Movies - TV
Sci-Fi Remakes That Are Better Than The Original
By LIAM GAUGHAN
The Fly
While the original 1950s “The Fly” is an entertaining movie with solid jump scares, special effects, and an intriguing gimmick, it’s not necessarily a classic. David Cronenberg’s 1986 version, reworked the concept and turned it into a powerful story of humanity that is more terrifying and emotional than the original.
Solaris
In the case of Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 remake of Andrei Tarkovsky’s classic film, “Solaris,” Soderberg is able to capture the same eerie tone and mind-blowing visuals while reworking the narrative in a more compelling way. Soderberg’s film is ultimately more rewatchable, emotionally engaging, and thematically rich.
Dune
When David Lynch’s 1984-adaption of “Dune” disappointed fans, some believed the book was “unfilmable,” however Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 attempt found more success. Villeneuve made the important decision to split the story into two separate projects, giving the audience more time to adjust to the world-building and characters.
War of the Worlds
Although George Pal’s 1953 take on “War of the Worlds” was revolutionary thanks to its game-changing special effects, Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film adapted the storyline to modern political climates. Spielberg’s film reimagined an alien invasion in the context of terrorist threats and made the smart decision to redefine the true villain of the story.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Both the original 1956 original movie and the 1978 remake dealt with political paranoia and relevant political issues of their eras. However, for the remake, Philip Kaufman decided to focus on the plausibility of an alien invasion, making it seem like an imminent threat, and used silence to create an eerie ambiance rather than jump scares.