Consequently, anyone who suggested remaking a poor film would have their suggestion shot down very quickly.
I can see the reasoning behind that. If a film was poor in the first place, how can you expect it to be good as a remake? Plus, who would go see a remake of a bad film?
I think a lot of the remakes of the last twenty years aren't even made for people who love the originals. They're made for a young audience who hasn't seen them but has HEARD of them - so the title has something familiar and that is the draw: they want to see what that film is about they so often heard of. A lot of people don't like to see old films period. They don't know the actors, feel the effects are old-fashioned etc. I know people who like Bond films, but haven't seen any before the Bond-actor of their generation. I think this is the audience they aim the remakes at.