Movie Throwbacks : Seven Movies that Deserve a Remake

The Stepford Wives. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Amityville Horror. All of these movies have been remade along with countless others. And while film lovers still greatly appreciate the original versions of these films, putting a new spin on them for a younger generation only preserves their legacy.

Some people criticize the lack of creativity in many of today's entertainment sub-industries. And I'll admit that sometimes it does get a wee bit annoying, but for the most part I'm all for the throwback movies. I actually have a list of seven that I would love to see up on the big screen in the near future. They're listed below with summaries, for those of you whose memory needs to be tweaked.

1. Six Pack. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who saw this movie. Kenny Rogers' character Brewster Baker is a race car driver who's car is stripped when he stops in a small Texas town. He chases down the culprits only to find that they are six biological sibling orphans who steal for the local sherriff in exchange for not being placed in an orphanage. To avoid the sherriff, they stow away with Brewster and forge a bond with him. The kids in this movie are hilarious. Among others appearing in the film were Diane Lane, Anthony Michael Hall and Erin Gray. This movie made over $20 Million at the box office in 1982. Come on. Somebody bring it back. I haven't given th cast much thought on this one.

2. Rags To Riches. I know you guys remember this one. Joseph Bologna played Nick Foley, a hard-nosed business man who decided to soften his image by adopting children. He ends up with six orphan girls of different ages and cultural backgrounds, but he had no idea the trouble he was getting himself into. This was a musical. The girls were so funny and likeable. Among others, Tisha Campbell also starred in the movie as one of Nick Foley's adopted daughters. There was a television spinoff that only lasted two seasons. Not much thought on this cast either, but I think that Eric McCormack would make a great Nick Foley.

3. Wildcats. Anybody up for a good laugh? Goldie Hawn was hilarious in this 1986 movie as coach Molly McGrath, a former track coach who has taken a job as a football coach to a rowdy bunch of players who, with Coach McGrath's help, transforms from a group of individual losers into a team of winners. Other known actors in the film include Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, the late Nipsey Russell, and Mykelti Williams among others. In the remake, how about Alicia Silverstone as coach McGrath and Moesha's William Allen Young as Principal Ben Edwards? It'll be great!

4. Bustin' Loose. The late Richard Pryor portrays Joe Braxton, as ex-con hired by a school teacher to repair and drive an old school bus full of special kids from Philadelphia to the teacher's farm in Washington to give them a new home after the Clarmont Center for Children is shut down. It's a job he doesn't want to do, but after violating his probation, it's his only chance at freedom. Despite a rocky start, Joe eventually bonds with Vivian, the teacher portrayed by Cicely Tyson, and the children. Just when all seems to be going well, VIvian's boyfriend, the social worker who gave Joe his break seeks to put him back behind bars. This movie was hilarious! I can already see the remake. I'm thinking Steve Harvey could be Joe Braxton and Angela Bassett could be Vivian.

5. The Incredible Shrinking Woman. Too Funny! Lily Tomlin plays Pat Kramer, an ordinary woman who is exposed to an odd mix of household chemicals and begins to shrink. She eventually captures the attention of a group of people who want to take over the world. They then try to kidnap Pat. I would love love love to see Debra Messing give it a go as Pat Kramer.

6. Cooley High. Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs play Preach and Cochise, a pair of teenagers who are just out to have a good time in downtown Chicago projects. When they meet a pair of criminals and get falsily arrested for stealing a Cadillac, life completely changes. This movie has a lot of emotional elements. And I love it. I would like to see a modern day adaptation with, possibly, Wesley Jonathan as Cochise and Deon Richmond as Preach.

7. Moving Violations. A colorful group of unlucky drivers are led by a teenager in their rebellion against the mean traffic school instructors. There is a huge cast for this film including the late Wendy Jo Sperber, Jennifer Tilly, and James Keach. This would be a great remake with an all-star cast of various backgrounds. I'm thinking Nick Cannon (as the teenager, of course), Countess Vaugn, Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally, Ellen Degeneres, and Cedric the Entertainer to name a few.

There are lots of other great movies of the 70's and 80's that I believe, with the right cast, could bring in lots of money and lots of laughs. The seven above are my picks. If you have picks of your own, feel free to leave them in the comments section for this article. Don't forget to include new cast members!