Movie remakes in a perfect world would take a so-so film and make it better.
Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. As a result, Hollywood remakes rarely are better than the original film and often beg the question, Why?
"The Taking of Pelham 123" is the latest movie remake to come out of Hollywood. The Tony Scott film starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta (deliciously wicked) is about crooks holding a New York subway train for hostage. Robert Shaw led the bad guys in the original and Walter Matthau was the transit cop pitted against him.
Coming in September is a remake of "Fame," a film about New York's high school for performing artists. Plans have been announced for a remake of Kevin Bacon's "Footloose."
They follow a host of recent movie remakes including "Halloween," "Friday the 13th," "The Last House on the Left," "3:10 to Yuma," "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Some movies have been remade more than once.
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has been remade twice and loosely inspired a couple of other movies.
Other movies, such as "The Three Musketeers" and "Beau Geste," are seemingly remade by each new generation of actors.
Sometimes a director will take a second shot at his own work. George Romero has made "Night of the Living Dead" at least three times. Alfred Hitchcock made two versions of "The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Every now and then an actor will star in remakes by different directors. John Wayne starred in "Rio Bravo," "El Dorado" and "Rio Lobo," which are essentially the same movie about a family threatened by a bad guy and defended by a besotted sheriff and his gunslinger pal.
Many Hollywood remakes are of foreign films, such as "Three Men and a Baby," "Victor/Victoria," "The Ring," "The Departed" and "The Italian Job."
Here are six Hollywood movies that are as good or better than the originals.
"Father of the Bride" (1991) -- Steve Martin stars in this remade of the Spencer Tracy comedy about a father's attempt to arrange a wedding for his daughter (Kimberly Williams). Other stars include Diane Keaton, George Newbern and Martin Short. There has been one sequel based on Tracy's sequel to the original.
"Ocean's Eleven" (2001) -- George Clooney stars in this Steven Soderbergh remake of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack classic about a plan to knock over some Las Vegas casinos. Other stars include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Elliott Gould and Scott Caan. There have been two sequels to the Clooney version.
"King Kong" (2005) -- Peter Jackson does a great job remaking the original 1933 classic with Jack Black as a filmmaker who takes a crew to a secluded island and finds the big ape. Other stars include Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Colin Hanks. Great use of special effects in this remake.
"The Magnificent Seven" (1960) -- John Sturges transplants Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" into the American West and delivers a stunning remake about gunslingers hired to protect a Mexican village from a bandit's gang. Stars include Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Robert Vaughn.
"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) -- Frank Oz does an incredible job turning Roger Corman's film about a man-eating plant into a musical starring Rick Moranis and Ellen Green as star crossed lovers. Other stars include Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin and Bill Murray.
"The Thing" (1982) -- John Carpenter makes full use of special effects in his version of the 1951 sci-fi classic "The Thing from Another World." Kurt Russell stars in this film about an alien running amok at an Antarctic research station. Other stars include Wilford Brimley, T.J. Carter, David Clennon and Keith David.
Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. As a result, Hollywood remakes rarely are better than the original film and often beg the question, Why?
"The Taking of Pelham 123" is the latest movie remake to come out of Hollywood. The Tony Scott film starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta (deliciously wicked) is about crooks holding a New York subway train for hostage. Robert Shaw led the bad guys in the original and Walter Matthau was the transit cop pitted against him.
Coming in September is a remake of "Fame," a film about New York's high school for performing artists. Plans have been announced for a remake of Kevin Bacon's "Footloose."
They follow a host of recent movie remakes including "Halloween," "Friday the 13th," "The Last House on the Left," "3:10 to Yuma," "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Some movies have been remade more than once.
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has been remade twice and loosely inspired a couple of other movies.
Other movies, such as "The Three Musketeers" and "Beau Geste," are seemingly remade by each new generation of actors.
Sometimes a director will take a second shot at his own work. George Romero has made "Night of the Living Dead" at least three times. Alfred Hitchcock made two versions of "The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Every now and then an actor will star in remakes by different directors. John Wayne starred in "Rio Bravo," "El Dorado" and "Rio Lobo," which are essentially the same movie about a family threatened by a bad guy and defended by a besotted sheriff and his gunslinger pal.
Many Hollywood remakes are of foreign films, such as "Three Men and a Baby," "Victor/Victoria," "The Ring," "The Departed" and "The Italian Job."
Here are six Hollywood movies that are as good or better than the originals.
"Father of the Bride" (1991) -- Steve Martin stars in this remade of the Spencer Tracy comedy about a father's attempt to arrange a wedding for his daughter (Kimberly Williams). Other stars include Diane Keaton, George Newbern and Martin Short. There has been one sequel based on Tracy's sequel to the original.
"Ocean's Eleven" (2001) -- George Clooney stars in this Steven Soderbergh remake of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack classic about a plan to knock over some Las Vegas casinos. Other stars include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Elliott Gould and Scott Caan. There have been two sequels to the Clooney version.
"King Kong" (2005) -- Peter Jackson does a great job remaking the original 1933 classic with Jack Black as a filmmaker who takes a crew to a secluded island and finds the big ape. Other stars include Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Colin Hanks. Great use of special effects in this remake.
"The Magnificent Seven" (1960) -- John Sturges transplants Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" into the American West and delivers a stunning remake about gunslingers hired to protect a Mexican village from a bandit's gang. Stars include Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Robert Vaughn.
"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) -- Frank Oz does an incredible job turning Roger Corman's film about a man-eating plant into a musical starring Rick Moranis and Ellen Green as star crossed lovers. Other stars include Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin and Bill Murray.
"The Thing" (1982) -- John Carpenter makes full use of special effects in his version of the 1951 sci-fi classic "The Thing from Another World." Kurt Russell stars in this film about an alien running amok at an Antarctic research station. Other stars include Wilford Brimley, T.J. Carter, David Clennon and Keith David.
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