Marty" .

    I really like the 1962 version of Cape Fear but love the 1991 version also. Being a big fan of Scorsese and De Niro, they did not disappoint. As I've said before, remakes can be great and this one was very much justified. Its just a shame so many others aren't and some classics should be just left alone.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,657
    They'd reboot the series and cast that Twilight fella as Jason. ;)


    All jokes aside, i'd like to see Jason vs Leatherface. Those two would be more evenly matched, so the showdown would be EPIC. I had to type that in caps for full effect. :-\"

    Around the time of PD's reboot of TCM, that's exactly what I thought about. Leatherface, the Thomas Hewitt version, is just brutality personified. There's Gunnar Hansen, but man, there's also Andrew Bryniarski! Imagine THAT Leatherface versus Jason! It'd be like wrestling but with chainsaws and machetes. :P

    <center>top-thumb-450x269-23262.jpg

    VERSUS

    Jason_Voorhees_by_DMThompson.jpg</center>

    Place your bets please, ladies and gentlemen!
  • Posts: 12,837
    DarthDimi wrote:
    They'd reboot the series and cast that Twilight fella as Jason. ;)


    All jokes aside, i'd like to see Jason vs Leatherface. Those two would be more evenly matched, so the showdown would be EPIC. I had to type that in caps for full effect. :-\"

    Around the time of PD's reboot of TCM, that's exactly what I thought about. Leatherface, the Thomas Hewitt version, is just brutality personified. There's Gunnar Hansen, but man, there's also Andrew Bryniarski! Imagine THAT Leatherface versus Jason! It'd be like wrestling but with chainsaws and machetes. :P

    <center>top-thumb-450x269-23262.jpg

    VERSUS

    Jason_Voorhees_by_DMThompson.jpg</center>

    Place your bets please, ladies and gentlemen!

    My moneys on Jason.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 13,911
    DarthDimi wrote:
    They'd reboot the series and cast that Twilight fella as Jason. ;)


    All jokes aside, i'd like to see Jason vs Leatherface. Those two would be more evenly matched, so the showdown would be EPIC. I had to type that in caps for full effect. :-\"

    Around the time of PD's reboot of TCM, that's exactly what I thought about. Leatherface, the Thomas Hewitt version, is just brutality personified. There's Gunnar Hansen, but man, there's also Andrew Bryniarski! Imagine THAT Leatherface versus Jason! It'd be like wrestling but with chainsaws and machetes. :P

    <center>top-thumb-450x269-23262.jpg

    VERSUS

    Jason_Voorhees_by_DMThompson.jpg</center>

    Place your bets please, ladies and gentlemen!

    My moneys on Jason.

    Same here. Bryniarski's Leatherface vs Hodder's Jason. That would have been on hell of a showdown.


    Maybe Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D will lead into Jason vs Leatherface. I doubt it, but one can dream. [-O< Downside is that it won't have Bryniarski or Hodder. But I did like Mears, so it would be Mears' Jason vs Dan Yeager's Leatherface.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,657
    This film, apparently, will take place after the original. That's a good thing, for IMO TCM 2 was a nutjob. I suppose, in keeping with this thread's topic, that if this film will be a remake of sorts of TCM 2 (which I think it won't be) it stands a fairly good chance of being a lot better.
  • Great topic, and a few more to add:
    Casablanca
    The Maltese Falcon
    Some Like It Hot

    A remake that I can say is better than its original with absolute confidence is 2010's True Grit. A brilliant and almost perfect word for word adaption of the wonderful Charles Portis novel that has the texts comedy and gritty action in great balance. The 60s True Grit with John Wayne is still great, but the ending is choppy and the film's last chunk throws the book out the door and goes its own way, which is why I prefer the new Coen brothers remake over it.

    The Maltese Falcon (1941) was a remake of The Maltese Falcon (1931). Not many people remember the earlier film.

    My Fair Lady was a musical version of Pygmalion. Is the 1964 movie version of My Fair Lady a remake of the 1938 film version of Pygmalion?

    This isn't a defense of remakes per se. But there have been times when remakes actually added to, or exceeded, the original versions.

  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 13,911
    DarthDimi wrote:
    This film, apparently, will take place after the original. That's a good thing, for IMO TCM 2 was a nutjob. I suppose, in keeping with this thread's topic, that if this film will be a remake of sorts of TCM 2 (which I think it won't be) it stands a fairly good chance of being a lot better.

    Link doesn't work, Dimi.

    I think it's going to be a direct sequel to TCM, albeit set in 2012/2013, possibly ignoring the events of the 3 original sequels, the remake and the prequel.
  • Posts: 2,341
    Guys we have overlooked the wave of horror films that have been remade from Asian films:
    The RING
    THE GRUDGE
    THE UNINVITED
    SHUTTER

    after seeing the American "The Ring" in 2002 I was so scared I never wanted to see the original and compare. I'd say this is a superior remake. How does it stand up to the original? someone who is braver to watch tell me.
    I daresay that "The Univited" which is remade from a Korean film, A tale of Two Sisters is probably superior to the original.
    "Shutter" and "The Grudge" are very good and practically carbon copies of the originals, just substitute the language and some of the actors.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited July 2012 Posts: 28,694
    Great topic, and a few more to add:
    Casablanca
    The Maltese Falcon
    Some Like It Hot

    A remake that I can say is better than its original with absolute confidence is 2010's True Grit. A brilliant and almost perfect word for word adaption of the wonderful Charles Portis novel that has the texts comedy and gritty action in great balance. The 60s True Grit with John Wayne is still great, but the ending is choppy and the film's last chunk throws the book out the door and goes its own way, which is why I prefer the new Coen brothers remake over it.

    The Maltese Falcon (1941) was a remake of The Maltese Falcon (1931). Not many people remember the earlier film.

    My Fair Lady was a musical version of Pygmalion. Is the 1964 movie version of My Fair Lady a remake of the 1938 film version of Pygmalion?

    This isn't a defense of remakes per se. But there have been times when remakes actually added to, or exceeded, the original versions.

    Yes, detective films starring detectives like Sam Spade, or Philip Marlowe, and of course Sherlock Holmes are high in number, whether they are remakes or what have you, with Sherlock being the most adapted fictional character to the big screen.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 23,657
    OHMSS69 wrote:
    Guys we have overlooked the wave of horror films that have been remade from Asian films:
    The RING
    THE GRUDGE
    THE UNINVITED
    SHUTTER

    after seeing the American "The Ring" in 2002 I was so scared I never wanted to see the original and compare. I'd say this is a superior remake. How does it stand up to the original? someone who is braver to watch tell me.

    Ringu is a great film and many folks seem to enjoy it a lot more than Verbinski's film. However, I will tip the balance ever so slightly in Ring's favour. I saw the Verbinski film before I saw Ringu and I guess that why I'm more in the camp of the remake.
    OHMSS69 wrote:
    I daresay that "The Univited" which is remade from a Korean film, A tale of Two Sisters is probably superior to the original.

    Don't be too sure of that, friend. Emily Browning and Elizabeth Banks are great to look at, but I myself must admit that I find the Korean film scarier.
    OHMSS69 wrote:
    "Shutter" and "The Grudge" are very good and practically carbon copies of the originals, just substitute the language and some of the actors.

    Which makes them fairly redundant. I overall prefer Ju-On as my favourite of all Japanese horror flicks. IMO, Raimi's film, while scary, isn't quite as good. Things went sour with the remake's sequel, IMO, while Ju-On 2 remains a very scary film.

    As for Shutter: I watched the original on DVD and the remake in theatres. Again, the original is better because it came first and the remake simply copied it word for word, scene for scene.



  • Posts: 2,341
    @ DarthDimi

    I like your comments. I praise you for your knowledge and interest in good ol' true horror films.

    I saw the original Chinese "the Eye" before the jessica Alba remake. I thought that the remake was okay but to coin a phrase, redundant because I knew what was coming. The Chinese original was creepier. I also liked the girl better than Alba.
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