Original(S) Vs. The Remake(S)

Hello fellow movie watchers!


I'm a big fan of movies, but over the past decade or so, movies have seemingly lost that certain "special" something.
I actually am beginning to think there's few original ideas left to be put to film.

Which leads to be at the on going trend of re-makes.
I ask myself why?
I personally don't think they are as good as their original.
I think a lot of it, to me at least, has to do with the fact that some movies worked due to the decade and the way the world was at the time.
And they don't come off as well in modern times.

But Im putting this thread together to see what you guys think.
Which do you think was better?
I only ask that before you vote, that you have seen both movies.
And as a bonus, please add a side note of movies you hope never get remade.
Thanks to anyone participating.

Here we go!

1.
Halloween (1978)


Vs.

Halloween (2007)


*****
2.
Footloose (1984)


Vs.

Footloose Trailer (2011)


*****
3.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)


Vs.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)


*****
4.
The Karate Kid (1984)


Vs.

The Karate Kid (2010)


*****
5.
Red Dawn (1984)


Vs.

Red Dawn (2012)


*****
6.
Clash of the Titans (1981)


Vs.

Clash of the Titans (2010)


*****
7.
Robocop (1987)


Vs.

ROBOCOP (2014)


*****

8.
Conan the Barbarian (1982)


Vs.

Conan The Barbarian(2011)


*****

9.
True Grit (1969)


Vs.

True Grit (2010)


*****

10.
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)


Vs.

Transformers (2007)


*****
11.
Fright Night (1985)


Vs.

Fright Night (2011)


*****
12.
Batman (1989)


vs.

Batman Begins ( 2005)


*****
13.
Night Of The Living Dead(1968)


Vs.

Night of the Living Dead (1990)


*****

There are MANY more, and if this gains any interest, I'll add another 13.

a reply to: Black_Fox

I'm a big fan of movies, but over the past decade or so, movies have seemingly lost that certain "special" something. I actually am beginning to think there's few original ideas left to be put to film.

Which is why they are now in the process of building major franchises on comic books adapted for the silver screen. If you run out of ideas, take existing stories and adapt them accordingly! Seems to be the going method lately, anyway.

a reply to: Black_Fox

i,m sorry but i was about to say that no movie should be remade cause none of them would live up to the original until i saw batman and then batman begins which i thought was a superior movie.

that is an exception tho in a very long list.

well can I just say I dont know if I saw it up there or not. but I think the Total Recal remake was really good. I like that lady who would stop at nothing to try and kill the main guy. Even after her boss was dead.

Bat Man is the only one I can comment on.
Batman Begins ( 2005) knocks the socks off the earlier movies, and of the three (most recent) the second one was one of the best movies I've ever seen.
Anyone who disagrees ought to watch it again and watch the performance of the Joker. Never have I seen genius and insanity so well performed.

One very, VERY big reason why there are so many remakes and sequels even is because people are unwilling or refusing to try new movies that don't already have some sort of built in audience already. Just look at edge of tomorrow, a very original and unique movie yet everyone passed on it. Last year it was pacific rim, I unique and original idea for Hollywood but everyone avoided it.

It is quite sad to see this happening too, because there are tons and tons of original movie scripts that get made and passed around every year, but the execs only want the BIG TENTPOLE that'll make $500 million on a $150 million budget, every year it seems there are less and less unique movies because no body wants to spend the money to produce a movie that won't earn back the money.

Just like someone else said that's why they are going to comic books now, the only reason they are is because of the BUILT IN AUDIENCE. If people didn't read comics they probably would just be doing game based movies( which they already do at a less successful rate).

I'd suggest trying to find the what I think it's called Hollywood backlist of scripts, it's all original scripts that get passed around but nobody will make because they think it won't make any money.

Oh, and one more thing, I have a problem with the Night of the Living Dead being on your list because the only difference about the remake is it's in color, otherwise it is a shot for shot recreation by Tom Saving who if I remember correctly was and is very great friends with George Romero and did ton's of FX effects for almost all of his movies.

The new Punisher with Thomas Jane blows the sox off Dolph Lundgren's Punisher! Any day of the week!

a reply to: Black_Fox

There is only ONE Conan!!!....hands down Schwarzenegger
[did not care for remake at all]

I like both Red Dawns...the 2nd one fit with today's current problems

The remake of Halloween was a lot darker

As well as the latest Batman, which I did like a lot better...more serious

The 2nd Clash of the Titans I liked better...


Another remake that I thought was better was 'Total Recall'...a lot more serious not to mention the action
Stars Kate Beckinsale, who kicks azz, and Colin Farrell both did a good job IMO

That is if one likes syfy...



-----------------------

originally posted by: PrebelShotme
The new Punisher with Thomas Jane blows the sox off Dolph Lundgren's Punisher! Any day of the week!

Yes...the 2nd Punisher was very good!!
Love Thomas Jane....he was good in Deep Blue Sea too

I've heard alot of conspiracies surrounding this move. Like that it wasn't meant to be produced, never was supposed to hit the market. And I've never seen it this thread made me hunt it down and whoa it's on Youtube. I wasn't even expecting to find the trailer but here it is.

The Batman reboot was better than the Tim Burton movies.
The remake of True Grit is better.
The new Robocop was better than the original.

I like both Red Dawns, but I do prefer the original.
New Clash of the Titans is better imo.
I actually like the new Halloween but then again my favorite Halloween is the 3rd one (Season of the Witch which is the only one sans Michael Myers).

The new Fright Night lacks the campy feel of the originals.
Original Nightmare on Elm Street is better.
Original Karate Kid was better.
Original Conan was better.

As PrebelShotme noted, the remake of Punisher was waaay better. Here's a short list of remakes/reboots that are better than the originals:

Superman
Star Trek
3:10 to Yuma
Stepford Wives
Planet of the Apes
King Kong
Godzilla
War of the Worlds
The Day the Earth Stood Still

Vs



For me the remake was better still would like to see a remake though, And maybe a sequel.

I honestly want to see Brave New World re-done in spirit with the original cause honestly the original sucks. And the modern adaptation had lost touch with the vision of the original.

Then again whose seen the modern adaptation you can't even find it on DVD.

The remake of Clash of the Titans was sooooo much better than the original. And I really enjoyed the nod to the original when they looked at that mechanical owl in the weapons box and said "No that's stupid". Hahaha! I liked the remake of Red Dawn but not sure it's better than the first. I would like to see a remake of "Grapes of Wrath" that follows the book all the way to the end. I think the remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was stupid compared to the original.

a reply to: Black_Fox

Interesting choices. Some of those, I have seen, and some I haven't. Some, I saw one, and deliberately didn't see the other.

Alright, in order.....

Halloween - I saw the original, and not the remake. No reason not to, for that one, save expense. Liked the original, though. Classic horror there. Same can't be said for all the sequels.

Footloose - LOVE the original. The remake, I saw the trailer, and I wish I could erase that portion of my memory forever. HORRIBLE, horrible acting, just in the trailer. You could not pay me to sit through the whole thing. Waste of film, or disc, or whatever they used.

A Nightmare on Elm Street - I have actually seen both of these. I am NOT a fan of Freddy movies, at all, but both were well done for what they are. I don't know that this needed a remake, however. Nothing was improved, really, save maybe some effects.

The Karate Kid - Again, love the first, and deliberately didn't see the remake. Not karate, and not needed, and from what I have heard, the kid can't even act. I didn't see the point. Some things, you just don't mess with.

Red Dawn - here, I have seen both. Unfortunately. The original is a true classic, and outstanding in every way. The remake, I skipped in theaters, and only watched streaming because it was basically free, and to see if it was as bad as I expected. It was. Mediocre acting, and poor plotting, plus, when they wimp out and change the antagonist, it kid of kills the whole point of the film! They would have been more honest calling the team the Rats or something, instead of Wolverines. That is a remake which is a complete waste of time. If you haven't seen it, spare yourself.

Clash of the Titans - Again, seen both. The original was fun; not the best effects, but fun. The remake, not so much. I hoped for better, and was disappointed on that one.

Robocop - Saw the first, not the second. The first was ok; not a huge favorite, and I haven't rewatched it, so i didn't see a reason to bother with a remake.

Conan the Barbarian - Here, I have seen both, and really love both. The first is good in its own way, thought the way they stole Belit's lines ticked me off, though. The remake is FAR more like the Conan from the books and comics (and I LOVED those comics!). Plus, Jason Momoa is super hot, which doesn't hurt a bit!. I have heard Arnold intends to do another Conan....not sure how I feel about that. I like his recent films, but Conan? Not sure how that will work; he's a bit old for some of the action needed. Even King Conan could deliver a big serving of "whoop a**" when needed. Seems like another installment with Momoa would make more sense.

True Grit - I have to confess; I haven't seen either one.

Transformers - There was one on '86? I don't remember.......Recent one was ok, for what it was.

Fright Night - Ah, now this one......I was VERY skeptical about the remake. The original is a real classic in horror, and a great blend of horror and humor. Love that movie. Own that movie. Heck, I could probably recite lines if I thought about it. When I heard they were doing a remake, I was stunned. "WHY???", I asked. And more. Then I read a review of someone that sounded just like me, on imdb, and the guy was surprised to like the remake. So, I considered it. I wasn't convinced, by what I heard about the film, but I considered it. I finally went out and bought a copy. I was happy to discover that the "remake" was quite good. They did the smart thing, which is NOT to try and copy the original (as it's clear the Footloose people did....), and instead did something else. Yes, there is some humor, but overall, this is a darker film, in a much different style. Now, I like, and own, both of them, and love them each apart from the other.

Batman/Batman Begins - No contest, the "remake" is WAY better. I seriously dislike ALL the old Batman movies. All of them. I really LIKE Michael Keaton as an actor, but NOT as Batman. I will admit, my "Batman" is Adam West. Yes, I know the shows he did. Loved them, and still do. Yes, I know...... However, the old movies were horrible. Just horrible. Much as it pains me to say it, the "best" of that bad lot of Batman acting was Val Kilmer. And, yes, that hurts. He was pretty good on older stuff, and went way downhill after that.

Night of the Living Dead - I own the old one, but haven't gotten around to watching yet. I have to be in a certain frame of mind for zombies. Know nothing of the remake.

As for any you didn't list, I know a couple of them I will mention.

One is Cape Fear. I really didn't like the remake, which I saw first, and really like the old one. Far superior film, in my opinion.

Another is The Thomas Crown Affair. There, it's reversed. I love the remake, with Pierce Brosnan. I watched the older one, thinking it would be good as well, and was disappointed. Some of the scenes were flat out silly, at least to me.

You could always toss in the many versions of King Kong, for real fun!

originally posted by: theantediluvian
*snip*

As PrebelShotme noted, the remake of Punisher was waaay better. Here's a short list of remakes/reboots that are better than the originals:

Superman
Star Trek
3:10 to Yuma
Stepford Wives
Planet of the Apes
King Kong
Godzilla
War of the Worlds
The Day the Earth Stood Still

Superman, I disagree. The old Christopher Reeve one was awesome. I didn't care for the newer one at all.

3:10 to Yuma - I never saw the original, but the remake is a VERY good movie. Outstanding, in fact.

Stepford Wives - Again, I have to disagree. The remake was too much comedy, and missed the darker element of the original.

Planet of the Apes - You're kidding, right? The original is a true classic, in every sense of the word! That said, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is very good. That sci-fi version some years back? Not so good. Which one do you mean here?

King Kong - year? So many of those! LOL! The only one I have seen I didn't like so much is the old Fay Wray version. Could have done with a shorter voyage in the new one, though otherwise it was decent. I really liked the 80's version best, though.

Godzilla _ You mean the Matthew Broderick one? If so, I totally agree! Versus the OLD one, of course.

War of the Worlds - Oh, hands down; the new one was better. The old wasn't bad, but audiences then would have died of fright seeing the new version!

The Day the Earth Stood Still - both pretty good there.

I could add to this The Blob - original was very good, and the remake was, IMO, all bad.