Movie remakes always seem like a risk, they either go amazingly well, or become a huge fail. Some audiences can be very fond of an original movie, but respect the efforts of the remake, yet some are an insult to the film industry.
Numerous films released are remakes of classics which succeeded when they were released. Here, we will look at the best and worst movie remakes. Have you one in mind? Let’s see if it makes the list.
Worst Remakes
Planet Of The Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake cost some 20 times the original, but failed to impress. This film cost nearly £100 million to make, yet it made nearly £360 million at the box office, despite the disappointment it drove. Despite the better make up it features and the improvement in technology, film reviewers slated Mark Wahlberg’s role that had originally been played by the legendary actor Charlton Heston.
The Wicker Man (2006)
The original is about how paganism has taken over a small island village, and how a devout Catholic police officer has his faith tested while investigating the disappearance of a young girl. However, the remake starring Nicholas Cage resulted in an unintentional comedy. Over 10 years since its release, many still talk about how awful this remake was to the film industry.
Psycho (1998)
Remaking a cult classic is a hugely difficult task, almost nearing impossible, as the original has such a following. This hugely successful original film set a new era of horror and thriller, and has one of the most iconic horror scenes ever shot in cinema history. Gus Van Sant’s 1998 colour, shot-by-shot remake was panned by critics, who dubbed the film, which starred Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche, a waste of time. With a budget of £60 million, the film was a failure at the box office, only making £37 million. This has been hailed as the worst movie remake of all time.
Best Remakes
The Fly (1986)
This sci-fi horror remake achieved high notoriety for its special effects, winning the academy award for the make-up. The 1958 original did not reach heights the remake did within cinema industry, and this film has been hailed as the best performance of Jeff Goldblum’s career, as he plays the scientist who slowly transforms into a house fly.
The Ring (2002)
This unsettling horror is a successful remake of the 1998 Japanese film, Ringu. The film centres around a tape, upon viewing it, you have seven days to live. Receiving positive reviews, the film grossed £249 million on a budget of £48 million, making it one of the highest grossing horror remakes of all time. Being the first remake of a Japanese horror classic, it paved the way for a number of J-horror remakes, such as The Grudge, Dark water, and Pulse.
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