5 80s Movie Reboots We’re Excited To Watch (& 5 We’re Skipping)
Whenever the Hollywood executives run out of fresh and original ideas—which happens at alarmingly often—they turn to movies past for inspiration. If the movies in question deserve a sequel or a reboot, there is some logic to be found. Too often, however, these movies are made with box office receipts in mind, and this takes precedence over creativity and filmmaking wisdom. The same might be said of the upcoming Pirates Of the Caribbean reboot, for example.
When it comes to reboots, the 1980s have often been a source of inspiration for Hollywood execs. We have already seen fresh iterations of Ghostbusters and The Thing, and as you can see below, and there are plenty more on the way.
10 Watch It: Dune
Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic Dune was first brought to the screen in 1984. It was directed by David Lynch, but the man behind such weird and wonderful hits as Twin Peaks and Eraserhead was unprepared for something as large and complicated as Herbert's sci-fi epic. His film flopped and was a lumbering, incomprehensible mess. It has become a cult classic, but it was the last time Lynch directed a big-budget movie.
This December, a remake of Dune will hit theaters. We are excited because there is hope that the film will finally do justice to Herbert's classic work. With Denis Villeneuve, the director of sci-fi hits Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival at the helm, the film certainly seems to be in safe hands. The original novel was a shining star in the sci-fi genre, so here's hoping the new film will rise above the disappointing first adaptation.
9 Skip It: Scarface
Brian DePalma's Scarface was one of the best crime movies of the 80s. Al Pacino gave one of the defining moments of his career as drug kingpin Tony Montana, and his stylized performance matched the colorful, extravagant tone of the film. This violent masterpiece sits near the top 10 of many 'best' movie lists, which is why we are unsure about the reboot.
You see, there are some 80's films that should never be remade. Back to the Future and ET are two of them, and Scarface is another. These are films that have already stood the test of time, so why bother rebooting them? There is little need, and it's for this reason that we are hesitant about the Scarface remake.
8 Watch It: The Howling
Joe Dante directed the groundbreaking 1981 original. It was genuinely scary, had excellent special effects, and looked and felt quite different to any werewolf movie that had come before it. It's a classic of the genre, so do we really need a reboot?
Well...yes! The werewolf genre needed fresh blood back in the 1980s, and the same is true today. The Underworld and Twilight films have done much to dilute the horror of the werewolf legend, so the time has come for something with more bite. The new remake is being helmed by IT director Andy Muschietti, so we are expecting good things!
7 Skip It: A Nightmare On Elm Street
There are some classic horror movies that don't need a remake, and 1984's The Nightmare On Elm Street is certainly one of them. Wes Craven's original haunted our nightmares for all of the right reasons, and the character of Freddy Krueger etched itself into the annals of horror history forever.
Sadly, the reputation of the film suffered because of the many sequels that followed. Krueger became a parody of himself, and the franchise suffered. A 2010 remake did little to return Krueger to horror icon status, so the fact that a reboot could be on the way gives us new nightmares of the very worst kind.
6 Watch It: Fletch
Chevy Chase starred in the 1985 original, as well as its 1989 sequel, and he brought the laughs as the undercover newspaper reporter finding himself neck-deep in trouble. The films were hardly subtle, but they were highly entertaining.
There have been rumors of a Fletch update for years, but, until recently, all attempts at a new movie fell by the wayside. However, it has come to light that a Jon Hamm-starring reboot is on the way, with the director of Superbad at the helm. Hamm has shown his comedic chops before in Tag and 30 Rock, and the director can handle comedy, so we are more than a little excited to see one of the best comedy characters of the 80s make a return!
5 Skip It: The Little Mermaid
The original 1989 animated movie quickly became a household favorite, especially for romantics both young and old. Audiences fell in love with mermaid Ariel and were enchanted by her adventures in the human world. It's one of Disney's finest movies and is a bonafide classic.
A remake of the animated tale is now on the way, and we're sure many people will be excited at the prospect. However, the film will be just one of many Disney animated movies to get a live-action update, and many of them have been pointless and shameless cash-ins on classic films. For every Beauty and the Beast, there has been a disappointing Dumbo, so we hope you can forgive us for our pessimism.
4 Watch It: Highlander
Despite the motto of the 1986 movie, there is room for more than one version of the Highlander movie. The original film is a cult classic, but it's not the best sci-fi fantasy movie out there. Despite the flashy effects and flashier movie score, it didn't quite live up to the potential of its story. The tale of an immortal warrior promised much more than what the film gave us, so a fresh retelling with a reboot could be a good thing.
It's the fact that John Wick director Chad Stahelski is behind the reboot that gives us reason to be excited. He has more than proven his credentials for action, so we are sure he will inject his special kind of action movie magic into the rebooted project.
3 Skip It: Hellraiser
Clive Barker is Britain's answer to Stephen King. He has written many classic works of horror, and he has also directed adaptations of some of them too. Hellraiser is among the best of the author's works, although the reputation of the film has been spoiled by the miserable sequels that followed.
According to The Playlist, the remake of Hellraiser will be "loyal yet evolved." This has us worried, as the recent remakes of Fantasy Island and The Grudge were born of similar promises, and they were less than successful. Horror remakes rarely do well, so, while we hope for something decent here, we are afraid that it will be as hellish as one of its many sequels.
2 Watch It: Firestarter
Stephen King hated the 1984 movie version of his famous novel. He compared it to "cafeteria mashed potatoes," and was disappointed with the final result. It was directed by Mark L. Lester, a director more at home with B-movie pictures than A-list productions, and, despite staying faithful to King's novel, it did look rather cheap.
King's tale of a girl coming to terms with her psychokinetic powers was a good one, so a remake is well-deserved. The remake of the film has landed the director of the acclaimed horror movie The Vigil, so we have high hopes that King's classic work will get a better adaptation.
1 Skip It: The Cannonball Run
Despite the man Hollywood stars in the 1981 original, the film was a bit of a mess. Charting the tale of in illegal car race across America, not even Burt Reynolds, Jackie Chan, or Roger Moore could salvage the movie. It was surprisingly boring despite the high-speed action, and its sequel was worse.
A remake is on the way, and Doug Liman could be at the helm. While he has the ability to direct a decent action flick, we're still unsure about this one. The original films were awful, and our screens have been overladen with films of this sort over the years. Do we really need another?