Can remakes be better than the originals? That’s a question that would usually invite an emphatic “no”. Original films are often rated higher than their remakes by both audiences and critics. Their standing has been further cemented by a series of modern Hollywood remakes that failed to engage cinema-goers. But when we dig deeper, we find that some Hollywood remakes have surpassed the original movies in popularity and cultural impact.
Remakes usually tell the same story and feature the same set of characters as the original, though the plot, themes and narrative structures may be altered. The main differences lie in the technology — visual effects, sound design, cinematography and so on. Directors behind remakes often shape the story in their own way, including by changing the ending. Every effort is made to ensure that the remake is more relatable to audiences than the original.
But the biggest challenge for any remake is overcoming the original’s nostalgia factor. It is indeed an uphill task for any filmmaker, especially if the original film comes from the same industry as the one it inspires. This is why, when executed properly, remakes make audiences sit up and take notice of the craftsmanship involved. The scenes become unforgettable, the performances are etched in the memory, and the themes resonate long after the credits roll. As a result, many are surprised to learn that a film they believe to be an original masterpiece is, in fact, a remake. One example is Martin Scorsese’s The Departed (2006), a remake of the first instalment in a Hong Kong crime thriller trilogy.
As we mentioned earlier, most Hollywood remakes have never surpassed the popularity of the original movies. In several cases, the remakes are only marginally better, as reflected in their ratings. Therefore, for this article, we have included films whose IMDb ratings are at least 0.5 points higher than those of the originals.
Hollywood movie remakes that outshine the originals
Note: Movies which are remakes of TV shows or remakes of movies based on books have not been considered unless recognised as a remake by official sources (makers, distributors, prominent reviewers or official film bodies).
1 /10
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda de Banzie, Bernard Miles
Runtime: 2h
IMDb rating: 7.4
RT rating: 89 per cent
About the film: The Man Who Knew Too Much is one of the most famous remakes that can be called better than the original. Interestingly, the original suspense thriller, which was released in 1934, was also directed by Hitchcock. The remake adapts the central theme of the original but diverges in setting, plot and execution. According to Hitchcock/Truffaut, a 1967 book-length interview with the master of thrillers, French auteur François Truffaut felt the remake was better than the original. Responding to his comment, Hitchcock said, “Let’s say the first version is the work of a talented amateur and the second was made by a professional.”
2 /10
The Ten Commandments (1956)Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille
Cast: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget
Runtime: 3h 40m
IMDb rating: 7.9
RT rating: 84 per cent
Oscar won: Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
About the film: Though DeMille’s 1956 epic movie is based on the Bible’s Book of Exodus, it is cinematically considered a remake of the prologue of his own 1923 film of the same name. The focus of the original movie is on a modern family through a Biblical lens. But the remake is a period drama centred on the story of Moses (played by Heston), who goes from being a prince in the Egyptian royal household to becoming the saviour of his people from the wrath of Pharaoh Rameses II (played by Brynner).
Also read: Best Roman Empire movies to put on your watch list
Watch it here3 /10
Some Like It Hot (1959)Directed by: Billy Wilder
Cast: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, Joe E. Brown, George Raft, Pat O’Brien
Runtime: 2h 1m
IMDb rating: 8.2
RT rating: 95 per cent
Oscar won: Best Costume Design – Black-and-White (for Orry-Kelly)
About the film: Not many people know that this iconic romantic comedy is a remake of the French movie Fanfare d’Amour (Fanfare of Love, 1935). In fact, Wilder’s film is the second remake of the French original; a German film has the distinction of being the first. In the American remake, Joe (played by Curtis) and Jerry (played by Lemmon) are musicians who witness a murder committed by Chicago gangsters. They try to escape the city by disguising themselves as women and joining an all-female band, where they meet and fall in love with the beautiful vocalist Sugar (played by Monroe). The addition of the gangster subplot is the main difference between the original and the American remake.
4 /10
Scarface (1983)Directed by: Brian De Palma
Cast: Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia
Runtime: 2h 50m
IMDb rating: 8.3
RT rating: 77 per cent
About the film: Howard Hawks’ Scarface (1932) is loosely based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Armitage Trail. According to reports, De Palma saw Hawks’ film at a screening in Los Angeles years later and decided to give it a modern update. As a result, the setting shifted from the original’s Chicago to 1980s Miami. Similarly, De Palma’s titular mob boss is a Cuban immigrant named Tony Montana (played by Pacino), whereas the character in Hawks’ film is an Italian immigrant. Even the backdrop changes from the Prohibition era of the 1930s to the US government’s War on Drugs in the 1980s.
Thanks to De Palma’s direction, performances and iconic quotes (remember Tony’s “Say hello to my little friend”?), the 1983 remake is considered one of the greatest gangster films of all time.
5 /10
The Fly (1986)Directed by: David Cronenberg
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz
Runtime: 1h 36m
IMDb rating: 7.6
RT rating: 94 per cent
Oscar won: Best Makeup (for Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis)
About the film: The Fly is not only one of David Cronenberg’s masterpieces, but also among the best sci-fi horror movies of all time. Goldblum’s Seth Brundle is a brilliant scientist who has invented a teleportation device. But when he attempts to teleport himself, the accidental entry of a housefly causes his molecules to fuse with those of the insect. As a result, he slowly begins to transform into a monstrous being. The film is so popular that many people are unaware that Cronenberg’s version is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name.
Directed by Kurt Neumann and starring David Hedison and Patricia Owens in the leading roles, 1958’s The Fly is a faithful adaptation of George Langelaan’s short story published in the June 1957 issue of Playboy. As such, it differs from Cronenberg’s version in story, character names and denouement. Its ending is also different from Langelaan’s story. It is worth noting that Neumann’s version is a B-movie. As such, Cronenberg’s The Fly is considered not only a superior cinematic work in every respect, but also one that significantly influenced the body horror genre.
6 /10
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)Directed by: Frank Oz
Cast: Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers, Barbara Harris, Ian McDiarmid
Runtime: 1h 50m
IMDb rating: 7.4
RT rating: 89 per cent
About the film: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a remake of Bedtime Story (1964). Like the original, this delightful remake centres on two con artists, Lawrence Jamieson (played by Caine) and Freddy Benson (played by Martin), who try to outsmart each other in their quest to dupe the American ‘soap queen’ Janet Colgate (played by Headly). Barring the climax, there are no major differences between the original and the remake. However, the remake was much better received by critics and audiences. In fact, it is quite remarkable that the original failed despite featuring Marlon Brando and David Niven as Freddy and Lawrence, respectively.
Watch it here
7 /10
True Lies (1994)Directed by: James Cameron
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Art Malik, Tia Carrere
Runtime: 2h 21m
IMDb rating: 7.3
RT rating: 77 per cent
About the film: Trust James Cameron to rework an already fine piece of non-English cinema into a much bigger and unforgettable Hollywood spectacle. His film True Lies is a remake of the French film La Totale! (1991). Both films are about a secret agent who leads a double life as an ordinary office worker and family man. The agent’s world is turned upside down when his bored wife begins an affair with a charismatic conman posing as a spy. The role of the agent, named Harry Tasker in Cameron’s film, is played by Schwarzenegger, while Curtis plays his wife. True Lies grossed over USD 378 million during its theatrical run, becoming the third highest-grossing film of its release year.
(Image: Courtesy of IMDb)
8 /10
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, Andy García, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Carl Reiner
Runtime: 1h 56m
IMDb rating: 7.7
RT rating: 83 per cent
About the film: Soderbergh launched a highly successful franchise with Ocean’s Eleven (2001). It is also vastly superior to the 1960 original of the same name. Both are heist films revolving around a gang as they devise plans to rob a Las Vegas casino. The principal difference between the two — and the reason why the remake is better — lies in the treatment.
The original film feels more like a group of disinterested friends occupied with jokes and songs than with the heist itself. In Soderbergh’s film, the gang does what they are supposed to do and executes the plan with panache. The original, on the other hand, is likely to be appreciated only by devotees of classic cinema or admirers of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin.
Watch it here9 /10
The Departed (2006)Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin
Runtime: 2h 31m
IMDb rating: 8.5
RT rating: 91 per cent
Oscars won: 4 (including Best Picture)
About the film: The Departed holds a special place among fans of the Scorsese–DiCaprio partnership. It tells the story of Boston’s infamous criminal underworld and its ties to corrupt elements within the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). The American film is an official remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs (2002). Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, the film stars Andy Lau and Tony Leung in the lead roles. Scorsese uses the Hong Kong film’s plot as his template and builds a powerful story of control, violence, betrayal and redemption by modelling his characters on real-life figures.
Infernal Affairs is an excellent film, but anyone who has seen both the Hong Kong original and the American remake can understand why Scorsese is universally hailed as one of the greatest directors in cinema history. He has received 10 Oscar nominations for Best Director — the most by any living filmmaker — but it is only The Departed that has won him the statuette in that category.
Watch it here10 /10
Wrath of Man (2021)Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Scott Eastwood, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonso, Raúl Castillo
Runtime: 1h 59m
IMDb rating: 7.1
RT rating: 68 per cent
About the film: Wrath of Man is an English-language remake of the French film Le Convoyeur (2004), also known as Cash Truck. Given that the remake is directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Jason Statham in the lead role, the action in Wrath of Man is more pronounced. (Yes, the 17-year gap between the two films is also a factor in this case.) The central story in both films revolves around a mysterious man who joins an armoured truck company that transports cash to find the gang that killed his son during a robbery. Ritchie also chooses a different ending for his version, leaving the possibility of a sequel open.
Hero image: Courtesy of © 1983 - Universal Studios via IMDb; IMDb / Featured image: Courtesy of IMDb; © 2006 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. via IMDbNote : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
