Movie Re-Makes - Talking of the Pelham One Two Three

Recently I noticed a movie being filmed here in New York City; this is not an uncommon site. A while back the crew filming Spiderman 3 was blocking the street near my office. I normally just walk on by and not notice anything. However I saw a sign on some of the movie equipment stating “Talking of the Pelham One Two Three”. When I asked one of the crew members I was told yes they are re-making the classic film starring Walter Matthew (Lt. Garber). I was also told the Lt. Garber will be played by Denzel Washington and John Travolta will play the Robert Shaw role (Ryder) Mr. Blue. I know that a made for TV movie of this movie was done back in the 90s. The original 1974 film is a classic and whenever I catch it on TV I find myself sitting through it. Just love the end achoo (I won’t be a spoiler so you have to watch the movie to understand).
So let me know what other movies should never have been re-made and some re-makes that were great. Let also include re-made TV shows. For example The Honeymooners never should have been made into a movie. Also let me know if you think an old movie should be re-made.

Off the top of my head - Knight Rider should NEVER have been redone. Ever.

I'd love to see a remake of Tora! Tora! Tora!

Casablanca needs to be redone. In color. And in HD. No, 3-D HD.

The only re-doing of anything that has been any good has been the reimaged Battlestar Galactica. Oh, and I liked the remake of Casino Royale and Oceans 11.

sparkchaser said:

The only re-doing of anything that has been any good has been the reimaged Battlestar Galactica. Oh, and I liked the remake of Casino Royale and Oceans 11.

Click to expand...

The movie remake of the The Fugitive TV show was great.

DaveAri said:

The movie remake of the The Fugitive TV show was great.

Click to expand...

That one wasn't too bad either. Suspenseful and not too over the top.

worst remake ever: willy wonka

michaelskar said:

worst remake ever: willy wonka

Click to expand...

You spelled Dukes of Hazzard wrong.

It's hard to think of really good remakes. Part of the reason is that for a remake to be truly good it needs to be original. One of two elements is essential to a good remake.

1. The movie being remade is based on a good idea, and for one reason or another is largely unknown.

Example: Oceans 11. The remake is about the same as the original. It is good as a piece of entertainment, and remakes a film that people today are largely uninterested in.

2. The remake takes the underlying ideas and main plot points and twists them into something new; a different style, a different setting, different plot, etc.

Example: Steven Soderbergh 's movie Solaris which is a remake of a Russian film Solyaris from the 70's. The ideas and plot are about the same, but I prefer Soderbergh 's version (please don't kill me movie buffs) simply because it manages to cover the same philosophical points in a more reasonable time frame. Also it benefits (as do most sci-fi flics) from modern technology.

Unfortunately the majority of the remakes out there are simply lazy. If I were a cynical man I might suggest that these atrocities were simple cash grabs, attempts to sell a substandard film by riding the success of the original, high profile stars and special effects.

Example: I'm sure everyone can think of an example. A good example is the Stallone version of Get Carter. Basically it's the same movie as the original, but without any of the points that make the first so gripping, and terrible acting.

Musing over remakes the only solid piece of advice I can offer is this. Any remake should be eyed with suspicion, and if one or more of the original actors/actresses is playing a different character, then run.

sparkchaser said:

You spelled Dukes of Hazzard wrong.

Click to expand...

thank god I haven't seen that movie...but I do appreciate willie nelson as uncle jesse (though I'm not so sure willie can act as well as he plays music)

an obvious one: king kong (you pick the remake...they were all bad IMHO)

King Kong was too obvious.

Here are a few more remade stinkers:

• Poseidon
• Planet of the Apes
• The Pink Panther
• The Out of Towners
• King Kong
• Godzilla
• RollerBall
• Psycho

John Carpenter's The Thing was a good remake of the original The Thing from another world, but if you ask me they are two very different styled films. If I remember correctly the original was a really good suspense/horror film whereas the new one was more of a horror/gorefest.

Still scared the heck out of me though.

Luc Besson's La Femme Nikita should NOT have been remade. The original was great.

The Four Feathers with Heath Ledger was a bad re-make of a classic epic.

I would like to see a good remake of The Prisoner series.

DaveAri said:

Here are a few more remade stinkers:

• Poseidon
• Planet of the Apes
• The Pink Panther
• The Out of Towners
• King Kong
• Godzilla
• RollerBall
• Psycho

Click to expand...

Alucard73 said:

The Four Feathers with Heath Ledger was a bad re-make of a classic epic.

Click to expand...

How many classic Micael Caine movies have been badly remade ...
Get Carter
The Italian Job
spring to mind.

Other blunders include The Longest Yard

... others will doubtless spring to mind.



OTOH, I do enjoy all 3 tellings of the HMS Bounty story

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was not just a bad remake, it was a steaming pile period.

I refused to watch the remake of Walking Tall.

At least the Dukes of Hazzard had Jessica Simpson in Daisy Dukes. That was worth something. Other than that terrible. I was excited when I heard they were redoing it. It was shot about 15 minutes from where I grew up. NOT in Georgia. All of the college shots were done at LSU. I know all the buildings and was very familiar with the lab they used for the lab scene. Not the geology department. It was the Chemistry building, Chopin Hall.

Oceans 11 was a really good remake. I agree with that for sure.

Jonathan

Agree on Willy Wonka. I like Depp but that was horrible.

I refuse to watch the Dukes of Hazzard, Get Smart, Walking Tall, The Pink Panther, or Longest Yard.

I didn't like the remakes of Flight of the Phoenix or the Poseidon Adventure. I love both of the originals.

The Sabrina remake was not "bad" but could not hold a candle to Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden

I hate to say that I actually liked the remake of Ocean's 11 more than the original.

But with all the remakes, is Hollywood just out of good ideas (yes I am looking at you M. Night Shamalamandingdong)