Eh, it's a matter of preference. A similar point was raised in the HD texture pack thread.
I find that version you linked a bit
too bright and colorful.
You say its dark, but why
should it be particularly bright? The scene's composition doesn't seem to suggest that; seems like it's supposed to be nighttime?
Do keep in mind that I'm a mechanic, not a graphic artist (but I do know my graphical editing tools - even if only just enough to be dangerous

).
Also I've never seen the original, so I don't have anything to compare it to.