First, I must admit, I did not see the 1974 orig movie because I did not know it existed until after seeing the TV version and the new 2009 movie and doing some research. When I first saw the TV version (1998), it was re-running on one of my TV stations so I watched it several times and each time was just as captivated as the first time. There's just something about movies made for TV and especially in that time period. Actually, it plays like a movie from the 60's or 70's, not 1998. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the TV-movie and would definitely watch it again & again.After seeing the new movie (2009), I did enjoy it and loved the acting, especially John Travolta, but somehow, I was a little disappointed it didn't follow the storyline of the TV-movie, which I understand is very close to the orig movie (1974). I understand everyone enjoys different things and some liked that it differed, however, I am one of those who like a book and movie to be the same or similar so I can compare.Now I'm really looking forward to seeing the orig 1974 movie ASAP.

I don't think this 1998 remake was too bad, provided you regard it as a straightforward hostage film.It uses some of the best lines from the original almost verbatim (eg, "A person likes to know how much he's worth", "Do they still have the death penalty in New York" "I've always done my own killing" etc) which is ok, but I can't believe that Mr Blue in the 1998 film would not know the death penalty status in what appears to be his native New York. In the original, the Mr Blue character was clearly British, and might be excused for not knowing the death penalty status in all 50 US states.But as one other observer observed, the 1998 lacks .... WALLY MATTHAU (and to some extend George Costanza's dad also).The 74 version could almost have been sold as a comedy, but not this one. It's a straightforward tradesman like version without the wit, irony, pathos and dulcet tones of Wally MatthauCertainly worth watching if you love the 74 version so you can do a 'compare and contrast'. If you have not watched either, and you only want to see one of them, see the 74 version.The final scene is worth the wait (in both versions)

To begin with, I have to say that i have not seen the original and i have not read the book.Although the subject was totally new to me, i still didn't like it. Take a classic hijacking story, take out the cops (who barely appear in the film), and you get the story for this movie.Well this remake has even more things that make it bad. Examples? The bad guys are very very poorly built. We don't get to find out anything about them, about their past, about their plans for the future, about the relationship between them. There is no chemistry between them, they barely talk to each other, they give you the feeling that they just met or that they hate each other. Vincent d'Onofrio gives a fair performance as Mr Blue, but also i have to say i totally disliked the ending-- probably you will do the same.There are many other bad things going with the movie, but i'll end here. My vote? 3 out of 10.

Although it's been a while since I watched this, I seem to recall enjoying it more than the 4.+ rating it has here. However, I also remember thinking "why?" Aside from some minor updates (the original's $1,000,000 ransom isn't much in 1998; more racial & gender diversity among the main players; the expunging of the Mayor character entirely which served only as comic relief in the original) the movie stuck so closely to the original that I had to wonder "why?" Why remake a great thriller unless you have something new to add? (Cape Fear for instance) While this certainly wasn't a waste of my time, and was in fact an entertaining evening of television, if given the choice, just watch the original. My only guess as to why this was made as it was, is because there are people who refuse to watch anything "old" and thus would rather watch a "new" version with current actors.