Buzz
Lately, Hollywood seems fixated on churning out sequels and remakes of classic films. Unfortunately, many of these remakes end up falling short of the originals, often failing to capture the same magic.
While it may seem unlikely that a remake could ever be as good as or better than the original, it does occasionally happen. Remarkably, these ten films not only reinterpreted the classics but improved upon them.
10. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
The original 1960 version of 'The Little Shop of Horrors,' directed by Roger Corman, became a cult classic. Its popularity spurred a 1982 Off-Off-Broadway musical, which eventually made its way to Broadway and ran for five successful years.
In 1986, Frank Oz directed 'Little Shop of Horrors,' starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, and Steve Martin. The film was adapted from the musical, which in turn was based on the 1960 movie, creating a layered adaptation. Despite its changes, it stays mostly faithful to the Broadway version.
For many fans of 'Little Shop of Horrors,' the 1986 film is the definitive version, although most of them likely haven’t seen the original 1960 movie. The original, though overshadowed by the remake, is equally dark and humorous. While it holds a 2% higher score on RottenTomatoes from mainstream critics, it drops 24% lower with audiences, who are the true judges. It also features a young Jack Nicholson in a memorable role.
A fun fact about the 1986 film is that it marks the only instance in film history where Steve Martin and Bill Murray appeared together on screen. Their shared screentime was limited to less than five minutes, but their presence was unforgettable.
9. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Sam Raimi’s 'The Evil Dead' was released in 1981 on a shoestring budget of just $90,000, funded by investors. The film's impact was immediate after being screened at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, where it gained attention from a rare, glowing review by Stephen King, helping it secure widespread distribution.
By 1987, Sam Raimi’s career had skyrocketed, and he was granted a $ million budget to create a sequel. Originally, he envisioned a time-travel-based sequel set in the Middle Ages, but the producers pushed for a storyline closer to the original film.
As a result, Raimi delivered a film that many describe as a sequel/remake because the plot of 'Evil Dead II' closely mirrors 'The Evil Dead.' There are some new scenes and significant changes, but in many ways, it feels like a remake. Bruce Campbell, the film's star, prefers to call it a 'requel.'
'Evil Dead 2' is what happens when a filmmaker gets nearly 40 times the budget of the original and is allowed creative freedom. Raimi took the opportunity to not only improve on his previous work but also to lay the foundation for an enduring film franchise.
8. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1986)
When a film is remade, it usually retains the original title, but that's not always the case. For instance, the 1986 movie 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' is a remake of the 1964 film 'Bedtime Story,' which starred David Niven and Marlon Brando.
In 'Bedtime Story,' two con artists, played by David Niven and Marlon Brando, scheme to swindle women in a Mediterranean paradise. One is more refined than the other, and they wager to determine who is the superior con artist. This same premise was adapted by Frank Oz for the 1986 remake, 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,' starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine.
Critics widely favor 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' over its original counterpart, though the original 'Bedtime Story' isn’t exactly a bad film. However, it simply doesn’t measure up to the remake, which has since achieved classic status.
Even 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' wasn’t immune to a remake. In 2019, the story was reimagined with a gender-swap twist in 'The Hustle,' starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Unfortunately, this version failed to meet the success of its predecessors, both critically and at the box office.
7. The Thing (1982)
When John Carpenter's 'The Thing' debuted in 1982, it was heavily criticized and became a box-office flop, earning only $19.6 million on a $15 million budget, which marked a financial loss for the studio. However, over time, it has become a cult classic and is now regarded as one of the finest science fiction films ever made.
The movie is adapted from the 1938 novella 'Who Goes There?' by John W. Campbell Jr., though it wasn’t the first film to bring Campbell’s work to the screen. The 1951 film 'The Thing from Another World' was the first adaptation and performed well at the box office upon its release.
That film also achieved classic status, but despite its success, Carpenter’s 'The Thing' is widely regarded as the superior of the two adaptations. Carpenter’s version features grotesque body horror special effects, brought to life by Rob Bottin, with contributions from Stan Winston.
Over the years, Carpenter's 'The Thing' has undergone a critical reevaluation and is now hailed as 'one of the most influential horror films of the 1980s.' Many modern viewers who enjoy Carpenter’s movie rarely take the time to explore the original, as it has largely been eclipsed by its successor.
6. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
James Fenimore Cooper’s 1826 novel, 'The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757,' has been adapted to film countless times. A literary classic, Cooper’s work has been a frequent subject for Hollywood’s attention, often leading to multiple interpretations on screen.
There have been 11 adaptations of the story, starting in 1909, with the last one in 1992. For many viewers, the 1936 version, 'The Last of the Mohicans,' was considered the definitive adaptation for years. This film featured Randolph Scott in the lead role and earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Hollywood stopped producing adaptations of Cooper’s novel in 1992, largely due to the legendary Daniel Day-Lewis. Directed by Michael Mann, this version became the quintessential take on the story, with Day-Lewis delivering an unparalleled performance.
Daniel Day-Lewis earned his second BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in 'The Last of the Mohicans.' The film holds an 88% score on RottenTomatoes, which is significantly higher than its predecessors.
5. The Fly (1986)
In 1958, audiences were horrified by Kurt Neumann’s 'The Fly,' starring David Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price, and Herbert Marshall. The film, based on a short story by George Langelaan published the previous year, became an instant classic and led to two sequels.
In 1986, the film was remade with Jeff Goldblum in the lead role. The remake amplified the more terrifying elements from the original, taking them to an extreme, largely due to the visionary direction of body horror expert David Cronenberg.
The original film centers around a scientist whose atoms become fused with those of a fly during an experiment, resulting in a horrifying human/fly hybrid. The 1986 version shares the same basic concept, but this time, the scientist and the fly’s DNA are merged through a teleportation device, turning him into a grotesque, giant fly over time.
The 1986 remake won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, marking the only time a Cronenberg film received an Oscar. It’s widely considered a significant improvement over the original, and it played a major role in propelling Jeff Goldblum to fame, making him a household name.
4. Scarface (1983)
Surprisingly, the 1983 film 'Scarface' starring Al Pacino is not an original work. It’s a remake of a 1932 film of the same name, which was based on the 1929 novel by Armitage Trail. The novel was inspired by the infamous gangster Al Capone, and the 1932 film tells the story of Antonio 'Tony' Carmonte, a gangster who climbs through the criminal ranks of Chicago.
The ’32 film is considered to be an absolute classic and holds an 86% on RottenTomatoes. Despite being one of the greatest crime movies ever made, there aren’t many people around who have seen it (or know it exists). That’s because Pacino’s performance in the ’83 crime drama (93%) is one of the actor’s all-time greatest.
Of course, while the two films share the same name and the same general plot, the events depicted in them are very different. One deals with a violent rising through the ranks in Chicago, while the other is about everything from immigration and drugs to over-the-top violence and a rising through the ranks in Miami.
Despite their differences, the ’83 film is most definitely a remake of the original Scarface. Director Brian DePalma dedicated his film to the writers of the original, Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht.
3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Believe it or not, The Wizard of Oz from 1939 was a remake of a 1925 movie. Since most people aren’t aware of the earlier picture and consider the remake to be a cinematic classic, it’s fair to say that Judy Garland’s movie is the better of the two.
The 1925 version of the film is a silent adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, albeit with a few notable differences. Lacking sound, this version lacks the iconic musical numbers found in the famous follow-up. The most memorable aspect of the film is likely the appearance of a young Oliver Hardy (later of Laurel & Hardy fame) as the Tin Man.
In contrast, the 1939 remake boasts an ensemble cast and is packed with some of the most iconic imagery and musical numbers in film history. This version has since become a beloved classic, widely regarded as one of the finest films ever made.
To give the 1925 film its due credit, it wasn’t the first to adapt Baum’s novel. The initial film version was released in 1910. Over the years, between 1910 and 1925, there were five cinematic adaptations of the story, but none have been able to surpass the 1939 rendition.
2. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Humphrey Bogart’s portrayal of Sam Spade in the 1941 adaptation of The Maltese Falcon is regarded as one of cinema’s most iconic private detectives. However, Bogart wasn’t the first actor to play this character. After acquiring the rights to Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel, Warner Bros. quickly adapted it into a feature film.
The 1931 version of The Maltese Falcon stars Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade. While it’s considered a classic in its own right, it often fades into obscurity when compared to its 1941 counterpart. If you ask most people about The Maltese Falcon, they’ll likely be unaware of the 1931 film, as the 1941 adaptation has completely overshadowed it.
The main reason for this is that the 1931 film was heavily re-edited to remove what were considered 'lewd' scenes. What remained was less than impressive, and the movie wasn’t restored to its original form until 1966. By then, the world had already become enamored with Humphrey Bogart’s performance.
Both versions of the film are great in their own right, but only one is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and it’s not the 1931 version. While both films enjoy high ratings on RottenTomatoes, Bogart’s version boasts a 91% score, whereas Cortez’s sits at just 48%.
1. The Ten Commandments (1956)
Cecil B. DeMille is well-known for his epic films, including Cleopatra and The Ten Commandments. However, what many modern viewers may not realize is that DeMille actually made The Ten Commandments twice. The first version was released in 1923 as a silent film.
In 1956, DeMille remade his earlier work with vivid color and sound, creating a version that is now considered one of the greatest films ever made. The original, which tells the story of the Book of Exodus alongside a modern-day family saga, was a product of its era, but the remake elevated it to new heights.
DeMille’s 1956 version of The Ten Commandments is widely hailed as one of cinema’s greatest achievements. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, the film won Best Visual Effects and earned DeMille the Foreign Language Press Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director.
When adjusted for inflation, The Ten Commandments ranks as the second highest-grossing biblical film of all time. Its original box office earnings in 1956 would be equivalent to $845.5 million in 2021, though it was eventually surpassed by The Passion of the Christ. The film has become a holiday tradition, airing annually on network television every Easter season since 1973.
