Scorsese's 128-Minute Cape Fear Remake Earns Its Place

When people ask, "Does this really need to get remade?" it often refers to things such as Cape Fear, the new Apple TV series based on three existing source materials: the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald, the 1962 film by J. Lee Thompson, and the 1991 film by Martin Scorsese.

The new series, starring Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson and adapted for the small screen by Nick Antosca, has been relatively well received, but the general enthusiasm feels muted. As well-acted and constructed as the series is, it pales in comparison to Scorsese's ingenious adaptation work in his remake starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, and Juliette Lewis, which laid the groundwork for Apple's Cape Fear.

Scorsese's version deliberately blurs the lines between good and evil in ways the earlier film did not. In Thompson's original, Max Cady and Sam Bowden are separated by thick dividing walls: Bowden represents decency while Cady is practically the devil incarnate.

cape fear, martin scorsese, javier bardem, amy adams, patrick wilson, nick antosca, de niro, nick nolte, jessica lange, juliette lewis