By Ken Miyamoto from ScreenCraft · May 31, 2023
Movie remakes have been around since the early days of cinema. During the years 1894 through 1931, silent films dominated the theaters, showcasing stories of romance, war and the Wild West. When sound was introduced to movies with 1927’s The Jazz Singer, the silent era slowly came to a close once the 1930s began. This technological advance allowed filmmakers to go back and remake treasured cinematic stories — this time with sound.
Some of the earliest examples of movie remakes in the sound era of film include:
The Ten Commandments (1956)
These days, remakes are a common practice. Sadly, most of them end up being bland money grabs, with studios using them for name recognition that offers an easier sell (fewer dollars needed for marketing) to fans of the originals. However, on a few occasions, filmmakers and studios choose remakes that actually work. Sometimes they end up being better than the originals that came before them.
With that in mind, to celebrate the best and point out some of the worst, here we present our list of the Top 10 Best and Worst Movie Remakes! Some may be obvious. Others may surprise you. Enjoy!
Hopeless dweeb Elliot Richards is granted seven wishes by the Devil to snare Allison, the girl of his dreams, in exchange for his soul.
The recent Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser stars in this Harold Ramis film. On paper, this studio comedy had everything going for it. Fraser was just a year removed from the hit action-adventure meets Universal horror flick The Mummy (more on that one below). Harold Ramis was one of the best comedy writers and directors of his generation. Sadly, the end product just didn’t hit the right notes. They both gave it their best, but the film comes off as more of a collection of slightly humorous skits as Fraser plays variations of himself in different scenarios after making wishes with the devil. While the film has garnered some cult status in the two decades plus since its release, it’s still looked upon as a missed opportunity.
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It was a remake of the 1967 Dudley Moore film of the same name.
A shy girl, outcast by her peers and sheltered by her religious mother, unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.
While the remake had good production value and even some good acting, this remake was a clear example of a cash grab. It’s also a definitive example of leaving audiences with the question, “Why?” It’s a pointless remake that hinges on the climactic prom dance sequence. Everything before that moment is somewhat soulless, despite, again, some great effort by the talented cast.
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This was obviously a remake of the classic Stephen King 1976 adaptation of his novel Carrie.
Dr. Paul Kersey is an experienced trauma surgeon, a man who has spent his life saving lives. After an attack on his family, Paul embarks on his own mission for justice.
Lacking the grittiness of the original, director Eli Roth offers a more glitzy retelling of this story of a husband and father’s revenge as he takes to the streets. It’s less of a remake because of that. Willis quips and offers one-liners. It’s very much a product of Willis’s stardom and resume of 1980s and 1990s action movies, all while using the Death Wish name recognition for street cred. Sadly, the release of this remake was, and remains to be, a product of bad timing. Celebrating a gun-toting vigilante just doesn’t play right in these current times.
The original Death Wish was released in 1974, starring a much more gritty lead in Charles Bronson. Many terrible sequels followed.
City teenager Ren MacCormack moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
Another example that left audiences asking, “Why?” When it’s not a near-line-for-line retread with lackluster acting and charisma, it’s making slight changes that don’t add anything new or exciting to the concept. It seems as if the studio and producers decided to marry the original (again, sometimes line-for-line) with the then-current strong of professional dance movies. The dance sequences are over-choreographed, and the film relies far too heavily on that element, whereas the original’s dancing sequences came off as more natural. Only a younger Miles Teller stands out in a role originally played by the late Chris Penn.
The Kevin Bacon-starring original debuted in 1984.
An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.
To be fair, this film was less of a remake of the Brendan Fraser hit The Mummy, and more of a reimagining of the Universal monster. The script suffers greatly, especially after Tom Cruise came on board as star and producer. Meant to jumpstart a Universal monster multiverse franchise, the film lands with a thud. Yes, the Cruise action star charisma is abound. However, this is meant to be scary. And it really isn’t. It’s also confusing and doesn’t really give us a Mummy vibe. Bring on a legacy sequel to the more fun, scary, and adventurous Brendan Fraser The Mummy series.
The original The Mummy debuted decades prior in beautiful black and white but was most memorable in Fraser’s 1999 flick — clearly inspired by the Indiana Jones franchise.
The spectre of a disfigured man haunts the children of the parents who murdered him, stalking and killing them in their dreams.
Sometimes you just can’t mess with the original. And that is clearly the case with this ill-advised remake of the Wes Craven classic that spawned an entertaining and highly successful horror franchise. The biggest issue is the recasting of Freddy Krueger. While Oscar-nominated Jackie Earle Hayley does his best, the movie is missing the creepy charisma of the original’s Robert Englund. And the character design is far, far too removed from the original. Add those issues to lackluster CGI, and you have a clear fail that, despite being a moneymaker in the end, didn’t garner any need for sequels.
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The original Wes Craven/Robert Englund was released in 1984.
A puppet is brought to life by a fairy, who assigns him to lead a virtuous life in order to become a real boy.
Disney has been remaking their animated classics into “live-action” blockbusters for years now, with great success. This one, however, falls flat. It’s often visually stunning, thanks to the talent of Robert Zemeckis. Beyond that, it’s fairly soulless. It’s oddly too married to the original animated classic while also veering too far away from it in places. Like many such pointless remakes, it’s just so much easier to say, “Just watch the original.” Or watch Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning version of the story from the same year.
The original Disney classic was released in 1940.
A young FBI agent infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists.
A horrible, horrible remake of a 1990s classic action flick. The casting is lackluster, failing to offer the charisma of Keanu Reeves and the late Patrick Swayze. The remake tries to offer an amplified version of the original, replacing surfing with extreme sports. However, the end product is bland and forgettable. Note: The best remake of the original Point Break is The Fast and the Furious (street racing instead of surfing).
The original Kathryn Bigelow-directed Point Break debuted in 1991.
A young female embezzler arrives at the Bates Motel, which has terrible secrets of its own.
The ultimate “Why?” remake. Gus Van Sant, coming off of his hit film Good Will Hunting, decided to make a shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s most celebrated film. “Why?” The casting is pure 1990s, with the likes of the late Anne Heche, Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, William H. Macy, Robert Forster, and Vince Vaughn in the title role. At its best, it’s an interesting cinematic experiment. But it was an immediate box office bomb.
The original Hitchcock classic debuted in 1960, shocking audiences to the core.
A group of teenagers looks to save their town from an invasion of North Korean soldiers.
The original film was a product of the times — Cold War era. While many pass it off as nothing more than sensationalized right-wing and pro-war violence, it’s actually an outstanding war resistance “What If?” film that is more anti-war than anything. However, this ill-conceived remake (which sat on the shelf for two years before being released), is the product of a money-grab attempt that failed miserably. The script is forced to rely on a McGuffin (a device North Korea uses to shut down U.S. systems) to explain how, in this day and age, North Korea (originally Chinese forces but changed for box office purposes) could invade North America. The cast and director try their best — but it’s a forgettable flop.
The original film debuted in 1984 and offers an outstanding cast of 1980s up-and-coming stars.
It wanted to be Jurassic Park mixed with the director’s own Independence Day. Sadly, it missed the mark on so many levels.
A studio misstep that missed the point of the 1975 original.
It’s laughably bad at the end.
That’s enough of the worst ones. Let’s move on to the best!
A married couple’s life is turned upside down when the wife is accused of a murder.
Don’t let the trailer fool you. You may think you know what to expect with this movie. However, it offers endless twists, turns, misdirects, and surprises. It’s one of the best and most underrated thrillers of the century thus far. And, yes, it’s a remake — of a French thriller named Anything For Her, which debuted in 2008.
A cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée’s right-wing moralistic parents.
The Birdcage was ahead of its time, representation-wise, offering stellar performances from the likes of Nathan Lane, Dianne West, Gene Hackman, Hank Azaria and especially Robin Williams in one of his most underrated roles. It’s one of the funniest comedies to hit the big screen, albeit somewhat forgotten by many.
The original, 1979’s La Cage Aux Folles, was a hit French comedy based on the 1973 play of the same name.
A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.
Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear remake is one of the best thrillers from the 1990s, with a stellar performance by longtime Scorsese collaborator Robert De Niro (he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar), as well as outstanding performances by Nick Nolte, Jessica Lang, and Juliette Lewis, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role.
The original, 1962’s Cape Fear, was hugely successful during its own run, starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum.
An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
Many may not know that The Departed (another Martin Scorsese remake on this list) was actually a remake of a Hong Kong action thriller. If you haven’t noticed yet, some of the best remakes originate from adaptations of foreign movies. Scorsese melded that fictional story with the true crime story of American gangster Whitey Bulger (Nicholson plays a fictional version of him). It won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing Oscars.
The original Hong Kong version, Infernal Affairs, debuted in 2002, followed by two sequels.
A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy’s most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
While one could actually say that this is less of a remake of the original cinematic attempt, and more of another adaptation of the Frank Herbert classic novel of the same name, there’s no denying the influence of the original 1984 film adaptation. The original Dune has its fans — especially in the years and generations since — but Denis Villeneuve finally offered what is now considered the definitive adaptation of Herbert’s work. It’s not a perfect adaptation. But it’s clearly the most successful — with a sequel to come.
The original cinematic attempt was directed by David Lynch.
With his oldest daughter’s wedding approaching, a father finds himself reluctant to let go.
An American classic, adapted from the 1950 original starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor. Steve Martin made a career out of playing the goofy but lovable and loyal father. While his role in 1989’s Parenthood started this trend, Father of the Bride (and its sequel) solidified him as the perfect onscreen father. The film is full of equal parts laughter and heart.
The original debuted in 1950.
A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.
One of the undersung sci-fi horror movies of all time, directed by the great and always eccentric David Cronenberg. The film takes a quirky sci-fi concept from the 1958 original (itself based on a 1957 short story) and creates a big studio sci-fi flick with plenty of grotesque and fun scares. Jeff Goldblum stands out in a charismatic and creepy performance. It won the Oscar for Best Makeup, and rightfully so.
The original debuted in 1958 with great celebrated fanfare.
A group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a clue at their latest heist.
“Wait, Heat was a remake?!” Yep. And it was actually remade by the very writer and director that wrote and directed the original. Michael Mann actually developed the story as a television series. He later released the pilot as a TV movie entitled L.A. Takedown in 1989. In 1995, he decided to remake the crime thriller with the same characters — but a much, much better cast — pitting two of our greatest actors against each other, onscreen together for the first time.
Seven gunfighters are hired by Mexican peasants to liberate their village from oppressive bandits.
One of the greatest Westerns of all time was a remake of the greatest Samurai film, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. That’s all we really need to say. And the Western was later remade in 2016 with a stellar cast, including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Seven Samurai debuted in 1954.
Danny Ocean and his ten accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.
The original starred famous Rat Packers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, etc. It wasn’t a very good film overall, beyond having an excellent cast for the time. Steven Soderbergh created a much better film — and a much better cast of stars as well, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Andy Garcia. The movie is full of great comedy, caper thrills and suspense, and it oozes charisma from the cast. Two sequels and one female-led sidequel followed.
The original debuted in 1960.
One of many remakes of the same script — and arguably the best.
A remake of the French film La Totale!
A loose remake of the 1951 sci-fi flick The Thing From Another World. Had it not been such a loose remake (instead staying closer to the novella both were based on), this would have made it into the Top 10.
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Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.
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