The title should change to Khungfu Kid. If it is still name Karate Kid, better ask them to go to Japan

That’s the problem with society. People tear down ever thing that someone does. In this present age of society it seems the norm is to belittle everything that comes out from books to appearances on television. We as a society need hold our tongues when we see something new; the hate that is already out there is tearing the world apart. Even if it does bomb the fact that Mr. Chan has taken on this challenge not to remake but to put his on touch on the series is a tribute to his creativeness. All the luck to Mr. Cahn and all those that take on artistic challenges!

The remake I hate most? The Day The Earth Stood Still. A monumental disappointment-the usual over the top special effects,new age bullshit . Rennie's original portrayal of Klaatu is still the gold standard.

SABRINA ! Who could ever dream of replacing Audrey Hepburn.
Another major waste was THE KING AND I. I still dream about the gown Deborah Kerr wore in the ballroon scene and Yul Bryner was born for the part.

Jackie is known for his comic characters unless of course they plan to make "Kung Fu Kid" a comedy. Don't get me wrong, i like Jackie, i grew up watching all his martial arts movies before we made it big in Hollywood but i agree that he won't do justice to this role – if it's going to be in a similar vein to the original. If not then it might be worth the execs at Columbia to have a chat with Donnie Yen. Donnie's recent portrayal as Yip Man in "Ip Man" is great! Not much of a biopic but as a martial arts movie – thumbs up! So if one should look for a caring, patient sifu to tutor young Will Smith then Donnie might be the man. Another contender would be Sifu Shi Yang Ming, the real deal, the Shaolin Master who runs USA Shaolin Temple. In any case, good luck to Columbia if its going to be Jackie

Let the box office determine what's a good pick and what's not. So many critics pick junk as it is. Everyone has there own taste and whether you prefer this movie or not, shouldn't matter to anyone else.

1) The idea of stripping out the beautiful Japanese-American culture and history of the original is not only defiling a classic, but is tremendously disrespectful to Pat Morita, who himself was a victim of Executive Order 9066. For those who do not know much about Japanese history and/or Japanese-American history, it may be more difficult to understand the value of that classic movie. A shameful number of us Americans don't even know the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

2) Jackie Chan is a fine actor with his own long and respectable career. Furthermore, he is a big donor to charitable organizations and spends much of his time trying to make a positive influence in areas like the environment and poverty. I'm not sure if he understands the implications of being part of a Karate Kid remake, but in any case, there are a lot of buffoons out there on the Internet blogs and forums in the last few days discrediting Jackie as more or less a hack. These people's comments are completely groundless, and I for one would like to set the record straight.

Those points made... they can still make a great movie with Jackie and call it something different. They don't have to be so tacky as to try to ride on the name of the classic name "Karate Kid" just to get a few extra bucks. If they go through with it, it would be Hollywood at its worst.

oops...i meant "he" and not "we"...typo :)

Sorry Bill Corbine, but I think you're off base here. First off, I've been hearing about this remake for some time now, and frankly, I shudder at the thought. The original Karate Kid I would argue is a modern classic. Certainly not a classic in the sense of a film like Casablance, but it is nevertheless a defining film, and one that has continued to stay in the consciousness of people to this day and holds a great deal of nostalgia for many. Glen Scanlon and myself are not scared at the thought of this film because it is "new" but rather because if you look at these casting choices, and consider the nostalgia people have for this film, there is no way this film will live up, even minutely, to the reputation of the original film.

As for the worst remake I've seen, that's tough. However, to switch things up slightly, the remake of The Hills Have Eyes was a good horror film, whereas the original certainly ranks in the Top 5 worst films I've ever seen.

It's all about money in the end....

Worst remake: Mr Deeds Goes to Town! Adam Sandler for Gary Cooper, come on...

I would have to say Planet of the Apes.....the tim burton turkey...and even Willy wonka and the chocolate factory with Johnny Depp....I thought the point of remaking that film was to improve it instead they splashed alot of ok special effects but what was the point when you have no soul of the film and Johnny Depp performance was as appealing as scratching ya finger nails down a chalk board!
Please Tim Burton just retire and dont touch another film to remake you lost it years ago.

I will be waiting for this movie to go to DVD. Even then, I will most likely not rent it. I like Jacky Chan as an actor. It's not him that I have a problem with, it's Hollywood. Why can't we leave good movies alone? Why must there always be a sequel or a remake (that is almost always inferior to the original?) Look at the 1995 thriller "Se7en." Fantastic movie – no sequel, and goodness, please, no remake...yet. Leave good works of art at the top, and leave them there – alone, not redone. True originality is about creating new characters, new plots, new movies. Not recycling used material. For moviegoers that agree with me, speak with your $$$. Only by not going to see sequels or remakes will Hollywood stop making them. Right now, our society is allowing the past success of a movie spillover to sequels and remakes. By the way, I heard a remake of Friday the 13th is coming out shortly! *sign of disappointment* Please decapitate me now.

Worst remake has to be Slueth (2007), how in God's name can Michael Caine take the role once played by Laurence Olivier (Andrew Wyke), even though the 2007 film was really poor, for me it was made worse by the fact the he acted in it, he should have refused to play the role and just be remembered for playing good Milo Tindle in the '72 version

Don't get me wrong I think Caine is a good actor and has made some great films; Get Carter (1971), The Italian Job (1969), Alfie (1966)

The '72 version is still one of my favourites.

One of the worst remakes has to be that of "Les Diaboliques", while "The Out of Towners" is considered by some to be good, nothing can match Jack Lemmon in the original. Other ghastly mistakes are the remakes of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "War of the Worlds" and just about every Tim Burton remake.

8 Years with Bush

Wait....before critics jump to conclusions, if anyone ever paid attention to the credits...there was one item that many may have forgotten. The Karate Kid was original a DC comic book hero and in the movie that Mr Scanlon talks about there was credit given to DC for the use of the "Karate Kid". Thus this may not in fact be a remake but actually what has become the latest gentry a "super hero movie" based on the DC comic. It may still be a flop but to say it is a remake before we see the final print is postulating. Another point, not all remakes are bad...I loved Bronson in what was that remake....the one where he stole the art paintings.....Bronson made it his own. Thus not all remakes are bad. How about "Battle Star Galactica". There are good ones and bad ones. Just has to have the right chemistry...actor(s), actress(es), director, script...I'll wait to see what they make before I like everyone appears to have become here.....a critic.

The worst remake ever. Dukes of Hazzard. Burt reynolds as boss hogg!

You wrote this whole article just so you could write, "It all makes no sensei." Can't say I blame you though.

DEFINITELY, THE PINK PANTHER. CAN YOU BELIEVE THERE IS ABOUT TO BE ANOTHER ONE?

The made for TV remake of Carrie a few years ago was abysmal. One of my favorite movies, brutally assaulted by bad acting, music and...everything. Did the remake of Halloween come out yet? Another appalling idea. Can't these people come up with orignal ideas? If you're going to rip off a classic, do it your own way...and give it a dumb new name so those of us who appreciate the originals aren't mystified...

Shall We Dance? Talk about hot poker to the eye – and to one of my favorite Japanese films.

Another horrible remake is The Truth about Charlie, with Mark Whalberg... the original, Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Walter Mathieu was fantastic!
And I whole heartedly agree, I will not be seeing a New Karate Kid in the theatre or renting it... I've got the original on DVD and my 10 year old daughter loved it!

Again, Will Smith letting son into films he has no place being. Just cause daddy can act doesn't mean you little boy can. Besides, Karate Kid is an 80's Classic. You might as well crap on it if you intend to do this remake Will! How can you possibly say this is going to be better. Um lets see, Jaden? Check. Jackie Chan = Chinese? NOT JAPANESE teaching Kung Fu! NOT Karate. TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ART STYLE FROM TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!!! And in China? I guess Japan moved in to huh? This is the dumbest remake I have EVER heard of and refuse to watch it. Peace

Great article. Couldn't have said it better myself. Worst remake? How about The Pink Panther? Hollywood really knows how to stick it in and break it off sometimes doesn't it........

I thought they buried the Karate Kid series when they decided to do The NEXT Karate Kid. I have seen that as often as Tremors 4. Listen folks, there is no changing the way the movie industry works. This movie will be absolutley crap but it will make huge bank. That's just how it is. How do you not let this affect your life? Easy, don't go see it. Don't bring it up at the water cooler nor cocktail parties.

Face it, we are in a time where crap movies make the money and great movies just get left to the awards. It's bogus. It shows how shallow the cultural depth of this society is. I would love to be proven wrong. But when The Shawshank Redemption (certainly in my top 5) gimps it's way thru at the box office, pulling in just $28 million and then the following year Mortal Kombat pulls in $122 million, i want to puke. Even the Mortal Kombat sequel pulled in $51 million... COME ON!

Was i the only one who saw the day the earth stood still? easily the worse remake ever made.

worst remake?? how about THE LONGEST YARD or MR DEEDS GOES TO TOWN....way to go Adam Sandler!

KING KONG!!!

"However, even they couldn’t top Gus Van Sant’s remake of “Psycho” with Vince Vaughan in the leading role. Vince Vaughan? Pass me that poker."

The re-make and Vince Vaugn was great. It was a great film experiment, and was able to show scenes that H. wanted in his film but could not do at the time.

Lest we not forget, Wahlburg was also in a remake of "Charades." - that's one more on his "naughty" list.

Bad remakes abound: "The Time Machine" with Guy Ritchie, pretty much any "Miracle on 34th Street," "Get Carter" with Sylvester Stallone, "I am Legend" (a remake of "Omega Man"), etc.

Plus, there are plans afoot to remake "Logan's Run."

Creativity is running a mite thin, methinks, in Hollywood.

I think the bigger question is Why does Hollywood have to resort to remakes in the first place? With the amount of money they throw at films, and subsequently charge the consumer, perhaps more originality is in order. It's bad enough that any current movies share most of their plot points with at least 100 other movies that came before it. Heck, we even have remakes of remakes now. It's looking more and more like Hollywood is just giving up. If you have any doubts, just look to films by Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider as evidence...

Yes, unfortunately it all comes down to money....
Why wouldn't a studio want to raid it's own library to make a new film?
1) It's already a proven success
2) they already own the rights
3) script changes are negligible (no need to hire some expensive writer for extensive re-writes)

In some cases, I can see the point... .but why mess with this classic?
It's perfect as is.

Unforgivable.

When will these Hollywood execs learn to cultivate something new, and original?

STOP THE REMAKE MADNESS!!!

Worst remake ever: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love Johnny Depp, but this movie was AWFUL.

Next thing you know, they will want to re-make the Wizard of Oz or Gone with the Wind...

This just is further proof that Hollywood execs are just number-crunching suits without a creative bone in their bodies. Can't come up with anything original so they try to ride on the coattails of past successes to make a buck. I am at the point where I just won't go see them any more. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was the last straw. I've never seen a remake that can hold a candle to the original.

The worst remake I've ever seen? Thirteen Ghosts. The original was one of the worst movies ever made. What numbnuts thought it would be a great idea to do it again?

I have seen two remakes I didn't care for:

The Swiss Family Robinson and Bewitched

A cleaned up remake of Bad News Bears?? Awful, simply awful.

I agree for the most part that remakes never do justice to the original. (For my part, "Wild Wild West" is the worst remake ever AND a "raping" of a cherished childhood memory.) But I'm not about to condemn them all, like the Sherlock Holmes movies. If there was a "we've done it perfect and it can't be redone" attitude after Basil Rathbone, we never would've had Jeremy Brett. The Ritchie version could be interesting, since its based on a graphic novel coming out, rather than the Doyle canon.

Likewise, I can see possibilities in a Chan version of "Karate Kid". I'll wait to hear more before I pass judgement.

Have we run out of ideas for new movies? There must be thousands of books out there that could be great movies.

Next week they will be remaking Back to the Future!!!!!!

Long live the Classics!!!!

Brad (Australia)

So....
"Karate Kid" is a revered classic now? Should we address Ralph Macchio as "legendary film actor"?

Ridiculous to try to remake The Karate Kid. It's a masterpiece the way it is. A remake would flop.

My eye started twitching while reading about this remake. Karate Kid, may not be a cinematic masterpeice, but it is a classic. Why doesn't Hollywood remake bad movies, so at least the new film has a chance at being better than the first?

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Poseidon,

Shame on the producers of this remake. The original KK (that's shorthand for "Karate Kid"...we insider fans use this so that we can instantly recognize each other on-line) was perhaps the single greatest achievement of our generation...sort of like Da Vinci was to whatever was before him. This is like rewriting the bible...only worse, because KK starred Elizabeth Shue...something the bible can never claim.

How can anyone believe that Mr. Miyagi can be replaced/remade??? Aside from the fact that Pat Morita was shunned from any Oscar consideration, MM (that's another one we fans use) changed my life, and the lives of countless other pre-pubescent boys looking for an elderly asian male role model with a very nice backyard and a penchant for tasking menial chores to unsuspecting neighborhood children.

Why can't they just make the movie but call it something else? Why does it have to be 'The Karate Kid'. I'm kinda sick off all the remakes, and do overs and re imaginings and 'reboots'. Especially when most are not better then the originals.

Well it has been 25 years since the last movie, let´s give a chance to a next generation to enjoy this story.

greetings

What is with the comment made by Corbine? "That's the trouble with the world today...." The trouble are people who can't come up with an original idea of their own or are too stupid or too lazy to even try.

Jesus...The Wickerman (2006)..worst remake ever!

This time I will cheer for the Cobra Kai (or whatever they call the bad guys!) Sweep the leg!

While I do dearly love Jackie Chan, I hesitate to use the word 'actor'. He has great personal charm. He is a very accomplished martial artist (in kung fu), gymnast, and physical comedian who has earned his status with great dedication and no small number of broken bones. But the cliche plots of his Hong Kong movies have never required acting, and the Hollywood ones have done no better (while often suppressing his charm).

So maybe he can act, but in all the movies I've seen him in, I have yet to see him do so... Leaves me with little hope here.

All that said, I can't judge Karate Kid 2.0 till (if...) I see it. Remakes do often pale in comparison to the original. Yet I also think of the abuse heaped on some remakes (e.g., Battlestar Galactica) sight unseen that later proved undeserved. The original Karate Kid was no Citizen Kane, even though you find yourself loving watching the underdog come of age and have his day.

Jaden Smith is rapidly becoming the Nicole Kidman of child actors – they all kid themselves that he is a crowd puller, but just who is he other than Will Smith's kid?

Blade Runner The Director's Cut.

Anything with "Director's Cut" in the title, whilst not technically being a remake is still a remake of the film's interpretation, which after the first movie is controlled and owned by the public, not the director...

I like what Mr. Tarantino said about Pulp Fiction, "I don't do director's cuts because I make the movie I want to make in the first place." and that is the same for remakes, especially because they are successful in the first place. They are the movies that got it right in the first place and don't need remade.

They should take a movie that tanked and remake it, leave to good ones alone.

There are too many to list:
War of the Worlds
Longest Yard
Willie Wonka
Pink Panther
Godzilla
Manchurian Candidate
Day the Earth Stood Still
Planet of the Apes
Get Smart (I know, a TV show made into a movie remake)
101 Dalmations
The Jackel
The Shining
Any Eddie Murphy remake
Flight of the Phoenix

A remake of 'Karate Kid' is a very bad idea. The original was perfect in every way for its time. As was 'Ghostbusters' and 'Back to the Future" and 'The Terminator' and many other films of the 80's when I was a teenager. Hollywood should read more for ideas and inspiration. There are fantastic ideas out there in all the genres waiting to be made. The worst remake? Hollywood's adaption of the Japanese horror classic 'The Ring', or the remake of 'The Grudge'. The originals are excellent without being belittled by remakes. Hollywood's worst idea for a remake? Here are some that I have heard Hollywood considering remaking over the years... 'The Godfather', 'Casablanca', 'The African Queen', 'Metropolis', 'Dirty Harry', 'Amelie', and 'the Wizard of Oz'! There is also the vast amount of sequels out this year. Sequels are nothing more than money making ventures trying to get more profit from a former good idea. There is only five, at the most, really good sequels, out of how many made? Go foreign , I say, the movies are better, and have been so for years.

May I remind you all that Beverly Hills Chihuahua made it to #1 at the box office? So why can't this film?

Khungfu Kid was right, China and Karate? Karate is a Japanese martial art.

The Karate Kid was actually quite a good movie for younger-teens. If anyone wants to see it (again), you can find the DVD, new, at amazon.com for under $3. You could also buy, or rent, War of the Worlds, the Pink Panther, Planet of the Apes, Psycho, etc.

Even many of the "originals" these days are so un-original you might as well call them remakes. Not to mention all the tired old sequels saturating our screen space.

So, maybe its high time for fewer, more original movies, and less rehashed junk.

Worst remake?
"I am Legend"

Hated it.
I like Will Smith but that movie stank. The endless (expensive/repeditive) flashbacks to how he lost his family. Edit,edit,edit. Please edit. The rediculous cardboard cutout CGI "gravity-defying superzombies". That useless supporting female character. The happy little pristine American village complete with church steeple at the end. Most of all, the insult-to-the-intelligence way they snuck in the title of the movie at the last possible second for no good reason.
I wanted it to be good. It really could have been good.
A sad, mad, bad turkey of a film.

Dawn of the Dead. Worst remake ever. The best film in a series that put zombie movies on the map. Just destroyed. Also I was not a fan of the 2006 remake of The Omen. I dont know why film companies cant just allow a great classic to remain a great classic. Why do they insist on soiling a good films reputation with a horrible remake.

Can't wait. Am a fun of jackie

Well well.. we have all seen and accepted Jackie to be a sort of a comedian, and mind you he is very good at it. Who knows, he might turn the whole thing around and come out with the character pretty well. After all, he is quite a tallented actor... However, I do agree that naming the movie as karate kid would do quite an amount of injustice to the original.

worst re-make? Hmmm.... so many so worse!

I found out about this news a few days ago and i've been left with a sour taste in my mouth since.

If any of you are facebook members, I highly advise you join the 'BOYCOTT THE NEW KARATE KID FILM' group.

..'there's been several movie remake base on what the producer feel should have been in the movie during the making of the original movie, but i guess some don't really look deep before setting up the equipment for filming and dictating role/characters just like we have in "the day earth stood still"...(@ a point in the movie, i started to think could this be keanu reeves? i mean, for him to have agreed to play such role in such a "shallow" movie you know comparing it with what he did in THE MATRIX SEQUEL.)
But i guess the is not the case with JACKIE CHAN, though he has his own flops too. i think he's ok for this movie, (all right reserved opinion).

The reason Hollywood keeps putting out all these remakes, is that new and original ideas are hard to come by. Add to that the fact that every new and original film idea is a gamble. Producers aren't willing to spend/risk money on an idea that hasn't proven itself, whereas remakes almost always pay off. The same principle applies to the music industry.
As long as we as consumers keep spending our money on the remakes, they're (Hollywood) going to keep dishing it up to us. They'd be dumb not to.
If you're tired of seeing remakes, don't watch them.

Sorry, I too am a big fan of Jackie and respect him as a martial artist, but ahhh, no dice.
Just do a Shaolin style 'last dragon' type flick in Hong Kong, that'll suffice.
Glen was spot on and as movie goers we have the right to knock crappy ideas in good fun, if I remember correctly, we are still allowed to share opinions be they compulsively positive or not.

nobody can replace mr miyagi

Jackie Chan couldn't act his way out of a cardboard box.
Will Smiths son?
This will surely be a masterwork of Cinema.
Poor Chinese. As if the global economic crisis were not enough.
Now this.

All remakes are bad and a waste of your money. The guilty are the gluttony of Hollywood remakes of films from the Orient. The worst are souless reworkings of Japanese horror or anime films taken from comic book sources which were not that good in the first place. The swarm of remakes remind us audiences that the filmmakers think we are that stupid and hungry for entertainment. By God, they are about to remake THE THING again. What more can I say!

Worst remakes:

1. The Day the Earth Stood Still was embarrassing, it was so awful. Keanu Reeves vs Michael Rennie? You've got to be kidding!

2. Willy Wonka with Johnny Depp. Enough said.

3. Sleuth. Without Laurence Olivier? What the??

Everybody is entitled to an opinion but, this writer should is just spewing negative drivel.
Karate kid is a fun movie for the family...Jackie chan and young smith are perfect for a modern remake of the cheesy classic.
Tho, yes it will have to be called "KungFu Kid"

Why being so cynical??? Let it be..take it easy...let it release first and then we can decide if its good or bad...Are you one of those who wrote that the new BOND is not up for it???

worst recent remakes: 1. Bad News Bears 2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Super weak.

Starsky & Hutch

Horrible!!!

I say go for it! The first movie was terrible. They can only go up in my opinion.

All those who say remakes are bad should look at the current Batman movies (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight). There is nothing wrong with making remakes as long as it is a good film. Some people prefer the newer versions than the older ones due to cultural and generation differences. I hope this new Karate Kid movie is awesome.

Karate kid was a good movie with a original balanced story line. I believe you should leave this as it is.

Number one worst remake in my opinion must be "Cousins" with the eminently forgettable Ted Danson and Isabella Rosselini. It was a remake of a brilliantly understated "Cousin, Cousine" with Marie Christine Barrault and Victor Lanoux. The problem in Cousins begins with Hollywood's inability to duck beneath the star system and get some really "normal" looking people. Instead, they have these two plastified characters running around with an invisible sign on their foreheads proclaiming them to be "ordinary people". Danson is boring, you cannot figure out what any woman would want with him except Rosellini, who is constantly trying to be sexy. The original french movie was simply erotic, it sparkled, it made wonderfful sense, it was great. The remake was a word I cannot use here.

Second tragedy: A Bout De Soufle, with Belmondo and Seberg... desperate, existentialist, a touch absurd, open threads and unanswered questions... Breathless... Gere and Kapriski... what a disaster. What dull actors, one-dimensional. If it were not for Valerie Kapriski's willingness to show some skin, I don't think the film would have gotten anywhere. It was open and closed, none of the doubt surrounding the original. It was a waste of my hard-earned bucks and remains along with Cousins one of my worst cinematic souvenirs. I have seen worse Hollywood films, worse for more subtle reasons, but at least they were not remaking masterpieces doing them...

Has there ever been a remake that hase been better? Omega Man was remade into Legend. Flight of the Phoenix was remade and terrible. Tim Burton has outlived his usefullness as a director, turkey after turkey. Planet of the Apes was just obscene. The deminutive Adam Sandler as a former NFL NVP in the Longest Yard? Please. Of course, with remakes, you need the foul language, a rapper turned actor, some T&A and, the ubiquitous explosions.

That is the problem these days, far too many remakes. Its apparent that Hollywood is running low on good scripts and just want to make easy money by repeating an exhausted formula.

I mean what did the last Miami Vice movie actually have to do with the original tv show? Absolutely nothing except that it was filmed in Miami. It could have been called by any other name. Not even any cameo's!

Remaking karate kid is probably the lamest idea since The Leprechaun films!

Very Good comment.. :)

DEAR GOD in Heaven
Please`stop' RE-Makes That`SUCK
That Means 99 precent of Them
Also Bless the`movies~Goers to Boycott Re-Makes
The DayThe~EarthStood Still Re-remake was (excuse me`GOD)
God awful Made me cringe!!!
MICHAEL-FROM THE USA

Get Carter itself was remade, too - quite badly. On a tagent, Stallone had been a big fan of Mickey Rourke's for a long time and so Rourke popped up as a baddie. Now Rourke has an even bigger role in Stallone's The Expendables.

This is symptomatic of the tedium of the 21st century. We have have the technolgy to 'wi fi' hi definition imagery to our portable 'entertainment platforms', whatever that means. We have HD TV's lining the walls of suburbia, yet the entertainment industry is run by accountants who would rather churn out remakes than invest in creative talent. Maybe if the Karate Kid was set in Iraq ... with the Kid being an Iraqi teenager who stumbles across the WMD's ... and Mr M being the local cleric ... a U.S. Marine as the love interest ... and Prince Harry as the bad guy ... "There's my little 'Rag$%^&" mate ...

I have always said that music and movies are the only kind of art where you can sell a fake one like and original and people will be even glad that you did. You can't do it with a Picasso, with the Monalisa or with Vangogh. But you can take a masterpiece like Don McLean's American Pie or something like that or the mentioned Italian Job movie and rape it and rip it and give it to a bad singer or a average actor and "the young generation" will said. Ah! Oh! What a song. Don't even knowing that they are buying a copy.

I happened to watch a few seconds of the "new" Italian Job. I couldn't go on...

Sorry for my English.

It is always wiser not to judge things during the process of being made.

By far the worst movie remake I ever had to endure was the remake of the 1975 James Caan movie "Rollerball", directed by Norman Jewison. The original was fantastic. Although it was quite violent, it had a real anti-violence message that had a warning for the future of mankind and society. The remake (with LL Cool J and Chris Klein) was awful ! Even the cinematography reaked of cheapness (see the night time scenes that looked like they were filmed using night-vision gear...talk about a joke !). There was none of the original message in this remake, just mindless, idiotic violence coupled with really bad acting, and glued together (or should I say scotch-taped together!) with extremely bad cinematography.

My two cents worth anyway...

Bill, by what standards is ripping off someone else's work creativeness. Or even a challenge? It's a lack of ideas, and that's al it is,

The reason that Karate Kid get success in 80's is because at that time, Japan is a hit culture and the movie is talking above the conflict and accomodation between Japan and US culture. That is the core idea of the whole movie and key element of that move to get success at that point of time. Now by putting Jackle Chan into the movie (as he is an idiot of Chinese KungFu), the Japanese element or image will be totally gone. What is lef?. If this is the case, the movie is not called "Remake" but "COPY". Has any movie get success by coping an old story.

I agree with many put forward...War of the Worlds, The Out of Towners, Psycho most often come to mind. But I had avoided Willy Wonka until just recently and I can now see why. Depp is a great actor, but The original has become a camp favorite. Despite the drubbing it gets, the Anthony Newly music was a huge part of that film and the understated cries of, "Please don't. Stop..." whenever a child was getting into something by Gene Wilder also made the film. For all the high tech involved, the whimsical factory was more fanciful in the original.

Another that might not seem so much a re-make as a re-telling is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Again, without Boris Karloff and the Chuck Jones animation, the movie was nothing more than what I expected....a disappointment.

Why must studios screw with good things? In this case, "if it's not broken, don't fix it", would be an apt expression. Having Jackie Chan act as the new "mentor" to Jayden Smith, is disaster in the making. Jayden Smith, I'm sure is an up and coming actor, and no doubt is headed in the same direction as his Dad. But he should chose his flicks carefully, as should Jackie. This remake of the "Karate Kid" is going to be a serious failure and will come back around an bite both Jackie and Jayden, on the ass. It'll be an albatross around the neck of a rising movie star and a star who's light is fading. Jackie, perhaps needs this flick, delusions of grandeur, perhaps. But Jayden, has his career is in front of him, this movie could set any future career moves back. Jayden does have one trump card though and that is his dad, Will Smith.

Sorry to digress . . . you mention Elisabeth Shue and Pat Morita by name but the real star is called Daniel (his character) did Ralph do something to you. I agree this movie should not be touched.

Oh please, I've heard in the grapevine that a "Highlander" remake is on the cards – Here is a movie that if viewed with an ever critical eye is b-grade at best, but if one were to combine all things bad is a movie that really works. Excuse the phrase please but it's "So Bad that it's really good"

Why is it part of the hollywood engine to make (MORE) money from that which has had a respectible time in the limelight.

What has happened to the creativity of this world. It's ok to look to previous stories for inspirations. But not to plagerise, copy, steal, etc.etc.

"Shall We Dance" (2004) starring Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere. The Japanese original by director Masayuki Suo can't be beat.

I personally feel the remake of "the italian job" was quite good...better than the silly 1960's original. As for this karate kid remake....maybe it is more comedy than anything else....about a bad ass black kid who is constantly bullied and made to feel stupid by gang of nerdy asian academics kids....along comes mr miyagi/jackie chan to say the day making the kid to undergo intensive learning..which transform him into a even nerdier and more studious than his peers...

The Karate Kid was an 1980s classic partly due to the magnificent
Mr Miyagi, done brilliantly by the late Pat Morita!
The wonderful pan flute music score from Bill Conti and Zamfir
and the mix of eastern martial arts and western 1980s pop culture!
A remake in any form or structure would be an insult to the original!
Pat Morita was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role! I cant see Jackie reaching those heights!

It would be fine if they give it a different name, just don't ruin the name of the movie "Karate Kid." If I see a preview with that name on it, it will suck. Just like my first thought when I saw the preview for "Dirty Dancing: Havanah Nights." I thought... Dirty Dancing? wtf? But to sum everything up, Jackie Chan can in no way out do Mr Miagi with quotes like "To make honey, young bee needs young flower." And to disagree with the columnist, The Italian Job remake was good, different than the original, but still good, and it at least had an ending.

Does hollywood know the diffrence between Japanese and Chinese?

Worst remake : The Day The Earth Stood Still

This is NOT going to work ! (although it may make MONEY)
IF thats all Hollywood care's about !!!!! Shameful !
Katrate Kid re-makes are a TERRIBLE IDEA !!!
The originals are Classic and Screenwriters study it.
Maybe they producers will put Rap Music in it to update it !!!!
Mostly-Hollywood should-Leave -Original Films alone !
and----STOP making re-makes
Unless you can -better-or equal the original
More or Less ALIENS was a sort of re-boot sequal (re-make)
because it is similar to the original but with ACTION and Humor.
(and a amazing example of what Jim Cameron can do) !
(same with Terminator 2 a sort of re-make -sequal) Excellent !
Another-Example–John Carpenters–The Thing
Unfortunately-not a box office HIT but was Oustanding as a
ORIGINAL and Scary Chilling well done Re-Make !!! 5 Stars
On the Other hand Robert Wises
The day the earth stood still was Trashed by
the current Lame re-make ,which was weak and dissapointing !
If you cant make a BETTER /Equal Film
Dont Bother,,,,but MONEY Rules in Hollywood
Not Common sense about protecting Classic Films
Michael-USA

One More point
Is there No end to re-makes that trash the ORIGINAL Fims ,
that dissapoint us and lack the qualities of the original film 's!
Whats Next -a Re-Make of Citizen Cane or Its a Wonderful Life ?
Give Movie goers a BREAK and Respect the Original Films.
Dont Re-make them and change them for profit.
Michael

A good remake was the Anna and the King. The King and I had a good classic Hollywood feel but the remake really added depth. The music for both were awesome.

As a fan of both Pat Morita and one who has lived in Japan for over 20 years, I find the remake of "Karate Kid" wrong in both name and effort. Even the first film left many things to be desired...I cannot consider it a classic although a good, enjoyable film. But it is not my money being used to produce this possible rehashed nightmare-I can only hope that this film is never made.

I do agree with most of what "Justin" said about people in the U.S.:

"The idea of stripping out the beautiful Japanese-American culture and history of the original is not only defiling a classic, but is tremendously disrespectful to Pat Morita, who himself was a victim of Executive Order 9066. For those who do not know much about Japanese history and/or Japanese-American history, it may be more difficult to understand the value of that classic movie. A shameful number of us Americans don’t even know the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean."

Most people in the USA have so little understanding of cultures, languages and societies that are far away from the mainland-I was the same way many years ago and I still am learning and wish to always do do. They (although not all) need to open their eyes and perhaps crack open a few books and maybe even find ways to get involved more in the rest of the world...instead of trying to give its impression of other societies to other countries. I have been very impressed and at times embarrassed at the things that Eastern Asians and other countries' people know about us Americans but how little we really know about the rest of the world-there are some truly beautiful people, things and places that are yet to be discovered by people from North America. Step up to the challenge...

About the worst remakes:
I must say out front that very few "remake" films improve in any way over the originals. The worst that come to my mind at this moment are 2 Tim Burton films (although he has also made some good ones earlier in his career), they are "Planet of the Apes" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Concerning the latter one, I came extremely close to walking out of the theater except for the fact that the person I as with wanted to see the end and I had forked out $12.00 for my own ticket to see it. (Film going can be expensive here in Japan)

But in the end, concerning films, critics with voices we all are-generally by the way we use our money. I was rather perturbed when the critics tried to destroy Robin Williams' two films "Bicentennial Man" and "What Dreams May Come". Sure they are not perfect and perhaps could have been done better, but they inspired great discussion and contemplation about life, existence, etc., isn't that something noteworthy in this modern, self centered world we live in? Either way, I have long since mostly ignored those "professional critics" as those people that have nothing better to do with their lives than gripe and criticize so they can escape from the realities of their own lives...

The remake of "12 Angry Men". The script was almost identical. The only difference was changing the white racist to a black racist.
Thoroughly pointless remake. Jack Lemmon's lemon.

The worst remake to me was 'Get Cater'. Watched it at the theater. There were only three others in the theater and two left before the middle.

As for Karate Kid, I agree that a remake would be terrible.

'Love Don't Cost A Thing' starring Nick Cannon was the absolute worst remake I have ever seen.
The original, 'Can't By Me Love' starring Patrick Dempsey is one of my all time favorite high school movies.

How Nick Cannon went from 'Drumline' to that travesty bedazzles me!

Oh, and Cruel Intentions... UGGGGHHH!!!!!!!!

I don't get all this whining. The original Karate Kid was cheesy and lame; I thoroughly enjoyed it as a child.. but now????? This "new" version will be just as cheesy and lame, and you know what? These kids today will eat it up like chocolate covered cotton candy just like we did back then.

There are a lot of worst re-makes, but the top of the list has to include: Journey to the Centre of the Earth – without James Mason, Pat Boone? What were they thinking??

These movie producers are simply making money from a brand name as they know fans will go just to compare it to the orginal! Leave classic movies alone!!

better make it more funny and more adventure, compare to the original movie.... because the orginal movie it looks nice but needs more spices on it. Goodluck!!!

Bad remakes? Let's see...Johnny Depp's "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" comes to mind. And you think the animators of "The Prince of Egypt" could do something that a film with live actors in the 1950s couldn't? Nope...

The fundamental premise is so completely changed that calling it a remake of the Karate Kid is a travesty! Set in China and Jackie Chan as teacher? Has someone forgotten that it was about 'karate', a martial art from Japan? And Mr Miyagi was Japanese? If Hollywood wants to rehash the idea with such crucial changes then it should be a new film with a different title that has reference NOT to karate but to Chinese kungfu instead, as someone has suggested.

I hear Chan has a reputation as a womanizer/dirty old man over in Asia. I get a laugh out of his older stuff but to say he's adding his artistic abilities to the remake is a little optimistic at best. How old is the Smith kid anyway? it might be fun to see like 8 year olds beating each other up.

My guys how do you see the idea of karat, let for me the thing ijs not real.

Movie critics are full of it.
Why don't you at least wait for the movie to come out before you trash it?
Oh wait... you'd rather burn your eyeballs or some other such nonsense (Feel free).
And you have the gall to sound shocked about the money- making aspect (it's 'cunning!', it's 'cynical'!), as if Hollywood is known for making movies just for fun, and for free.
What is really annoying is that as a critic your opinion counts and I have to read this trash on CNN.

Reply to the last post
HELLO–Anybody home there ????
Re-Make's of Good films are made for people like you (who dont care)
who will waste their money for a Bad Re-make of Classic films !
Buyer Beware !
Michael

I agree with Madj, wait for the movie!!

Back to the question the worst remake EVER in my opinion is King Kong the latest version is so DULL, it was just a stupid film with no center or fucused..

there was a good remake? the only thing I can think of that would be close is the Magnificent Seven translated as a western for American audiences. I tried watching "The Pink Panther" since my niece loves it but I could only get through about 15 minutes of it, no way to beat Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers' original. Even the Star Wars redos for better special effects/closer to original vision doesn't hold up for me. Every once in a while a director's cut may be better than the original release but remakes just do not do anything for me.

Worst remake ever: The Pink Panther. I love Steve Martin but NO ONE can do Peter Sellers better than Peter Sellers did.

Instead of Jackie Chan, I think they should use Andrew Dice Clay. Then at least, the movie could have some chance of success in that it will be new, funny, and groundbreaking. With Jackie it will be tired, unfunny, and just like every other Jackie Chan movie.

The remake of 'Brief Encounter', that grand old classic from the 40's.

Some bright spark thought that by throwing Richard Burton and Sophia Loren together, they could better the original. It was absolutely ghastly and perhaps indicative of how bad, I don't ever remember it making it on to the small screen again. Conversely, in various countries that I've lived in, I have oft seen Trevor helping Celia with the grit in her eye.

I also have to agree with Don. Steve Martin trying to out Bilko Phil Silvers? AND reprise Peter Sellers?....atrocious.

jackie chan is the father of karate, kung fu and even marshal arts. really great person or a really great mortal. we japaneese are proud of him. and also cnn is the best. i hope i get the chance to meet mr. obaama. it would my greatest honour. and this don guy really sucks.

12 Angery Men.

No need for this remake. It requires no special effects and was more dramatic shot in black & white anyways.

For me, some of the worst re-makes (because they cheapen the originals) are: Steve Martin's "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Pink Panther" and Jackie Chan's "Around the World in 80 Days". If you are going to change the classic so much as to make it a comedy or radically change the original, please use another name for it so as to not sully the original movie.

Opinions, opinions and more opinions. Freedom of speech allows us to truely and freely express our views. In this day and age opinions can be expressed by any one to anyone via the internet. This article never once says in my opinion so therefore aren't you just judging these films , their makers and their visions? I may not like these pictures too but it does not give me the right to judge them either. A remake is someone elses vision of original material and they have their place. Like I said in the beginning express your opinions all you want but please keep your judgements to yourself. Oh and one last though. How can you condem something that you have not even seen? Yet this is just my opinion.

This was said earlier its all about making monet and they now have a new adience of people to show the remake to who have never heard of the first one.If you have kids show them the original before this one comes out.
The movie was a classic in my eye and I never get tired of watching the the last fight even though its a basic jumping front kick. and the beginning of the 2 flim where myogi handels the coach of the other team.

Bad remakes
Willey wonka in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory was a crazed nutball in the movie,but the kids wjo played Charlie was good.
The wild wild west,Godzilla, Rollerball,bewitched all trash

For the love of good movies – STOP WITH THE REMAKES!!! Especially foreign films! Not only do we, the audience, have to suffer through horrible remakes of American 'classics' like Psycho, The Shining, Chainsaw Massacre, etc, we now have to sit through horrible remakes of Asian films. They butchered, butchered to pieces, the gorgeous quiet "Shall We Dance" from Japan to a Richard Gere fiasco.

Please!!!! Just Stop! Let the viewers appreciate what was already done. Start getting creative with new stuff instead of recycling all the good older stuff.

The only thing I don't agree with is "The Italian Job". I've never seen the original, but as it's own movie I thought it was great, very entertaining. "Planet of the Apes" was pretty sad with or without comparing it to the original, though it was slightly closer to the book and wasn't trying to be a political commentary on the Cold War. So you gotta give it that. But 'Karate Kid'? May it never be!

sorry, but what's this 'karate kid'
have no idea

I'm sad that no one has an original idea anymore. All we have are remakes of movies, tv shows, and cartoons from 20 years ago. Speed Racer?? Come on! I hear the Jetson's are looking for a new gig.

Worst remake ever? There are just too many contenders to mention. However, I will say that any horror movies from Japan/Spain/Wherever should not be remade for English speaking audiences. They inevitably lose the scare factor due to a 'dumbing down' by Hollywood execs. The Ring, anyone? And before anyone comments that the suspense was ruined because I already knew how the movie would play out... I saw the English version (boring) before I saw the original Japanese version (truly scary). Also... REC had me on the edge of my seat... Quarantine had me wishing I had saved the $8 i wasted renting the DVD.

You forgot to mention that Mark Wahlberg was in another remake film called the Departed. "The Departed" being an inferior and almost shot for shot remake of the Hong Kong hit "Infernal Affairs".

A good example of a great remake would be Ocean's 11.
The original was crap. It was remade into something fantastic.
The flavor of the first failed attempt with Sinatra et al. was targeted and hit right on in the Clooney version

Bad remakes.
I agree with seemingly everybody about Tim Burton's career destroying attempts with "charlie" and then the apes thing.
Charlie was simply an insult to the universe, but his apes remake, that was downright painful. When that chimp was hurled through the air, smashed against a wall, then limped back to its cage...
Then forgotten there for a while..
Sick.

Thanks for that comment, I find it sad that they dont know the difference between Chinese and Japanese Martial Arts. Karate could not be taught by a Kungfu artist.

Let me get this right...

Nicole Kidman has played English and an Irish.....

Brad Pitt played an Austrian and an Irish....

Tom Cruise has played an Irish, now a German....

Geoffrey Rush has played a British...

Leonardo DiCaprio has played Anglo-African...

And what about all those awful portrayals of Asian women played by American Actresses?!?!?!?

I thought that was the point of Actors/Actresses, THEY ACT! Or is it that one Western society can play the roles of another but Asian societies living right next to each other cannot?

But for those with who actually have an open mind (rather than one of a stubborn 4 year old) PAT MORITA was born a Californian!!!!!! HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A JAPANESE ACCENT. Pat also lent his voice for English speaking CHINESE roles and he has also played Korean roles too (any one here crucify him for those roles?)

No disrespect to Pat Morita, he was truly a phenomenal actor.

And on the re-make argument, now really.... Was The Departed really that good? That remake of a Hong Kong film didn't really even capture the true essence of the original and it won best film of the year (BAFTA, Golden Globe... etc...) Oh... and it had too many "Irish" characters to even mention.

Rollerball. the original with James Caan is a great movie. remake a waste of time.

I think this discussion begs two questions:

(1) Should Hollywood be allowed to make remakes? I think they should. If we look at the music industry, Hendrix certainly improved upon Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower". So theoretically, yes.

(2) Should Hollywood make remakes? From a financial point of view, yes. Artistically, I'd say no. Can anyone name a single remake that improved upon the original?

They are remaking Bonnie and Clyde starring, get this: Hillary Duff.

Start back giving Hollywood mind altering drugs to conjure up some imagination. (yeah that will never happen) Or you close minded viewers and critics should start watching more foreign films starting with the complete Takeshi Miike Collection and then moving eat across Asian to Europe, South Africa, South America and then back to the US you will then see that many of us as Americans lost our creative edge long ago.

Danny Boyle. The Coen brothers. M Night Shymalan. Charlie Kaufmann. Even poor ol' Quentin T.

There is plenty of talented filmmakers out there – lack of talent, lack of ideas etc are not the problem. The problem is THE FORMULA: Hollywood producers make money according to a formula. And they make films according to a formula. And they RE-make films according to a formula.

Thats the problem.