there is a reason barbara was basically a moving prop throughout the movie she wasnt in the original script when they came to the town to start filming they met her actress who IIRC was a waitress they liked the way she looked and thought she would be perfect for the movie but all the parts had already been cast
so they wrote a character into the script for her. creating the iconic opening "they're coming to get you barbara" and thats why in the opening she does everything right and is competent but after ben shows up she does nothing. its because they couldnt rewrite the plot around one character so they wrote her one scene and then hide the character in the corner with only a handful of references to her.
the other female characters were ok like the teenage girl who decided she wasnt going to stay and wait for the men to do everything and chose to go with them (which ended badly for her) and of course the mother who was my favorite character in the movie.
the remake isnt really better. it does improve the character of barbara but it somehow made the gas truck scene death scene even dumber than it was in the original
The remake really takes a giant dump on the original...and also treats the audience poorly. ---
Number of Mega Cookies given: (::::) 29 *Tips top hat, adjusts monocle, and walks away with a cane.* And yes, that IS Mr. Peanut laying unconscious on the curb