You could probably say the same thing with something like Treasure Island. If you were a kid back in those days it probably would have been your version of Star Wars, but good luck getting a kid now to appreciate it in the same manner. Doesn't mean you can't envision them via film and make them exciting for a modern audience.
There are a lot of older novels that were basically adventure stories for that time period. Like I've been said it would have been your Star Wars or Indiana Jones or something, and at that time people that read them would have just been blown away. I think The Count of Monte Cristo, Dracula, etc fell into that category.I loved Treasure Island. The internet age has removed most of the wonder and mystery of earlier eras as well as ruined the past two generations. So much more has been lost than gained.