10 Movie Remakes Nobody Expected Or Wanted

The original Psycho is one of the most iconic films ever made, made by one of the most influential directors ever to work in Hollywood, Alfred Hitchcock. Remaking it would be like trying to remake Citizen Kane or The Godfather. There's nothing you can add that would improve it, so why even bother?

But the bizarre thing about Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake is that it doesn’t try to add anything at all. Psycho isn’t just similar to the original, it’s basically a shot-for-shot remake. Same framing, same dialogue, same editing, same music - even the same special effects in some instances. The only noticeable differences are the actors, it being shot in colour, and some random abstract shots intercut with the murder scenes.

Putting aside the fact that the original Psycho is shot the way it is specifically to take advantage of the black-and-white film they were working with, and that Vince Vaughn’s take on Norman Bates pales in comparison to Anthony Perkins', the biggest issue with this film is that it’s impossible to get past the question of “Why?” What could this possibly have been trying to achieve?

The answer largely remains “Who knows?” As a student film, it would be an interesting experiment, but as a $60 million theatrical release it’s just confusing. Ultimately, the Psycho remake's enduring legacy is more likely to be Steven Soderbergh’s 2014 mashup Psychos, which, if nothing else, is a brilliant demonstration of just how alike the two versions are.