Which version of 'Cape Fear' is better?

Now that's an interesting comparison! Hadn't thought before of the parallels but I see what you mean. I think Mitchum still has the edge--something in the dead look in his eyes in some scenes that makes him look more dangerous than almost any other actor. But DeNiro does come closer to that portrayal.

The remake, by far (I just reviewed in the movie tab). I have seen the original and I still prefer Scorsese's version. De Niro's performance is terrific and a personal favourite out of his body of work. Robert De Niro's performance is probably the major reason I preferred the remake. It was so over the top and scary. I loved every minute of the remake. The original was good, but there is way better acting in the remake and Scorsese's direction keeps things tense.

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I prefer the remake. I think it was De Niro's acting which made me prefer the recent version. De Niro is a very versatile actor, and can play just about anything, but in Cape Fear, he is genuinely a nasty, cruel guy and for some reason it was a side to his acting I hadn't seen. And quite frankly i'd be pretty scared if he was stalking me. I was feeling tense the whole time I watched this film, and when the film was over, I just couldn't wait to turn on the lights again haha.

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seen neither lol

i just had a rewatch of this and i have to say martin scorcese never makes a bad film, the tension and the music and the whole atmosphere in this is just so grrat, makes it a great thrillee and one ofthe best performances by robert de niro, he s just nasty son of a bitch in this

I think Scorsese's one is a pretty bad film and probably his worst. Not in love with the original either but it's better.

Never seen the original but love the remake...one of De Niro's best performances.

Haven't seen the original, but maybe I should. As for the remake, Robert De Niro gives one of his best performances ever, and is so damn creepy! I was seriously scared for what he'd do with the family.

It's a very good thriller, certainly one of Scorsese's most intense work.

The one with Deniro, Nolte, and Scorsese. Way better than the original. This is one of those rare instances where Hollywood did right with a remake.

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“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!” ~ Rocky Balboa

I loved it - might have cried.

I liked Scorsese's remake. Never saw the original nor do I feel the need. 1991 Cape Fear on its own is a solid thriller with creative editing, real suspense and great acting.

I saw the remake, however, the original does have a better ending perhaps. Even though I like the remake, the ending is just weird. Nolte is about to smash De Niro with a rock, and then all of a sudden he misses cause De Niro was moved away from the tide, and then drowns? Why not have the hero kill the villain? Why does a piece of random nature have to swoop in and do the job, by coincidental timing?

Other then that, the remake is superior.

I think the actors in the first version were excellent (Peck and Mitchum), but they were just not allowed to set Mitchum free to be as bad as Deniro. Deniro was excellent as the Bad Ass.it's hard to say what Mitchum would have done if he was encouraged to go that far over the top. He was rough for his day.

I've only seen the Scorsese version but I'll say that I wish I could see Spielberg's version with Harrison Ford as Sam and Bill Murray as Cady.

I actually like the Scorsese remake best.

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