Recent movie remakes of The Italian Job, The Ladykillers and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are just the latest in a long line of rehashings to trade off fond memories of a much-loved original. But is it always a naff idea to revisit an old film? Is it a shameless cash-in, a worthy successor or a genuine improvement?

Scarface (1983)

"Say hello to my little friend!" So screams a gun-toting Al Pacino shortly before blasting a hole in one of the goons trying to execute his coke-addled crime lord at the climax of Brian De Palma's bloody thriller. Chicago's Al Capone inspired the 1932 original, but De Palma's prescient update cast the other Al as a Cuban immigrant who kills his way to the top in 1980s Miami. Though shockingly violent (one sequence involving a chainsaw is virtually unwatchable), it's still one of the greatest crime epics since The Godfather.

The Fly (1986)

David Cronenberg took a little-known 1958 schlocker starring Vincent Price and turned it into one of his best films. Jeff Goldblum plays the nerdy scientist whose experiments with teleportation go tragically awry when he accidentally splices his DNA with that of a common housefly. His gradual mutation into a man-sized bug is both grotesque and darkly comic, enabling Cronenberg to explore his favourite themes of technology and "body horror". Goldblum's make-up is so gruesome you can see why co-star Geena Davis looks freaked out.

Cape Fear (1991)

Robert De Niro gives one of his scariest performances as a white trash ex-con out for revenge on his lawyer in Martin Scorsese's high-octane thriller. Back in 1962 Robert Mitchum played the role of psychotic Max Cady, so there's a nice synchronicity in seeing Mitchum (along with original co-stars Martin Balsam and Gregory Peck) returning in supporting roles. But this is really De Niro's picture, his tattooed, cigar-chomping and beefed-up villain effortlessly overshadowing Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange and the trampy Juliette Lewis.

Psycho (1998)

It takes an almighty act of hubris to think you can improve on genius, and Gus Van Sant predictably came a cropper with his shot-for-shot colour remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 shocker. Part of the problem lies in the casting: Vince Vaughn is no Anthony Perkins, Anne Heche is no Janet Leigh and Julianne Moore is no Vera Miles. But the real trouble lies in the slavish duplication of every single scene, line and camera angle. The curious upshot is that while Hitchcock's film looks as fresh as ever, the remake looks dated. Go figure.

Get Carter (2000)

With a new Italian Job in cinemas and an Alfie remake starring Jude Law in the pipeline, Michael Caine fans might be tempted to check out this earlier rehash of his 1971 crime classic. Our advice is: don't! Trading grim Tyneside for rainy Seattle is bad enough, but casting Sly Stallone as revenge-seeking hard man Jack Carter is a total disaster. Caine himself pops up in a supporting role (is there nothing he won't do for money?), but that doesn't make Stephen T Kay's laughable travesty any more tolerable. Thank God hardly anyone saw it.