10 Film Remakes That Are Better Than The Original
Why the original is not always the best.
Remakes get it bad. What's wrong with Hollywood, we cry? Are there no original stories out there any more? Just another example of the lazy regurgitation machine, we say.
The truth is that remakes are as old as the film industry itself - the Great Train Robbery, film's first major example of narrative through moving pictures, was remade within a year of its release in 1903-04, for example. Nevertheless, the general perception is that if it's a remake, then by default, it'll be an inferior product.
Quite clearly, there are plenty of examples to call upon to support such a claim. The nagging thought when watching Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot Psycho remake, for instance, tends to be 'Why am I not just re-watching Hitchcock's original?'
The same can be said of the Russell Brand starring reboot of Arthur. And then there's Nicolas Cage's take on the horror flick, The Wicker Man - the horror being the realisation that you'll never get those two hours of your life back.
And yet, take a deeper look through the annals of film history and you'll find that there are plenty of remakes out there that DO work. That DO offer something new and, *sharp intake of breath*, are sometimes considerably better than the film upon which they have been based.
Such as these 10 films, for example...
10. Oceans 11 (1960 & 2001)
The Original
A glorification of everything to do with the Rat Pack, the story of a gang of WW2 buddies uniting to pull off a Las Vegas heist is the chance to indulge in watching Sinatra, Martin and pals indulging themselves on screen.
It’s stylish and dripping in swinger-era cool, but ultimately feels as though you are looking in on a party you weren’t really invited to.
The Remake
Bringing the concept up to date, Steven Soderbergh’s remake brings together another eclectic bunch of modern-day A listers, fronted by George Clooney (in the Sinatra role as Danny Ocean) and Brad Pitt.
With Matt Damon, Elliot Gould and a host of others in tow, the film taps into the too-cool-for-school vibe of the original while delivering some brilliant set-pieces, a killer soundtrack and a contrived but fun long-con with enough twists and laughs to ensure you’ll keep watching whenever it's on heavy rotation on TV.