Have your say & ask the experts

I really hope you are joking with the "Italian job", because you will never beat the original with Mr Caine.

Miggs

Surely the "Italian Job" can't be classed as a remake anyway! But more a poor Hollywood attempt at a sequel.......

professorhat:

I would say The Thing, but then I never saw the original. Be amazed if it was better though.

 

Actually, the Howard Hawks 50's version is a good film, although nothing like John Carpenter's - the thing is basically like Frankenstein's monster, with no shape shifting or duplication.    The film is also a cold war allegory.  Nevertheless, it is quite creepy in places.

The opening credits of JC's version are a homage to the earlier film.

I would recommend the short story they are based on, Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr.   Some  critics slag off the JC film, but probably aren't familiar with the original story.   You can read it online here.    The Carpenter film isn't really a remake.

The remakes of "The Thomas Crown affair" and "Man on fire" are enjoyable, perhaps the most significant remake of the last few years is "Heat", which you'll know is a remake ( big budget ) of Manns own La Takedown

The King Kong remake is an awful film, showing that even a talented director can go awry despite arming himself with a huge budget ( terrible casting, rotten script ) and having the sort of creative freedom few directors enjoy

PS the scenes where Naomi Watts entertains Kong with a Chaplinesque routine are the most cringe inducing i've seen in years ( sorry about digressing )

professorhat:

I would say The Thing, but then I never saw the original. Be amazed if it was better though.

no, cant think of a single one. i realise the question is best remake and not remakes that were better than the originals, but being as i cant think of any that are remotely as good as the originals, it makes the question kind of moot.

i should say i didnt know certain films here were remakes so cant comment on them in that sense.