Today, it appears that Hollywood is running low on new creative ideas. So, what happens in this instance? We get remakes and rebooted films and TV series! The only problem here is that, in most instances, the remake or rebooted version fails miserably when compared to the original.
Due to this fact, we believe there are some film properties that must be saved from this fate. There are some treasured movie classics that should never be tinkered with. These films are virtually perfect as they are. Remaking them would be like remaking the Mona Lisa – a pointless and fruitless endeavor. In our quest to save cinema, we discuss five films below that we think should never be remade or rebooted:
1. The Godfather
Although the Godfather films are not part of any top franchise lists, such as this one from Betway Insider, they remain some of the most beloved mafia movies of all time. They form an arguably perfect trilogy, and it would be sheer sacrilege if anyone even thought about remaking them.
How could you hope to create something better than the performances that Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert Duvall put in or the musical scores by Nino Rota? These films will stand the test of time and are the bar that people try to reach when creating mob films, making them not something that could or should easily be remade.
2. E.T.
Luckily, there has never been any attempt to remake E.T., and rightly so! This classic Spielberg film is heart-warming and many of us have incredibly fond memories of it from our childhood. The story of Elliott and his friend E.T. is the stuff of legend, and who can forget the iconic scene where they fly through the air on his bicycle?
Perhaps a modern remake would look better and have fantastic CGI, but would it have the same soul and character? Probably not. Some things are best left untouched, and this science fiction classic is one of them.
3. Lord of the Rings
We know that Amazon Prime has made Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but let’s face it, that’s got absolutely nothing to do with the original film trilogy. The show is polarizing, with most ardent Tolkien fans simply loathing it.
Hopefully, Bezos never gets the rights to the LoTR book material. Otherwise, we could be in for a rough ride. The Peter Jackson film trilogy is incredible, and the love, care, and attention that were put into them still shine through today. Perhaps the CGI could be improved, but LoTR used plenty of physical sets and practical effects, and that is becoming a lost art in Hollywood today.
4. Shawshank Redemption
The story of Andy Dufresne and his trials in Shawshank prison is one of our favorites of all time. The movie is perfect. The acting from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman is impeccable and believable, and the supporting cast gave amazing performances.
The cinematography, film sets, and storyline are also brilliant, and the film is truly moving. Add in a stirring score with the main theme that is instantly recognizable from Thomas Newman, and you have a timeless classic that doesn’t need to be remade. What could modern Hollywood realistically do better? Or how could this masterpiece be rewritten for a modern audience? It simply couldn’t without completely ruining it.
5. Casablanca
Casablanca was made in 1942, and nearly 80 years later, it remains a Hollywood classic and a treasured film property. The film was amazing, and the performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman were unbelievable. Add into that the soundtrack and some of the most iconic movie scenes of all time, and you have something truly special.
It appears that people have already caught on to the fact that this film should not be remade. Indeed, there have been numerous attempts to remake it and even to produce sequels; however, they have all been squashed. The various potential remakes have even included Madonna wanting to make a modern-day version set in Iraq. However, we don’t think that you could recreate Casablanca in any meaningful way without simply copying the original.
If Hollywood tries to remake or reboot these beloved films, then we really are in trouble! In our opinion, there are just certain movies that shouldn’t be touched. They are either as close to perfect as possible already, or a remake simply wouldn’t work in the modern world or wouldn’t add any value to the masterpiece we already have.
