20 Remake/Requel Fails That Proved Nostalgia Has Limits

The original Arthur worked because Dudley Moore made drunken irresponsibility feel oddly lovable, sad, and hilarious without sanding away the mess. The remake with Russell Brand tried to update the formula, but the charm never quite landed. A rich man-child is a harder sell in a more cynical age, especially when the whimsy feels manufactured. The original had champagne bubbles. The remake had a hangover and a branding meeting.