Get Carter - Remakes

Remakes

Warner Bros. gained distribution rights to the original film and decided to produce a remake in 2000 under the same title, with Sylvester Stallone starring as Jack Carter. As with Hit Man, the film credited Ted Lewis's Jack's Return Home as its source, not Hodges' film, and again it contains scenes which are directly borrowed from the original, such as the opening train ride. Michael Caine appears as Cliff Brumby in what Elvis Mitchell described as "a role that will increase regard for the original", speculating that "Maybe that was his intention." Mickey Rourke plays the villain Cyrus Paice. The remake was compared unfavourably to the original by the majority of reviewers. The consensus opinion of critics on Rotten Tomatoes was that it was "a remake that doesn't approach the standard of the original, Get Carter will likely leave viewers confused and unsatisfied. Also, reviews are mixed concerning Stallone's acting." It was so badly received on its US release that Warner Bros. decided not to give it a UK theatrical release, anticipating the film would be savaged by British critics and fans. Elvis Mitchell in the New York Times wrote "It's so minimally plotted that not only does it lack subtext or context, but it also may be the world's first movie without even a text." Mike Hodges said in 2003 he had still not seen the remake, but was informed by a friend that it was "unspeakable." His son brought him a DVD of the film back from Hong Kong and he tried to watch it, but the system was incompatible "So we put it in the dustbin." In 2004 the film was voted the worst remake of all time by users of British DVD rental website ScreenSelect (precursor of Lovefilm).

Another film based on Lewis's book, Hit Man, directed by George Armitage and starring Bernie Casey and Pam Grier, was released in 1972, taking some plot details and treatments, such as a sniper shooting Carter on a rocky beach, from Hodges' film.