Movies - Originals vs. Remakes

​Recently, I saw an article that made the case that the remake of “True Grit” by the Coen brothers was superior to the original, which starred John Wayne. This is the stuff of endless discussions about movies.

When the original is very old, it probably feels that a new version, with currently popular actors and the latest technological improvements, is a commercially viable proposition. This didn’t work out too well for last summer’s “Ghostbusters.” There’s another King Kong movie coming, and I hope it’s good, but even Peter Jackson couldn’t capture the thrill of the 1933 original.

I absolutely loved the ‘98 Alfonso Cuaron version of “Great Expectations.” I’d put off seeing it for years because I just wasn’t that excited about Gwyneth Paltrow, who was featured in the poster. But later, after “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” “Children of Men” and “Gravity” had cemented Cuaron as a master (not to mention his cinematographer, triple Oscar-winner Emmanuel Lubezki), I finally saw it. Ms. Paltrow was no less than stunning in the part of the beautiful but spoiled and cold-hearted Estella. The male protagonist, whose name is changed from Pip to Finn, was ably portrayed by Ethan Hawke. Other versions of the story have been faithful to Dickens’ book, set in 19th Century England, but Cuaron updated it to the present day, and reset it in Florida and New York. After that, I had to watch the version I remembered from childhood, David Lean’s 1946 black & white classic, available as a Criterion disc. The distinguished critic Leonard Maltin considers Cuaron’s update mediocre, because it misses much of Dickens’ narrative; I understand his point, as the modernizing of the story required a serious re-write. Maltin considers Lean’s version among the best movies ever made. Lean’s version was moody and gorgeous, and those of us who love to watch B&W classics, and appreciate that the man who would go on to make “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Doctor Zhivago” and other masterpieces, will have to agree. 17-year old Jean Simmons made her debut as the younger Estella. Valerie Hobson, as the adult Estella, can’t match the Vivien Leigh-type fire Simmons had. John Mills, a sturdy British actor, also seems a bit old for the part of the adult Pip. Alec Guinness hints at his future greatness as Pip’s friend and roommate, a relatively minor part.
I have to call this a draw, overall; Cuaron truly remakes the story, and Paltrow really makes you understand Pip’s, I mean Finn’s, longing.

On a less prestigious level, I enjoyed the French film “Nathalie,” about a girl of the night who’s hired by a well-off wife to seduce her husband, whom she suspects of infidelity. What does he want from his lover? This doesn’t go where you might expect; it’s a sensual mind game between the women.
So, I was delighted to see it remade by multiple Cannes award winner Atom Egoyan, who resides in Canada. He renames it “Chloe,” and dials it up to what I’d call an erotic thriller. The cast is excellent, with the delectable Amanda Seyfried as the titular character, the always-effective Julianne Moore as the wife, and Liam Neeson as the husband. There is a scene where Chloe stares into the camera; Seyfried’s eyes are remarkable. “Nathalie,” which has an excellent French cast, is worth seeing for it’s fresh story, but “Chloe” does it better

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