Originals vs Remakes (films, tv shows)

[gnostic]

Is the Original always better than Remakes?

Which "remake(s)" do you think is better than the original(s)?

Also, which film(s) has become an even more successful TV version(s)?

Or which film(s) has become better than the TV version(s)?

This can be films or TV shows, or both...so any combination you like.

I'll start it off.

In the case of film, I thought Nikita (French, original) was better than The Assassin (played by Brigit Fonda).

And I thought Starsky and Hutch was better in the TV series than the recent film. The film was crap, and not even funny...it was just stupid.

 

[Skwim]

You've Got Mail (1998) with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan and Is far, far better than The Shop Around the Corner (1940) with James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.

 

[Riverwolf]

Originals vs. Remakes... does Lord of the Rings count? ^_^ (The original cartoons SUCKED!!!)

Most of the time, the originals are not just better, they're WAY better. But periodically, you do get remakes that are better. I actually think Peter Jackson's King Kong is better than the original (and I love the original).

 

[Storm]

Also, which film(s) has become an even more successful TV version(s)?

M*A*S*H* & Buffy the Vampire Slayer. No contest.

 

[gnostic]

M*A*S*H* & Buffy the Vampire Slayer. No contest.

I actually preferred the tv series than the original movies too.

It was the with Stargate; I like SG1 better than the movie, but I did enjoy the film still.

 

[Storm]

I actually preferred the tv series than the original movies.

It was the with Stargate; I like SG1 better than the movie, but I did enjoy the film still.

Huh? Did I answer the wrong direction? Anyway, I meant the shows (remakes) were VASTLY superior to the films.

 

[gnostic]

Huh? Did I answer the wrong direction? Anyway, I meant the shows (remakes) were VASTLY superior to the films.

Sorry, storm. I meant that I like the tv series, TOO.

 

[Storm]

Oh, ok.

 

[Kathryn]

To me, "The Bounty" (1984) The Bounty (1984) - IMDb was better than either version of "Mutiny on the Bounty" that preceded it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty_(1935_film) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty_(1962_film).

This is a FANTASTIC movie with excellent acting and very close attention to historical detail. Anthony Hopkins is never a disappointment and he creates a lot of unexpected empathy for his character of Captain Bligh. Mel Gibson is at his best as a sort of loose cannon, and his role as Christian Fletcher highlights this aspect of the real life sailor's personality.

 

[Kathryn]

I like "Friends" AND the British version of it (Coupling). Both are witty and have good character development, especially for sit coms.

 

[Father Heathen]

which film(s) has become an even more successful TV version(s)?

Star-Gate

 

[Revoltingest]

Probabilistically, a great original is likely to be better than a remake.
It works thus.
- Greatness is a very elusive quality. One cannot just decide to go out & make a great movie, & make it so. Even the best movie makers fail. In fact, failure is an essential part of the process.
- Of the vast number of movies made, less than 1% will be great.
- Anytime we observe a remake, we're comparing it with the original, which is in an inherently elite subclass of movies.
- Remakes tend to be made of successful movies, so the bar is set very high.

So the probability that a remake will equal or surpass the original is small indeed.
But some beat the odds, eg, The Maltese Falcon (1941)is a remake of a remake.

 

[gnostic]

I found it strange that Sean Connery would make or star in a remake of one of his own James Bond's movie - Thunderball (1965) vs Never Say Never Again (1983).

Thunderball was definitely better. Never Say Never Again seemed to be the cheesy version.

 

[gnostic]

Originals vs. Remakes... does Lord of the Rings count? ^_^ (The original cartoons SUCKED!!!)

Most of the time, the originals are not just better, they're WAY better. But periodically, you do get remakes that are better. I actually think Peter Jackson's King Kong is better than the original (and I love the original).

Of course, you can.

 

[Kathryn]

I liked both versions of True Grit.

 

[Riverwolf]

I found it strange that Sean Connery would make or star in a remake of one of his own James Bond's movie - Thunderball (1965) vs Never Say Never Again (1983).

Thunderball was definitely better. Never Say Never Again seemed to be the cheesy version.

Plus, he was in his 50s by the time he made that movie; WAY too old for James Bond. An internet personality I used to watch commented that "[he was] old enough to be the dad of the girls he was courting; in fact, knowing James, they probably were his daughters."

 

[freethinker44]

I thought "Mary Shelly's Frankenstein" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" were both better than the classics from the 30's. I wouldn't really consider them remakes though since they aren't based off of the original movies, they are based off of the books the original movies were based. I realize this is a really fine line, however, and most people don't make that distiction and have this kind of "there can be only one" mindset.

 

[gnostic]

I thought "Mary Shelly's Frankenstein" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" were both better than the classics from the 30's. I wouldn't really consider them remakes though since they aren't based off of the original movies, they are based off of the books the original movies were based. I realize this is a really fine line, however, and most people don't make that distiction and have this kind of "there can be only one" mindset.

That's true.

Although I know (at least with Dracula) still did veer off bit from the original story when it suit the director. They still sensationalized it in some parts.

Like Dracula's death for example.

In the film, Harker and Quincey mortally wounded Dracula, and Mina defended him, helped Dracula into chapel, shared a kiss, before she gave the final blow. That part of Mina's didn't happened in the book. In the original novel, Harker and Quincey killed Dracula, and that was it.

Although, the film was largely faithful to the book, certainly more so than all the previous movies, it still tends to romanticize Dracula-Mina relationship more than the book.