10 Films That Should Never Be Remade

10. Vertigo

Every time Alfred Hitchcock’s name is attached to a project, it seems to be an instant success. From his entire filmography, it is the 1958 release of Vertigo that deserves to remain unsullied the most.

Centring around Detective John “Scottie” Ferguson, played by James Stewart, who retires from the force following the death of his partner. Scottie, however, quickly becomes enthralled in a favour for a friend turned love affair turned suicide case. So much for retirement.

Elster hires Scottie to follow his wife, Madeleine, whom Scottie quickly falls in love with. After declaring their love for one another, Madeleine appears to hurl herself from the top of a church steeple, killing herself.

This transpires to have been a ploy all along. Elster had actually hired a body double to impersonate Madeleine so that he could use the ‘suicide’ as a cover to dispose of his real wife, whom he had murdered.

Vertigo is a brilliantly told narrative filled with twists and turns, with just enough of that 1950’s Hollywood cheese to keep the audience nibbling like eager mice. Although modern Hollywood lacks original police/crime films, remaking the classics shouldn’t even be a last resort.