1) Remakes are a controversial topic, with some arguing they kill originality while others see them as introducing older films to new audiences or updating films to make their age show less. 2) The highest grossing remake is 2010's Alice in Wonderland, while the highest grossing film overall is 2009's Avatar. 3) Horror and crime films have been remade frequently, with themes and details updated to reflect modern times while keeping core plots. 4) Successful remakes like The Departed expand on the original idea while adding new complexity, but failures like Psycho and Planet of the Apes make unnecessary changes that undermine the original.

1. The Relevance of Remakes
Michael Sauffer, B3

2. Introduction
• Remake: a redone film is based off of a
previous film and changed in some way, shape
or form.
• Remakes are a hot button topic
– Love/Hate
– Reasons differ
• Kill originality
• Made for money only
• Can introduce older films to a newer audience
• Updating can make a film’s age show less

3. • Highest grossing remake:
2010’s Alice in
Wonderland
($1,024,299,904 )
• Highest grossing film:
2009’s Avatar
($2,782,275,172 )
• 8 films are remakes on
top 100 grossing films of
all time list
• Average return:
$34,155,453

4. Public Opinion
• Using the IMDB Top 250
– 5 films are remakes:
• The Departed
• Scarface
• The Thing
• The Maltese Falcon
• Star Trek
– 11 films have been remade
• In most cases the remake is lower rated than the
original
– Exception: The Departed (8.5) to Infernal Affairs (8.0)

5. First Instances of Remakes
• Can be found in horror
– Novels such as Frankenstein and Dracula were
adapted many, many times
– Often remakes were made to either better the
technological aspects/graphic aspects of the film
or to stick closer to the source material
• Frankenstein
– 1910: Edison’s Frankenstein
– 1931: Frankenstein
– 1957-1972: Hammer Horror’s
Frankenstein series
– 1994: Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein
• Dracula
– 1922: Nosferatu
– 1931: Dracula
– 1958: Horror of Dracula
– 1992: Bram Stoker’s Dracula

6. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Has been remade 3 times over the past 50
years
• Each time new themes are added that
modernized the plot
– 1978: leads now health department
workers, self-help scene of the late 70’s is
present
– 1993: Invasion starts with government releasing
toxins into nature
– 2007: Invasion from crashed satellite, not pod
people, only film with a happy ending

7. The Ring
• Gore Verbenski’s 2002 remake of 1998’s
Ringu
• Pacing is different
• Plot remains nearly identical, most
changes are in the cultural execution
– Urban legend element more evident in
Ringu
– In Ringu, ex-husband has ESP
– Sprits of previous victims help out
protagonists in Ringu
• All this relates to spiritualism which is more
heavily evident in Japanese culture

8. Disturbia
• Remake of “Rear Window”
– Both protagonists are encumbered by
something that allows them to stay in
only one place
– Both take up casual voyeurism as a way
of escaping their environment
– Neighbor is a murderer
• Modernized
– Updates the setting to 21st
– Technology plays a crucial role in plot
development
• Ankle monitor
• Cell phones/Cameras
• Humor is more prevalent in Disturbia

9. Psycho
• Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake
• One of the worst remakes of
all time
– Updates are unnecessary to
plot
– Some dialogue changed, some
is not (leads to a few awkward
moments)
– Shot for shot
– Nothing is honestly changed
• Why not just make the film
black and white?

10. Planet of the Apes
• Tim Burton’s 2001 remake of 1968
film
• Also regarded as one of the worst
remakes of all time
• Changes the tone and point of film
– Tone changed from serious science-
fiction thought piece to action
packed blockbuster
– Satire of religion within
government found in original film
no longer present in remake
– Ending changed to a ridiculous and
nonsensical twist

11. The Magnificant Seven
• Remake of Akira
Kurosawa’s “Seven
Samurai”
• Changed setting from
rural ancient Japan to
the wild west.
• Retained the original
theme of motives
• Added a new theme in
international
intervention

12. A Fistful of Dollars
• Remake of “Yojimbo”
• Also translated from
Japan to the West
• Tone of film is more
serious
• Hero is not
manipulating events
from behind the scenes;
motive is different
(money vs duty)
• Violence is toned down

13. The Departed
• Won 4 Academy Awards
(including Best Picture)
• Remake of “Infernal Affairs”
• Basic plot remains same,
small changes present that
add complexity
– Triad becomes Irish mob
– Romantic intrigue created
– Additional background for
characters
– New character added to
clear up complexity of plot
– New twist added to story

14. So why?
• Several reasons for remakes
– New generations
– Updating
– Improving original film
• Good remakes take the original idea and
expand upon it, retaining basic
elements, whilst adding
details/characters/themes
• Remakes reflect our current world