Sometimes Hollywood Does Reboots Right. Here Is A List Of The Best Remakes Ever Made
We are far too often inundated with remakes and reboots galore churning out of the Hollywood machine. Not all films need a remake. So many are gems which stand the test of time and don't need a modern take which will add nothing more than a sad tarnish to the original.
However, every now and again, creatives find a diamond in the rough. A film that maybe had a great concept but didn't quite work on screen because of budget, director, writer, or maybe the technology hadn't come along that could bring these powerful ideas to their true fruition.
Enstarz has a few examples of film remakes which stand out from their first go around and improve on a squandered concept.
Ocean's 11
Originally, this heist film about a group of variously skilled con men looking to score big by taking down a Vegas casino, was a vehicle for The Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop) back in 1960. The film became a forgotten gem for years until director Steven Soderbergh decided to remake the film in 2001.
Starring a powerful cast of talent in George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon, just to name a few, this slick, smart, and suave retelling of the story became an instant success. From the playful David Holmes score to the witty banter, every element of this brilliantly crafted caper captivates while keeping you guessing. This was truly the rebirth of cool in Hollywood.
The Fly
This 1958 Vincent Price vehicle was an audience pleasing piece of sci-fi/horror oddities for the time it was produced. But like any film that is ahead of its time, sometimes the special effects aren't where the story needs them. Silly fly masks and a superimposed human head on an insect body may have thrilled audiences back in the day, but don't really hold up to our modern day luxury of well designed practical and digital effects.
Enter "body horror extraordinair" David Cronenberg to give his gut churning take on the horror classic. Starring a fit as hell Jeff Goldblum and a stunningly gorgeous Gina Davis, the remake is a feast for the eyes (and I don't just mean its leads). Cronenberg, who is known for his knack for unnerving audiences with practical body altering effects, brings his A-Game to what could possibly be his most famous film to date. Throughout, Goldblum goes through a painfully realistic transformation from svelte snack to disgusting fly monster in some of the most impressive prosthesis work ever put to screen, courtesy of special effects artist Ted Ross. 1986's The Fly to this day is one of the most disturbing films you can't take your eyes off of.
Scarface
In 1932, audiences were enthralled by the gangster drama Scarface, where an ambitious gangster with a short fuse rises to power only to have it crumble just as quickly due to his own misguided hubris. Set in the bootlegging era of Prohibition, Scarface was one of the earlier gangster films to gain notoriety.
Then in 1983, the cocaine boom brought about a new version of the mob movie, this time focusing on more than just the Italian mob which made the genre famous. In this gritty new take, Al Pacino was cast as Tony Montana, an unhinged Cuban refugee who is as relentless in his pursuit for power as he is savagely violent. Directed by Brian De Palma, Scarface stands as one of the most gory and real depictions of gangster life ever put to screen. With Pacino's doure expressions and explosive performance, Tony goes from small time to big time through a series a brutally cringe-worthy acts that break the code of loyalty and sanity. The film has become a classic in the genre, often imitated but never duplicated.
True Lies
Unbeknownst to many, James Cameron's action comedy True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, is actually based on a less known French farce La Totale! from 1991. The premise is pretty much the same in terms of story beats, where a spy is forced to lie to his family in order to keep his secret identity safe, only to have his family get caught up in one of his missions, though it is safe to say that the American remake is a superior film in many regards.
In 1994, audiences were amazed at the comedic prowess of Schwarzenegger and the amazing action stylings of James Cameron. The film is as playful with humor as it is mind blowing in its action sequences. Hell, it even made Tom Arnold funnier than should be allowed. The casting was perfection with Jamie Lee Curtis going from depressed housewife to femme fatale in one of her most career defining scenes since Halloween (you know the one where she does the sexy dance? Yeah, that one). Stunts, comedy, big explosions, and smart writing made True Lies one of the best action comedies ever made.
Man On Fire
The film that made Denzel Washington a major Hollywood badass, Man On Fire from late-great director Tony Scott was a stylish action thriller about a bodyguard out for revenge against the men who kidnapped the child he was hired to protect. But like so many great ideas out of Tinsel Town, this too was made back in 1987 starring Scott Glenn, Danny Aiello, and Joe Pesci. A quieter version from the remake, the original doesn't quite stick the landing the way Denzel did.
Also, trying to compare Christopher Walken to Joe Pecsi is an impossible task as the handler. Scott's version brought with it the advantage of modern day filmmaking, with an eye for the dramatic which didn't always find its footing in the original. Still both great films, Man On Fire the remake definitely takes the prize in this fight.
Invisible Man
Claude Rains wowed audiences back in 1933's The Invisible Man. An early adopter of special effects artistry, viewers were shocked to see a man unwrap his face to reveal his invisible visage. Based on the book by H.G. Wells, spin off were attempted though never held a candle to the original.
That was until innovative director Liegh Whannell brought his new take on an old trope to the big screen. Now, rather than a formula, the invisibility is brought to the present day by way of a special suit which uses hundreds of mini-cameras to give the illusion of being invisible. Starring Elisabeth Moss as an abused wife of the suit's creator, her attempts to escape become deadly when her husband uses the suit to discredit her accusations by making her look insane. Strong in execution and tense throughout, this taught thriller was one of the most entertaining films to come out during the COVID lockdown.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Based on the McCarthyism "Red Scare" time in America, Invasion of the Body Snatchers fed into all of the distrust some many Americans were feeling. Rather than Communism, the film's catalyst is a bunch of alien seed pods which take over the body of citizens in order to methodically take over the world one person at a time. Steeped in conspiratorial energy, the 1956 version is still considered a classic.
But in 1978, Donald Sutherland, our man, Jeff Goldblum, and Spock, himself, Leonard Nemoy, starred in a remake that amps up the terror to a whole other level. Taking the same storyline, this modernized version plays with emotions on a deeper level, making the alien's much more sinister and sophisticated in their attempt to take over. Not to mention the final shot, which will unnerve you to the core. GIFs have been made.
The Thing
The king of perfect remakes in our opinion, John Carpenter's The Thing created some of the most spectacular practical special effects work ever used in a film. Based on The Thing From Another World from 1951, the original took place in a remote arctic outpost where scientists are being hunted down by an alien being who basically looks like a giant bald guy. A fun concept, sure, but not a defining moment for the horror genre.
John Carpenter took this idea of claustrophobic horror to heights rarely found in cinema. Ratcheting up the isolation, adding a powerful cast (Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Kieth David), and creating some of the most innovative effects in history, The Thing is a clinic in how to make the perfect horror film. With a special effects masterclass from Rob Bottin, viewers will be astounded by the disturbingly effective look and feel of the monsters, while becoming wrapped up in the mystery of who to trust.
Truly a marvel of early creature work, intricate character development, and an overall shudder-inducing plot, John Carpenter's The Thing, hot take, is definitely one of, if not the best work this master of horror ever created.
