I haven't seen the remake, but I remember how depressing the original was.
Actually, if you've ever seen "Threads" (a BBC docudrama on the aftermath of a nuclear war and how it affects England), THAT is terrifying. It makes "The Day After" look like a Saturday morning cartoon.
Someone has cut up "Threads" and posted it on YouTube...it's still the scariest prgram I've ever seen on television. I saw it on late night television here in Cleveland, probably about 1988 or 1989. I couldn't finish watching it, and didn't until only a few months ago.