The original or the remake?
By veromar
@veromar (1453)
Argentina
December 4, 2009 2:54pm CST
Which do you usually prefer? I'm asking because I was flipping through the TV channels and came across "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" just as it started. I love that movie! From the opening overture to the closing credits. In my opinion, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka blows Johnny Depp's portrayal of the character out of the water (or river of chocolate, as it were - lol) Although I appreciate the genius of Tim Burton, I thought his version, "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory", was too dark. I found the Wonka character a little scary and I really didn't like the need Tim Burton felt to show us how Wonka's childhood created the lunacy his adulthood became. A bit too twisted for me and I don't think it was good for kids, who are the true audience. I also much preferred the original Charlie over the one in Burton's version. Just the sweet, genuine kind-hearted boy who has his dream come true.
There are so many films that have been remade or "updated". Is there a particular film that anyone has seen both versions of? Which version did you prefer?
4 people like this
9 responses
@jerro39 (23)
• United States
4 Dec 09
The originals are definitely better. After becoming a fan of an original, seeing a remake is a hard thing to do and many people, including myself, usually don't think that the original needed to be remade. Classic movies are classic because many people liked them how they were. Directors don't need to change a whole movie just because something could have been "done better".
2 people like this
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
I don't think classic movies are necessarily remade to be "done better". I think a lot of remakes these days are done because there is a lack of creativity in film making in general. It's easier to dig up an old one and give it a "fresh" look than to create an entirely new film. I also think the studios take advantage of the newer generations not being aware of the older films and can remake & market them to a younger audience, meaning new viewers.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
5 Dec 09
I'd say about 99.9999% of the time the original is better. I'm usually of the mind that if a movie is truly good, why mess with it? I honestly can't think of an example where the remake was better than the original and in most cases it's a disappointment, if you've seen the original. The most recent example for me would be "The Day the Earth Stood Still"; the new version was fair but not nearly as good as the original, despite the fact that it had more special effects.
Annie
1 person likes this
@UmiNoor (4523)
• Malaysia
5 Dec 09
Even without watching the original, I find the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" wasn't that good. Its premise was a little too flimsy and the whole movie was really unrealistic. I cannot empathize or identify with any of the characters at all.
1 person likes this
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
I have been racking my brain for the past couple of days trying to come up with one single remake that was better. Can't think of a single one. Sad to say, Annie, that I have not seen either version of "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Don't know why, but I have never had any desire to see it. In the meantime, more remakes that were unnecessary:
Escape to Witch Mountain
Freaky Friday
Pride & Prejudice (simply the number of remakes)
Herbie The Love Bug
The Time Machine
King Kong (after the Jessica Lange version)
An Affair to Remember
These just came off the top of my head. Anybody else?
1 person likes this
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
5 Dec 09
I love this movie and I always favour the original over the modern version. I think that Gene Wilder is very funny in this movie and he definitely surpasses Johnny Depp! I think that the originals always tend to be better and far more enjoyable, nothing can take their place. I don't mind watching this over and over as I never become bored with it! Andrew
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
I've probably seen the original a hundred times or more and still, whenever I come across it while surfing the TV, it sucks me in. I always notice something that I didn't notice before. Yes. Gene Wilder is funny in the original! Depp was just kinda freaky. The interesting thing to me is that the people I know that never saw the original loved the Depp version! The won't even watch the original because it's "old". lol.
@oldmanhorrorfan (497)
• United States
5 Dec 09
I prefer the old school version that I grew up with, and yes I agree with you that the remake was a lot darker verion of the tale. But have you ever read the original? It is very dark, almost like a ghost story to scare little kids to listen to their parents or Willy Wonka is going to come along and throw you into a vat for one of his chocolate bars. That's what I got from the tale. Even in the first film the kids were getting knocked off one by one like a slasher film!
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
Lol! Well, I don't think they were necessarily "knocked off one by one like a slasher film". lol. I love the fact that the kids get....disqualified from the lifetime chocolate contest by being done in by their own obsessions. Like Violet turning into a blueberry from chewing the gum. Or the gluttony of Augustus Gloop causing him to be sucked up a pipe. I just might have to read it. Might shed some light on why Tim Burton went so very dark in his version.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
5 Dec 09
Hi veromar, I haven't seen the new version and wouldn't, the original ones are almost always the best and the remakes tend to steer away from the books as well. tThe only time I've seen a new version and enjoyed it more was 'Sparticus' but that probably had something to do with the georgous Goran Vjinsky taking the lead role. I only caught it by accident on a late night Greek showing but it looked so good I got the DVD. All the rest you can keep though, I'm more than happy with the black and white originals.
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
I have yet to see the new "Spartacus". It's on my list to watch though! lol. Speaking of black & white originals. One that has recently been remade just made me see red! It was one of the WORST remakes I have ever encountered. I'm talking about "The Women". To remake such a classic work of art into such a pathetic excuse for a movie. Ugh. It's another one of those instances that I think was a studio, owning the rights, decided to remake it to try and hook younger or niche audiences. Sad. Most viewers probably have no idea it's a remake in the first place.
@williamhg (95)
• Netherlands
6 Dec 09
Hehe, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is not for kids, it has a horror-scene which will scare them away. Didn't really see something like that in the remake, but Wonka is a bit creepy indeed. But the remake is very different, totally different movie, but I like the style too. I usually prefer the original, because it comes up with great ideas, but sometimes they get perfected. Twelve angry men has a remake which is completely unnecessary, but some remakes are really good. Ocean's Eleven for example, really liked the new style in that one.
@veromar (1453)
• Argentina
9 Dec 09
What is the horror scene you are talking about in the original Wonka? I agree about the remake of "12 Angry Men" being completely unnecessary. I disagree about Ocean's Eleven. Seems like a lot of viewers agreed with you, though. lol. Another instance that most movie goers probably have no idea it's a remake. The new one is a bit flashier and certainly capitalizes on the draw of it's actors. Along those same lines, absolutely abhorred the remake of "The Manchurian Candidate". Angela Landsbury trounced Meryl Streep's acting. Such an awful waste of celluloid.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
5 Dec 09
I agree about the Willy Wonka movies I loved the first one still do, I could watch that every year of my life, but the re-make just did not have the charm that the original had and was a little creepy I thought.
Recently I watched the Christmas Story at the theater the new computer animation one. The story was pretty much the same right down the line. The only difference was that because it was computer animation you could see more of the city and stuff as he was flying through the air with the ghosts but other than that I didn't really the point of remaking the movie if it was going to be exactly the same. The movie has already been re-made several times, and the original is still the best.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
5 Dec 09
I love to watch the original willy wonka with Gene Wilder. Johnny depp just doesn't do it for me as Willy. I prefer the original version anytime.
@grajesh29 (99)
• India
5 Dec 09
our choice matches i also like the movie very much "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory"..........the original version is much better..........
