1956: I was rather indifferent about this version. I actually preferred the book to this film. However, I still recognize it as a staple of the golden age of sci-fi. If you want a marathon of 50s classics, like When Worlds Collide and War of the Worlds, this is a must-include.
1978: One of my all-time favorite films. Like The Fly or The Thing, this takes the original material and expands it, making a film that is able to surpass the original. It's pretty rare for a remake to be this good. Superb acting from everyone, especially Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, and Jeff Goldblum. Warning: don't watch it with the lights off.
1993: And this is an example of a remake which manages to take everything the first one did right and do it wrong. Ten minutes in, I wanted the pod people to win already, as the human characters were insufferable. Then, once the pod people were revealed, I wanted them to lose as well. They managed to take the spin-tingling out-worldly shriek of the 78 film and make it a total narm. Not even R. Lee Ermey was able to salvage this, and Forrest Whitaker looks like he just needs another paycheck.
2007: Then there's this version, which manages has only the same name as the originals. Daniel Craig looks like he's just killing time until the next Bond film and Nicole Kidman is just distant. I had high hopes, especially since this was from the director of Downfall. Unfortunately, this is just a cinematic mess. Might be good for a riff-night.
A staple of horror and sci-fi (at least half are)
1956: I was rather indifferent about this version. I actually preferred the book to this film. However, I still recognize it as a staple of the golden age of sci-fi. If you want a marathon of 50s classics, like When Worlds Collide and War of the Worlds, this is a must-include.
1978: One of my all-time favorite films. Like The Fly or The Thing, this takes the original material and expands it, making a film that is able to surpass the original. It's pretty rare for a remake to be this good. Superb acting from everyone, especially Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, and Jeff Goldblum. Warning: don't watch it with the lights off.
1993: And this is an example of a remake which manages to take everything the first one did right and do it wrong. Ten minutes in, I wanted the pod people to win already, as the human characters were insufferable. Then, once the pod people were revealed, I wanted them to lose as well. They managed to take the spin-tingling out-worldly shriek of the 78 film and make it a total narm. Not even R. Lee Ermey was able to salvage this, and Forrest Whitaker looks like he just needs another paycheck.
2007: Then there's this version, which manages has only the same name as the originals. Daniel Craig looks like he's just killing time until the next Bond film and Nicole Kidman is just distant. I had high hopes, especially since this was from the director of Downfall. Unfortunately, this is just a cinematic mess. Might be good for a riff-night.