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Seriously Been There, Done That List: Original Movie Trailers Vs. Remake Trailers

By Jodi Smith | Lists | February 18, 2014 |

By Jodi Smith | Lists | February 18, 2014 |


Time will tell how the latest Godzilla will perform at the box office, but I know that everyone was very excited about the teaser trailer.

Just a glimpse of the creature, right? Perhaps you remember the trailer for 1998’s Godzilla, which starred Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno.

Glimpses, baby. Glimpses. Am I saying that 2014 Godzilla will be a mess of a movie, one that doesn’t know if it should be serious or comedic? No, not at all. I’m just saying the marketing seems to be similar. I thought it might be interesting to look at some of the original(ish) movies and their remakes and compare the way they sold themselves.

Carrie 1976

Carrie 2013

Though both trailers completely give away the entire movie, OG Carrie seems to focus more on the school torment while Carrie Jr. is more about Crazy Momma Biblethumper. I think we can all agree that lanky, unconventional-looking Sissy Spacek is much more terrifying than Chloe Moretz’s pouty take.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 1984

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010

The two are fairly similar, save the opening of 2010’s ANoES pulling lore revealed throughout the original series and making it front and center. Once again, standards of attractiveness are changed from OG to remake, but the 2010 keeps the kills more of a secret…to those who didn’t see the original.

Total Recall 1990

Total Recall 2012

Now these trailers could be for two completely different, unrelated films. I mean, they’d totally be cousins. Just not twins. Anyway, Colin Farrell, guns, and action are the focus, as is the uncertainty of whether or not our hero is a reliable narrator. In the AHNALD version, it’s action, fights, yelling, and then a bit about reliability.

Let the Right One In 2008

Let Me In 2010

Here we go again with Moretz. I don’t want to spoil the films, but SPOILER androgyny isn’t something Moretz pulls off well at all. Lina Leandersson was feminine enough to make you believe Oskar’s need to have her as a girlfriend while also allowing you to learn the twist and say, “Okay. I can see that.” Also, Let Me In sucks and is horrible and I hate it.

Robocop 1987

Robocop 2014

Damn it, 2014 Robocop. I don’t go to see a movie called Robocop because I want to see a dude with his family and then all of the loss they experience when the dude is killed and resurrected as a cyborg killing machine. I just want my killing machine with no backstory and no adjustment period of coming to terms with his new robotic ass-maiming suit. 1987 went the badass route and 2014 went the soap opera route.