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SDMDAM
Prominent Member
If you really like a film then, in my opinion , it is hard not to see a remake a substandard in comparison. Also depends whether you consider Star Wars to be a remake of Hidden Fortress or just a film that borrows ideas from it.
Remakes I have enjoyed recently are 3.10 to Yuma and The Italian Job. I also quite enjoyed some aspects of Planet of the Apes (Mark Whalberg) but I don't think any of these films are a patch on the original... 3.10 coming closest.
Jim Di Griz
Outstanding Member
J.J.GITTES
Distinguished Member
Some like it Hot
The Maltese Falcon
Invasion of the body snatchers(70s version) , the 50s version is equally as good.
The Thing , still love the 50s version.
The Fly , same as above
A Fistful of Dollars , not as good as Yojimbo but still great.
The Magnificent Seven , again not as good as Seven Samurai but still great.
El Dorado , impossible to top Rio Bravo but this came close , great stuff.
The Maltese Falcon
Invasion of the body snatchers(70s version) , the 50s version is equally as good.
The Thing , still love the 50s version.
The Fly , same as above
A Fistful of Dollars , not as good as Yojimbo but still great.
The Magnificent Seven , again not as good as Seven Samurai but still great.
El Dorado , impossible to top Rio Bravo but this came close , great stuff.
systemsdead
Outstanding Member
A few of my favourites that haven't been mentioned yet.
Nosferatu-Herzog
Little Shop Of Horrors - Oz
The Ballad of Narayama - Imamura
Sorcerer - Friedkin
Frankenstein - Whale
Cat People -Schrader
Twelve Monkeys - Gilliam
13 Assassins - Miike
Nosferatu-Herzog
Little Shop Of Horrors - Oz
The Ballad of Narayama - Imamura
Sorcerer - Friedkin
Frankenstein - Whale
Cat People -Schrader
Twelve Monkeys - Gilliam
13 Assassins - Miike
Lost Highway
Established Member
Some Like it Hot isn't a remake.
My favourite remake is probably the German film Fear Eats the Soul by RW Fassbinder from 1974, which is a remake of the 50s Hollywood melodrama All That Heaven Allows by Douglas Sirk.
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J.J.GITTES
Distinguished Member
Some Like it Hot isn't a remake.
Now you film history dear sir
Remakes That Worked | 4. Some Like It Hot | Empire | www.empireonline.com
J.J.GITTES
Distinguished Member
Finally watched that last week , stunning and that last hour is brilliant.
Another one no one has mentioned yet is Heat - Michael Mann , also this is a good read about remakes that work
Remakes That Worked | 1. Heat | Empire | www.empireonline.com
Lost Highway
Established Member
I have to admit I didn't know that. And I'm German ! The shame....
On a similar note I'll add The Sound of Music.
Jim Di Griz
Outstanding Member
I think I saw LA Takedown before Heat. I liked it a lot but Heat is even better of course.I have to admit I didn't know that. And I'm German ! The shame....
On a similar note I'll add The Sound of Music.
Jim Di Griz
Outstanding Member
I think calling 12 Monkeys a remake is pushing it a bit far really.
Lost Highway
Established Member
12 Monkeys is a remake of La Jetee, Universal even acquired the rights to remake it as a feature length film. There are also some nice nods to some La Jetee director Chris Marker's other films, like the nod to Hitchcock's Vertigo which acknowledges Markers favourite film and the tribute to it in his Film Sans Soleil.
Jim Di Griz
Outstanding Member
Yeah I knew it was inspired by La Jetee but that's not a proper film so doesn't count for me.
pRot3us
Distinguished Member
Some others not mentioned so far :
Cape Fear (1991)
Night of the Living Dead (1990)
King Kong (2005)
Cape Fear (1991)
Night of the Living Dead (1990)
King Kong (2005)
Lost Highway
Established Member
The short film makers of the world won't thank you for that.
MarkusThatch
Distinguished Member
I know it's frowned upon to like a remake of a Japanese horror film but I rather liked The Ring. The remake of LA Takedown was pretty good.
paulyoung666
Distinguished Member
Flight of the phoenix, loved the original and the remake wasnt the worst I had ever seen....
barnaby jones
Outstanding Member
I think The Ring (USA) is the better film.
MarkusThatch
Distinguished Member
I wasn't bothered by the original unlike say Dark Water which I thought was far superior to the remake.
Lost Highway
Established Member
The remake had its virtues in that it was better paced and had nice cinematography. The scene with the horse on the ferry livened up what was a bit of a dull midsection in Ringu and was its one inspired addition.
However the remake failed in reproducing any of the elements that made the original so unsettling. I far preferred the original's backstory, which it didn't over explain like the remake did. The sense of mystery is exactly what made the original (and other Asian horror films) so nightmarish, but it's always assumed that US audiences need a lot of hand holding.
The video on the cursed VHS tape in Ringu was simple but genuinely alien and creepy, while the one in the remake looked like a film students pretentious attempt at a NIN pop promo.
Sadako, her face disturbingly obscured and who moved like her limbs were dislocated, became yet another scowling child actress in pale make up as seen in so many supernatural US films.
The original's climax, its most iconic scene which I couldn't figure out how shot it at the time, ended up being ruined by obvious CGI and flashy MTV style camera moves.
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Lost Highway
Established Member
I agree that Dark Water was even better than Ringu, for me it was the best of the J-horror films. The first half of the remake was alright, but somehow they forgot that the original was a horror film and they ruined the climax, which in the original managed to be both terrifying and heart breaking, while in the remake it was just dumb
BlueOrange25
Distinguished Member
I really liked 3.10 To Yuma and The Italian Job. Decent films that were well worth watching and I'd recommend them to fans of the originals.
The Departed was also a good effort, but I do prefer the original (Infernal Affairs).
I haven't seen the original of The Thing, but John Carpenter's 1982 effort is a quality film. Same goes for the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
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