5 of the worst movie remakes of all time
Hollywood loves to do a movie remake. But why try to improve on a great film, or try to improve a bad one? To be honest, it’s not often that the remake is better than the original, but these five films are actually so badly done they have made our list.
1. Psycho (1998)
When you are following on from a legend like Alfred Hitchcock and his 1960 classic film, anything you do is going to struggle. But the 1998 remake of Psycho is known in film circles as the remake that should never have happened. Despite a new cast, the addition of colour, and the film being set in modern times – the rest seems to be a blatant scene-by-scene copy of the original. Even down to the same camera angles and editing techniques.
2. The Wicker Man (2006)
The cult 1973 British horror movie The Wicker Man is often regarded as the best horror film of all time. So deciding to remake it in 2006 using an American director and cast was a risk that unfortunately didn’t pay off. Directed by Neil LaBute, the remake sees Nicolas Cage star in a horror film that ends up being mostly comedy. With the original film full of tension and a shocking ending, the remake has become as famous for its bizarreness.
3. Stepford Wives (2004)
The original 1975 film adaptation ofthe novel Stepford Wives was only moderately successful. But Frank Oz’s 2004 remake was given the thumbs down from many critics. Despite the all-star cast – Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, and Glenn Close – the film failed to make use of the original movie’s sci-fi horror roots. Instead it presented itself as a camp comedy, leaving the audience scratching their heads as to what it was really about.
4. Planet of the Apes (2001)
The critically acclaimed 1968 version of Planet of the Apes is loved by many all over the world. Despite many fans believing that a remake could hold its own, director Tim Burton’s 2001 remake came up short, despite doing moderately well at the box office. The style and effects were given a positive nod, but many critics felt that the director didn’t really add anything new to make it his own. In the future it will be the 1968 version of the film that will be watched time and time again.
5. Godzilla (1998)
Of all the odd-spots in the 1998 remake of the 1954 film Godzilla, the biggest was the fact that the setting in New York City meant that the original film’s nuclear symbolism was lost completely. Despite spending $130 million on the film, Roland Emmerich’s blockbuster was widely panned due to a poor script. It was so widely criticised for its acting, directing and effects that the original plans to turn it into a trilogy were scrapped.
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