20 classic films that should have never gotten a remake

First of all, why? The 1960 classic is one of the great horror films of all time, if not the greatest. Second, if one feels the need to remake such an iconic piece of American cinema, why cast a comedic actor like Vince Vaughn in the role of the brilliantly creepy Norman Bates? Not to mention a generally panned performance from the late Anne Heche (in Janet Leigh's famed role of Marian Crane from the original). Then, add Gus Van Sant's direction, which delivered a shot-for-shot remake of the Alfred Hitchcock gem, that was inexplicably filmed in color and mixed with surreal imagery. Add it all, and this might be the worst remake of any movie in the history of film. 

Not everything Sylvester Stallone stars in has gold-plated results. This remake of the 1971 British  gangster  thriller starring Michael Caine, who actually appears in this movie, is case in point. The 2000 version is spiced up in look and story, but essentially becomes a parody of itself by going too far in the neo-noir direction. Meanwhile, Stallone is pretty sterile as mob enforcer Jack Carter, a role that is one of Caine's most celebrated. 

A remake of the 1968 groundbreaking hit movie starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall about a planet ruled by apes, Tim Burton was in the director's seat. Now, Burton's movies are not for everybody, and there seemed to be more criticism aimed at this particular movie, in terms of a confusing story and questionable ending, than some of his other more prominent projects. Not to mention, Mark Wahlberg wasn't a pleasing lead choice to all, though he was a hot commodity at the time. That said, the visual aspects and camera work are both quite good.

It cost $70 million to make the remake of the cult-favorite 1975 dystopian sci-fi sports-action film, which starred James Caan. And, the second go-around failed to make $30 million. A huge box-office flop. The original, about the star of the fantastically brutal sport of rollerball who rebels against the ruling faction, was innovative and compelling for the time. The remake failed in its attempt to balance modern-day action and social commentary. Plus, American Pie's Chris Klein, the lead role, wasn't going to pack theaters.

The 1976 original, The Bad News Bears, was crass and inappropriate for fans of Little League baseball, but that's why it's a classic. Featuring Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal, The Bad News Bears is beloved among audiences of a certain age. However, the 2005 update starring Billy Bob Thornton as Matthau's dysfunctionally crude Morris Buttermaker wasn't in the same ballpark in terms of entertainment. It was a more PC version, which immediately took all the charm out of what made the original so good.

The Burt Reynolds classic, not this weak Adam Sandler remake, is the only version of the movie that should be talked about. Of course, it's a generational thing. To viewers of a certain age, they only really know the Sandler take, where he plays Reynolds' iconic character Paul Crewe, whose "Mean Machine" group of prisoners take on the guards in a hard-fought and often brutal football game that is something every inmate in any correction facility probably dreams about. However, Sandler's souped-up, Hollywood remake follows the original script pretty well and even features Reynolds, but is nothing to write home about.

Not once, but twice, the magic of this 1974 cult classic Christmas-themed slasher flick, with a sorority house backdrop, has tried to be recaptured. And both failed. Not coming close to delivering the same creatively and innovative tension that allowed the original, starring Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder, to gain more and more praise over the years and reportedly serve as an influence on famed horror/sci-fi director John Carpenter. Both remakes were chided for being lazy and filled with gratuitous kills and violence that didn't require much effort to conjure up.

Rutger Hauer is maniacally brilliant as John Ryder, the scary hitchhiker picked up by C. Thomas Howell's Jim Halsey, in the original from 1986. Now, this is the type of thriller that could be remade. However, the original featured quality acting, not just from Hauer (Jason Leigh gave a strong performance), and a perched-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story. The remake, meanwhile, opted for the typical gratuitous gore and stereotypical violence that tends to be associated in horror/slash reboots.

A knock on this remake of the 1980 classic about the trials and tribulations of students at The High School of Performing Arts in New York City, is that it's more wholesome, teen fare than the edgy, emotional and often depressing original. Think something made for Disney, Nickelodeon, or Freeform. It's more of a musical, complete with flashier outfits, "baddies" with attitudes and more showmanship. Not bad for a new generation, but not nearly as intense as the Academy Award-nominated original.

This is a remake of the 1984 horror classic, but also the ninth installment in A Nightmare on Elm Street movie franchise. Now, there are die-hards of this franchise who like the remake, which features a darker, CGI-enhanced Freddy Krueger, played by Jackie Earle Haley. And, a pre-Oscar-nominated Rooney Mara playing Nancy Holbrook (a newer version of Heather Langenkamp's Nancy Thompson). However, it was blasted critically as having a "corporate" feel, and not the indie edge of the original. Despite being panned by critics, this remake is the highest-grossing film in the franchise ($117.million worldwide).

Naturally, this was a box-office bomb. The 1984 film of the same name is a 1980s Cold War-themed classic that was timely and featured some of Hollywood's brightest young stars (Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Grey, Lea Thompson) of the time. This needless remake updates to involve North Korea as the bad guy. It also hopes young stars Chris Hemsworth  and Josh Hutcherson, who should have stuck to working with the other Hemsworth, will lend credibility. The new concept didn't work, and really should not be spoken about when discussing the original movie's legacy.

If there's one Arnold Schwarzenegger picture that truly made audiences think, it's the 1990s  Total Recall . Schwarzenegger's Douglas Quaid is an everyman construction worker who finds his mind altered through memory implantation with a Martian backdrop. This 2012 take is an adaptation of Schwarzenegger's original, starring big names Colin Farrell,   Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston and Jessica Biel and actually has some decent action scenes. But the intrigue and originality of the original was obviously not there in a film synonymous with Schwarzenegger's legacy.

The original from 1987, starring Peter Weller, spawned a film franchise, an animated series and video games. However, though this remake is part of the Robocop franchise, it fell short of capturing the overall intensity and campiness of the original. Though it's not nearly as bad as other movies on this list. Even if big names like Gary Oldman,   Michael Keaton,   Samuel L. Jackson and  Abbie Cornish were along for the ride.

There is simply no need for this to have happened. The 1991 original is a crime-action classic starring two of Hollywood's biggest draws at the time, Patrick Swayze  and Keanu Reeves. Johnny Utah (Reeves), the football player-turned-FBI agent, infiltrates a group of surfers, led by the late Swayze's Bodhi, who are believed to be criminals. In the 2015 remake, extreme sports like snowboarding and rock climbing were added to surfing as the action backdrop, but minus any notable star power --  Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey. Who? Plenty of action, but no substance.

The original from 1982, starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson,  Heather O'Rourke, and co-written by Steven Spielberg, was a box-office smash and one of the scariest movies of all time. However, this remake, co-produced by Sam Raimi and starring Sam Rockwell, is more comically frightening than anything else. The paranormal activity inside the Bowen house hardly carries the same cache as the seriously haunting original, which spawned two less-popular sequels. It might have been intended to be a tribute to the first film, but nothing more. And, what's with the dolls that look like clowns?

The 1959 Charlton Heston epic is not just a classic, but a piece of film iconography. So, why would someone even think about remaking such an important film? Because Hollywood has lacked originality for decades. Night Watch director Timur Bekmambetov took the helm of what was branded as a re-adaptation and modernized interpretation of the other media that told the story of  Judah Ben-Hur, the wrongfully accused prince who escapes from slavery. The movie relied on technology, notably CGI, to captivate a new generation of viewers. Instead, it made for a forgettable project that deserved to be panned.

Who would actually think a made-for-TV version of any great movie would be a good idea? In 2017, this TV musical version aired on ABC, and naturally was met by a "meh" with some and a gasp by fans of the Patrick Swayze-Jennifer Grey classic from 1987. Granted, the idea of highlighting the music in such a format was not a bad idea, but the need to play with the story and plot was sacrilegious in many aspects. 

In the 1990 underrated gem, Kiefer Sutherland's Nelson Wright is a medical student intrigued by the concept of life after death. As are some of his fellow students, including those played by Julia Roberts   and Kevin Bacon. They are willing to push the boundary of life and death to find out. The concept was intriguing and captivated audiences. The '17 remake didn't work because there was little star power (no offense to Elliot Page and Nina Dobrev) and nothing stood out that was able to capture viewers' attention. The Rotten Tomatoes review stated the reboot is "dead on arrival."

How many out there actually know that there was a remake of the 1992 hit comedy starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes? That's OK, it was pretty forgettable. It was released on Hulu and starred Sinqua Walls  (Friday Night Lights) and rapper Jack Harlow. Not really sure why this had to happen, as the remake tried too hard to capture the fun and addictive drama of the original, which was paced by the strong chemistry between Harrelson and Snipes, and not replicated here. 

It was bad enough that there was a Road House 2 (2006) -- for those who remember or care to forget. But, why the need to remake another Patrick Swayze favorite? Even more baffling is why a respected actor like Jake Gyllenhaal  would sign on to such a project. He plays Elwood Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer. While the fight scenes are perfect for UFC and MMA fans, the cheesiness and over-the-top action flair of the original is missing. And, those aspects of the latter often missed the boat.