7 ‘80s Movies So Great, Hollywood Could Never Remake Them

Hollywood loves its remakes; that’s clear enough. Sometimes it works, but quite often, it does not. Frequently, you’ll hear about an upcoming remake or reboot of a movie you like, and you’ll grow nervous. Will it live up to the original and be a worthwhile entry, or just pale in comparison like many other unnecessary remakes?

Many of the great movies from the ‘80s became iconic also due to the time period in which they take place, along with their cultural relevance and impact. Remakes aren’t always so successful when adapting the same story in a different setting or modern time period. Hence, here are eight movies that Hollywood could never truly remake, and shouldn’t even try to.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Scarface (1983)
The Shining (1980)
Brazil (1985)
Airplane! (1980)
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Akira (1988)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

When people talk about movie magic, E.T. is what they really mean. The movie tells a simple story— a lonely kid meets a strange alien who gets stuck on Earth, and they form quite a bond. Steven Spielberg drew from his own childhood for the storytelling, much like several of his movies.

Since then, there have been countless films that have more or less borrowed ideas from E.T., but none have worked quite as well. Also, the practical effects were so great here, and is a big part of the charm.

Scarface (1983)

Scarface tells the story of Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who chases power and loses himself along the way. The plot feels simple enough, but the execution turns the film into something more memorable than most crime movies. Al Pacino gives a performance that feels unhinged in the best way, and you can never forget this character.

The movie is already a remake of the 1932 version, and the 1983 film reflects its specific time period. That world does not exist in the same way now, and a modern remake would have to change too much to fit in.

Luca Guadagnino was supposed to be directing a new Scarface, but that project is no longer in development.

The Shining (1980)

Stanley Kubrick did not rush movies. You can feel that in every frame of The Shining. The story follows Jack Torrance, his wife, and their son as they care for an empty hotel during winter. The hotel changes Jack, or maybe it only reveals what was already inside him.

Kubrick adapted Stephen King’s novel, but he made quite a few changes that the author famously disliked. But almost everyone loved the movie for how daunting it felt. Especially for the horror genre, and especially for its time. A remake could have the same plot, but the performances would be hard to match.

It’s easy to understand why this is the most impactful Shining adaptation, though there was also a 1997 miniseries.

Brazil (1985)

If you’re familiar with Terry Gilliam’s work, you might have a clue as to what to expect with this movie. Brazil is probably his best directorial work. The movie shows a world crushed by bureaucracy and authoritarianism, to the point where you can feel the frustration yourself.

The story follows a low-level worker who dreams of escaping the system around him, but it only gets worse. The retrofuturistic setting (especially with its set design and costumes), along with bits of fantasy elements sprinkled throughout, created one of the most unique-looking and feeling movies.

The satire still holds up really well because bureaucracy never went away. If anything, it got worse. That makes the movie feel timeless, so a remake would be wholly unnecessary.

Airplane! (1980)

Airplane! works as well as it does because it commits fully to the absurd humor of its time. The plot follows a troubled ex-pilot who must land a plane, but that story exists only to hold all of the other jokes together. And the jokes really never stop.

The actors treat every absurd line as serious drama, and that only makes it funnier. Comedy ages fast and can quickly grow out of fashion, but this movie survives because it understands the rhythm of it all. It never waits too long or explains the satire. A remake just wouldn’t work as well because of the expectations that come with most mainstream comedy movies now.

Though David Zucker’s other classic, The Naked Gun, was remade earlier this year and received favorable reviews, we just don’t see the point of trying to redo Airplane!.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Sergio Leone made a name for himself with Westerns, but Once Upon a Time in America really showed his range. Starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, and Joe Pesci, the movie follows a group of friends from childhood, up until they grow old.

The movie is usually pretty slow, sure, but the whole experience is so rewarding and worthwhile. The music by Ennio Morricone has a lot of emotion, and the narrative structure jumps through time, which requires a lot of patience (which does pay off).

A remake would really struggle with its length and tone, not to mention the themes and time period that set it apart from most crime movies of its type.

Akira (1988)

Akira really did change animation. It tells the story of power and chaos in Neo-Tokyo, and the visuals feel intense. So much so that even most modern anime can’t quite match its style and the level of detail in its artistry. Katsuhiro Otomo directed the movie, adapting his own manga. That’s one of the big reasons the adaptation ended up triumphing over its source material.

Hollywood has been chasing a live-action remake for years, with Taika Waititi being the last director attached to it, but he, too, ultimately left the project.

The freedom that was allowed in its animated roots would just limit its scale and style in live-action. Some stories just belong to their medium, and Akira belongs to animation.