Remakes and Other Such Nonsense

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I can think of two remakes that worked really well by changing the settings.

The Magnificent Seven, and Star Wars. Though the originals were also amazing classics, one perhaps the finest film ever made. They just suffered in the U.S. because of subtitles.

Hah, good point.

[PseudoSABR]

 

The Manchurian Candidate remake was fairly blasphemous, that one sticks out to me.

Well, we won't know how it ends until 2020, so maybe the plot will turn around by then.

[Squirrel]

Well for cripes' sake ... they remade Steel Magnolias, too??? What is Lifetime doing to the top all-time tear-jerker chick flicks? Pfffffffft ... What's next? Terms of Endearment??? Is nothing sacred?????

 

/snick.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Well for cripes' sake ... they remade Steel Magnolias, too??? What is Lifetime doing to the top all-time tear-jerker chick flicks? Pfffffffft ... What's next? Terms of Endearment??? Is nothing sacred?????

 

/snick.

Lifetime's brand has always been cheap takes on sentimentality, no?

[Squirrel]

 

Lifetime's brand has always been cheap takes on sentimentality, no?

Yeah ... I was joking. I guess the 'snick' wasn't obvious enough.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Yeah ... I was joking. I guess the 'snick' wasn't obvious enough.

My post was in levity as well.   Although I didn't know what /snick meant, I was pretty sure your punctuation use indicated some kind of sarcasm.  However, for my own part, evidently, my use of 'no?' isn't as sarcasm-indicating as I intend it.   

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I agree with The Running Man and it crossed my mind when I made up my list above but then I figured I'd just end up listing a dozen King stories.

Yeah, a bunch of King stories would make the list.

 

But IMO, The Running Man is the most egregious example of warping King's work into something it is not. The Running Man is an entirely different story that carries the title of the King work for reasons completely unknown to me (well, the reason is money, but that's the worst reason to do just about anything in the creative world).

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Dune....this should be doable. Frankly, if I am HBO, I look at this one. 

I have copies of the early 2000s Dune and Children of Dune television movies. Has anyone seen them? I haven't watched them yet.

[Craig Arko]

I confess to a certain fondness for this remake.

 

[Squirrel]

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ... I'm not sure this falls into the remake category because they are so different from one another and from what I read the latter wasn't trying to be the former, but rather they were two separate takes on the same source. The former will always be my favorite, but I truly liked the latter, but then I've always liked the 'fantasticalness' that is Tim Burton.

[nicksaviking]

 

Yeah, a bunch of King stories would make the list.

 

But IMO, The Running Man is the most egregious example of warping King's work into something it is not. The Running Man is an entirely different story that carries the title of the King work for reasons completely unknown to me (well, the reason is money, but that's the worst reason to do just about anything in the creative world).

 

You know though, when that movie came out, and even still now, it never had the tag line, "Stephen King's The Running Man". Back in the 1980's it seemed his movies really used his name to sell them, I don't think they really did with The Running Man. However that might be because it was written under his pseudonym and while it was just coming out that King had been using a pseudonym, it wasn't really public knowledge.

 

And also, they probably figured, we don't need King's name to market this, it's starring The Arnold Schwarzenegger and this is 1987!

[Mike Sixel]

 

I have copies of the early 2000s Dune and Children of Dune television movies. Has anyone seen them? I haven't watched them yet.

 

IIRC, the first was watchable, but I don't recall watching Children ever. 

[gunnarthor]

If we add junky prequels to this list, we have the bad 2011 Thing remake (which was almost great and turned out to be really bad) and Prometheus.  The only good thing that came out of Prometheus was this.

 

But there have been some pretty solid remakes the last few years - 3:10 to Yuma, True Grit and the American version of Let the Right One In.

[Mike Sixel]

I think the US version of the Office, while not perfect all the time, was very good television.....just your daily glass half full post, now back to whining about the Dozier "trade"....

[Squirrel]

 

I think the US version of the Office, while not perfect all the time, was very good television.....just your daily glass half full post, now back to whining about the Dozier "trade"....

Oh my God ... do NOT bring that topic here ... shame on you!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I think the US version of the Office, while not perfect all the time, was very good television...

I'd go as far as to say seasons 2-4 of the American version were just as good as the British version.

 

The American version, when it was rolling through those early seasons, was absolutely hilarious. I find most people who whine about the American version are just being pretentious prats who don't want to like anything that's popular.

 

And that same crew went on to create Parks & Rec, one of the best sitcoms of all time.

 

But the American Office started to slide downhill hard and fast somewhere around season five. Its problem wasn't quality, it was the American television tradition of beating a horse until there's nothing left. The Brits have the smarts and decency to get the hell out while the getting is good.

[Mike Sixel]

Agreed, seasons 2-4 were about perfect for me. 

 

and, Parks and Rec, it ages very, very well.....

 

and, on the last point, Heroes anyone? Had they finished season 1 like they weren't doing more, that would have been a better show, imo.

[Vanimal46]

 

I'd go as far as to say seasons 2-4 of the American version were just as good as the British version.

 

The American version, when it was rolling through those early seasons, was absolutely hilarious. I find most people who whine about the American version are just being pretentious prats who don't want to like anything that's popular.

 

And that same crew went on to create Parks & Rec, one of the best sitcoms of all time.

 

But the American Office started to slide downhill hard and fast somewhere around season five. Its problem wasn't quality, it was the American television tradition of beating a horse until there's nothing left. The Brits have the smarts and decency to get the hell out while the getting is good.

As soon as the Nard Dog took over Michael Scott's job, it was going downhill quickly. They needed a faster exit plan once Carell left the show. 

 

Parks & Rec is one of my favorite comedy shows of all-time. 

[Vanimal46]

 

kate has to be in the top 10 for me. 

This would be an interesting thread.... Everyone's top 10 list. Kate is beautiful for sure. I don't think she'd make the cut on mine. 

[Squirrel]

 

This would be an interesting thread.... Everyone's top 10 list. Kate is beautiful for sure. I don't think she'd make the cut on mine. 

Viggo and Johnny would be at the top of mine.

[Mike Sixel]

as for songs....the remake list is LONG, and often better......

 

two I really like are Satisfaction by Devo, and working in a coal mine, by Devo.....

 

I'd pay money for an album that had 10 different styles of Satisfaction.....

[Vanimal46]

 

Viggo and Johnny would be at the top of mine.

Long or short hair Viggo?

[nicksaviking]

 

Viggo and Johnny would be at the top of mine.

 

At the top of your what?

[Squirrel]

 

Long or short hair Viggo?

Yes.

[Squirrel]

 

 

At the top of your what?

My list.

[TheLeviathan]

 

This would be an interesting thread.... Everyone's top 10 list. Kate is beautiful for sure. I don't think she'd make the cut on mine. 

 

You can leave now.

 

Oh and Parks and Rec was absolutely brilliant.  Just brilliant.  My wife and i are considering going back for a rewatch of the whole thing.

[Vanimal46]

 

You can leave now.

 

Oh and Parks and Rec was absolutely brilliant.  Just brilliant.  My wife and i are considering going back for a rewatch of the whole thing.

My list is probably a little younger than yours.... For example, I doubt you have Ariana Grande on your list. She's firmly on mine  

[TheLeviathan]

 

My list is probably a little younger than yours.... For example, I doubt you have Ariana Grande on your list. She's firmly on mine

 

You're like a double entendre machine right now.....

 

(And no, she is nowhere near my list)

[nicksaviking]

 

My list is probably a little younger than yours....

 

This is starting to feel a little awkward. Nice work turning a perfectly innocent conversation about objectifying women into something we might feel a little ashamed about!

[Mike Sixel]

Ya, not a fan of those lists....but occasionally I comment on a particular woman.