Oh how I love movie blogfests!!
Thanks to the hosts:
Alex J. Cavanaugh
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
Stephen Tremp
http://authorstephentremp.blogspot.com/
Father Dragon Al
http://fatherdragon.blogspot.com/
Livia Peterson
http://leaveittolivia.blogspot.com/
Objective: List the best remake you’ve ever seen and the worst. Added bonus, list the worst and/or best song remake you’ve ever heard.
Worst Remake: This one was a tie.
The Stepford Wives
The original was creepy, chilling and made a sociopolitical statement for the 70’s. I saw it when I was 12 or 13 on VHS. To this day, I vividly remember the horrifying ending.
The remake was a cheesy, hot mess!

Conan the Barbarian
I love the original, despite the fact Arnold Schwarznegger has like 15 lines (maybe that’s a good thing) and flexes throughout the whole film (definitely a good thing). I was so excited when I heard about a remake. Then I saw it.
The movie was dreadful. Actually, it was horrendous.
The special effects sucked.
The story and acting lacked heart.
They completely butchered Valeria’s kick-ass warrior character.

In the original, she saves Conan more than once and even comes back from the dead to help him because of how much she loves him.
In the remake, the character was a simpering, screaming cliché.
Best remake: This was tough! I almost had a tie.
Runner-up
The Thomas Crown Affair
The original with Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen was edgy and stylish for the time period. Faye Dunaway was gutsy and sexy. Steve McQueen was cool under pressure and the last thing you wanted was for him to get caught, but it lacked the depth of its contemporary counterpart.
The remake was glamorous and sensual and I completely fell in love with Rene Russo and Pierce Bronsnan. I believed their love story. The writer, director, and costume designer did a great job.
Although the ending in the remake was more fulfilling, the original ending was true to the Thomas Crown character and more fitting. If the remake had maintained the original ending, then this would have tied for best remake.
Best: The Great Gatsby
The original movie starred Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. I saw it years ago. It did a satisfactory job of conveying Fitzgerald’s novel, but it was flat and lifeless.
The remake blew me over with all of its glitz, audacious music choices, stellar acting and special effects that actually worked. Never thought this story could be depicted in such a lush manner. DiCaprio was brilliant as Gatsby. Baz Luhrmann pulled off this bold remake successfully, even if it did have a few minor flaws.
I was going to do worst soundtrack remake, but I came across a remake of a song that I loved and wanted to share it.
Jack White’s version of U2’s Love is Blindness is outstanding. Don’t get me wrong, I adore U2, but White’s rendition makes me feel like the title should be changed to Love is Madness. Absolutely stellar.
Have you seen or heard any of my choices? Do you have a favorite?










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