Remakes of classic British cinema?

[Wilfried Mueller]

1. There have been several remakes of Rene Clair's LAST WEEKEND, basing on Agatha Christie's TEN LITTLE NIGGERS.
2. Andrew Davis made an excellent remake of Hitchcock's DIAL 'M' FOR MURDER called A PERFECT MURDER. There are some more remakes of this film under the original title.
3. Another fine remake of Agatha Christie's WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION was made starring Ralph Richardson in the role of Charles Laughton and Diana Rigg in the role of Marlene Dietrich.
4. And of course there are endlessl remakes of classics like OLIVER TWIST, THE THREE MUSCETEERS, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, etc. etc. The last blockbuster who was a remake (not a british of course) was TRUE GRIT last year.

[Wilfried Mueller]

According to Agatha Christie there are also remakes basing on Hercule Poirot stories. David Suchet appeared in remakes of DEATH ON THE NILE and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS which had been huge success on the big screen starring Peter Utinov (Death on....) and Albert Finney (Orient Express). A bad remake of the last film was a version starring Alfred Molina.

[GRAEME]

1. There have been several remakes of Rene Clair's LAST WEEKEND, basing on Agatha Christie's TEN LITTLE NIGGERS.
2. Andrew Davis made an excellent remake of Hitchcock's DIAL 'M' FOR MURDER called A PERFECT MURDER. There are some more remakes of this film under the original title.
3. Another fine remake of Agatha Christie's WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION was made starring Ralph Richardson in the role of Charles Laughton and Diana Rigg in the role of Marlene Dietrich.
4. And of course there are endlessl remakes of classics like OLIVER TWIST, THE THREE MUSCETEERS, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, etc. etc. The last blockbuster who was a remake (not a british of course) was TRUE GRIT last year.

What do you actually mean by "remake"? Which version of Oliver Twist, for example is the "original"? The 1909 silent version? And is the 2005 Polanski version a remake of it, then? Of course not!

If you think that the book is the only original - then none of the film versions are actually remakes - just later new adaptations of the book.

A remake is a film based substantially on an earlier film - and that is all it means!

Using the word remake when we mean newer adaptation is a lazy shorthand - it also suggests a pejorative dismissal of newer adaptations of classic texts, when surely each generation of film makers has a right to explore their literary heritage?

It is not the same as taking someone else's film and re-doing it - the true remake.

[will.15]

You want to ceate your own definition of a movie remake that's fine. But this definition doesn't agree with you. And the list of films in the link include a lot if movies you say are not remakes.

Remake - Definition

[GRAEME]

You want to ceate your own definition of a movie remake that's fine. But this definition doesn't agree with you. And the list of films in the link include a lot if movies you say are not remakes.

Remake - Definition

You call that a definition?

And what reliable source! I'm impressed; not.

So you believe any film with the same story is a remake of an earlier film - even if it is based on a book or a play? That's what you believe is it?

[CaptainWaggett]

You want to ceate your own definition of a movie remake that's fine. But this definition doesn't agree with you. And the list of films in the link include a lot if movies you say are not remakes.

Remake - Definition

That list calls Branagh's Henry V a remake of Olivier's. That's completely ridiculous - while Branagh had obviously seen Oliviers version, he was far more influenced by the RSC production he'd just been in. However there are some there that you can certainly make a case for - My Fair Lady owes far more to the film of Pygmalion than the play (which, for example, skips Eliza's lessons in talking posh). Likewise, as been mentioned, the Kenneth More 39 Steps owes far more to the Hitchcock film than the book (see also The Lady Vanishes despite the restoration of some minor characters from the book). But I'm with Graeme in the daftness of picking one version of a famous story (there are half a dozen versions of Oliver Twist before David Lean's for example) and assuming that it's the only source for any later versions.

[batman]

I think Will's source is probably as reliable as Wikipedia .....

The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source. For example, 2001's Ocean's Eleven is a remake of the 1960 film, while 1989's Batman is a re-interpretation of the comic book source material which also inspired 1966's Batman.

..... even though their definitions are different.

[will.15]

I dont believe every movie that uses a basic story is a remake, but certainly your defintion is too narrow and far from the accepted understanding of what a movie remake is. If a studio owns a play or book and keeps making versions of it to maximize their investment, I certainly would say that is a remake. Where is your source for your definition?

[GRAEME]

I think Will's source is probably as reliable as Wikipedia .....

The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source. For example, 2001's Ocean's Eleven is a remake of the 1960 film, while 1989's Batman is a re-interpretation of the comic book source material which also inspired 1966's Batman.

..... even though their definitions are different.

I would agree with that definition. But I agree with Bats that Wiki is no more reliable - just because it is right in this case IMHO!

However, this definition does at least have common-sense on its side and doesn't contain utterly stupid examples like the one pointed out by the Cap'n!

"Remake" (noun) in cinema terms is a specialised usage - I think it is misused by the general public.

[GRAEME]

Duplicate post please delet

[GRAEME]

I dont believe every movie that uses a basic story is a remake, but certainly your defintion is too narrow and far from the accepted understanding of what a movie remake is. If a studio owns a play or book and keeps making versions of it to maximize their investment, I certainly would say that is a remake. Where is your source for your definition?

Look, Will, some new versions of a play/book are remakes and some are not. Each has to be judged on its own terms.

But to say that every new film based on a play/book MUST be a remake by default - because you found a rather thin definition - is daft. Even YOU admit that! We'd agreed, I thought, that the Huston version of The Maltese Falcon was based on the book, not any previous version?

So obviously your definition is too narrow as well!

I don't have to run to a dictionary every time I use a word, thank you very much. It is perfectly clear what it means - and you have been misusing it.

The Wiki definition will do

[will.15]

I am not saying every version of a story is a remake, but certainly the Huston Falcon is a remake. He made it at Wrner Brothers. They owned the film rights and made he previous two and Huston had seen them. He went back to the orignal novel to adapt it, but what is so surprising about that? The first vesion also closely follows the book, it isn't as well cast or directed, but still better than average and was well received when released.

[GRAEME]

I am not saying every version of a story is a remake, but certainly the Huston Falcon is a remake. He made it at Wrner Brothers. They owned the film rights and made he previous two and Huston had seen them. He went back to the orignal novel to adapt it, but what is so surprising about that? The first vesion also closely follows the book, it isn't as well cast or directed, but still better than average and was well received when released.

You are just wrong mate. But that's up to you if you want to be, that's fine by me.

[CaptainWaggett]

To change the subject slightly (since even it's greatest fans couldn't describe the Maltese Falcon as classic British cinema ), it's the only book/film I know which has a plaque commemorating one of the events. Warning - contains major spoiler

Maltese Falcon Alleyway located in San Francisco, California, US | Atlas Obscura | Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

[will.15]

You are just wrong mate. But that's up to you if you want to be, that's fine by me.

What is so different in this scene and the equivalent version in the Huston? Huston's is better acted, it is not an early talkie, and better directed, but same scene and dialogue pretty much right out of the book.

[GRAEME]

What is so different in this scene and the equivalent version in the Huston? Huston's is better acted, it is not an early talkie, and better directed, but same scene and dialogue pretty much right out of the book.

Hardly a surprise since they are both based on the same book. Waht did you expect? Bikinis and rhyming couplets?

[will.15]

So it is a remake. There are remakes that make more dastic changes even when they are from movies that had an original screenplay.

[GRAEME]

So it is a remake.

If you say so, Will.