Movie remakes that shouldn't happen/of happened

[Specineff]

Most of these movies are products of their time, and that's why remakes suck. It's like making a joke about a social event 10 years after everyone has put it behind themselves.

[Skykid]

Maybe the thread should be "Movie remakes that are actually good". I can't think of any.

magnificent seven
fistful of dollars
cape fear


movies like Infernal Affairs and Insomnia set the bar so high, it's easy to have unrealistic expectations when a remake comes along.
I try to not let my personal feelings towards the originals cloud my opinion of the remake, unless the underlying message/theme is neutered/butchered i.e. The Vanishing
With that being said, The Departed and Insomnia are both pretty good.

I mentioned The Vanishing up top as well. review review2 anyone else seen it?

Spoorloos is amazing, but I didn't know insomnia was a remake. Are we talking about that crap with Pacino? That film is dreadful.

[BryanM]

Execs, on the Fly remake remake:

"Why don't we just remake Cronenberg's version with sexy teenagers?"

Identical to this Onion Talks, really.

[lilmanjs]

Spoorloos is amazing, but I didn't know insomnia was a remake. Are we talking about that crap with Pacino? That film is dreadful.

My mother loved that version till a yard sale when I convinced her to spend the $3 on a dvd copy of the original. That blows the Pacino version out of the water! Plus it has an awesome soundtrack by ambient artist Biosphere that actually works with the movie. Also to say that The Departed is amazing is correct. Its a remake that does what it should do. Takes the original and makes a movie of its own.

[rapoon]

Spoorloos is amazing, but I didn't know insomnia was a remake. Are we talking about that crap with Pacino? That film is dreadful.

yea, and the original is excellent Insomnia 1997 but is hard to find. I ended up buying the Criterion release a few years ago. Grab it if you see it, it's a great movie. I liked the remake. Pacino was good. If anyone ruined it, it was Robin Williams. It wasn't convincing seeing him play a role of a killer.