# The Remake is Better **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 30, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314 "2013-03-30T00:34:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/41 "2013-03-31T05:06:33Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Not sure if I’m in the minority on this, but I liked the Coen brothers True Grit more than the original. Me too, but unlike a lot of people comparing the two movies, I only saw the original a couple of weeks before seeing the remake in the theater. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/42 "2013-03-31T06:00:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > You are the first person in history to ever say that. :dubious: I kind of doubt that, the Norton Hulk movie has higher ratings on both IMDB and Rottentomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/43 "2013-03-31T08:38:01Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > I kind of doubt that, the Norton Hulk movie has higher ratings on both IMDB and Rottentomatoes. And you are the first person in history to break their sarcasm gland and be unable to see dubious smileys :D. I know the Norton one is better by most standards. The first movie was held up as an example of “wow, Ang Lee _can_ make a shitty movie.” I _think_ I like Norton the best, character-wise. _The Avengers_ was an ensemble piece, and the Hulk as Banner got not a whole lot of screen time, so I’m not sure what to say about Ruffalo, but didn’t move me as much. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/44 "2013-03-31T08:42:39Z")
Last year’s \*Dredd \* doesn’t count as a remake, but it’s an infinitely better movie treatment of the comic than Stallone’s _Judge Dredd_, in many ways I think as a reaction to it. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/45 "2013-03-31T13:20:11Z")
**The Plank** (1979) vs. **The Plank** (1967). ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/46 "2013-03-31T13:20:13Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I didn’t, for one thing it basically dropped the whole “real or not?” ambiguity half way in and never bothered with it again, the original had the guts to take that ambiguity all the way to the end. The director reveals what he considers to be the truth in the DVD commentary, but you can watch the film by itself and make up your own mind. > Battlestar Galactica is the premier example for me of the remake was better, the original show had a fascinating premise which was dumped about two seconds into the pilot and it just became a Star Trek clone. The remake not only stuck to the premise, it brought in some new elements like examining the nature of war and the dehumanizing of the enemy, along with questions about what makes one human. > Ending up with a show that felt like an adaptation of a golden era scifi novel, some of the best scifi in decades. The ending divided fans I’ll admit.🙂 Nitpick: the original Battlestar Galactica was NOT a Star Trek clone. It would have to have improved CONSIDERABLY to be a Star Trek clone. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/47 "2013-03-31T13:30:31Z")
This is probably blasphemy, but I like the 1980s version of “Cat People” with Nastassia Kinksi better than the Jacques Tournier original. The combination of blatant sexuality, the New Orleans setting, the Giorgio Moroder score (his best, for my money) and the creepiness of the production all gave it a creepiness all its own. For the record, I also like the Tournier original. But it’s far too subtle for its own good. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/48 "2013-03-31T14:00:25Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Not sure if I’m in the minority on this, but I liked the Coen brothers True Grit more than the original. Beat me to it. Even if you think Jeff Bridges doesn’t quite match John Wayne, _everyone else in the movie is ten times better_. Hailee Steinfeld acts fifty rings around Kim Darby. Josh Brolin is genuinely frightening. Barry Pepper is fantastic. And once again, an example of the remake being truer to the source material. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/49 "2013-03-31T16:31:27Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Beat me to it. Even if you think Jeff Bridges doesn’t quite match John Wayne, _everyone else in the movie is ten times better_. Hailee Steinfeld acts fifty rings around Kim Darby. Josh Brolin is genuinely frightening. Barry Pepper is fantastic. > > And once again, an example of the remake being truer to the source material. Agreed. Can you believe Kim Darby got good reviews? I think Ebert had a crush on her. I never especially cared for Barry Pepper in anything else, but he took Duvall’s role and didn’t look bad at all in comparison, which in my opinion, counts as a fantastic performance. Matt Damon was miles better than Glenn Campbell, even if they had him bite his tongue partway through the movie and had him & Bridges do a rendition of _Dueling Mumbles_. Wayne being Wayne still works for that role though. Perhaps if the Coens could have used him, they could have dialed him back just a bit and have him be a little less broad - a cross between that role and _The Shootist_. I would have liked to have seen that. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/50 "2013-03-31T16:31:28Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > The circa 2000 _Bedazzled_ (Brendan Fraser, Elizabeth Hurley) is much, much better than the circa 1967 one (Peter Cook, Dudley Moore). Your opinion and all, but I vehemently dispute this. The original Cook/Moore film wass a masterpiece of low budget, well-written filmmmaking ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/51 "2013-03-31T16:41:26Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > I liked the 2005 version of _Dawn of the Dead_ better than George Romero’s original. Agreed. The original Dawn of the Dead is just tiring in the 21st century (especially the “Shopping is evil!” message) and the remake gives us probably the only good treatment of fast zombies ever. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/52 "2013-03-31T17:00:46Z")
I will go for an obscure one, The 70s TV movie **Captain’s Courageous** with Karl Malden was much better than the classic film with Spencer Tracy. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/53 "2013-04-01T13:47:44Z")
The Pink Panther with Steve Martin is light years better than the version with Peter Sellers. April Fools 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/54 "2013-04-01T14:56:19Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Agreed. Can you believe Kim Darby got good reviews? I think Ebert had a crush on her. I never especially cared for Barry Pepper in anything else, but he took Duvall’s role and didn’t look bad at all in comparison, which in my opinion, counts as a fantastic performance. Matt Damon was miles better than Glenn Campbell, even if they had him bite his tongue partway through the movie and had him & Bridges do a rendition of _Dueling Mumbles_. > > Wayne being Wayne still works for that role though. Perhaps if the Coens could have used him, they could have dialed him back just a bit and have him be a little less broad - a cross between that role and _The Shootist_. I would have liked to have seen that. Also agreed. Wayne said that Kim Darby was the worst actress he’d ever worked with. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/55 "2013-04-01T15:01:11Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > I will go for an obscure one, The 70s TV movie **Captain’s Courageous** with Karl Malden was much better than the classic film with Spencer Tracy. I thought the TV movie of **Inherit the Wind** with Jason Robards was better then the classic film with Spencer Tracy. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/56 "2013-04-01T15:05:52Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > You and me both. I enjoyed the music much more in the remake as well. At least I know one other person in this world agrees with me on this! ☹ That makes three of us. There is something about the 70s version that I find offputting. it annoys me. Tim Burton’s version entertained me. I loved it. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/57 "2013-04-01T15:09:02Z")
How about the Heston version of _Ben Hur_ over the original silent version. As sword and sandal epics from the 50’s go, it doesn’t get any better than this. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/58 "2013-04-01T15:31:05Z")
My problem is that I tend to want remakes that fix the problems with the originals without messing with the stuff that works. The Burton _Chocolate Factory_ film fixed what they screwed up in the original - Charlie’s transgression with the fizzy soda - and gave us back the squirrels (which weren’t possible to provide in the first version) but also gave us Depp’s gibbering Michael Jackson-esque Wonka and those horrible Elfman songs. Likewise, the musical version of the _Producers_ fixes the terrible ending of the original but doesn’t have Gene Wilder in it - and Leo Bloom _is_ Gene Wilder; Matthew Broderick is a pale imitation. Actually, just having Gene Wilder as Burton’s Wonka would have been an improvement. What I’m trying to say is: I miss Gene Wilder. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/59 "2013-04-02T11:47:44Z")
**Evil Dead II** was better than **Evil Dead**. The Jury is still out if the next one will be even better than **EDII**. I seriously doubt it though, due to the lack of Bruce Campbell. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314/60 "2013-04-02T13:23:19Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > **Evil Dead II** was better than **Evil Dead**. Not a remake. > [@Shakes](#): > > The Jury is still out if the next one will be even better than **EDII**. The jury already ruled, Army of Darkness is way better than ED2. > [@Shakes](#): > > I seriously doubt it though, due to the lack of Bruce Campbell. While the lack of Bruce Campbell is sad, the remake looks fucking stellar and I actually can’t wait. I never thought I’d say that a year ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-remake-is-better/654314.md?page=4)