The Fly – 1958 vs. 1986
Co-starring Vincent Price, 1958’s The Fly sees a scientist’s atoms accidentally mixed with those of a common housefly, giving him the head and arm of man and insect. It’s creepy, but more-or-less a family-friendly creature feature – which most definitely cannot be said of its 1986 remake. Horror director David Cronenberg’s take on The Fly sees Jeff Goldblum’s scientist undergo a far more hideous metamorphosis.
Planet of the Apes – 1968 vs. 2001
1968’s Planet of the Apes follows Charlton Heston’s world-weary astronaut to a world populated by sentient apes – which turns out to be Earth itself in the distant future. Where the original was a thinly-veiled allegory for the social changes of the era, Tim Burton’s 2001 remake is a basic adventure movie, set on what is most definitely an alien planet, with no discernible social commentary.
Cat People – 1942 vs. 1982
A groundbreaking horror film, 1942’s Cat People centers on a woman (Simone Simon) who believes she is a were-cat. While the original treats this ambiguously, the 1982 remake from director Paul Schrader handles the concept in a far more upfront and graphic manner, most notably bringing the sexual undertones of the original film to the forefront, plus a lot more bloodshed.
Little Shop of Horrors – 1960 vs. 1986
1960’s original Little Shop of Horrors is an ultra-low budget B-movie set in a florist’s shop, centered on a man-eating plant. Two decades later it inspired a stage musical, which was in turn adapted to film in 1986 by director Frank Oz. While the plot is essentially identical, the remake is a considerably more lavish affair – and, of course, it has a lot more singing.
The Stepford Wives – 1975 vs. 2004
Based on Ira Levin’s novel, 1975’s The Stepford Wives is a dark science fiction drama in which all the women of an idyllic community are androids programmed to serve their husbands. The 2004 remake (from Little Shop of Horrors director Frank Oz) follows the same basic premise, but plays it as a broad comedy. Unfortunately, the Nicole Kidman vehicle never quite finds its feet.
Scarface – 1932 vs. 1983
1932’s Scarface (aka The Shame of a Nation) is a fictionalized take on the exploits of infamous gangster Al Capone, which proved controversial over fears that it glamourized crime. Brian De Palma’s 1983 remake took that controversy to another level entirely. Starring Al Pacino as Cuban refugee-turned-drug lord Tony Montana, the film’s violence, swearing and drug use saw it run afoul of censors worldwide.
The Thing – 1951 vs. 1982
1951’s The Thing from Another World is based on Joseph W Campbell’s 1938 novella Who Goes There? and sees an Arctic research team confronted by an aggressive extra-terrestrial monster. The film omits one key part of Campbell’s original story: the alien’s ability to shapeshift. This is central to John Carpenter’s far more gruesome and suspenseful 1982 remake, which boasts remarkable practical FX work.
Dumbo – 1941 vs. 2019
In recent years, Disney has produced a slew of live-action remakes of their old animated classics, many of which have been criticized for being basically identical to the original. For better or worse, this cannot be said of Tim Burton’s Dumbo remake. While the 1941 original about a flying elephant centers on talking animals, the 2019 version instead follows a human cast of circus folk.
The Blob – 1958 vs. 1988
Best remembered for its catchy theme song and an early appearance by screen icon Steve McQueen, 1958’s The Blob sees a gelatinous alien escape from a fallen meteorite, which proceeds to eat all in its path. Director Chuck Russell’s 1988 remake is – as you might expect – a considerably gorier take on the same basic premise, with way more gloop and a higher body count.
The Italian Job – 1969 vs. 2003
1969 caper comedy The Italian Job is one of screen legend Michael Caine’s best-loved movies, noted for its quintessentially English sensibility. As such, when Hollywood decided to remake it as a comparatively straight-laced heist thriller, fans of the original were up in arms. However, director F. Gary Gray’s 2003 film is an enjoyable heist movie, whose car-based action arguably influenced the Fast & Furious series.
Assault on Precinct 13 – 1976 vs. 2005
In John Carpenter’s 1976 thriller Assault on Precinct 13, a cop is forced to team up with convicts when his isolated police station is attacked by a vicious street gang. Director Jean-François Richet’s 2005 remake has one major difference: this time, crooked cops attack the station. Beyond that, the remake sadly proves dull and forgettable, despite a solid cast including Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne.
The Wicker Man – 1973 vs. 2006
Director Robin Hardy’s 1973 British horror classic The Wicker Man is set on a remote Scottish island where Edward Woodward’s mainland policeman comes to track down a missing child. In 2006, acclaimed American filmmaker Neil LaBute remade the film with Nicolas Cage – but things didn’t quite go as planned. It’s considered one of the silliest, most unintentionally funny films ever, largely thanks to Cage’s unhinged performance.
Rollerball – 1975 vs. 2002
1975’s sci-fi drama Rollerball stars James Caan as America’s most famous player in a brutal no-holds-barred sport played on rollerskates and motorcycles. Despite the premise, it’s actually quite a somber, slow-paced affair – a far cry from director John McTiernan’s 2002 remake, which takes a more basic, rough-and-ready approach. Sadly, the remake flopped hard, killing the careers of both McTiernan and leading man Chris Klein.
Total Recall – 1990 vs. 2012
1990’s Total Recall was a huge hit for star Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven, thanks to its potent blend of futuristic spectacle and extreme violence. Eyebrows were raised when a Total Recall remake starring Colin Farrell arrived in 2012. For one, it toned things down significantly for a PG-13; also, where the original revolves around Mars, the remake is set entirely on Earth.
Man on Fire – 1987 vs. 2004
Based on A.J. Quinnell’s novel, Man on Fire was originally shot in 1987, starring Scott Glenn stars as a Vietnam veteran hired as the bodyguard of the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Tony Scott remade the film in 2004 with Denzel Washington. Where the 1987 film was a largely conventional thriller, Scott’s version adopts a surreal, hyper-kinetic aesthetic with frenzied camerawork and editing and somewhat extreme violence.
Fright Night – 1985 vs. 2011
1985 comedy horror Fright Night is about a high schooler who realizes his new neighbor is a vampire. The 2011 remake casts Colin Farrell as the vampire, with the late Anton Yelchin as anxious teen Charley. To stand apart, the remake alters various key plot points, including changing Peter Vincent (here played by David Tennant) from a TV horror host to a stage magician.
The Mummy – 1932 vs. 1999
1932’s The Mummy is a straight-laced, intimate horror movie starring Boris Karloff starred as the resurrected mummy Imhotep. Director Stephen Sommers’ 1999 remake vastly ups the scale, turning the story into an epic action-adventure. The two films couldn’t be much more different, but both stand up as classics in their own right – which can’t be said of the later Mummy movie with Tom Cruise.
Dawn of the Dead – 1979 vs. 2004
George A Romero’s 1979 zombie epic Dawn of the Dead follows a small group of survivors who shelter from the living dead apocalypse in an abandoned shopping mall. 2004’s remake from director Zack Snyder and screenwriter James Gunn has a larger ensemble and much faster zombies. The results divided opinion; many hailed its fresh approach, others felt it lacked the original’s sophistication and satirical overtones.
Ghostbusters – 1984 vs. 2016
1984’s beloved supernatural comedy Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel see a quartet of funnymen battle the paranormal in New York. Director Paul Feig’s 2016 reboot used an all-female ensemble, which annoyed a lot of the original's mostly male fanbase. Sadly, the final film didn’t do much to help matters with a dull story, few real laughs and largely forgettable characters, Kate McKinnon’s Holtzmann notwithstanding.
Black Christmas – 1974 vs. 2006
Director Bob Clark’s 1974 horror Black Christmas is often considered the first true slasher, and follows the inhabitants of a sorority house that comes under attack from an unseen assailant. The 2006 Black Christmas remake changes things up by giving the killer a detailed backstory, as well as adding a second killer.
The Magnificent Seven - 1960 vs 2016
1960 western The Magnificent Seven is itself a remake of 1954 Japanese production Seven Samurai and, in keeping with the films of the era, it unravels its tale of gunfighters hired to protect a village at a slow pace. The 2016 remake starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt is a faster-paced contemporary action movie that happens to be set in the Old West.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) vs The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
First off - yes, in the 1974 original, 'Chain Saw' is two words. Secondly, although Tobe Hooper's landmark horror movie is remembered as ultra-violent, there's almost no actual bloodshed in the film, which owes its intensity to the excellent acting, camerawork and editing. By contrast, director Marcus Nispel's remake piles on the gore and profanity to make a far more blunt, considerably less intelligent slacker.
Mulan - 1998 vs 2020
Recent years have seen Disney produce many live action remakes of their animated classics, most of which have been criticized for being too similar to the originals. However, 2020's Mulan remake upset fans for the opposite reason, as it presents an entirely different story to the 1998 animated movie with many key characters left out and a completely different villain in Gong Li's witch Xianniang.
The Nutty Professor - 1963 vs 1996
1963 Jerry Lewis comedy The Nutty Professor was a Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde spoof, in which Lewis played a socially awkward scientist turned cool by a potion. The 1996 Eddie Murphy version twists the format by making the professor morbidly obese in his natural state, as well as casting Murphy in multiple roles as members of the professor's family, which Lewis didn't do.
The Evil Dead (1981) vs Evil Dead (2013)
Both 1981's The Evil Dead and its remake center on a quintet of young people who are possessed by demons one-by-one at a cabin in the woods, resulting in a lot of bloodshed. Beyond this, however, the two films are totally disparate. The 2013 film features all-new characters, lashings more blood, and suggests an entirely new mythology behind the demons.
The Three Musketeers - 1973 vs 2011
Director Richard Lester's 1973 take on The Three Musketeers was by no means the first film based on Alexandre Dumas' classic adventure novel, but it's arguably the best and most faithful to the source material. By contrast, Paul WS Anderson's remake, shot in 3D in 2011, injects a ton of gravity-defying action and outlandish steampunk sci-fi elements which Dumas never dreamed of.
Piranha - 1978 vs 2010
Joe Dante's 1978 horror Piranha is a cheap and cheerful Jaws rip-off which sees a summer camp come under attack by killer fish bred as a military experiment. Alexandre Aja's 2010 3D remake features prehistoric piranha unleashed into a vast Arizona lake during Spring break to attack partying college kids. The latter film is considerably more R-rated, with gratuitous nudity and gore galore.
Point Break - 1991 vs 2015
Kathryn Bigelow's 1991 action classic Point Break casts Keanu Reeves as an FBI rookie who goes undercover among a gang of surfing bank robbers in LA. Director Ericson Core's 2015 take ups the ante by making the action global, and adds other extreme sports like snowboarding and free solo climbing. Despite this, most agree the remake doesn't have an ounce of the original's soul.
Shane (1953) vs Pale Rider (1985)
Clint Eastwood's 1985 western Pale Rider isn't an official remake of 1953's Shane, but many have noted the similarities between the two films, drawn from Jack Schaefer's 1949 novel. The key difference is that the 1985 film heavily implies that its protagonist - who, in the tradition of Eastwood's western characters, has no name - is a dead man who has returned from the grave.
Halloween - 1978 vs 2007
John Carpenter's influential 1978 slasher Halloween presents Michael Myers as a blank-faced, emotionless killer with no apparent motive for his murderous ways. Rob Zombie's 2007 excessively violent and mean-spirited remake adds a melodramatic backstory to explain Myers' homicidal tendencies as rooted in a troubled childhood. Fans and critics generally agreed that Zombie's embellishments did nothing to enhance the characters.
Ocean's 11 (1960) vs Ocean's Eleven (2001)
1960's original Ocean's 11 was a vehicle for the iconic Rat Pack - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr et al - based around a Las Vegas casino heist. It's a loved but leisurely-paced and loosely plotted film when compared to the 2001 remake starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and co, which had a more frenetic pace and way more high tech jargon.
Godzilla - 1954 vs 1998
Because of how cartoonish its sequels proved to be, it's often forgotten that the original Japanese production of Godzilla (aka Gojira) is a bleak, somber analogy for Japan's struggles post-WWII. The 1998 Hollywood remake forgets all that, with director Roland Emmerich instead opting to make a half-baked Jurassic Park wannabe. Happily, the subsequent 2014 Godzilla reboot was closer in tone and content to the original.
La Totale! (1991) vs True Lies (1994)
James Cameron's large-scale action comedy True Lies is a remake of a far more modest French production, La Totale!, which is also based around the conceit of a man hiding his career in espionage from his wife. In the original, it's easy to believe leading man Thierry Lhermitte could pass for an average, everyday suburban husband. Ex-bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger? Not so much.
Friday the 13th - 1980 vs 2009
Friday the 13th may have become a long-running horror franchise spearheaded by masked killer Jason Voorhees, but it's often forgotten that in the 1980 original, Jason's mother is the murderer. 2009's Friday the 13th doesn't so much remake the original as throw together a rough amalgamation of the first four films, but with a harsher tone that renders it a lot less fun.
Pete's Dragon - 1977 vs 2016
Another Disney remake which boldly strays from the original is the 2016 take on 1977's part-animated musical Pete's Dragon. The newer film keeps the central conceit of a boy's friendship with a dragon, but that's about it; Pete himself is a Mowgli-esque orphan raised in the wild, the dragon is CGI, and no one at any point bursts into song.
Bedazzled - 1967 vs 2000
Thanks to her memorable cameo as the manifestation of Lust, 1967's Bedazzled is often misremembered as featuring Raquel Welch as the Devil, when in fact it's Peter Cook's king of Hell who tempts loser Dudley Moore. Harold Ramis' 2000 take definitively presents a glamorous lady Lucifer in Elizabeth Hurley, who tempts a similarly hapless Brendan Fraser.
The Vanishing - 1988 vs 1993
Director George Sluizer's 1988 Dutch production The Vanishing is one of the most chilling crime dramas ever made, notorious for its harsh, realistic tone and devastating ending. Even though Sluizer himself called the shots on the 1993 Hollywood remake, it still feels compromised and sanitized throughout, and the rewritten climax ends things on a dissapointingly happier note.
A Nightmare on Elm Street - 1984 vs 2010
Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street introduced arguably the greatest horror icon of the 80s in Freddy Krueger, whose popularity was rooted in his mix of menace and macabre humor. The 2010 remake, however, opts to leave humor out almost entirely, striving instead to make something as bleak and harsh as possible. In so doing, it completely misses what made the original work.
Infernal Affairs (2002) vs The Departed (2006)
When 2006's The Departed became the big hit which finally landed the esteemed Martin Scorsese his first Best Director Oscar, many were unaware it was a remake of recent Hong Kong production Infernal Affairs. Still, beyond a few key scenes and the core conceit of an undercover cop in the mob and an undercover mobster in the police, the two films follow largely different plots.
Clash of the Titans - 1981 vs 2010
Even when it arrived in 1981, Clash of the Titans was a throwback to a bygone era of fantasy filmmaking, with its somewhat stagey presentation and old-fashioned stop-motion animated effects. The 2010 remake, by contrast, made efforts to be hyper-modern with a more serious approach and overabundance of CGI. Curiously, all this has made the more recent film age worse than the original.
Cash Truck (2004) vs Wrath of Man (2021)
2004 French thriller Cash Truck (aka Le Convoyeur) centers on a mysterious new employee of a money transport company who proves unusually effective at eliminating threats. 2021's Wrath of Man follows the same basic concept but in Los Angeles, with Jason Statham as the security driver, who has a different, more complex backstory.
The Haunting - 1960 vs 1999
Based on Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House (also the inspiration for the 2018 Netflix series), 1960's The Haunting is a masterclass in understated black and white horror, conveying the sense of a supernatural threat entirely by suggestion. The 1999 remake takes completely the opposite approaching, opting to show everything with gaudy CGI, which is considerably less effective.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1956 vs 1978
1956 sci-fi shocker Invasion of the Body Snatchers proved to be such an enduring concept that the film has been remade three times. Most agree that the 1978 version is the best of them all, despite striking a very different tone to the original. Where the original was a Cold War nightmare about hidden invaders from outside, the remake deals more with the fear of authority from above.
Point Blank (1967) vs Payback (1999)
While both films are based on Donald E Westlake's 1963 crime novel The Hunter, 1967's Point Blank and 1999's Payback are radically different movies. The 1967 film from director John Boorman took a highly experimental approach to the material with somewhat surreal overtones, whilst the 1999 film is a much more standard action revenge movie (though ironically less loyal to the original novel).
The Ladykillers - 1955 vs 2004
1955 British comedy The Ladykillers casts Alec Guinness as the leader of a gang of would-be train robbers living in a London boarding house. The 2004 remake saw Tom Hanks team up with writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen, and moved the action to contemporary Mississippi. It proved to be one of the only real critical and commercial failures of both the directors and the star.
Get Carter - 1971 vs 2000
Based on Ted Lewis' novel Jack's Return Home, 1971's Get Carter casts Michael Caine in arguably his most hard-as-nails role, as a London gangster who travels to his old hometown to investigate his brother's death. The Seattle-based 2000 remake stars Sylvester Stallone and doesn't come close to capturing the same power as the original.
Death Race 2000 (1975) vs Death Race (2008)
Directed by Paul Bartel, 1975's Death Race 2000 envisages a dystopian future in which a brutal cross-country road race in which drivers earn points for killing people has become the world's most popular sporting event. Paul WS Anderson's 2008 remake Death Race simplifies things by setting the race on a single track in a maximum security prison, with Jason Statham leading the cast.
Black Christmas - 1974 vs. 2019
1974’s Black Christmas has the rare, perhaps dubious honour of having not one but two remakes. 2019’s Black Christmas bears very little resembelance to either of the earlier films, except that it's set at Christmas in a sorority house. The Blumhouse production is a milder, PG-13-rated chiller for the #MeToo era, in which the female protagonists are attacked by a misogynistic secret society.
The Man Who Knew Too Much - 1934 vs 1956
The legendary director Alfred Hitchcock was not satisfied with his early 1934 film The Man Who Knew Too Much, so decided to revisit the concept 22 years later with an entirely different script and cast. Where the original follows a British couple who get caught up in nefarious goings-on in Switzerland, the remake sees similar things happen to James Stewart and Doris Day in Europe.
The Witches - 1990 vs 2020
Nicolas Roeg's 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel has long been considered one of the scariest children's films ever, although it dilutes some aspects of the source material, notably by changing the ending. Robert Zemeckis' 2020 take sets the tale in 1968 Alabama, but it's closer to the book in many other respects, notably with the ending staying closer to what Dahl wrote.
The Karate Kid - 1984 vs 2010
2010's The Karate Kid remake might be more representative of the title, given that Jaden Smith - 10 at the time - is more of a 'kid' than Ralph Macchio was in the 1984 original. Still, the title would also imply that the character learns karate, yet the remake - which moves the action from America to China - sees the kid taught kung fu instead.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) and The Hustle (2019)
It should be noted that 1988's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a comedy which casts Michael Caine and Steve Martin as con artists, is itself a remake of 1964 Marlon Brando/David Niven movie Bedtime Story. However, the 1988 film has aged considerably better than 2019's The Hustle, which changes the gender of the protagonists (played by Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson) yet somehow forgets to be funny.
House of Wax - 1953 vs. 2005
1953's House of Wax (itself a remake of 1933's Mystery in the Wax Museum) is a period horror starring a splendidly moustachioed Vincent Price as a sculptor whose waxwork creations are a little too lifelike. The 2005 remake owes more to the gruelling shockers of the 70s, transplanting the same basic concept to a grimy teen slasher movie format.
RoboCop - 1987 vs 2014
1987's RoboCop is a classic of its era, balancing intense action, an intelligent vision of the future and a jet-black, satirical sense of humor. By contrast, the 2014 remake is practically forgotten already. It's a PG-13, meaning the content is toned down considerably, and it gives the title character an ugly redesign, as well as letting him keep his human identity.
Dracula - 1931 (English language) vs. 1931 (Spanish language)
Before dubbing, the easiest way to export cinematic product to other territories was to make the same movie again in another language. This happened with 1931's Dracula, on which a Spanish-language production was shot on the same set by night. Many horror film historians feel the Spanish version is superior: it boasts more ambitious, experimental camerawork and editing, and runs half an hour longer.
Child's Play - 1988 vs. 2019
1988's Child's Play introduced the last enduring horror icon of the 80s in Chucky, the rubber doll possessed by the spirit of a psychotic killer. The 2019 remake (which upset some fans, as the original film series is still ongoing on TV's Chucky) changed things up by making Chucky a homicidal doll powered by an artificial intelligence program. 2023's M3GAN would do it better later.
Matilda - 1996 vs 2022
While both are based on Roald Dahl's children's novel, the 1996 and 2022 adaptations of Matilda are wildly different. The first film, directed by Danny DeVito, moves the action from Britain to America: the latter film stays in Britain, keeps the story in the 1980s, and most dramatically is a full-blown musical, using Tim Minchin's songs from the popular stage show.
What Women Want (2000) vs. What Men Want (2019)
2000's What Women Want casts Mel Gibson as a chauvinistic advertising executive who, following a bizarre near-electrocution, finds himself able to psychically hear the thoughts of women. 2019 remake What Men Want not only reverses the genders (Taraji P. Henson playing a female sports agent who hears men's thoughts after visiting a psychic), but it also showcases a considerably coarser brand of R-rated humor.
Roadracers - 1959 vs 1994
1959 B-movie Roadracers centers on a young American hot rod driver who aims to race for a living. The 1994 version uses nothing but the title, writer-director Robert Rodriguez telling an entirely unrelated story about a rebellious young couple (David Arquette and Salma Hayek) at odds with their middle American small town in the 50s.
The Mummy - 1999 vs. 2017
More than two decades since it first opened, 1999's The Mummy is widely held up as an all-time classic. It's highly unlikely anyone will be saying the same about 2017's The Mummy twenty-plus years later. Where 1999's take is a winning blend of horror, humor and adventure set in the 1920s, the Tom Cruise misfire is a bewildering, painfully misconceived mess set in present day.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) vs. Mr. Deeds (2002)
Critics were outraged when low-brow comedy superstar Adam Sandler remade Frank Capra's 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, but Sandler's devoted fanbase either didn't know or didn't care. Both films use the same premise - an everyday joe unexpectedly inherits a fortune - but Sandler's take relies a little more on physical comedy and gross-out gags. At heart, though, both films are quite sweet.
Suspiria - 1977 vs 2018
Often considered the magnum opus of Italian horror director Dario Argento, 1977's Suspiria is a bold supernatural chiller which builds an intense atmosphere via garish lighting and bombastic music. By contrast, Luca Guadagnino's 2018 take presents a more naturalistic, slow burn, plot and character-driven approach to the same essential story of an elite ballet school covertly run by a coven of evil witches.
Alfie - 1966 vs 2004
1966's Alfie not only helped catapult Michael Caine to stardom; it also tackled the topic of sex with unusual frankness for the time. However, by 2004 the notion of a promiscuous leading man wasn't quite so shocking, so the remake starring Jude Law packed a bit less punch.
Annie - 1982 vs. 2014
1982's Annie adapted the stage musical to the big screen with Albert Finney is the wealthy businessman who adopts the charming, curly-haired orphan. 2014's remake is most noted for its use of a predominantly black cast with Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhané Wallis in the lead roles. It also significantly changes the soundtrack with several new tracks and a more hip-hop-oriented take on the old songs.
How to Make a Monster - 1958 vs. 2001
1958's How to Make a Monster is a low-budget shocker in which a begrudged movie makeup artist utilizes his own monstrous creations for revenge. The 2001 remake uses virtually nothing of this but the title, in which video game designers create a beastly antagonist for a new game which mysteriously gains sentience.
Frankenweenie - 1984 vs. 2012
When director Tim Burton first made Frankenweenie as a live action short film in 1984, Disney executives hated it so much they fired him - but in 2012, the studio greenlit a full-length remake. As well as being stop-motion animated, the 2012 film also adds a plethora of spooky youngsters developing their own supernatural pets, rather than just young Victor Frankenstein and his dog.
The Fast and the Furious - 1954 vs. 2001
You might not have known that The Fast and the Furious, the sleeper hit which unexpectedly launched a multi-billion dollar franchise, was a loose remake of a 1954 film. In truth the films are completely unrelated, but the producers of the 2001 movie loved the older film's title, and made a deal with producer Roger Corman to use it.
Super Mario Bros (1993) vs. The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023)
1993's live-action would-be blockbuster Super Mario Bros made waves as the first major movie based on a video game - then stunned everyone by being nothing like the games. By contrast, 2023's The Super Mario Bros Movie is a colorful feature-length CGI animation which painstakingly recreates the worlds of the game series. Also, the 1993 film bombed, whilst the 2023 film made $1.36 billion.
Casino Royale - 1967 vs. 2006
The 1960s had no shortage of bizarre films, but Casino Royale is pretty far out there. Broadly adapting Ian Fleming's original James Bond novel, the film is mostly an outlandish, psychedelic spoof of the popular film series which fails to be very funny. 2006's take, an official Bond movie that marked Daniel Craig's 007 debut, is an infinitely more loyal, effective and compelling adaptation.
The Wages of Fear (1959) vs. Sorcerer (1977)
Few thrillers take such a literally high-octane premise as 1959 French production The Wages of Fear, and its 1977 US remake Sorcerer: both follow men driving trucks loaded with nitroglycerine over hazardous ground. Both films are very much products of their country, and their era, with director William Friedkin's latter take being among the more expensive films ever made at the time.
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) vs. Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
Adapted from the novel of the same name, Escape to Witch Mountain centers alien children with supernatural powers struggling to get to the titular mountain to reunite with their people. Despite the thrilling premise, it's a modestly made film, by contrast with the heavily action and SFX-oriented Race to Witch Mountain, headlined by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.
Bad Lieutenant (1992) vs. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
Though marketed as a sequel to Abel Ferrara's notorious 1992 crime drama Bad Lieutenant, many critics feel Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is more of an unofficial remake than a follow-up. Where the 1992 film was disturbingly intense and grounded, the 2009 take - thanks to a characteristically uninhibited turn from Nicolas Cage - comes dangerously close to high camp.
The Evil Dead (1981) vs. Evil Dead II (1987)
While technically classed as a sequel to the original 1981 horror movie, 1987's Evil Dead II is in truth more of a remake with a wildly different tone. The film's opening scenes present a truncated version of the first film's events before veering off in a new direction, replacing harsh brutality with cartoonish, slapstick comedy.
Gone in 60 Seconds - 1974 vs. 2000
Independently produced on a low budget, 1974's Gone in 60 Seconds centers on car thieves tasked with stealing a slew of expensive vehicles in a short time. That's about all it has in common with the 2000 version, a big budget action thriller from blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer boasting a very different plot and a big name cast including Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie.
Hellraiser - 1987 vs. 2022
Writer-director Clive Barker's screen adaptation of his novel The Hellbound Heart is one of the most distinctive, unnerving horror movies of the 1980s, which spawned a slew of largely unrelated sequels. 2022's reboot presents an intriguing, chilling new take on the concept, with an entirely unrelated plot and a distinctly different take on antagonist Pinhead, with trans actress Jamie Clayton taking over from Doug Bradley.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) vs Tomb Raider (2018)
2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel saw Angelina Jolie bring the video game heroine to life to great effect, but sadly the films themselves were pretty far removed from the games in tone and content. By contrast, 2018's Tomb Raider cast Alicia Vikander as a young, inexperienced version of the great adventuress, and borrowed heavily from the look and feel of the games.
The House on Sorority Row (1983) vs. Sorority Row (2009)
1983's The House on Sorority Row was one of many slasher movies made at the time, and sees a sorority house come under attack by a psycho killer in a harlequin costume. 2009's Sorority Row owes more to 90s slashers Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, and presents a largely different story of college girls under attack without a harlequin in sight.
Conan the Barbarian - 1982 vs. 2010
1982's Conan the Barbarian helped launch Arnold Schwarzenegger as an action superstar, battling James Earl Jones as evil sorcerer Thulsa Doom. The less successful 2010 take cast Jason Momoa in the lead and told an entirely unrelated tale, with Stephen Lang as an unrelated evil sorcerer. Ironically, neither film was especially true to the stories of Conan creator Robert E. Howard.
The Love Bug (1968) and Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
1968's The Love Bug spawned an enduringly popular franchise with the introduction of Herbie, the mysteriously sentient Volkswagen Beetle with a knack for winning races. 2005's Herbie: Fully Loaded reintroduced the character for a new generation, mixing things up by putting a young woman behind the wheel, played by the then-popular Lindsay Lohan.
King Kong - 1933 vs. 1976
The original King Kong remains one of the greatest adventure films ever made, and a massive influence on every SFX-driven blockbuster produced since. The 1976 remake updated the story to what was then the present day in some curious ways, adding hints of environmentalism, getting rid of all the dinosaurs, and swapping a stop-motion-animated giant ape for a guy in a suit.
