I started thinking about this when I saw that CBS was going to resurrect Magnum P.I. I cannot imagine how it will succeed as I feel Tom Selleck is a unique performer who was suited to the role. Also Vietnam and the aftermath was/is completely different than any of the recent wars as it affected large sectors of the population, whereas the Mideast wars, since they are fought with mostly volunteer troops, doesn't impact society like Vietnam did. I can think of several other unique actors, such as Harrison Ford, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. I don't mean to say they are great actors, just unique personalities who cannot be easily substituted for by other People. Bette Davis and Lauren Bacall might be others. Any others?
Didn't like the remake movie of The Wild, Wild West with Will Smith. Basically, to me, there is only one Superman and that was George Reeves. Just like remake movies of The Lone Ranger. Only one Lone Ranger aka Clayton Moore and Tonto aka Jay Silverheels. Closest movie to the original Lone Ranger series was The Legend of the Lone Ranger from 1981. The remake of Hawaii Five-O didn't get my interest either. There is only one Jack Lord. The remake of True Grit, without John Wayne? Absolutely not! Sorry, but the remake of old movies and tv shows are pretty much a "no" from me. Now, the remake of some old Classic Rock songs, I can really go for, like: The Kinks song You Really Got Me. Much prefer hearing Van Halen doing that one. Tommy James and the Shondels Mony, Mony was redone by Billy Idol and he really, really made it rock.
I've always been partial to some of the working actors. People like, Strother Martin, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Lee Van Cleef, Shirley Booth, James Best, Ellen Corby, Charles Durning, Ruby Dee, Rita Moreno and on and on and on.
I don't usually like remakes as well either. But I also think, in general, actors are much more talented today than they were years ago. So I wonder, if we could view the remakes in reverse order, would it change things. Probably. The only exception I can think of off hand (and this is really old ): The Postman Always Rings Twice. The original, 1946, starred John Garfield and Lana Turner. The remake, 1981, Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. Although all 4 were unique actors/actresses in a sense, I think Nicholson and Lange are unique-er. The experts don't seem to agree with me, btw. lol
I can't imagine a remake of Music Man, with someone trying to top Meredith Willson! ........ "We got trouble, my friends"!
Do you mean Robert Preston? I agree he was a perfect fit for that character. No one else could pull that off so well.
James Garner, in Rockford Files and Tom Selleck in Magnum both injected a unique humor, that, like cream, rose to the surface! Check out the Lance White Episode of Rockford Files! Guest starring Tom Selleck as Lance White, in a sort of proto-pilot for Magnum PI
Tom Selleck was a great PI as well as a cowboy in a movie he done. Same went for James Gardner...….Rockford and Maverick.