Plan B Forum

Lord Jim wrote:

Gob wrote:

bigskygal wrote:I'm appalled they even attempted an American version of Prime Suspect. That series was perfection.

Seconded!

Well, as much as I enjoyed the Helen Mirren version, I didn't automatically assume that the US version would suck...


But in this case it did...(watched one episode)

It sucked almost as bad...(though not quite as bad) as the US remake of "The Prisoner"...

My nomination?

The Wickerman vs The Wickerman

Yours? (TV series or movies)

The Wicker Man was a great movie - long unappreciated - I saw it at the Streatham Odeon (or was it the ABC?) when it first came out, just before I first visited the USA (and learned what bad TV was; now I've done it again moving to SA and learning the meaning of "worse")

The Office (US) vs The Office (UK)
Sanford & Son (US) vs Steptoe & Son (UK)
All in the Family (US) vs 'Til Death Us Do Part (UK)

Americans just don't do 'nasty' - they do 'crude'. (Oh all right; Seinfeld got nasty down quite well). Are we allowed non-UK originals?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US) vs The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sweden)

Digression1: although neither one bothered to explain how "Magda 32019" could possibly be recognized by ANYONE as a reference to the 3rd book of the Bible, Leviticus - chapter 20 vs 19. The Swedish version just put it down to a flash of inspiration that Lisbeth experienced (goths do that). The US version needs to introduce Mikael's daughter who (horror!) has just become a Christian and, newby that she is, takes one glance at "Magda 32019" and recognizes it at once - from her greatly in-depth study and learning no doubt.

Digression2: Lynn and I watched Sherlock Holmes 2 (better than the first one) and TGWTDT (US) last night on DVD. Odd coincidence that the GWTDT (SW) was also the gypsy in SH2. She was, by the way IMO, far far superior as Lisbeth than the American one.

Alfie vs Alfie
Arthur vs Arthur (although the first one was not exactly a classic)

Shall We Dance (US) vs Shall We Dance (JPN). This one particularly made me spit.

The Ladykillers (US) vs The Ladykillers (UK) - crude wins yet again. I actually turned the USA version off after about 15 minutes, so appalling was it

I dunno - this is shooting fish in a barrel

Meade

The only one I disagree with is The Office Meade. The US version started out very badly. They tried to rehash the original's scripts and it was never going to work. After a season or two, they found their feet and it has got better and better. It helped when Steve Carell stopped trying to be Ricky Gervais too...

I take it you've never witnessed the horror of Payne (US) vs Fawlty Towers (UK)...

I agree wholeheartedly that the Swedish version of TGWTDT is much better, especially because it didn't screw with the book's explanation of what happened to Harriet.

That being said, the vast majority of Americans are unwilling to read subtitles and it's great that they got to see a version of the book on film that is generally good. Daniel Craig was good, as was Christopher Plummer. Rooney Mara was good, but didn't come close to the performance by the actress in the Swedish version - who also was terrific in the entire trilogy.

bigskygal wrote: That being said, the vast majority of Americans are unwilling unable to read subtitles

Fixed

I liked the US version of The Prisoner the problem most people have is taking it as a direct comparison to the original. It can not and should not be done. They're two different stories based on a common premise. Face it anyone under thirty has no idea what it was like to live under the threat of the cold war and as such a direct remake of the original would fail miserably because fail to connect with the largest portion of the audience.