Entertainment
The All-Time Worst Year For Hollywood Remakes
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
From Star Wars to Dune to Nosferatu, it’s clear that modern filmmakers are downright hungry to remake some of the most fascinating movies in Hollywood history. Because of that, you might a more recent year was the worst for remakes, but you’d be wrong. As it turns out, the worst year for remakes was 1998, which brought us four Razzie-nominated flops: Godzilla, Lost In Space, Psycho, and The Avengers.
For genre fans, the most notable movie on this dubious list is Godzilla, the Matthew Broderick film from Independence Day director Roland Emmerich. It ended up earning $379 million against a budget of about $150 million, but that’s not the whole story; you see, this movie had such kaiju-sized marketing costs that it needed $240 million domestically to be considered a success.
The Rainiest Godzilla Movie Ever Made
Unfortunately, it only earned $136 million, and while it made some bank overseas, the movie’s awful reputation among both critics and fans destroyed any hope of creating a lasting, uniquely American take on the most famous monster of them all.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an astonishingly low 20 percent, with critics complaining that this passionless film with such terrible characters was a complete affront to Godzilla as a brand. Such savage reviews, along with the disappointing box office, ensured that Roland Emmerich’s planned trilogy of Godzilla films died on the vine, with this 1998 stinker getting no direct follow-up films. Adding insult to injury, the film was nominated for five Golden Raspberries (designed to award the very worst in Hollywood films), ultimately taking home the Razzie for Worst Remake or Sequel (it tied with The Avengers).
Avengers, Disassemble!
Speaking of which, The Avengers had nothing to do with Marvel; rather, this was a remake of the television show of the same name, which featured Diana Rigg at her absolute sexiest. In this remake, Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes do their best to recreate the stylish sex appeal of the legendary TV show, but it was all for naught. The movie ended up earning $54.7 million against a budget of $60 million, transforming what should have been a surefire remake into one of the biggest flops of the ‘90s.
On top of the financial failure, The Avengers was also a critical dud, earning a 5 percent (yes, you read that right) on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics dragged this movie for filth, complaining about everything from its inept writing to its astoundingly bad casting. Accordingly, this movie ended up with the dubious honor of getting the Razzie for Worst Remake or Sequel (hey, they couldn’t let Godzilla have all the fun).
In Space, No One Can Hear You “Whoa”
Another major flop from 1998 was Lost in Space, the high-flying remake of the beloved sci-fi television show from the ‘60s. Earning $136.1 million against a budget of $80 million, this film wasn’t as much of a financial disaster as, say, The Avengers. But in an age where Star Wars Special Editions and the upcoming prequel trilogy had audiences hyped for big-budget, interstellar theatrical adventures, Lost In Space just didn’t earn enough of a box office to warrant a sequel.
It didn’t help that this movie, too, was absolutely savaged by critics, earning a woeful 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics claimed that the movie lacked the campy charm that made the original show such a hit, and more than a few made the tongue-in-cheek observation that “lost in space” is the perfect review of this meandering mess. It ended up also receiving a Razzie nomination for Worst Remake or Sequel, but it “lost” (if that’s what you want to call it) to Godzilla and The Avengers.
This Remake Is Completely Washed
The last major bomb from 1998 is a movie that arguably should never have been made: Psycho, the Vince Vaughn-starring remake of the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece. Director Gus Van Sant decided to film this movie as a shot-by-shot remake of the original, so it effectively added nothing new to the formula for horror fiends craving innovative scares. The movie went on to earn $37.2 million against $25 million, which is a modest profit at best, and Van Sant later claimed he felt the movie broke even after factoring in things like promotional costs.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the Psycho remake earned an abysmal 40 percent (boy, you really need a shower to wash off that creative stench!). Critics generally agreed that the remake felt completely unnecessary because it simultaneously failed to do anything new or offer any trenchant insights into the earlier Hitchcock film. Psycho was subsequently nominated for the Worst Remake or Sequel Razzie, ultimately losing out to Godzilla and The Avengers.
The Year Of The Worst Remakes Still Cuts Deep
There you have it, folks: even though it feels like we are constantly inundated with modern cinematic remakes, 1998 was the year that this lazy Hollywood habit reached its apex. The greatest films and TV shows of the ‘50s and ‘60s all got sloppy remakes that served only to remind audiences of just how good the source material really was. The worst of these remakes also taught audiences an important lesson: Ferris Bueller may have many skills, but fighting Godzilla ain’t one of them!
Entertainment
The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal is back at a record-low price at Amazon: Save over $30
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Entertainment
A Fully Loaded Potato Salad for Dinner
I love potato salad. I love the creamy kind, the vinegar-y kind; I’ll take a warm one with dill, whatever you’ve got. And yet, I’m about to make a bold claim: this potato salad might be my favorite. Why? Because it’s decidedly not a side dish. It’s the whole damn meal.
This recipe comes to us from Melina Hammer, who calls it a “Niçoise-ish” potato salad, because it’s souped up with tuna, eggs, and other classic Niçoise elements. “You get those bright, bold flavors,” says Melina. It adapts easily for the season, she adds, suggesting winter radishes — like purple daikons or watermelon radishes — if you make it this month. “You can also swap the green beans for two cups of chopped escarole or Napa cabbage, and I’m always a fan of thawed frozen peas. No need to cook them any further — just toss ’em in!”
Here’s the full recipe, plus some pointers from Melina:
Niçoise-ish Potato Salad
by Melina Hammer
Serves 4
3 eggs
salt
1 dry quart small red potatoes (approximately 2 lbs), any larger ones sliced in half
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp (or more) freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp capers, strained
2 1/2 oz thin green beans, stem ends trimmed and sliced into 1 1/2-2 inch segments on a diagonal (or swap for peas, cabbage, etc)
1 5-ounce can albacore tuna
3 radishes, ends trimmed and sliced in halves, then thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely sliced chives
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Bring a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by an inch to a boil. Lower refrigerator-cold eggs into the water and cook them on a simmer for 8 minutes, then plunge the eggs into an ice bath until they are cool enough to handle. Peel and then slice the eggs into six wedges apiece and set aside.
Bring the potatoes to a simmer in well-salted water. Cook for 8 minutes or until they yield easily when pierced with a sharp knife. Strain them into a colander with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl and add the oil, mustard, black pepper, and capers. Gently toss to fully coat.
Blanch the green beans in the potato water for 30 seconds to 1 minute — just long enough for them to turn bright green. Strain, and add to the potatoes. Add the tuna, flaking the fish into the bowl, followed by the radishes and chives. Toss to incorporate, then add the eggs and lemon juice. (Note: “If you’re making this a day or more in advance, hold the lemon juice and add it just before serving,” says Melina. “Otherwise, it will dull the color of the green beans.”) Gently toss once more. “I like to use a silicone spatula and work up from the bottom of the bowl, folding the ingredients together with a light hand so the yolks remain mostly intact.”
As you serve the potato salad, make sure to scoop up all the last bits of custardy egg, straggler chives, and mustardy goodness clinging to the sides of the bowl. Enjoy.
Melina Hammer is a chef, food stylist, recipe developer, and the award-winning author of A Year at Catbird Cottage. Her recipes have appeared on Bon Appétit, Food52, and Edible. You can follow her newsletter, Stories from Catbird Cottage.
What other dinner salads do you love? And do you have a house salad?
P.S. Five ways to upgrade a regular green salad, and white bean soup, because it’s February.
(Photos courtesy of Melina Hammer.)
Entertainment
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The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal is back at a record-low price at Amazon: Save over $30
SNAK Venture Partners raises $50M fund to back vertical marketplaces
