Everyone loves to get mad at unnecessary cash-grab remakes — but what about when the remake is actually better than the original?
Indeed, a lot of the time remakes only exist to callously mine IP, but now and then a true work of art emerges from an original movie that needed a little extra oomph.
Watch With Us has curated a list of five remakes that handily surpass their forebears.
Our first pick is a classic: Scarface starring Al Pacino, which is adapted from the 1932 movie of the same name.
‘Scarface’ (1983)
Ambitious ex-con and Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) receives a green card in exchange for taking out a former Cuban government official, and shortly after arriving in Miami, Florida, Tony begins staking his claim as a major figure in the Miami drug trade. Ruthless, hard-nosed and unwilling to contend with competition, Tony quickly becomes the state’s primary cocaine kingpin, controlling just about every avenue that the drug enters into the United States. But with increased police surveillance looming alongside conflict with Colombian cartels and Tony’s own drug-fueled paranoia, his downfall is all but assured.
Brian De Palma takes the small potatoes gangster film from 1932 and turns it into an exercise in excess, debauchery, ultra-violence and unwieldy profanity. Though reactions to Scarface were negative upon release, the film has grown in estimation as a bona fide cult classic and is even regarded by some as one of the greatest movies ever made. Ultimately, Scarface is a high-octane thrill ride with a compelling rags-to-riches story led by a truly legendary performance from Pacino.
‘The Thing’ (1982)
A group of American scientists at a remote Antarctic outpost finds themselves besieged by an unstoppable killing machine that can mimic the form of any organic entity. After they witness a Norwegian helicopter pursue a seemingly normal sled dog, they soon come to realize that it isn’t any normal dog — it’s been assimilated by an alien creature that seems hellbent on assimilating everything in its wake. Unsure of who to trust and what’s real, the Americans try to band together to take down the creature before it kills them, or turns them against each other first. The cast is led by Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley and Keith David.
John Carpenter‘s The Thing surpasses its original film in just about every way: from narrative to special effects and character-writing, yet it flopped hard at the box office in 1982. Since then, the movie has become a beloved American classic and a defining horror film that’s frequently regarded as one of the best made. Blending tactile, state-of-the-art SFX, relentless tension and remarkable sci-fi horror, The Thing may be an adaptation, but it is truly one of a kind.
‘The Fly’ (1986)
Eccentric scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) accomplishes the unthinkable by completing construction of a working teleportation device. However, the device is not yet compatible with living organisms, and it mutilates a baboon that Seth sends through as an experiment. Though he successfully fixes this unfortunate initial quirk, Seth’s self-test is compromised when a fly slips in with him. A seemingly minor glitch, it leads to Seth beginning to merge his body with that of an insect, horrifying Seth’s new girlfriend, Veronica (Geena Davis).
The simple, B-movie charms of the original 1958 version of The Fly (which was itself adapted from a 1957 short story by George Langelaan) become a monstrous, tragic romance in David Cronenberg‘s oozy, goopy body horror. Cronenberg’s signature affinity for excess blood and guts is paired beautifully with exceptional character writing and a bleak third act that is quite emotionally affecting. The Fly is an excellent example of the potential for remakes to push original material into daring and ambitious directions.
‘True Grit’ (2010)
After her father is murdered by outlaw Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), teenage farm girl Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) employs alcoholic lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her find the criminal and enact her revenge. However, Rooster isn’t easy to get along with, and he doubts Mattie’s “grit” and ability to get the money to hire him. But Mattie is a resourceful young woman, and the mismatched pair end up in reluctant partnership with one another in the search for Chaney, soon joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who also wants to nab the criminal.
The Coen brothers set out to make a more faithful adaptation of Charles Portis’ 1968 novel of the same name than the 1969 version starring John Wayne, telling the story from Mattie’s perspective instead. And critics handily agreed that the Coens’ were successful in their venture — it’s not just a great adaptation, but a great work in its own right, and the craftsmanship and storytelling on display is superb. Plus, Steinfeld proves to be a commanding screen presence, and her fantastic performance was recognized by the Academy Award with a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
‘Dune’ (2021)
Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, a young man born into a destiny he is only just beginning to understand. Paul is the son of Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) of the esteemed House Atreides, and the Atreides family is tasked with overseeing the desert planet Arrakis by Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken, in Dune: Part Two). However, the Duke and Lady Jessica quickly realize their task was actually a plot to destroy them on behalf of the evil Harkonnens. As Paul’s power becomes clearer, he understands he must not only save his family, but also the galaxy.
David Lynch gave it the old college try when adapting Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi novel back in 1984, but rushed storytelling and studio meddling left it hacked to bits. Over 30 years later, Denis Villeneuve delivers the world of Dune as it was meant to be seen. Beautifully rendered landscapes, immersive world-building, and storytelling that is both faithful and accessible all help 2021’s Dune to be an impressive upgrade. The film is a sci-fi epic that is both artistically rich and entertaining.
