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Remakes

Posted: November 18th, 2010, 3:02 pm
by Uncle Stevie
We all know many movies are remakes of earlier ones. Do you have any favorite remake and was the first one better than the second or third if there was one?

Two come to my mind. Last night I saw "Bachelor Mother" (1939) with Ginger Rogers and David Niven. It was Ok but not exciting at all. This was remade as "Bundle Of Joy" (1956) with Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. It was a more enjoyable movie to me and was a musical with both singing.

Another in my mind was "It's A Date" (1940) with Deanna Durbin and Walter Pidgeon. I liked the script and I love Durbin but the acting performances from Walter Pidgeon and Kay Francis were awful. They both seemed to have missed breakfast that day. This was remade into "Nancy Goes To Rio" (1950) starring Jane Powell, Ann Southern, and Barry Sullivan. The script was close to a carbon copy but it was in color and was a much better directed movie. Acting performances were very good with help from Louis Calhearn and Carmen Miranda.

What remakes have you seen lately?

Re: Remakes

Posted: November 22nd, 2012, 9:53 am
by Vienna
Most folk I know prefer the Margaret Sullavan version of BACK STREET, or even the earlier Irene Dunne version, but I prefer the 50s version with Susan Hayward . Vera Miles was also very good in this version as the shrewish wife of John Gavin.

Re: Remakes

Posted: November 23rd, 2012, 3:08 pm
by Western Guy
Which version of IMITATION OF LIFE is preferred by members? I'd have to give the nod to the Ross Hunter/Douglas Sirk "glossy" version.

Don't know if it technically falls into the realm of remake, but I much prefer the Barbara Stanwyck/Clifton Webb version of TITANIC to the overblown James Cameron film.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 7th, 2012, 10:00 pm
by Sue Sue Applegate
I go all Sirk when I think of Imitation of Life. I was lucky enough to see Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner discuss the film at the first TCMFF 2010. It was lushly gorgeous on the Big Sheet. And I am fond of the Webb/Stanwyck Titanic.

Vienna, I also prefer the 50's version of Back Street with Susan Hayward.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 7th, 2012, 11:18 pm
by Rita Hayworth
Western Guy wrote:Which version of IMITATION OF LIFE is preferred by members? I'd have to give the nod to the Ross Hunter/Douglas Sirk "glossy" version.

Don't know if it technically falls into the realm of remake, but I much prefer the Barbara Stanwyck/Clifton Webb version of TITANIC to the overblown James Cameron film.
I'm with you Western Guy on this!

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 8th, 2012, 5:03 pm
by moira finnie
I guess I'm a retroholic. I tend to prefer the originals most of the time.

Love Affair (1939) rather than Affair to Remember (1957) or Love Affair (1994)--though the Ennio Morricone score in the latter film is glorious.

Imitation of Life (1934) instead of the glossy 1959 version, though I like Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore very much and can feel Sirk's sympathy toward them. Louise Beavers and Fredi Washington are just heartbreaking in the John Stahl version.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) is so much better than the recent remake with Keanu Reeves, which had no soul.

One film I would like to see remade: Brigadoon, which could probably be filmed in Scotland today, instead of on the MGM soundstage. But then, we wouldn't have Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, would we?

I agree with Stone about the 1953 version of Titanic. Despite the liberties it took with history, you care about the people in the film. I can't say that was entirely true of the fine docu-drama A Night to Remember (1958) and I have fallen asleep the two times I tried to watch the popular '97 version. One very interesting film, well worth seeing, is Titanic (1943), a German version of this story with some interesting Nazi weirdness and class commentaries about the Brits. This film was made at UFA during some of the worst bombing of the area during the war.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 9th, 2012, 5:28 pm
by Western Guy
That's right, Moira. While the effects were impressive in the Cameron TITANIC, I just couldn't get much into the human drama. Really, for the great length of the movie the only two people we were expected to really care about were Leonardo and Kate. Should have built up the characterizations of some of the other people (as Irwin Allen did with his 70s all-star disaster movies) so that you had a variety of characters to root for. I mean, really all you had was Billy Zane (and you really couldn't care what happened to his rotter). Kathy Bates pretty much had a nothing role as Molly Brown, IMO. Likewise Eric Braeden as Astor - what was the point? So it was Leo or Kate and really by the time the movie reached its climax I was sick of 'em both.

Agree completely about the German TITANIC. Very interesting film.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 9th, 2012, 7:47 pm
by Rita Hayworth
moirafinnie wrote:I guess I'm a retroholic. I tend to prefer the originals most of the time.

Love Affair (1939) rather than Affair to Remember (1957) or Love Affair (1994)--though the Ennio Morricone score in the latter film is glorious.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) is so much better than the recent remake with Keanu Reeves, which had no soul.
Moira, I'm a retroholic myself.

I rather have Love Affair (1939) over the other two that you've mentioned here.
I rather 1951 ... The Day the Earth Stood Still ... over the remake that Reeves did that does nothing to me.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 9th, 2012, 7:56 pm
by Western Guy
How about the awful remake of WAR OF THE WORLDS? That movie so annoyed me I came home from the theater and popped in the Gene Barry/Ann Robinson original just to cleanse my palate.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 10th, 2012, 3:48 am
by Vienna
Western Guy wrote:How about the awful remake of WAR OF THE WORLDS? That movie so annoyed me I came home from the theater and popped in the Gene Barry/Ann Robinson original just to cleanse my palate.
Oh, I love that comment- "to cleanse my palate !"
I do so agree about THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. The remake can't hold a candle to the original.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 12th, 2012, 2:38 am
by Rita Hayworth
Here some remakes are so bad its makes me ill.

Originals: Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1956, 1978 ... were good
Remake: Invasion 2007 ... Starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman was horrible.

Original: Clash of the Titans - 1981
Remake: Clash of the Titans - 2010

Original: Planet of the Apes - 1968
Remake: Planet of the Apes - 2001

Original: Rollerball - 1975
Remake: Rollerball - 2002

Original: Psycho - 1960
Remake: Psycho - 1998
Note: This disappointed me the most; and being a Hitchcock Fan ... I was stunned how bad it was.

My personal favorite for the worst remake of all time
Original: Pink Panther - 1963
Remake: Pink Panther - 2006

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 12th, 2012, 3:26 pm
by Western Guy
kingme, you are 100% right on the mark with all of these!

But I would hastily add both of those awful KING KONG remakes. And what the hey were the producers thinking hiring Jack Black and that smarmy Adrien Brody to replace he-men Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot? And what the hey was Kong doing ass-sledding on an ice pond in Central Park?? Is my ire coming through yet? I also despised that '78 mess. Except Charles Grodin (who seemed to appear in almost every late 70s film) was okay as a semi-comical Denham (better than J.B.) and hirsute Jeff Bridges was definitely more masculine hero material than A.B. But, among other things, that ridiculous cross-cutting between Rick Baker's ape suit and mechani-Kong was on a par with Charles Gemora and the orangutan from '32s MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE.

Curious, though, what would you select for "best" (if such exists) remakes - not necessarily surpassing the original (few can), but standing high on its own merits.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 12th, 2012, 4:29 pm
by ChiO
THE MALTESE FALCON
OSSESSIONE
M
(No, Losey's isn't as great as Lang's, but if Lang's didn't exist, Losey's would be lauded to the hilt)

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 12th, 2012, 4:38 pm
by Western Guy
Interesting. For some reason I have a difficult time looking upon the 1941 THE MALTESE FALCON as a remake, though it absolutely, certainly is. I suppose the Huston version has made such an impact it is difficult to remember there were two previous versions. The Huston version is so superior as to stand alone. But, yes, you are so correct. Must confess, have not seen either OSSESSIONE or the David Wayne-in-place-of-Peter Lorre- remake of M. Would definitely like to, especially if you are willing to give it a recommendation.

Re: Remakes

Posted: December 12th, 2012, 5:55 pm
by Rita Hayworth
ChiO and Western Guy ... I can clearly see where both of you are coming too. Good Call and I support it to the letter!