Movies That Can't Be Remade/Updated

[Dead2009]

Found this on another forum and figured I'd post here. As we all know, movies tend to get remade quite a bit, and sometimes with a setting update to contemporary times of the new film's release. So thought I'd ask guys what are some movies that can't be remade in your opinion, or at least if they were, can't be updated to modern times. Will list a few I think will apply as well:

Jurassic Park
Jaws
The Exorcist
Ace Ventura

Just to name a few. Thoughts?

 

[RamblingMad]

Ghostbusters
Princess Bride
Point Break
Top Gun
Die Hard
Home Alone 1 and 2

I’ll think of some more later.

 

[ChrisFL]

Blazing Saddles
Casablanca
Princess Bride

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

My 2 favorites:

Rush Hour
The Horse in the Grey Flannel Suit

 

[DuskKodesh]

The Sandlot
The Blob
Anything Jim Carrey made in the 90's
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Thirding the Princess Bride, completely spot on.
Seconding Jaws.

 

[Hikergirl]

I'm of the opinion that if a movie was a blockbuster, or is now considered a cult classic it should never be remade, ever.
Let all the ones that were box office disasters get another shot.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Ghostbusters
Princess Bride
Point Break
Top Gun
Die Hard
Home Alone 1 and 2

I’ll think of some more later.

I guess just to prove your point, they DID remake Point Break and Ghostbusters with predictable results.
I'm going to add any of the classic John Hughes movies; Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Ferris Bueller, etc.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Ol' Yeller It was sad enough the first time.

Bambi, unless they allow the mom to live. Still remember watching the movie with little sister when she was about four. All the way home she kept asking over and over, why did Bambi's mother die?

 

[mikehn]

I think any movie can be remade. I'd like to see a remake of Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. Clint Eastwood's The Good the Bad the Ugly.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I do not want Harry Potter remakes EVER. I will be seriously angry if they try.

 

[L&Lfan]

Too many to name.

 

[Dead2009]

I think any movie can be remade. I'd like to see a remake of Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. Clint Eastwood's The Good the Bad the Ugly.

Of course any movie can be remade, but for the purpose of this thread, we're listing off ones that are so good and or cult classics that they shouldnt be.

 

[NotUrsula]

As someone up-thread pointed out: Close Encounters ..., but for a very specific reason: the protagonist abandons his children.

In the past 15 yrs or so, children have become sacred. No film in which sympathetic lead characters abandon or mistreat children, or make sexual innuendos about children for laughs (see Airplane) will ever be greenlighted again by a mainstream studio. If major plot changes are made, perhaps the general theme can be recycled, but it won't be a true remake of the original.

(Wait -- did you mean "shouldn't be" ... or "cannot be"? I interpreted the question as the latter -- as in, no studio would touch it with a 10-ft pole because it would be box-office poison given modern mores.)

 

[Moliphino]

I do not want Harry Potter remakes EVER. I will be seriously angry if they try.

Now those I'd love to see remade to be more faithful to the books. Maybe as a series instead of a movie so they can fit more in.

The Princess Bride and Willow are perfect as they are and should be left alone.

 

[Dead2009]

As someone up-thread pointed out: Close Encounters ..., but for a very specific reason: the protagonist abandons his children.

In the past 15 yrs or so, children have become sacred. No film in which sympathetic lead characters abandon or mistreat children, or make sexual innuendos about children for laughs (see Airplane) will ever be greenlighted again by a mainstream studio. If major plot changes are made, perhaps the general theme can be recycled, but it won't be a true remake of the original.

(Wait -- did you mean "shouldn't be" ... or "cannot be"? I interpreted the question as the latter -- as in, no studio would touch it with a 10-ft pole because it would be box-office poison given modern mores.)

Meaning it shouldn't be touched.

 

[piccolopat]

Gone With The Wind

 

[Jafar30]

Hollywood is so preoccupied with whether or not they could remake these movies they never thought if they should.

That being said: Back to the Future

 

[Heather07438]

Ghostbusters (2016)
Princess Bride - Don't you dare unanimously worldwide
Point Break (2015)
Top Gun (June 2020)
Die Hard (Soon?)
Home Alone (Soon?)

We see what you did there, lol.

I'm excited for Terminator, they might actually do this next one correctly leaving off from T2.
Labyrinth is getting remade too i think.

 

[Dead2009]

I'm excited for Terminator, they might actually do this next one correctly leaving off from T2.
Labyrinth is getting remade too i think.

Terminator is already out though and it's not a remake.

 

[cabanafrau]

It's funny that a Christmas Carol is as much a part of the season as gift wrap, and just as easily redone, re-imagined and accepted. It's a Wonderful Life treads awfully close to some of the same core values and I can't imagine anyone touching it.