Alfred Hitchcock, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934/1955)
The tale of a tourist couple drawn into an international plot to assassinate a high‑level figure first appeared in 1934. Shot by the renowned director Alfred Hitchcock, the suspenseful drama stood as his most successful work before its Hollywood triumph.
Nearly two decades later, Hitchcock chose to remake the film with new casting and a shifted setting. The characters vacation in Morocco instead of Switzerland, and the remake largely retraces the original narrative while adding about 45 minutes to the runtime.
In a conversation with French director François Truffaut, Hitchcock explained his approach to the remake: “The first film captured the energy of an enthusiastic amateur; the second was crafted by a seasoned professional.”
Michael Mann, “Made in LA” (the precursor “LA Takedown,” 1989) / “Heat” (1995)
Michael Mann’s signature action cinema shines in Fight, a film he helped shape with iconic performances by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Few recall that a complete sketch of the 1995 movie existed as an earlier version called Made in Los Angeles.
The original idea began as a pilot for a potential TV series, but the project never materialized. Mann expanded the concept into a full feature on a modest budget. The 1989 version drew attention for its ambitious premise despite a lean cast and a looser script.
With Last of the Mohicans in 1992, Mann revitalized the premise. A bigger budget and greater creative freedom enabled a film that would later be regarded as a cult classic in action cinema.
George Sluizer, “Disappearing” (“Spoorloos,” 1988) / “Disappearing,” 1993
Based on Tim Crabbe’s The Golden Egg, Vanishing centers on Rex and Saskia, a couple who vanish during a vacation. Rex’s relentless search stretches over years, punctuated by eerie messages that seem to come from the kidnapper. The original ending delivered a moment of shocking impact for its era.
The 1988 film became a European sensation, with Dutch actress Johanne ter Steege earning significant recognition for her role as Saskia. Even Stanley Kubrick cited The Vanishing as the scariest horror film he had ever seen.
In the early 1990s, Sluizer attempted an American remake with notable changes: the non‑linear structure of the original gave way to a straightforward, linear progression, and the finale was altered to align with producers’ expectations toward a more hopeful ending. This shift cooled much of the film’s original tension and impact.
The remake, though ambitious, failed to capture the original’s sense of dread and moral ambiguity, presenting a watered‑down version that did not satisfy longtime fans.
Michael Haneke, Funny Games (1997/2007)
Haneke’s remake philosophy collided with audience expectations. The late 1990s original shocked audiences with a brutal siege on a peaceful family. A decade later, Haneke reproduced the scenario with American actors in English, matching the frame by frame style of the 1997 production.
However, the cross‑cultural translation proved tricky. The European version resonated through its stark critique of media violence, while the American remake faced an audience accustomed to more optimistic storytelling. The result was a divisive reimagining that did not extend the original’s impact.
The attempt to broaden the audience through localization did not succeed as hoped, and the remake felt less urgent than the European original.
Olivier Assayas, “Irma Vep” (1996/2022)
Ahead of its time, Irma Vep began as a self‑reflexive project about a film within a film. The 1996 feature centers on an actress who gradually loses herself in her role while shooting in Paris. The later series revisits the idea, expanding the meta‑narrative across a new format.
The late 2020s continuation broadens the concept, offering a new interpretation that aligns with contemporary cinema while preserving the original’s exploration of performance, identity, and artistic ambition.
Ole Bornedal, Night Watchman (Nattevagten, 1994) / Night Watch (Nightwatch, 1997)
Bornedal crafted a tense thriller about a student who becomes a night watchman in a morgue and encounters chilling events. The 1994 Danish version starred Nikolaj Coster‑Waldau and Kim Bodnia, delivering a gripping tale of fear and secrecy.
Miramax later sought a North American remake with Ewan McGregor and Josh Brolin in the leading roles. The new adaptation, titled Night Watch, followed the core premise but bordered on the same narrative beats with distinctive changes, including an altered opening scene.
Post‑production challenges arose as executives commissioned further edits and re-shoots, stretching the process to nearly two years. The final cut disappointed some who hoped the remake would surpass the original in intensity.
Sebastián Lelio, Gloria (2013) / Gloria Bell (2018)
In 2018, Sebastián Lelio delivered an American remake of his own Chilean melodrama Gloria, rebranded for a North American audience. The story follows a recently divorced woman who seeks new meaning in life through social dancing and budding romance with a man who also has grown children.
Gloria Bell retains the warmth and honesty of the original while adjusting the setting to Los Angeles and tailoring the soundtrack for North American tastes. The remake preserves the core themes of resilience, reinvention, and late‑life romance that resonate across cultures.
The question of why foreign films are adapted for American audiences remains hotly debated. The universal nature of the stories suggests timeless appeal, even as language and cultural nuances are adjusted for local viewers.