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So, this will be kind of a long blog, but after a dinner conversation with Dawngrrl last night, I thought it would be fun to talk about the movies I want to be remade the most, and for fairness, I will not mention some of the ones that are apparently on the radar but not confirmed (Clash of the Titans anyone?)

1. Cloak and Dagger (1984) As a kid, there were quite a few great movies like this. As a matter of fact at least 3 will make my top 10. These days the kids movies are either bigtime adventure CGI fests like Spiderwick or Bridge to Tarabithia, or animated. Not that I find anything wrong with those formats, but man where there some great family adventure movies when I was a kid. Cloak and Dagger which starred Dabney Coleman back in the day was one such movie. ”11-year-old Davey, whose mother is dead and whose father doesn’t spend nearly enough time with him. So the boy loses himself in video games–and even has an imaginary friend, a super-resourceful secret agent. When he accidentally comes into possession of a spy group’s secret plans, and winds up on the run from them, he must learn to rely on himself and his imaginary pal to save his skin. But, in the end, Dad proves to be his real hero.” Of course update to Xbox 360 or PS3 from Atari, add in your token new actor to play the agent..Owen Wilson if you wanna go younger, maybe Michael Douglas if you want to keep the older guy. This one would make a great fun family flick today.
2. Flight of the Navigator (1986) This Disney vehicle was actually incredible in the special effects department for 1986, “After a mystifying disappearance aboard a spectacular, futuristic spacecraft, David Freeman returns to earth possessing vast, undiscovered knowledge about the farthest reaches of the universe. With these sudden navigational powers, David is able to take the fantastic flying machine anywhere he desires.” Still a great storyline today. Get one of our token new kid actors to play the kid and just update it a little.
3. The Last Star fighter (1984) I love this movie. Recently I bought it and Andy the resident 10 year old loved it to. This movie is definitely ready for a re-appearance with the new kids. It’s a fun movie, great story and a good platform for some killer effects. “Alex Rogan is a small town teenager with big time dreams. Dreams of college… of success… of marrying his girlfriend, Maggie. He’s just like everybody else, except Alex has a very special talent… that no one on Earth can appreciate. But, tonight, a mysterious stranger has called on Alex. He’s come from a galaxy that’s under attack from an alien force. And Alex’s unique ability is their last hope.” If you haven’t already seen this one, it’s time you hit Amazon and check it out on DVD, it’s a great family film.
4. Red Dawn (1984) This one will require a little story re-working. Not that the Russian invasion of the Midwest ever really worked, but it really won’t work today. Update it to an Al Queida type terrorist group, make it more urban and let the cameras roll. There are plenty of new brat packers that you could fill this flick with to ensure box office gold, and it would be super fun! “8:44 A.M. A full scale military invasion by foreign troops begins. Total surprise. Almost total success. A gang of high school kids become the last line of defense.”
5. Labyrinth (1986) Two words, Marilyn Manson. Take the Jim Henson style, toss it right out the door, make it a Tim Burton movie with Marilyn Manson as the goblin king. “Young Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is left home alone by her parents and she has to babysit her little brother Toby. But the baby keeps crying and Sarah, while telling him a story to make him sleep, inadvertently conjures from a fantasy world the Goblin King (David Bowie) who steals the child and brings him to his castle in the middle of a labyrinth. Sarah has to rescue him before midnight, or the baby will became a goblin…” I wanna watch this movie!
6. Better Off Dead (1985) I know, you can’t replace John Cusak, but these movies have got to be made available to the new tweens. Give Shia LaBouf the lead and redo it, right along with One Crazy Summer! “Lane Meyer is a depressed teen who looses his girlfriend Beth. This is her reason for the split; “Lane, I think it’d be in my best interest if I dated somebody more popular. Better looking. Drived a nicer car.” Anyway, poor Lane is left alone and thinks up treacherous ways of killing himself. He finally meets a French beauty called Monique and falls for her. Simultaneously, he must endure his mothers terrible cooking which literally slides off the table, his disgusting next door neighbour Ricky (and his mum) and he must prepare for the skiing race of his life - to get his old girlfriend back!”
7. Gremlins (1984) This is another classic that children need to remember, it could be done very well while staying faithful to the original. “Minature green monsters tear through the small town of Kingston Falls. Hijinks ensue as a mild-mannered bank teller releases these hideous loonies after gaining a new pet and violating two of three simple rules: No water (violated), no food after midnight (violated), and no bright light. Hilarious mayhem and destruction in a town straight out of Norman Rockwell. So, when your washing machine blows up or your TV goes on the fritz, before you call the repair man, turn on all the lights and look under all the beds. ‘Cause you never can tell, there just might be a gremlin in your house.”
8. Poltergeist (1982) This movie scared the crap out of me as a kid. The effects were good, but imagine a retelling now! “While living an an average family house in a pleasant neighborhood, the youngest daughter of the Freeling family, Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke), seems to be connecting with the supernatural through a dead channel on the television. It is not for long when the mysterious beings enter the house’s walls. At first seeming like harmless ghosts, they play tricks and amuse the family, but they take a nasty turn- they horrify the family to death with angry trees and murderous dolls, and finally abduct Carol Anne into her bedroom closet, which seems like the entrance to the other side.”
9. The Karate Kid (1984) Give me Jackie Chan as Mister Miyagi and some up and comer that isn’t a total effeminate pansy as the kid and let the film roll. “Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California. She has a wonderful new job but Daniel discovers that a dark haired Italian boy with a Jersey accent doesn’t fit into the blond surfer crowd, especially when he tries to date one of their girl friends. Daniel manages to talk his way out of some fights but is finally cornered by several who belong to the same karate school. As Daniel is passing out from the beating he sees Miyagi, the elderly Gardner leap into the fray and save him by outfighting a half dozen teenagers. Miyagi and Daniel find the real motivator behind the boys’ violent attitude is the their karate teacher. Miyagi promises to teach Daniel to fight and arranges a fight at a karate contest some months off. When his training begins, Daniel can’t understand what he is being shown. Miyagi seems more interested in having Daniel paint fences and wax cars than teaching him Karate.”
10. Police Academy (1984) Don’t just make Police Academy 14, reboot it ala Batman Begins. Make it rated R, give it a less spoof and more pure comedy style with some top standup crossover actors. These movies were great. “New rules enforced by the Lady Mayoress mean that sex, weight, height and intelligence need no longer be a factor for joining the Police Force. This opens the floodgates for all and sundry to enter the Police Academy, much to the chagrin of the instructors. Not everyone is there through choice, though. Social misfit Mahoney has been forced to sign up as the only alternative to a jail sentence and it doesn’t take long before he falls foul of the boorish Lieutenant Harris. But before long, Mahoney realizes that he is enjoying being a police cadet and decides he wants to stay… while Harris decides he wants Mahoney out!”

What about you? What do you miss? What needs a remake?