As a rule, I'm skeptical of remakes, but one genre that can break the mold is classic horror/sci-fi/fantasy. The special effects are just so much better now that if the filmmakers don't lose touch with the story, a remake can be a good film. The excellent Dracula remakes in the vampire genre are a great example from the days of the early movie monsters.

That's why I'm looking forward to the upcoming Wolfman release with Benicio del Toro. As much fun as the makeup effects in the original movie were, the rest is a bit plodding for today's audiences.

The 1982 version of the The Thing was another example of a terrific remake of a great classic. John Carpenter's version with Kurt Russell still scares the heck out of me. Now comes a "prequel" to that great remake - what did happen to those poor Norwegian scientists who discovered The Thing trapped in the ice? I have decided to maintain my high hopes until if and when they are dashed.

How about you? Any classic from the genre you think might benefit from a thoughtful remake?

Never-before-seen photos of a relaxed and happy Marilyn Monroe visiting Carl Sandburg in New York just a few months before her death are going on sale after 45 years in private hands. The screen icon and the poet were already friends - Marilyn did like smart, older men.

She looks chic, fresh, young. Hard to imagine the tragedy that lay ahead.

However, her popularity and marketability have never died. The photos are going from $2,000 to $4,000 each.

Monroe Playboy cover/Getty Images

Remember the tiny woman with the owlish glasses and the high, soft voice who proclaimed "This house is clean" in Poltergeist, albeit a little prematurely?

Zelda Rubenstein, a character actress who didn't become famous until she was in her 40s, has passed. She was catapulted into cult status for her role as the medium "Tangina" in the movie, which still scares the bejabbers out of me. She also had roles in less scary movies like Teen Witch and Sixteen Candles.

You can honor her memory by tuning into Poltergeist at 5 a.m. Eastern March 9 on Turner Classic.

They're heer-eer...

Rubenstein at Cannes in 2006, by Gareth Cattermole,/Getty Images

This is the time of year I wish I could just stay home all day and watch old movies - Turner Classic Movies' 31 days of Oscar-winning and nominated films leading up to the awards ceremony itself. So much to choose from. Here's a few good picks for the coming week:

Friday the 5th: Katharine Hepburn, early in her career with Little Women, and late with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
Saturday the 6th: Adventure films, with a fab car chase in Bullitt and the magnificent western, The Magnificent Seven.
Sunday the 7th: first and best of the Inspector Clouseau films, The Pink Panther.
Monday the 8th: Patriotic classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and eary Meryl Streep tear-jerker Sophie's Choice.
Tuesday the 9th: Billy Wilder's tense WWII drama Stalag 17.
Wednesday the 10th: Rosalind Russell as the mother of all stage mothers in Gypsy.
Thursday the 11th: Gene Kelly hoofin' it in Singing in the Rain.
and Friday the 12th, uber-noir Mildred Pierce with Joan Crawford.

Enjoy!