Good remakes vs. bad remakes.

United States
December 6, 2007 6:18pm CST
Do you like remakes of films? Are do prefer the original?There are some good remakes out there, like D.O.A. (1988). And there are some bad remakes like Psycho. And then, if you are young, your original Is the remake.My favorite A Star is born is the Barbra Streisand version. It was the first version I saw. Then I saw the original years later.So how about you? Do you like remakes?
2 people like this
12 responses
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
7 Dec 07
If the remake improves on the original, then I believe it can be a good thing. The Robert Redford "Great Gatsby" was possibly an attempt at the definitive version, although I haven't see the Alan Ladd version. It worked well I think, and Redford managed some very touching moments. There was a subsequent remake (with the charming Mira Sorvino as Daisy) which was unwise: how could they improve on the classic '74 version? If there is still room for improvement in a story then I say: remake it...but make sure you are making the best version. Otherwise, best to leave well enough alone.
3 people like this
• United Kingdom
8 Dec 07
Yes, he was. It was made in 1949. I've never seen it though. I've only seen the excellent '74 version, and the 2000 version which was not as good (in my opinion). Amazingly though there is a silent version starring one Warner Baxter...made only one year after the book was published!
• United States
8 Dec 07
Oops my age is showing. Alan Ladd was in a version of The Great Gatsby?I didn't know that.
@makatas (1098)
• Greece
7 Dec 07
I like the remake idea at it whole.Its nice to see same movie with different view, actors or scenario.It kinda makes you compare to the first.What i dont like though is the fact that sometimes they do many remakes because ideas for new movies are limited after all.We rarely see something really special, right? I liked the psycho remake, because it gave me another view on the story.Thats doesnt mean it can be compared to the Hitchcock one. I also liked the remakes of the Romero zombie movies.
3 people like this
• United States
8 Dec 07
You are the first person I heard of that liked The Psycho remake.
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
8 Dec 07
For me, it all depends. I personally don't think any Hitchcock film should ever be remade (unless Hitchcock was the one to do it -he did two versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much) or The Manchurian Candidate. I have no intention of seeing the Denzel Washington version. On the other hand, and it will probably be sacrilege to some, I like the remake of Sabrina more than the original. Mainly because I really don't like Humphrey Bogart. And, while I like William Holden, I found Greg Kinnear better in the part. As for A Star is Born, I prefer the original, non musical version (Janet Gaynor and Fredric March). Never saw the Barbra Streisand one, and the one with Judy Garland was good, but not as good as the first.
2 people like this
• United Kingdom
11 Dec 07
I love that version! "The Night is bitter...the stars've lost their glitter..."
• United States
8 Dec 07
I love Humphrey Bogart but I have never seen Sabrina,either version.I have to see Judy Garland's A Star Is Born.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
7 Dec 07
I think that when you love a movie....the first time you see it that is embedded in your brain so a remake after the fact will not be as satisfying. I also loved A Star is Born...it had one of the best sound tracks....Evergreen is one of my very favorite songs. I have never seen the origional....So I like the Barbara Streisand version.
3 people like this
• United States
7 Dec 07
There are two other versions. The first was in the 30's. Then it was remade in the 50's.I haven't seen the 50's version but I may try it one day.
1 person likes this
• Canada
7 Dec 07
I have a tough time with remakes. I hated the remake of Psycho and just don't understand the point in re-shooting an entire movie scene-for-scene. If I saw a movie for the first time and didn't know it was a remake of another film, I would probably be disappointed with the original. Whatever I see first is what imprints most on me. Maybe I'm strange that way.
• United States
8 Dec 07
No you are not weird. I am the same way about certain films. And then there films that I am curious about the original version so I'll try it but most of the time, I prefer the version I saw first.
1 person likes this
@xboxboy (5576)
7 Dec 07
i do not think i like one single remake better than the original. having said that, batman was better than the 1960's original! "planet of the apes" remake? puke!!!!!
2 people like this
• United States
8 Dec 07
It is true, there are some good remakes out there.
• India
8 Dec 07
remakes are really the new treng in cinemas its really cool to see the old movies with new actors and remix songs . but in some films they are not concentrating on the real story so that kind of re mix are really bad
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
10 Dec 07
Well for me it all depends on the movie. I have seen some remakes that I have loved and thought were far better then the originals and then there are others were the originals are still the best. Some of the ones I liked were: The Parent Trap Freaky Friday Angels In the Outfield (the first one was fabulous if you have never seen it but the remake was even better) Mighty Joe Young Switching Channels (Original was His Girl Friday also very good movie) The Man in the Iron Mask (there are several remakes of this) The Three Musketeers (again several remakes take your pick as to which one is best) Some I didn't like: Yours Mine and Ours: The original with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda is fabulous That Darn Cat: I loved the Halley Mills version and the one new one just seemed to be missing something. I know there are others but at this time of night I'm blanking on them.
• United States
10 Dec 07
Switching Channels was a remake of a remake. When it was first made, it was The Front Page in 1931. Then His Girl Friday, then The Front Page 1974.I saw the 1974 version first. It starred jack Lemon and Walter Matthau.Classic. I tried His Girl Friday but I am not into Battle of the sexes films so I didn't stay.The same with Switching Channels.
@jothis (518)
• India
7 Dec 07
I like the original movies. They are the core So i like to watch the original movie. I am living in Kerala. Our language is malayalam. One of our directos made a remaked of a very popular hindi movie and the result ws big flop. So generally people prefer original movies
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
8 Dec 07
There are good remakes and then there are really awful remakes and sometimes I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder. I loved A Star is Born with Barbra Streisand, but I really have liked all of her movies. The Judy Garland one was also good but I preferred the Barbra Streisand one. The newer D.O.A. was also quite good I thought and I also enjoyed The Parent Trap. Poseidon doesn't exactly count as a remake of The Poseidon Adventure but I like both, although Poseidon got pretty bad reviews. One that's been done so many times I've lost count is the Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I haven't seen the newest version but all the others I've seen we pretty decent. They remade Picnic as a TV movie and I didn't see it but I heard it was pretty awful; the remake of Brian's Song left much to be desired compared to the original. Paycho was pretty bad the second time around but my all-time worst remake has to be the Planet of the Apes. They definitely should have quit while they were ahead on that one! Annie
1 person likes this
• Philippines
11 Dec 07
My personal rule is simple: I'm open to seeing remakes as long as I haven't seen the original. Sometimes a good remake makes me want to go and see the original film. However, if I've seen a movie (esp a classic one) and I liked it, I dislike the idea of that movie being remade, out of fear that it wouldn't be as good or that it would be dumbed down or totally changed to gain a wider audience. One remake that I really enjoyed is The Departed. Maybe because I haven't seen the original. :D
• United States
11 Dec 07
I loved the Departed. I didn't know it was a remake when I saw it so it is My original. It was so good that I don't think I want to try the original. I know what you mean about not wanting to see the remake. Why would I want to see a remake when I loved and own the original.
@Malyck (3425)
• Australia
8 Dec 07
I'm so torn when it comes to remakes. I think for the most part, they're not as good. Even if the acting or effects are better (as they so often are), the original just has that charm that cannot be replaced. I think it's quite similar to movie versions of books. They almost never meet expectations of fans, but for those who never read the book or saw the original, then they're great. I think one of the best recent blockbuster remakes was Disturbia, although I am yet to see the original Alfred Hitchcock version. =D