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Remakes sometimes seem like a necessary or inevitable evil in the world of film. While some do end up matching the original when it comes to quality – and occasionally, some actually manage to be an improvement – most of the time, they’re not as good as the movie they’re redoing. There are too many inferior remakes out there from the history of film to count, at this point.
Even if they’re critically disappointing, remakes will continue to get made for the mere fact that they seem to make money. And when it comes to films that get remade, most classics are apparently fair game. There’s very little that won’t get touched, but there are a select few classics that are iconic, intrinsically tied to the time of their release, and already close enough to perfect that they’re likely safe from ever getting remade. Of the very few movies that have earned near-guaranteed protection from remakes, here are nine.
‘Jaws’ (1975)
It’s hard to get more classic than Jaws. In terms of the original blockbusters, it’s this and Star Wars that feel responsible for taking things to the next level when it came to entertainment and excitement at the movies. Each would be very unlikely to get remade, but at the same time, some have argued Star Wars: The Force Awakens itself was almost a remake of the original Star Wars.
Jaws might then be even less likely to get remade. The story is so simple and perfect that sure, filmmakers can take inspiration from it and make their own shark movies. But to take the premise of a sole killer shark with three people doing all they can to hunt it down and trying to tell it the way Jaws already flawlessly did? There’s no way it could seem like anything but a pale imitation.
‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Back to the Future was far from the first time travel movie, but it’s arguably the most popular and beloved one of all time. It tells the story of a teenager who gets transported to the past and meets his parents, has to make sure they meet and fall for each other – to ensure he’s even born – and then work out how to get, well, back to the future.
It’s certainly possible that Back to the Future could see itself getting a half-reboot/half-sequel in the future, perhaps in the way other landmark franchises like Ghostbusters or Jurassic Park have received. But the original Back to the Future is too much of a classic to directly clone, and the limitless possibilities of time travel mean filmmakers would be better off coming up with their own take on a time travel adventure, anyway.
‘Sátántangó’ (1994)
A mammoth 7.5-hour film about the residents of a small town in Hungary struggling to survive and find meaning in life, Sátántangó is an unfathomably bleak and hopeless film. Director Béla Tarr wants the viewer to feel the despair and boredom experienced by its characters, and in that regard, Sátántangó succeeds.
While Sátántangó wouldn’t have felt fast-paced in 1994, a remake nowadays would likely gain even less traction, given the state of attention spans at the moment. And the length and how it impacts the viewer emotionally is the most legendary (or infamous) thing about Sátántangó, so what could a remake do to top it? Be 8.5 hours instead of 7.5? We’ll never know for sure, because it’ll never happen.
‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption is perhaps the best (or at least most widely loved) Stephen King movie adaptation, and one of the best movies released in a year full of great ones. It tells a timeless story of a lifelong friendship between two prisoners, and how they find hope in an otherwise cruel and uncaring environment.
Because of how well The Shawshank Redemption adapted King’s novella, it’s difficult to imagine how a remake would justify its existence. The Shawshank Redemption is among the most popular movies of all time – and is ranked number 1 on the IMDb Top 250 – meaning it’s a pretty safe bet no other movie will ever attempt to readapt King’s story.
‘Citizen Kane’ (1941)
Telling the story of the rise, personal downfall, and mysterious final words of Charles Foster Kane, Orson Welles’ 1941 masterpiece, Citizen Kane, is unlikely to ever be touched and remade by any other filmmaker. Its legacy as one of the most important and best movies of all time is simply too strong, at this point, over eight decades on from its release.
The closest we’ll ever come to a remake of Citizen Kane will likely be 2020’s Mank. That story focuses on a larger-than-life central figure, too – the writer of Citizen Kane, Herman J. Mankiewicz – and replicates the look and feel of Citizen Kane with its setting and visuals, but the 1941 original will almost certainly never be replicated.
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
Die Hard is just about as perfect as an action movie can get. It has a relatable, underdog hero, a charismatic and threatening villain, a great premise, a memorable setting, fantastic pacing, and satisfying action. It made Bruce Willis a star, spawned several sequels, and changed the way action movies were made for good.
Because of its influence, there are plenty of movies that feel comparable to Die Hard, or take a considerable amount of inspiration from it. But no movie has dared to copy it beat for beat, nor would anyone dare remake it as it is, because it’s already so great. It was a lightning-in-the-bottle kind of movie, and the best that can be done is to take lessons from its success. To just blatantly redo would feel borderline disrespectful, at this point.
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
The Godfather did for crime films what Back to the Future did for time travel films. Neither invented their respective genres, but they might have each been the first to really perfect them. And perfect is a reasonable enough word to use when it comes to The Godfather, because it really is that hard to fault.
The first Godfather introduces viewers to the Corleone family, focusing on Vito, the patriarch, played by Marlon Brando. It’s hard to imagine any actor even playing that role the way Brando did (Robert De Niro did play a younger version of the character in the film’s sequel, though), and there are similarly iconic performances from the likes of Al Pacino and James Caan that would be nearly impossible to attempt for any other actor. It’s also a film almost everyone agrees is fantastic; why bother remaking it?
‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)
Perhaps one of the most likable and entertaining westerns of all time, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is about its two title characters evading the law all the way down to South America, wisecracking and getting out of perilous situations all the while.
Paul Newman and Robert Redfordhave incredible chemistry as the two main characters, and it’s a partnership that likely couldn’t be recaptured, let alone improved upon. Also, for a movie that’s over half a century old, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holds up incredibly well, meaning it doesn’t feel like there’s much that needs updating or re-energizing for younger audiences. It’s already tons of fun and compelling as is.
‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974)
A hilarious and biting comedy set in the old west, Blazing Saddles is about a Black sheriff (Cleavon Little) being asked to look over a deeply racist town with precisely one sane inhabitant (Gene Wilder). Naturally, chaos ensues.
Blazing Saddles never makes jokes at the expense of its main character, instead poking fun at the townspeople and their racist attitudes, but the humor might still seem inappropriate for some modern viewers. It’s gotten to the point where it’s even part of a meme, with people making fun of the idea that it couldn’t be remade. For that reason, it might be the go-to example for “un-remakeable” movies, but that’s okay, because the original will always exist, and it’s great.
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