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Thursday, May 16, 2013

WORST/BEST MOVIE REMAKE merges with MAY MONSTER MADNESS!

{Cover Art Courtesy of Leonora Roy}
 
THIS JUST IN!
 
LOVE IN THE TIME OF THE UNDEAD
has just gone live (within the hour) on
JukePop Serials:
 
Vote for Victor!
Alice might get mad otherwise. :-)
 
 

The Worst Remake:

 'Psycho' (1998)

'Psycho'© Universal Studios Home Entertainment
 
It's okay - and rather cute - when a bunch of 12 year olds decide to do a shot-by-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
 
But what on earth could have possessed award-winning Indie director Gus Van Sant to direct a shot-by-shot, color remake of Alfred Hitchcock's seminal black and white horror film Psycho?
 
This cinematic exercise ranks as the worst remake of all time.
 
RUNNER UP:


 'Godzilla' (1998)

'Godzilla'© Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
 
Toho Studios wisely forbade the Hollywood remake of Godzilla from using anything that remotely looked like their Japanese monster.
 
Fans of Japan's Godzilla (known as Gojira there) hated the design for the American Godzilla so much that they called it "GINO" - Godzilla in Name Only.
 
The planned sequels to the American Godzilla were scrapped when the film tanked.


 
 
Best Remake:
 
BEST: The Thing (1982)

 
 

Original: The Thing From Another World (1951)

John Carpenter’s cult classic closely resembled Howard Hawks’ Cold War-era masterpiece, but gruesome special effects helped add a welcome dose of horror to the original’s eerie paranoia.


I love to imagine the terrified moviegoer who mistakenly wandered into The Thing instead of E.T., which ironically opened to wider acclaim two weeks earlier.
 
Runner Up:
 
 
 

 

 
 
BEST: Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Original: Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Director Zack Snyder turned George A. Romero’s fun but low-tech frightfest into a glossy Hollywood thrill-ride that delivered even more chills than the original.


(Plus, Retro-Jeremy can no longer listen to Johnny Cash’s "The Man Comes Around” without craving brains.)
 

34 comments:

  1. Godzilla was awful!! A giant iguana is NOT scary.
    And you and I are on the same page with best remake.

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  2. Interesting choices, Roland. I try not to go to remakes of movies, most disappoint. I saw the house used in the original at Universal Studios years ago. Tony Perkins was the quintessential psycho.

    I like the fact that the Japanese forbade the use of their icon. It's their brand after all.

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  3. Alex:
    I went to the theater to see GODZILLA -- the best thing about it was that it ended! Wasn't THE THING a great re-make? The later prequel was needless.

    D.G.:
    Yes, Tony Perkins was the quintessential Norman Bates, wasn't he? The Japanese Godzilla should have stomped Hollywood for insulting it!! :-)

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  4. Just leaving a useless comment as I haven't actually seen any of these movies - except the original Psycho - a classic that should never have been messed with so I am not surprised it was a fail.

    Rhonda from Laugh Quotes

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  5. Hi Roland .. I haven't seen these either - and I've yet to see Hitchcock (the Film) .. good to reminded of them though .. cheers Hilary

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  6. When I watch a movie, I rarely care if it's a remake or the original! But I'll take your word that these are the best and worse remakes!

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  7. Psycho... wow, I forgot about that one... Great choices.

    Some movies - and books - should be well enough left alone :)

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  8. How could any remake compare to the original Physco? Creepy Norman Bates and the equally creepy house on the hill was pure brilliance,

    Yvonne.

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  9. Psycho... how could someone choose to remake that??? What's worse, remake it frame-by-frame, shot-by-shot without actually changing anything. Now, that's how it can be called the worst remake.

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  10. I feel better now. I didn't see the remakes of Psycho or Godzilla. Guess I made the right choice.

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  11. Rhonda:
    The re-make of PSYCHO was even worse than if they had colorized it!@ Thanks for commenting. I need the company!!

    Hilary:
    Horror isn't everyone's cup of tea so I understand -- it has to be the right horror film for me to be interested ( a hero or heroine to root for and not the villain!)

    Adriana:
    Remakes are usually tepid so I try to stay away from them. But I understand how you feel -- let the product speak for itself, right?

    Lynda:
    You, Alex, and I seem to have similar tastes. :-)

    Mark:
    You're right: CASABLANCA should never be re-made. It is a classic just as it is! :-)

    Yvonne:
    You hit the nail right on the head!

    Cheree:
    You're right: why would anyone spend millions doing that? Better question: how did anyone convince a studio to spend those millions?

    LD:
    Yes, you were a very wise lady!!
    :-)

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  12. I'm right with you on Psycho. That creepy gem should have be left alone in its vintage madness.

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  13. love that you combined to do monster remakes!
    godzilla is on my bad list too.

    have a scary good weekend!

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  14. Wow Dawn of the Dead is sure making a lot of lists. Now im intrigued!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  15. Wow, that was a nice trailer. I didn't think Godzilla was scary at all. It looked like a Rex to me. Thanks for participating in the blogfest! :)

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  16. Regarding Godzilla, all I can say is "WHY??"

    Loved The Thing, but never saw the original so couldn't list it.

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  17. Holy cow, GODZILLA was bad. And, in other news, way to go, fellow Jukepopper! I'll be sure to send a vote your way.

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  18. I mentioned Psycho's bad remake in my post, and the others seem to be a common choice of many of the participants. Great post!

    M.L. Swift, Writer

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  19. I've caught snippets of the Godzilla remake on TV and just couldn't be bothered to watch it, that's how dumb it looked.

    Remaking Psycho shot by shot seems like a futile class exercise for a film student or a director's rampaging ego.

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  20. I guess I need to go re-watch "The Thing." The Godzilla remake is actually worth watching for a good chuckle. I actually never enjoyed the original Psycho, so I can't comment on that :)

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  21. Magaly:
    Film-makers seem to be running out of imagination!

    Tara:
    Sometimes to be courteous to two blogfests, you have to be adaptable!!

    Nutschell:
    DAWN OF THE DEAD sure has its scary moments for me!

    Al:
    Yes, Godzilla just was a waste of millions of dollars! I cannot wait for AGENTS OF SHIELD and the return of agent Phil Coulson. :-)

    Isis:
    The original THING was good for its time and for its dialogue.

    Milo:
    I've voted for your chapters, too. :-) I hope Victor's tale does not collect cobwebs!

    M.L.:
    Didn't a scene by scene remake of PSYCHO seem needless? Sigh. Thanks for visiting!

    Helena:
    Yes, ego seems to rule Hollywood these days, doesn't it?

    UNDERGROUND FOR TEA:
    Can you believe it? I have never seen either PSYCHO! Thanks for visiting. It made the weary night of a rare blood courier happier. :-)

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  22. Haven't seen any of these, but as a huge fan of horror, I should probably get around to watching The Thing or Dawn of the Dead someday!

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  23. Roland!!!! I need a favor. Will you pop over to my blog or shoot me an email? celestelettyholloway@yahoo.com :)

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  24. Fantastic choices. I agree with your write-ups.

    I voted for your excerpt at JukeBox :)

    ......dhole

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  25. Celeste:
    Certainly. Will you vote for my serial? :-)

    Donna:
    Thanks for voting for Victor, Alice blows you a kiss.

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  26. "The Thing" 1982 is one of my all time favorite movies! The '50s version was interesting through in that the monster was a plant creature. Very creative. And I agree--never mess with Hitchcock.

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  27. Lorel:
    Yes, it is mine, too. I watch it every year sometime. :-) I liked the dialogue in the original THE THING. :-)

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  28. Typically, I'm not a horror fan. Night of the Living Dead CREEPS ME OUT! I do want to see The Thing at some point, though.

    Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. !!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!

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  29. The Thing seems to be getting a few votes. I can't wait for Agents of SHIELD!!! I can't believe I hadn't heard of it until recently.

    Allison (Geek Banter)

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  30. Words Crafter:
    Watch it on DVD so you can fast forward thru the scary parts. :-)

    Yes! I cannot wait for AGENTS OF SHIELD! I am such a fan boy!!

    Allison:
    THE THING is a true classic. AGENTS OF SHIELD shows hints that it might be one of the few TV superhero shows that is quality.

    Thanks for visiting and commenting! :-)

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  31. Odd, I thought for sure I'd left a comment here - apparently not :)

    I've seen the remake of Psycho but that's it ;)

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  32. Trisha F:
    I think Blogger hates me, too. I'm glad you came back to say HI. I've never seen the re-make of Psycho. Ah, never the original either. I am culturally challenged! :-)

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  33. I will keep visiting this blog very often. you got good stuff here.

    www.n8fan.net

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