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Remakes can be good, but it has to be more than simply a remake, like "La jetée"/"Twelve Monkeys". For example, the new Batman series is a complete retelling of the mythology, and done in a completely different style. "Dawn of the Dead" had a different style to it than the original. Whereas the "Psycho" could never be redone more creepy and chilling than original, and should never have been attempted. Ditto "Rear Window", the remake of which only existed so Chris Reeve could do another movie. Remaking it for the sake of remaking it should never be done. Remakes should only be made if they can improve and/or update it to fulfill the original vision of the creators who didn't have the technology or budget to do it the first time.
There's been some good foreign movies remade as good Hollywood movies too.
"The Departed" is a remake of a Hong Kong movie called "Infernal Affairs". Same plot, but done in a very different setting, with very different characters, and done in a very different style.
"The Magnificent Seven" and "Fist Full of Dollars" are western remakes of 2 Japanese Samurai films called "Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. The originals were great films, and the stories lent themselves well to western adaptations.
"Insomnia" was a remake of a Norwegian movie called (oddly enough) "Insomnia". I liked the Pacino/Williams version, although I have not seen the original yet.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Like "Nikita" and "Point of No Return". Or the multitude of Japanese horror movies remade in Hollywood (I haven't actually seen any of these, but every single review I've read says "the Japanese original was better").
There's been some good foreign movies remade as good Hollywood movies too.
"The Departed" is a remake of a Hong Kong movie called "Infernal Affairs". Same plot, but done in a very different setting, with very different characters, and done in a very different style.
"The Magnificent Seven" and "Fist Full of Dollars" are western remakes of 2 Japanese Samurai films called "Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. The originals were great films, and the stories lent themselves well to western adaptations.
"Insomnia" was a remake of a Norwegian movie called (oddly enough) "Insomnia". I liked the Pacino/Williams version, although I have not seen the original yet.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Like "Nikita" and "Point of No Return". Or the multitude of Japanese horror movies remade in Hollywood (I haven't actually seen any of these, but every single review I've read says "the Japanese original was better").
