I’m sure we’ve done this before, but what the hell.
Sometimes you look at a remake of a movie and wonder why they went to the effort. I kinda feel that way about all the current Disney Live Action remakes, but not as strongly as other cases, where I REALLY don’t understand the reasoning.
On the other hand, sometimes a remake comes along that blows away previous versions and becomes a leader in its own right.
I expect that for a lot of people, there will be disagreement about which category a remake should go in.
Unnecessary Remakes
Gus van Sandt’s Psycho – shot-for-shot like Hirchcock’s, so what’s the point?
Total Recall – is a tube through the center of the Earth really more believable than a trip to Mars?
Robocop – toning down the satire is just what this film needed
The Jackal – Because, you know, the film directed by Fred Zinneman was just too unbelievable
The Wicker Man – Really, words fail me
the Flight of the Phoenix – just being able to recast some parts with women ought not to be the justification for making the film
The Trouble with Charley – let’s take a breezy, fast-moving action/suspense/romantic comedy (Sidney Lumet’s Charade and make it a slow-moving dud.
King Kong – the 1976 de Laurentiis version managed to get everything wrong, except for the effects work of Carlo Rambaldi and Rick Baker.
The Day the Earth Stood Still – you know you’re in trouble when the CGI Giant Robot looks worse than the one played by a big guy in a mostly leather suit.
Clash of the Titans
Necessary Remakes
The Maltese Falcon – John Huston’s take on the noir classic seems to perfect and obviously the way to film this that it blows the two previous efforts out of the water.
King Kong – I know a lot of folks will disagree, but Peter Jackson’s version was aimed right at me. I loved it as a necessary remedy for the 1976 version, and I think it stands up next to the 1933 original.
The Lord of the Rings – I like Bakshi, but his version of Tolkien just didn’t work, even after you allow for all his setbacks.
I haven’t seen them, but they don’t seem like a good idea:
Ben Hur – did anyone see this?
The Magnificent Seven