About the 'remake'...

... which really wasn't a remake at all, as it took on a very different storyline. Tobe Hooper did a masterful job reworking the original story into something completely different (and even somewhat original). Personally, I think that both are great films, and I can't decide which one I like better. I recommend both- it doesn't even matter which one you see first. If you are a gorehound, there are many things to appreciate in both.