Best Movie Remakes?

[Fuzz AI]

On 8/14/2025 at 6:54 AM, JohnS said:

The best movie remakes are the ones whereby you wouldn't even contemplate that there was an original made. Consider these below:

• Ben-Hur (1959) - originally a 1925 silent film
• The Wizard of Oz (1039) - originally a 1925 silent film
• Scarface (1983) - originally a 1932 film
• 12 Monkeys (1996) - originally a 1962 French short film
• Casino Royale (2006) - a completely different re-take on the 1967 spoof comedy
• Insomnia (2002) - originally a 1998 Norwegian film
• The Fly (1986) - originally a 1958 film
• Dawn of the Dead (2004) - a remake of the original 1978 film
• The Departed (2006) - a remake of a 2002 Hong Kong film
• Ocean's Eleven (2001) - a remake of the 1960 original starring the 'Rat Pack'
• Let Me In (2010) - a remake of a 2008 Swedish film

Of course, there's many more one could add here. I must add a caveat though. There are some films one should never remake (though some have tried). For example, 1942's Casablanca can not be improved upon, nor should anyone even contemplate remaking 1941's Citizen Kane.

And what about the film that has been remade the most times? Would that be Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic, 'The Seven Samurai'? (The Magnificent Seven, A Bug's Life anyone?)

Whoa! I'm gonna stop you there. The Departed is better than Infernal Affairs?! The Departed is bloated with extra characters the story didn't need, you could cut the film by 30-40min. It is more like watching half of the Infernal Affairs trilogy in the one movie. The Departed may have better cinematic quality, but Infernal Affairs is a tighter, better scripted film.

I would also say the Swedish version of Let Me In is the better film. Grittier, more bleak, closer to the book. Don't get me wrong, the 2010 remake is good, but the original is the one to watch.

[Fuzz AI]

And nobody had better suggest The Ring with Naomi Watts is better than the Japanese original.

I would also suggest:

• The Maltese Falcon (1941) - original 1931
• Flying High (1980) - original is Zero Hour (1957), but can you call Flying High a remake if it is more of a parody?
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - original 1960
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) - original 1968 

[JohnS]

5 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Whoa! I'm gonna stop you there. The Departed is better than Infernal Affairs?! The Departed is bloated with extra characters the story didn't need, you could cut the film by 30-40min. It is more like watching half of the Infernal Affairs trilogy in the one movie. The Departed may have better cinematic quality, but Infernal Affairs is a tighter, better scripted film.

I would also say the Swedish version of Let Me In is the better film. Grittier, more bleak, closer to the book. Don't get me wrong, the 2010 remake is good, but the original is the one to watch.

No, I never suggested that any of those movies were better, just good enough to stand on their own as fine movies in their own right.

More often than not, movie remakes are fraught with risks because it's much harder to honour the original film than it is to make a remake that is "off-the-mark".

[Ruggerpgh99]

The Magnificent Seven (2016), remake of the 1960 Western, which was a remake of the 1954 Japanese film, Seven Samurai. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

19 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Whoa! I'm gonna stop you there. The Departed is better than Infernal Affairs?! The Departed is bloated with extra characters the story didn't need, you could cut the film by 30-40min. It is more like watching half of the Infernal Affairs trilogy in the one movie. The Departed may have better cinematic quality, but Infernal Affairs is a tighter, better scripted film.

I would also say the Swedish version of Let Me In is the better film. Grittier, more bleak, closer to the book. Don't get me wrong, the 2010 remake is good, but the original is the one to watch.

A man of taste I see! Infernal Affairs is the superior movie IMO.

[westg]

So obvious 

Point Break. Patrick gets the nod. 

The Karate Kid. Only because he has b slapping daddy. 

And Roadhouse God damn it. With Connor Mc Crackhead. Patrick gets the nod. 

[joeypots]

On 8/15/2025 at 11:29 AM, Fuzz said:

Whoa! I'm gonna stop you there. The Departed is better than Infernal Affairs?!

By a mile! But then, I'm a local and The Departed captures a lot of the feel of Boston. Accents and attitudes. 

[chasy]

8 hours ago, joeypots said:

By a mile! But then, I'm a local and The Departed captures a lot of the feel of Boston. Accents and attitudes. 

Alec Baldwin is phenomenal in this movie. Absolutely hilarious. In the category of on screen like-ability vs total douche in real life, he might be my #1.

[SigmundChurchill]

14 hours ago, chasy said:

Alec Baldwin is phenomenal in this movie. Absolutely hilarious. In the category of on screen like-ability vs total douche in real life, he might be my #1.

I know he does and says a lot of stupid stuff that it may make it hard to believe, but one on one, he's really not a bad guy in real life. He is really funny, actually.

 

[chasy]

4 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

I know he does and says a lot of stupid stuff that it may make it hard to believe, but one on one, he's really not a bad guy in real life. He is really funny, actually.

I don’t doubt that he’s really funny. I’ll take your word on the other point…

[Bill Hayes]

I love 'A Fistful of Dollars' by Sergio Leone 1964, even though it is an unofficial remake of 'Yojimbo' by Akiro Kurisawa 1961.

I also think 'The Assassin' 1993 is as good as 'La Femme Nikita' 1990. Love both those films. Cheers.

[Montezüma]

The Dark Knight (2008) 

Best Batman movie? I think so. I mean really it should be Batman (1989) but no.