# What if they remade ...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 11, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518 "2004-04-11T23:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/1 "2004-04-11T23:51:18Z")
There are some films that seem to be so _sui generis_ that nobody’s ever tried to remake them. It is, however, interesting to speculate about what the results might be. For example … What would a moden remake of _Mary Poppins_ be like? Or _Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang_? Or _Bambi_? In a (slightly) more adult genre, what would remakes of _Star Wars_ or _Close Encounters of the Third Kind_ be like? (It could be argued that these remakes have already happened, courtesy of the directors’ special editions. But you know what I mean.) How about a moden version of _Casablanca_? ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/2 "2004-04-12T02:58:11Z")
I have wanted to see a remake of _The Grapes of Wrath_. To me the film is softer than the book. There was a stage play done by Gary Senice and the Steppinwolf Theatre that was much more true to the book, and it had original songs too. I would like to see that. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/3 "2004-04-12T03:59:45Z")
Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would probably inevitably star Eddie Murphy in some way and have lots of fart jokes. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/4 "2004-04-12T05:23:57Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > How about a moden version of _Casablanca_? [Been done](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115624/) ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/5 "2004-04-12T07:01:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Been done _sigh_ Has there ever been a case where a remake was an actual improvement? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/6 "2004-04-12T07:04:16Z")
Here’s a thought: If _Star Trek_ was “Wagon Train to the stars” … What if they remade _Trek_ as an actual western? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/7 "2004-04-12T07:13:16Z")
> [@LorieSmurf](#): > > Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would probably inevitably star Eddie Murphy in some way and have lots of fart jokes. I’m sure there was once a _MadTV_ skit about Eddie Murphy making a new movie called “Larry Poppins”. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/8 "2004-04-12T13:52:59Z")
The new Mary Poppins: If you want this choice position, you must worry 'bout nutrition. Take us to movies, dumbed down, iced lattes, uptown. Never be non-pc nor cruel, never give us aspirin, or tools. Keep sharp objects, out of sight, don’t spank, if we fight. If you won’t scold and dominate us, we will still watch Elmo, CTWS detritus. We won’t be happy, just flying a kite, and still want our problems solved overnight. Hurry nanny! Many thanks, sincerely, curmudgeonly old poop. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/9 "2004-04-12T14:38:26Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > There are some films that seem to be so _sui generis_ that nobody’s ever tried to remake them. It is, however, interesting to speculate about what the results might be. > > For example … > > What would a moden remake of _Mary Poppins_ be like? > Or _Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang_? > Or _Bambi_? I can just see it now… Jim Carrey _is_ Bambi. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/10 "2004-04-12T14:54:22Z")
> [@Roadwalker](#): > > I have wanted to see a remake of _The Grapes of Wrath_. > To me the film is softer than the book. There was a stage play done by Gary Senice and the Steppinwolf Theatre that was much more true to the book, and it had original songs too. > I would like to see that. Did you know that a [film version](http://imdb.com/title/tt0101971/) was made in 1991 - with Gary Sinise? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/11 "2004-04-12T17:42:36Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > There are some films that seem to be so _sui generis_ that nobody’s ever tried to remake them. Ahhh, if only that were true anymore. Unfortunately, there is no classic out there that the modern film industry would look at as too sacred to do a (probably very bad) remake. [Latest proof.](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/12 "2004-04-12T18:31:34Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Unfortunately, there is no classic out there that the modern film industry would look at as too sacred to do a (probably very bad) remake. [Latest proof.](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/) Or [Around the World in Eighty Days](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0327437/) - now with added Jackie Chan 😕 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/13 "2004-04-12T19:25:32Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > _sigh_ > > Has there ever been a case where a remake was an actual improvement? :rolleyes: Does the [Maltese Falcon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033870/) count? There was an earlier version [done](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022111/). ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/14 "2004-04-12T19:49:08Z")
I’d like to see a real visionary director with a talent for writing good dialogue take on a remake of the first three “Star Wars” Movies: that is, Episodes I, II, and the inevitably-craptasticular III. And while we’re at it, when I turn fifty, will there be a remake of “The Princess Bride” that I can complain about (“It’s not as good as the original OR the book”)? I know, the existing one is so good, why try to change it? But: if you could have one without the whiny Fred Savage plot device… would it be worthwhile? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/15 "2004-04-13T01:54:08Z")
Could anyone dare try to remake _ **Gone With The Wind** _? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/16 "2004-04-13T02:03:13Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > Did you know that a [film version](http://imdb.com/title/tt0101971/) was made in 1991 - with Gary Sinise? Presumably much the same thing as Frank Galati won a Tony for his direction of the Steppenwolf _Grapes of Wrath_. [Here](http://www.steppenwolf.org/ensemble/frank_galati.html) is his Steppenwolf bio. ---
**Author:** ![Rillian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/17 "2004-04-13T02:17:06Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > Here’s a thought: > > If _Star Trek_ was “Wagon Train to the stars” … > > What if they remade _Trek_ as an actual western? They did. It lasted for 14 great episodes (including three that didn’t air) and was called “[Firefly](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/).” ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/18 "2004-04-13T07:03:01Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Ahhh, if only that were true anymore. Unfortunately, there is no classic out there that the modern film industry would look at as too sacred to do a (probably very bad) remake. [Latest proof.](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/) Hmm. Tim Burton, though. That’s … not entirely unhopeful … ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/19 "2004-04-13T07:04:36Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Could anyone dare try to remake _ **Gone With The Wind** _? Yeah; the Adam Sandler version was _definitive_… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-they-remade/239518/20 "2004-04-13T16:02:15Z")
I think they should do a remake of _The Lord of the Rings_. (Or at least come out with a “Special Edition” of it, like Lucas did with _Star Wars_. I mean, moviemaking technology has advanced so much in the last 5 months, Peter Jackson can finally fulfill his vision!)