‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ (1979)
The original movie didn’t make a splash at the box office, but it became a favorite for every generation of kids since its premiere. There’s a reason for that. Gene Wilder gave a signature performance as the witty, effervescent chocolatier and dream-maker. He made the film endlessly watchable. And the original also did justice to Roald Dahl’s beloved novel. It offers a still-relevant lesson on greed and calls out bad parents everywhere. All with dashes of humor, zany set pieces and touching emotional moments. Wilder captures Wonka’s sarcasm as well as his genuine love for good deeds. Not even Johnny Depp could fill Wilder’s shoes and Tim Burton’s 2005 remake turned out overwrought. It missed the key ingredient—magic.
‘King Kong’ (1933)
In the seventies we got a King Kong remake with Jessica Lange and Jeff Bridges, and then again in 2005, we got a long retelling with Jack Black and Naomi Watts. Truth is, you don’t really need anything but the 1933 classic. Yes, it’s in black and white and has an old-timey vibe, but that adds to the charm and the pathos. Even though the monster is created with stop-motion animation , you can still identify with his rage and emotion—and his love for the bombshell blonde. Fay Wray gives a screaming performance for the ages. And by the time the giant ape is swatting at airplanes and tumbling from a skyscraper, you’ll feel it in your gut. The original still pulls heart strings, and you might even cry.
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Hitchcock’s masterpiece still packs a punch. Even if you’ve seen it before you’ll be haunted by its relentless creep factor. The infamous shower scene has a stark, visual power that’s disturbing even for audiences raised on gore that’s way more graphic. You don’t see the knife actually stab Marion Crane’s (Janet Leigh) body, but you feel like you’ve witnessed something awful—even in black and white. In 1998, director Gus Van Sant made a shot-by-shot remake in color. He claimed that modern audiences couldn’t relate to old movies, but he ended up proving that you can’t redo an original. Even when you follow the formula to a tee. Psycho is actually one of these horror movies inspired by true stories.
‘The Goodbye Girl’ (1977)
For an unknown reason, TNT opted to recreate Neil Simon’s work. classic romantic comedy For TV viewers back in 2004, Jeff Daniels and Patricia Heaton follow the script, yet fail to match the spark found in the original version. Richard Dreyfuss shines as a charismatic actor with an offbeat appeal that transcends traditional leading-man status. Meanwhile, Marsha Mason delivers a standout performance as a nervous, jittery single mother who has faced abandonment far too often than she’d like. Despite their mutual dislike for each other—common tropes aplenty—they share undeniable screen presence. The initial film remains relevant today and rightfully stands among the top romantic comedies ever made.
‘Footloose’ (1984)
In an abandoned factory, Kevin Bacon dances energetically wearing his classic Converse All-Stars. Meanwhile, John Lithgow delivers a sermon warning against the perils of dancing. Christopher Penn struggles hilariously with rhythm to the popular '80s hit "Let’s Hear It for the Boy." Think big hair and iconic '80s style fashion. This film captures the universal challenges faced during adolescence when one feels constrained. Notably, the movie includes a youthful portrayal of Sarah Jessica Parker as a fervent fan eager to express herself through dance. The 2011 remake The performance with Juliane Hough seemed lackluster. It appeared to be merely going through the motions and lacked the same charm and appeal as its beloved eighties counterpart.
‘Ben-Hur’ (1959)
This fifties sword and sandal epic was itself a remake from a silent-era version of the same name. It harnessed Charleston Heston’s star power with the widescreen format that came to define Hollywood grandeur. It won the Best Picture Oscar, garnered a whopping 11 nominations, and was an early blockbuster for MGM. The famous nine-minute chariot scene features stunning artistry that still makes audiences rapt. That’s why you watch it every Easter. Critics hated the 2016 redux. The CGI modernization Simply put, it failed to match the original’s majestic appearance. Both critics and audiences concurred, deeming it one of the largest box office failures upon release.
‘Planet of the Apes’ (1968)
This sci-fi cult classic stood out for the way it offered a cynical, ironic view of sixties social politics. Charleston Heston leads a group of astronauts marooned on a planet run by an intelligent, but oppressive species. Heston has to feel all the horrors of being treated like an inhuman beast. When his captors turn on the water hoses it signaled the larger cry for civil rights. Heston’s hammy delivery captures the audience’s shock in the final scene when he discovers the Statue of Liberty buried in sand. It’s future earth! Metaphor! The 2001 remake with Mark Walberg didn’t pack the same wallop. The ending gave us the Lincoln Memorial altered with an ape’s head. Sure, it was some kind of social commentary, but it was also just silly.
Post a Comment