# Have any remakes of classic movies done as well as the original?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 20, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879 "2003-04-20T18:04:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/1 "2003-04-20T18:04:43Z")
Have they? I can’t recall any that were judged to be as good as the original. Just curious.
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/2 "2003-04-20T18:07:59Z")
Most reviewers thought Ocean’s 11 (the one with George Clooney) was better than the original RatPack version.
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### Author:  [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/3 "2003-04-20T18:28:14Z")
Sure. The Maltese Falcon was made twice before the version with Bogart. The Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, and Robin Hood all had versions before the “classic” 1930s versions. The 1950s versions of Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments that most people know are in fact remakes of silent movies. Etc. etc.
Some previous threads on the subject:
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=122171&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=122171&highlight=remakes+better+originals)
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94219&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94219&highlight=remakes+better+originals)
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=165145&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=165145&highlight=remakes+better+originals)
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/4 "2003-04-20T18:43:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Wumpus \*
> \*\*Sure. The Maltese Falcon was made twice before the version with Bogart. The Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, and Robin Hood all had versions before the “classic” 1930s versions. The 1950s versions of Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments that most people know are in fact remakes of silent movies. Etc. etc.
>
> Some previous threads on the subject:
>
> [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=122171&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=122171&highlight=remakes+better+originals)
>
> [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94219&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94219&highlight=remakes+better+originals)
>
> [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=165145&highlight=remakes+better+originals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=165145&highlight=remakes+better+originals) \*\*
Even my OP is not as good as the originals!
[sub]Astro dissolves into a puddle of tears. [/sub]
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### Author:  [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/5 "2003-04-20T18:52:58Z")
There were two remakes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I believe both were as good as the original. Each looked at the same story from a different angle, and expanded on the original, rather than just ripping it off. Plus the last two had brief nude scenes with hot babes.:eek:
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/6 "2003-04-20T19:55:24Z")
The Baldwin/Bassinger version of The Getaway was at least as good as the Steve McQueen version.
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/7 "2003-04-20T20:30:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Wumpus \*
> \*\* The 1950s versions of Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments that most people know are in fact remakes of silent movies. Etc. etc. \*\*
That’s because the remakes had a better director! 🙂
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### Author:  [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/8 "2003-04-21T04:54:47Z")
The 2002 remake of **Manhunter** seemed to fare better than its 1986 counterpart.
The box office gross was higher and it also has a higher rating on the IMDb.
I’ve seen both. I thought **Red Dragon** was a lot better.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/9 "2003-04-21T05:17:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by watsonwil \*
> \*\*That’s because the remakes had a better director! 🙂 \*\*
Nah, not better. Just more experienced. 😉
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### Author:  [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/10 "2003-04-21T05:43:30Z")
I think most people would consider the Alister Sim “A Christmas Carol” to be the definitive one, but there was a version made in '38 and probably a silent as well.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/11 "2003-04-21T05:46:06Z")
Heh…my mom loves the Alister Sim _Carol_. She watches for it every year, just for the scene when he wakes up Christmas morning and scares his maid half to death.
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### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/12 "2003-04-21T07:51:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Wumpus \*
> \*\*Sure. The Maltese Falcon was made twice before the version with Bogart. The Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, and Robin Hood all had versions before the “classic” 1930s versions. The 1950s versions of Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments that most people know are in fact remakes of silent movies. Etc. etc. \*\*
Hmmm, that kinda goes against the OP. He asked for remakes of classic movies that became more successful then the classic version not movies that were remade and then the remakes became classics. Which also makes **astro** ’s OP more specific then any of the other threads you’ve mentioned.
I can’t think of any examples though.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/13 "2003-04-21T08:15:08Z")
“An Affair to Remember” from 1957 was a remake. The original was something like “Love Affair.” And still a third version was made in the 1990’s (?) with Warren Beatty and Annette Benning. The 1957 version was the best and most popular version.
Excuse me while I tear up.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/14 "2003-04-21T11:06:20Z")
I’d be willing to bet that the circa 1960 remake of **Mutiny on the Bounty** did better than the Charles Laughton – Clark Gable “classic”.
**The Ten Commandments** and **Ben Hur** _were_ remakes of films considered “classics” at the time. That they are now considered “classics” themselves shows how successful they were.
And, in case anyone isn’t familiar, The Ten Commandments was directed _both_ times by Cecil B. deMille. I suspect **Jayjay** knew this, although I’m not sure if **watsonwil** did.
For that matter, **The Man Who Knew Too Much** was remade by its original director, Alfred Hitchcock. I’ll bet the later Doris Day version was seen by more people, made more money, and is better remembered that the earlier Peter Lorre version.
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### Author:  [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/15 "2003-04-21T13:45:08Z")
I humbly submit _Of Mice and Men_ made sometime in the 80s or 90s with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. There’s much to love about the classic version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney (I think it was Lon Chaney) but the remake was SOOO good it made the original pale in comparison.
IMHO, YMMV, etc.
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### Author:  [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/16 "2003-04-21T13:59:50Z")
Douglas Sirk’s 1959 remake of _Imitation of Life_ was, I believe, more successful than the 1934 original (despite being even **more** offensive IMHO…)
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### Author:  [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/17 "2003-04-21T14:09:11Z")
1939’s **“The Most Dangerous Game”** (from the classic short story by Richard Connell) with Leslie Banks and Joel MaCrea has been re-made many, many times. It is not itself considered a classic by the general film-goer, but has never been equalled by all it’s remakes. I consider this a great little gem of a film. Very atmospheric, and only 59 minutes long!
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/18 "2003-04-21T15:22:28Z")
I think John Carpenter’s **The Thing** works better than the original.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/19 "2003-04-21T15:23:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by BMalion \*
> \*\*1939’s **“The Most Dangerous Game”** (from the classic short story by Richard Connell) with Leslie Banks and Joel MaCrea has been re-made many, many times. It is not itself considered a classic by the general film-goer, but has never been equalled by all it’s remakes. I consider this a great little gem of a film. Very atmospheric, and only 59 minutes long! \*\*
Hey, I LOVE the John Woo/Jean-Claude VanDamme version!
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-remakes-of-classic-movies-done-as-well-as-the-original/169879/20 "2003-04-21T16:17:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I’d be willing to bet that the circa 1960 remake of Mutiny on the Bounty did better than the Charles Laughton – Clark Gable “classic”.
I guess it depends on what you use as a measuring stick. The Gable/Laughton version won the Oscar for Best Picture. The Brando version didn’t win a thing.
> [@](#):
>
> The Baldwin/Bassinger version of The Getaway was at least as good as the Steve McQueen version.
Hey, if you’re going to post this, you are obliged to share with all of us whatever you’re smoking…
> [@](#):
>
> “An Affair to Remember” from 1957 was a remake. The original was something like “Love Affair.” And still a third version was made in the 1990’s (?) with Warren Beatty and Annette Benning. The 1957 version was the best and most popular version.
Most popular? Probably. Better than the 1939 film? Uh-uh.
> [@](#):
>
> Douglas Sirk’s 1959 remake of Imitation of Life was, I believe, more successful than the 1934 original (despite being even more offensive IMHO…)
😕 😕 confused: Now this last part _really_ needs an explanation…
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