I can’t think of a film in which I prefer the remake to the original. Although I’ve never seen the 1910 version of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” I prefer the 1925 version of the story, titled “The Wizard of Oz,” over the 1939 remake. The same goes for the 1954 TV film “Casino Royale,” remade in 1967, “Little Caesar” (1931), remade in 1991, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956), remade in 1978, and “Ben Hur” (1925), remade in 1959.
One of the worst movies I ever saw was the 1995 version of “The Scarlet Letter” because it made hash of the original story. On the other hand, the 1925 version remains a classic.
Ragarding “Scarlet Letter.” Not anyone in Hollywood has clue about the religious issues behind that book. The Puritans are seen in the light of the Church state issues in Massachusetts in the 1830s and 1840s, and all wrong historically. Absolutely sure no one has ever read Perry Miller.
“I can’t think of a film in which I prefer the remake to the original.”
The remake of “Dawn of the Dead” was far superior to the original, but otherwise I agree with you; I’m hard pressed to think of another remake that outshone the original.