Americanized Remakes

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I can think of a few American remakes that have been horrible. Two are TV shows.
The biggest and one of the best sitcoms ever was Fawlty Towers. There have been at least two tries to do it here in America. One bad attempt was with Bea Arthur and I think it was called Amanda's Place. And the last reincarnation was with John Laroquette titled Payne and his full name was Royale Payne-haha!

No, the last (and, for obvious reasons, LAST) reincarnation was Whoopi Goldberg. Don't feel bad if you never saw it.

And testament to the fact that nobody can ever do another version nowadays, is that the NYC equivalent of Manuel was now a poor Arab janitor--But even given the occasional post-9/11 joke, picking on foreigners, especially Iranians, would be bad for the network!...And so "Nasim" was now reasonably intelligent and sympathetic and got most of the good lines off of Whoopi.
Which sort of puts the final nail in the coffin about why we will NEVER have an American Fawlty Towers, although Bea Arthur came the closest.

Still, I've always been curious to see that "Beane's of Boston" Americanization of "Are You Being Served?".
(Although guess I'm the only one who knows that "Cheers" was originally envisioned as a Boston Fawlty Towers, with Sam as Basil and Diane as Sybil...)

[J. J. Hunsecker]

The French film Trois Hommes et un Couffin (Three Men and a Cradle) remade as U.S. film Three Men and a Baby.


Britcom Absolutely Fabulous was remade as Cybill and High Society in the 90's on U.S. television.

Britcom Man About the House was remade as Three's Company in the USA.

The British series 'Till Death Do Us Part was redone in the U.S. as All in the Family.

[RockChalk]

There is NEVER, I repeat NEVER a good reason to remake a movie that is already great! My fellow Americans need to broaden their horizons and watch the originals, if they cant watch those movies on their own then they shouldnt be awarded the favor of having them remade in America

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

There is NEVER, I repeat NEVER a good reason to remake a movie that is already great! My fellow Americans need to broaden their horizons and watch the originals, if they cant watch those movies on their own then they shouldnt be awarded the favor of having them remade in America

I completely agree with you. There are so many great films that have had incredibly poor remakes made, and there are others (Citizen Kane) who are rumored to have remakes on the way. Just leave the originals alone.


That being said, although I think 12 Angry Men is one of the top 5 best films of all time, I am very interested to see the German remake that was made two years ago called '12.' I heard it was very good.

[Atreyu]

Yeah you are right I never did see the Whoopi version but the first two were more than enough to begin with.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by EricJ

(Although guess I'm the only one who knows that "Cheers" was originally envisioned as a Boston Fawlty Towers, with Sam as Basil and Diane as Sybil...)

Cheers was based on a locally produced Boston sitcom called Park Street Under.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_Under

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by J. J. Hunsecker

Cheers was based on a locally produced Boston sitcom called Park Street Under.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_Under

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheers

The concept for Cheers was the end result of a long consideration process. The original idea was a group of workers who interacted like a family, hoping to be similar to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. They considered making an American version of the British Fawlty Towers centered around a hotel or an inn. When the creators settled on a bar as their setting the show began to resemble the radio show Duffy's Tavern. They liked the idea of a tavern as it provided a continuous stream of new people arriving, giving them a constant supply of characters.

[toef]

I don't really care if people remake good movies, because I probably won't even bother seeing them, so if they're bad, it's no big deal for me.

Off the top of my head, two Americanized remakes that I think were better (aka, I like more) than the original:

Vanilla Sky (say what you will, but I think it's better than Abre Los Ojos)

and

12 Monkeys (although not necessarily a remake, it's heavily inspired by La Jetée).

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by toefer

I don't really care if people remake good movies, because I probably won't even bother seeing them, so if they're bad, it's no big deal for me.

Off the top of my head, two Americanized remakes that I think were better (aka, I like more) than the original:

Vanilla Sky (say what you will, but I think it's better than Abre Los Ojos)

and

12 Monkeys (although not necessarily a remake, it's heavily inspired by La Jetée).

I agree about Vanilla Sky being better, mainly due to the acting, music, and production value. Abre Los Ojos was also very good but was noticeably low budget and quite literally had the worst makeup I've ever seen on film!

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Q!

I just saw Funny Games US yesterday on dvd and I saw a thread about the remake of Death at a Funeral from UK and I realized that this subject hasn't been covered much.

I never seen the original but Funny Games with Tim Roth & Naomi Watts sucked donkey nuts! My boy said that movie was very good and I was hyped to watch it and boy did I wish I hadn't! Terrible film! Got Em!!

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by CZAR

I never seen the original but Funny Games with Tim Roth & Naomi Watts sucked donkey nuts! My boy said that movie was very good and I was hyped to watch it and boy did I wish I hadn't! Terrible film! Got Em!!

That statement is coming from the person that didnt and maybe still doesnt know who James Stewart is...maybe you should critic something else besides movies...

[coralfangs]

What's worse is that most Americanized remakez lost the cultural reference depicted in the original movies - the very references that made the movies great.
Take Shall We Dance for example, the main male character is portrayed as the typical Japanese corporate man - those who had to go through dozens of standardized exams since grade school to advance (fought for a spot in high school, college, etc). In the Japanese culture, men are expected to behave like this and it is significant for an established man to break free from his mold.
When RG did his role in the American version, he's just a very boring man. That's all. No empathy for him.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Originally Posted by EricJ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheers

Uh oh, one of these wikipedia entries is a lie, then!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_Under

Park Street Under was an inspiration for the NBC sitcom Cheers, which was also set in a fictional Boston bar. [1]^ Jonathan Stathakis resume

[Offender_Mullet]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

That statement is coming from the person that didnt and maybe still doesnt know who James Stewart is...maybe you should critic something else besides movies...

LOL. Post of the month.

Anyway, there's a difference between a re-make and material loosely based on or inspired by the original. I have y'all beat with the list below though.

The Associate (1996) remake of L'Associé (1982)
Screenplay by Nick Thiel
Based upon the Motion Picture "L'Associé" adapted from the Novel "El Socio" by Jenaro Prieto
(does not identify co-writers of the French film, René Gainville & Jean-Claude Carrière)

The Birdcage (1996) remake of La Cage aux Folles (1978)
Screenplay by Elaine May
Based on the stage play "La Cage aux Folles" by Jean Poiret and the script written by Francis Veber, Édouard Molinaro, Marcello Danon and Jean Poiret

Blame It On Rio (1983) remake of Un Moment d'Égarement (1977)
Screnplay by Charlie Peters and Larry Gelbart
(does not identify the French film and its writer, Claude Berri)

Breathless (1983) remake of À Bout de Souffle (1959)
Screenplay by L.M. Kit Carson & Jim McBride
Based upon the Motion Picture "À Bout de Souffle" from the Screenplay by Jean-Luc Godard of the Story by François Truffaut

Buddy Buddy (1981) remake of L'Emmerdeur (1973) (aka A Pain In The A..)
Screenplay by I.A.L. Diamond and Billy Wilder
Based on a play and story by Francis Veber

Cousins (1989) remake of Cousin, Cousine (1975)
Screenplay by Stephen Metcalfe
Based on the film "Cousin, Cousine" Written and Directed by Jean-Charles Tachella

Diabolique (1996) remake of Les Diaboliques (1954)
Screenplay by Don Roos
Based upon the film "Les Diaboliques" by Henri Georges Clouzot and based upon the Novel "Celle qui n'était plus" written by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac
(does not identify co-writers of the French film, Jerôme Geronimi, René Masson and Frédéric Grendel)

Down And Out In Beverly Hills (1986) remake of Boudu Sauvé Des Eaux (1932)
Screenplay by Paul Mazursky & Leon Capetanos
Based on the play "Boudu Sauvé des Eaux" by René Fauchois
(does not mention the French film co-written & directed by Jean Renoir)

Father's Day (1997) remake Of Les Compères (1983)
Screenplay by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel
Based on the film entitled "Les Compères" by Francis Veber

Happy New Year (1987) remake of La Bonne Année (1973)
Screenplay by Warren Lane
Based on Claude Lelouch's "La Bonne Année"

Intersection (1994) remake of Les Choses De La Vie (1970)
Screenplay by David Rayfiel and Marshall Brickman
Based on the novel by Paul Guimard (published by Editions Denoël) and the Screenplay by Paul Guimard, Jean-Loup Dabadie and Claude Sautet

Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) remake of Un Indien dans la Ville (1994) (aka Little Indian, Big City)
Screenplay by Bruce A. Evans & Raynold Gideon
Based on "Un Indien dans la Ville" written by Hervé Palud, Igor Aptekman and Thierry Lhermitte, Philippe Bruneau

The Man With One Red Shoe (1985) remake of Le Grand Blond Avec Une Chaussure Noire (1972)
Screenplay by Robert Klane
Based upon the Motion Picture written by Francis Veber and Yves Robert

Men Don't Leave (1990) remake of La Vie Continue (1981)
Screenplay by Barbara Benedek and Paul Brickman; Screen Story by Barbara Benedek
Suggested by the film "La Vie Continue" written and directed by Moshé Mizrahi

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) remake of Le Miroir à Deux Faces (1958)
Screen Story and Screenplay by Richard Lagravenese
Based on the picture "Le Miroir à Deux Faces" written by André Cayatte and Gérard Oury directed by André Cayatte

Mixed Nuts (1994) remake of Le Père Noël est une Ordure (1982)
Screenplay by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron
Based on "Le Pere Noël est une Ordure"
(does not separately identify original play by Josiane Balasko, Marie-Anne Chazel, Christian Clavier, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte, Bruno Moynot, Jean-Marie Poiré)

My Father The Hero (1994) remake of Mon Père, Ce Héros (1991)
Screenplay by Francis Veber and Charlie Peters
Based on "Mon Père, Ce Héros" by Gérard Lauzier

Nine Months (1995) remake of Neuf Mois (1993)
Written for the Screen & directed by Chris Columbus
Based upon the film "Neuf Mois" written and directed by Patrick Braoudé

Point Of No Return (1993) remake of Nikita (1990) (aka La Femme Nikita)
Screenplay by Robert Getchell and Alexandra Seros
Based on Luc Besson's "Nikita"

Pure Luck (1991) remake of La Chèvre (1981)
Screenplay by Herschel Weingrod & Timothy Harris
(does not identify the French film written by Francis Veber)

Scent of a Woman (1992) remake of Profumo Di Donna (1974)
Screenplay by Bo Goldman
Suggested by a Character from "Profumo du Donna" by Ruggero Maccari and Dino Risi based on the Novel "Il Ruio e il Miele" by Giovanni Arpino

Sommersby (1993) remake of Le Retour de Martin Guerre (1981)
Screenplay by Nicholas Meyer and Sarah Kernochan; Story by Nicholas Meyer and Anthony Shaffer
Based on the film "The Return of Martin Guerre" written by Daniel Vigne and Jean-Claude Carrière

Sorcerer (1977) remake of Le Salaire de la Peur (1953) (aka The Wages Of Fear)
Screenplay by Walon Green
Based on the novel "The Wages of Fear" by Georges Arnaud; Dedicated to H.-G. Clouzot.
(does not identify original film's co-writer Jerôme Geronimi)

Three Fugitives (1989) remake of Les Fugitifs (1986)
Written & Directed by Francis Veber
(does not identify the French film written by Francis Veber; technically, not a remake)

Three Men and a Baby (1987) remake of Trois Hommes et un Couffin (1985)
Screenplay by James Orr & Jim Cruickshank
Based on "Trois Hommes et un Couffin", written by Coline Serreau

The Toy (1982) remake of Le Jouet (1976)
Screenplay by Carol Sobieski
Based on a French Film by Francis Veber

True Lies (1994) remake of La Totale (1991)
Screenplay by James Cameron
Based upon a Screenplay by Claude Zidi, Simon Michaël and Didier Kaminka

Twelve Monkeys (1995) remake of La Jetée (1963)
Screenplay by David Peoples & Janet Peoples
Inspired by the film "La Jetée" written and directed by Chris Marker

The Woman in Red (1984) remake of Un Éléphant, Ca Trompe Énormément (1977) (aka Pardon Mon Affaire)
Written for the Screen & directed by Gene Wilder
Based on the Screenplay "Un Éléphant, Ca Trompe Énormément" by Jean-Loup Dabadie and Yves Robert

The website was dated from 1998, so obviously there's more to add.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by J. J. Hunsecker

Uh oh, one of these wikipedia entries is a lie, then!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Street_Under

Not a lie, just an urban legend (oh, but Wiki never has those! ):
PSU was a local-station show with accent on local humor, and not likely to have been seen by NBC execs on either coast--That they came within years of each other was just coincidence and local-pride.

(Lending credence to the Fawlty-origin theory, we also have John Cleese's guest shot on Cheers, complete with Basil-style tantrum.)

[cembros]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I can think of a few American remakes that have been horrible. Two are TV shows.
The biggest and one of the best sitcoms ever was Fawlty Towers. There have been at least two tries to do it here in America. One bad attempt was with Bea Arthur and I think it was called Amanda's Place. And the last reincarnation was with John Laroquette titled Payne and his full name was Royale Payne-haha!
The other British sitcom I loved was One Foot In The Grave. They tried it as a vehicle for Bill Cosby after his success with the Cosby Show but was not funny at all, whereas the original one made me laugh out loud.
One movie that is utterly hilarious is School For Scoundrels with Ian Carmichael, Terry Thomas and Alistair Sim. It was botched here in America with Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder.
Yes there are others, but these are my glaring examples of where they should have left well enough alone.

they do the same thing on the other side of the pond with american shows, usually pretty bad to

[KubrickFan]

I can understand (not like it) why they want to remake foreign movies. Some American people aren't used to subtitles, so they don't want to see them at all. So, decent foreign movies are remade in American. I think it is ironic that they're never as good as the original, so the people who don't want to see subtitles are still missing out on a good movie.

But why remake a movie that's already made in English? Are British accents too hard to understand for some people? Are movies like Trainspotting and Snatch also remade? (Or have they already done that?)

But as far as remakes go, what about The Vanishing? The director of the original got the chance to remake it in America. I can get that, I would probably do the same thing if that might mean I could get a break in the US. But he wasn't allowed to keep the original ending

[Show spoiler]in which the main character wants to know what happened to his wife. The killer ultimately buries him alive, the same thing he did to the main character's wife. This was changed in the American version, and now he doesn't get killed himself but he manages to save his wife as well.

Needless to say, this change didn't go very well with the people who loved the original. I've never seen the remake, but the original is so good that I doubt it can be better than that. After all the stories I really don't want to see it anyway.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

IMO, I thought The Magnificent Seven, True Lies, Vanilla Sky and The Departed were all fantastic American remakes comparable to the originals in terms of quality.

I agree with you on The Departed, but I think The Magnificent Seven is terrible compared to The Seven Samurai.

The only example I can think of where the American version improves on the non-American original is The Bird Cage. Perhaps it's the passage of time, but the newer American version is hilarious.

I love, love, love The Day of the Jackal, so naturally I look with contempt upon that piece of crap froim 1997 starring Richard Gere and Bruce Willis. Since Gere was in The Jackal, Shall We Dance and Breathless does he earn the crown for the king of the bad remakes? (The American Breathless was still pretty good I think. Not really a remake so much as a reworking.)

[Deadset]

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I can think of a few American remakes that have been horrible. Two are TV shows.
The biggest and one of the best sitcoms ever was Fawlty Towers. There have been at least two tries to do it here in America. One bad attempt was with Bea Arthur and I think it was called Amanda's Place. And the last reincarnation was with John Laroquette titled Payne and his full name was Royale Payne-haha!

Fawlty Towers was a great show, still like watching those episodes.

It's easier to list good American remakes, so I'll chime in with the Office. I like our version better. And I agree with the post above, stating it's not trying to fix anything, just bringing the idea to another audience, anyone who thinks there won't be differences is kidding themselves.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by Deads3t

It's easier to list good American remakes, so I'll chime in with the Office. I like our version better. And I agree with the post above, stating it's not trying to fix anything, just bringing the idea to another audience, anyone who thinks there won't be differences is kidding themselves.

I would say that, thanks to Steve Carell, the American version of The Office is the closest we've come to matching the greatness of a British original. Steve Carell is a comedy genius, but Rainn Wilson is not funny. IMO it's his hammyness that makes the American version inferior to the original.