Movie/ tv remakes

[Ghost89]

I would be voting for Walter Matthau version, better acting, not heavy on special effects and that small dry, humour stoy line.

The original all day. Travolta was so OTT.The photography was like a music video. Even Denzil couldn’t save it.

[jimmypoo]

I would be voting for Walter Matthau version, better acting, not heavy on special effects and that small dry, humour stoy line.

Lest we forget Robert Shaw!

[jimmypoo]

..............................or Jerry Stiller and Doris Roberts!

[Ghost89]

Lest we forget Robert Shaw!

Shame on us! He was excellent as the cold, calculating ring leader. Didn’t need to constantly swear like Travolta did. He oozed menace. And rather than be caught chose to electrocute himself on the rail line.

[Corus Boy]

..............................or Jerry Stiller and Doris Roberts!

+1

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (also known as The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) is a 1974 American thriller film directed by Joseph Sargent, produced by Gabriel Katzka and Edgar J. Scherick, and starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, and Héctor Elizondo. Peter Stone adapted the screenplay from the 1973 novel of the same name written by Morton Freedgood under the pen name John Godey.

The film received critical acclaim and holds a rating of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 41 reviews. Several critics called it one of 1974's finest films, and it was a box office success. As in the novel, the film follows a group of criminals taking the passengers hostage inside a New York City Subway car for ransom. Musically, it features "one of the best and most inventive thriller scores of the 1970s". It was remade in 1998 as a television film and was again remade in 2009 as a theatrical film.

[petermisc]

Shame on us! He was excellent as the cold, calculating ring leader. Didn’t need to constantly swear like Travolta did. He oozed menace. And rather than be caught chose to electrocute himself on the rail line.

In the 1974 film, the ring-leader was a through-and-through evil killer, which was why they got an Englishman to play him (classic tactic in American films).  While Shaw's acting was excellent, I just didn't find the character believable or relatable to, it was just too extreme - much like a Bond villain, you just knew that he was inevitably going to come to a bad end.  I found Travolta's character in the remake far more believable, and I had no clue right to the end if he was going to get away.

[petermisc]

Which version of Hitchhiker's Guide do you prefer?  The radio, TV, or book version? 

I suspect in each case, it is the first version that you came across.  Which might explain why remakes in general are rated so poorly.  If you like something, you are inherently unlikely to like a different version of it, that is missing many of the things you liked about the first version you saw.

[PunterNumber69]

Which version of Hitchhiker's Guide do you prefer?  The radio, TV, or book version? 

I suspect in each case, it is the first version that you came across.  Which might explain why remakes in general are rated so poorly.  If you like something, you are inherently unlikely to like a different version of it, that is missing many of the things you liked about the first version you saw.

Not the movie version.

I listened to the radio version first but I prefer the TV version.

[Ghost89]

In the 1974 film, the ring-leader was a through-and-through evil killer, which was why they got an Englishman to play him (classic tactic in American films).  While Shaw's acting was excellent, I just didn't find the character believable or relatable to, it was just too extreme - much like a Bond villain, you just knew that he was inevitably going to come to a bad end.  I found Travolta's character in the remake far more believable, and I had no clue right to the end if he was going to get away.

Well that’s a good thing if you can’t relate to him. You’d be a nutter I’m sure lol. I found Travolta too pantomime. Too over board. But each to their own my friend. 

[Ali Katt]

Not the movie version.

I listened to the radio version first but I prefer the TV version.

The movie version is dogshit. Utter pants.

[Ali Katt]

The Pink Panther with Steve Martin - awful

I actually don't really like Steve Martin. He's too full of himself.

He wrote and starred in The Jerk one of the greatest comedy films. He has every right to be full of himself.

[Chorley]

Assualt on Precinct 13.The remake is actually not bad, but it's not a patch on John Carpenter's sparse, edgy and claustrophobic original, whcih was actually a homage to Rio Bravo with nods to Night of the Living Dead. 

[PunterNumber69]

He wrote and starred in The Jerk one of the greatest comedy films. He has every right to be full of himself.

I've never watched that. I'll have to take a look sometime.

[PunterNumber69]

Thunderball and Never Say Never Again (the worst James Bond movie.. EVER)

[Ali Katt]

Thunderball and Never Say Never Again (the worst James Bond movie.. EVER)

The original Casino Royale is unfunny and like a bad Carry On movie, the Daniel Craig version is a decent action film with some memorable scenes.

There's been better spoofs of Bond films since Casino Royale. Spy with Jason Statham and the French OSS films.

[Davey Dykes]

Didn't James Coburn do a couple of half decent Bond parodies back in the 60s?

The name Flint seems to ring a bell.

[PunterNumber69]

Didn't James Coburn do a couple of half decent Bond parodies back in the 60s?

The name Flint seems to ring a bell.

Our Man Flint and In Like Flint

I have them on DVD.

[The Film Director]

Assualt on Precinct 13.The remake is actually not bad, but it's not a patch on John Carpenter's sparse, edgy and claustrophobic original, whcih was actually a homage to Rio Bravo with nods to Night of the Living Dead. 

Anyone got a smoke? 

[ulstersubbie]

Assualt on Precinct 13.The remake is actually not bad, but it's not a patch on John Carpenter's sparse, edgy and claustrophobic original, whcih was actually a homage to Rio Bravo with nods to Night of the Living Dead. 

Spot on Chorley. The original was one of the best low budget exploitation movies ever made.   

[Chorley]

Spot on Chorley. The original was one of the best low budget exploitation movies ever made.   

Agreed.This is the best scene IMHO; absolutely cold and savage.
 Apparently it caused a lot of shock controversy at the time as Kim Richards was known a Disney child star. Apparently the film censors in the US were going to give it a X certificate so Carpenter agreed to cut the scene and it got passed, but then he secretly re edited  and had it distributed.
External Link/Members Only

[Corus Boy]

I watched one remake for the sole purpose of finding out how bad it could be, as some movies, I have felt, should never be touched.

Howver I admit that I did enjoy the remake of Whisky Galore;

External Link/Members Only

External Link/Members Only

[Ghost89]

As previously stated earlier in the thread, the magnificent Seven was a remake of Seven Samurai. I’m watching Seven Samurai now and had forgotten how good it was.

[mr.bluesky]

I don't think the Star Trek re boot films are as good as the originals. Better effects maybe but it it just doesn't look right having Chris Pine playing a younger version of Kirk or Simon Pegg as a younger version of Scottie. It just doesn't work for me and there will only ever be one Spock.

[winkywanky]

Agreed.This is the best scene IMHO; absolutely cold and savage.
 Apparently it caused a lot of shock controversy at the time as Kim Richards was known a Disney child star. Apparently the film censors in the US were going to give it a X certificate so Carpenter agreed to cut the scene and it got passed, but then he secretly re edited  and had it distributed.
External Link/Members Only

I found that scene totally shocking the first time I saw it (as intended of course!).

The whole film is incredibly dark and atmospheric, especially with Carpenter's goundbreaking soundtrack.

[Chorley]

Another remake that should have never have happened was Get Carter with Sylvester Stallone. It was bloody    I can't beleive Michael Caine agreed to a cameo in it. 
Now don't get me wrong, I'm a Sly  fan and he's made some terrific and iconic films, but an uneccessary Holywood remake of possibly the greatest British gangster film is just sacrilege to me.

[winkywanky]

Another remake that should have never have happened was Get Carter with Sylvester Stallone. It was bloody    I can't beleive Michael Caine agreed to a cameo in it. 
Now don't get me wrong, I'm a Sly  fan and he's made some terrific and iconic films, but an uneccessary Holywood remake of possibly the greatest British gangster film is just sacrilege to me.

Time and time again (and he readily admits to it) regardless of what a quality actor he is, Caine will do pretty well anything for the money.

His attitude seems to be that the people who pay to go watch the film are the ultimate judge of his work.

There's enough good stuff in there to put most actors in the shade, you just need to avoid the annoying drivel he's been involved in.

[winkywanky]

The basic principle is that America will cheerfully copy what you did, and then sell it back to you at a big profit 

In the case of Get Carter, (almost literally) coals to Newcastle.

[ulstersubbie]

The yanks remade The Wicker Man......   

[myothernameis]

The yanks remade The Wicker Man......   

War of the Worlds: TNG

Theatrical version, which I had seen 2019 at the the Hydro Glasgow, such an amazing show to see live, especially when as a teen had the album

[tantric talents]

The yanks remade The Wicker Man......   

I know.
They really don’t have a clue sometimes do they 

[tantric talents]

As previously stated earlier in the thread, the magnificent Seven was a remake of Seven Samurai. I’m watching Seven Samurai now and had forgotten how good it was.

I recently made my 19yr old sit through it.
Started with “but dad it’s in black and white!!”
However patience prevailed and by the end was virtually applauding it 
Yojimbo next
Softly softly....

[Ghost89]

I recently made my 19yr old sit through it.
Started with “but dad it’s in black and white!!”
However patience prevailed and by the end was virtually applauding it 
Yojimbo next
Softly softly....

Good work! It’s 3 1/2 hours long but doesn’t seem it IMO.

[The Film Director]

I recently made my 19yr old sit through it.
Started with “but dad it’s in black and white!!”
However patience prevailed and by the end was virtually applauding it 
Yojimbo next
Softly softly....

Try Kurosawa's Drunken Angel ..... great noir. 

[Chorley]

I recently made my 19yr old sit through it.
Started with “but dad it’s in black and white!!”
However patience prevailed and by the end was virtually applauding it 
Yojimbo next
Softly softly....

Have you seen Harakiri? Such an atmopspheric and intriguing film. It's in the same vein as Seven Samaurai, but it's not as lauded.
For a film form 1962 the cinematography is incredible. None more so than in this scene. External Link/Members Only
Fun fact re this scene.The swords were geneuine Samurai swords, not props! Not only was this highly dangerous, it was actually illegal at the time in Japan.  Apparently both actors were- understandably!-absolutely shitting themselves and nearly backed out of the film. But the director's wishes prevailed and we got this classic scene. 

[Ghost89]

Have you seen Harakiri? Such an atmopspheric and intriguing film. It's in the same vein as Seven Samaurai, but it's not as lauded.
For a film form 1962 the cinematography is incredible. None more so than in this scene. External Link/Members Only
Fun fact re this scene.The swords were geneuine Samurai swords, not props! Not only was this highly dangerous, it was actually illegal at the time in Japan.  Apparently both actors were- understandably!-absolutely shitting themselves and nearly backed out of the film. But the director's wishes prevailed and we got this classic scene. 

I’ve seen it. Been a while but I have it on blu-Ray. I wasn’t aware of the fact that the swords were real. Very interesting and adds an added dimension to the movie. The remake by takashi mikke was pretty good as well. I’ll have to rewatch the original now though.

[tantric talents]

Try Kurosawa's Drunken Angel ..... great noir. 

I think I saw this forty odd years ago but prime is now listing it as “unavailable “
May have to search a torrent...

[ulstersubbie]

The Outrage (1964). A very misguided and sterile remake of Rashomon. Kurosawa's original masterpiece could never be bettered.