Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 2

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 6:32pm

Hidden iPhone footage during one of the takes of the “America” number finalé (you can see steadicam operator in the middle at the start of the clip):

 

[Globefan]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 6:35pm

I'm curious about whether they'll keep the Broadway lineup of songs or if they'll switch them around like the 1961 film. I can't wait to see how Somewhere is done, if they'll do it as a duet or with the ballet and offscreen voice. 

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 7:32pm

Re the clip:  IN THE HEIGHTS goes retro!

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 7:40pm

Sorry if this is a dumb question but are they using the Robbins choreography for the Spielberg film?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 7:45pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "chrishuyen said: "I'm skeptical of Elgort as well (we haven't heard him sing that I know of, and I don't think the slicked back hair really suits him. Also he just looks SO much older than Rachel Zegler it's kind of jarring), but I'm excited to see what this production will bring with the updated book and all."

Ansel’s singing voice isn’t a mystery. He’s sung on talk shows, social media, etc.

 

I was truly impressed with Ansel when I accidentally ordered BABY DRIVER from On Demand and decided to watch it anyhow. He was good. Really good. I've read up on him and learned he has a musical background and has written an opera.

This clip proves he has a very nice voice but has trouble sustaining some notes. With some good coaching and breath control he could be a terrific singer. 

My concern is that the role of Tony calls for a tenor and Ansel is obviously a baritone. In the wonderful world of Hollywood, though, anything is possible.

 

"

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 7:46pm

CT2NYC said: "BenElliott said: "Looks very... modern.
Still not convinced we need a remake. Especially not one with Elgort."

Modern? Nope.

It looks the exact opposite of modern, actually."

Nope, it looks the opposite of what you said. Looks modern. Look at all those people people on the street watching, not at in synch with the era (looks like people waiting to get into a club, or the crowd in Rent). Look at all that neon outside Doc's. Yeah, Maria's still in the same old dress. Still looks modern. And unnecessary. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 8:11pm

joevitus said: "CT2NYC said: "BenElliott said: "Looks very... modern.
Still not convinced we need a remake. Especially not one with Elgort."

Modern? Nope.

It looks the exact opposite of modern, actually."

Nope, it looks the opposite of what you said. Looks modern. Look at all those people people on the street watching, not at in synch with the era (looks like people waiting to get into a club, or the crowd in Rent). Look at all that neon outside Doc's. Yeah, Maria's still in the same old dress. Still looks modern. And unnecessary."

They didn't have neon in the 50's? Also, look more closely at the people on the street. If you still think they look like they're in Rent, then we'll have to just agree to disagree. It's 2020, the movie isn't going to look like it was filmed in 1950. You can say the actors' styling, the wardrobe, and set decorations look inauthentic, but "modern?" No. The current revival is modern, not this.

[squip]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 10:09pm

Phantom4ever said: "Sorry if this is a dumb question but are they using the Robbins choreography for the Spielberg film?"

Justin Peck choreographed the film and I don't believe he used any of the original Robbins choreography. 

[Tag]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 10:13pm

I don't know my Robbins choreography enough, but here's a small clip from the film - for anyone that knows it, can you comment?

[Tag]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 10:15pm

You can also see a period car in the clip.  So that settles that.

[Tag]

Posted: 3/16/20 at 10:17pm

And just realized Brody posted the clip on the previous page! oy

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 12:20am

The film takes place in 1957, like the original Broadway production.  The hair styles and costumes reflect this.  Anita, in this incarnation, is Afro-Latina so her hair style is reflective on how many young ethnic women sported their hair during that period. 
 



 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 1:03am

BrodyFosse123 said: "The film takes place in 1957, like the original Broadway production. The hair styles and costumes reflect this. Anita, in this incarnation, is Afro-Latina so her hair style is reflective on how many young ethnic women sported their hair during that period.




I agree. It's definitely more period authentic than the way they styled Debbie Allen's hair for the 1980 revival of the show. 

 

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 8:46am

Just to clarify, I didn't mean this looked like a modern adaptation like the revival, I meant that the period look looked too modern. Like modern people pretending to look like they're from the 50's. It looks effortful. It doesn't look authentic.

It looks like one of the live musicals. I haven't been a fan of Spielberg's recent work and I find Ansel to be an absolutely awful actor, so my expectations for this could not be lower.

Couldn't they have adapted a musical that didn't win 10 Oscars on it's first try? Sounds kind of doomed from the start. Idk, I don't think directors know how to make musical movies anymore. I didn't like Into the Woods, La La Land, or Nine and Cats is possibly the worst movie ever made. I don't think I've seen a good movie musical since Chicago.

[Globefan]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 1:27pm

I'd love to see the first theatrical poster be a replication of Tony and Maria running down the street. I know exactly where that picture of Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert was taken. It was taken on 418 West 56th St 

[joevitus]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 4:12pm

BenElliott said: "Just to clarify, I didn't mean this looked like a modern adaptation like the revival, I meant that the period look looked too modern. Like modern people pretending to look like they're from the 50's. It looks effortful. It doesn't look authentic.

It looks like one of the live musicals. I haven't been a fan of Spielberg's recent work and I find Ansel to be an absolutely awful actor, so my expectations for this could not be lower.

Couldn't they have adapted a musical that didn't win 10 Oscars on it's first try? Sounds kind of doomed from the start. Idk, I don't think directors know how to make musical movies anymore. I didn't like Into the Woods, La La Land, or Nine and Cats is possibly the worst movie ever made. I don't think I've seen a good movie musical since Chicago."

Pretty much have your take about "modern." It has a modern look, even if it's got a period setting. Anyone who ever saw The Cotton Club will understand this. 

Agree this is among the films that doesn't need remaking, but as demonstrated by comments about actors wearing "brown paint" I guess the film is seen as a racist minstrel show now. Baffling considering it's a film about tolerance, but there you have have it. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/17/20 at 10:43pm

On a related note, enjoy this video of Rachel Zegler singing "What Baking Can Do," posted to her YouTube account a few days ago.

 

[AADA81]

Posted: 3/20/20 at 6:32pm

These photos look invigorated and make me want to see the film, which has not been true up to this point.  I'm glad the 'period' has been retained because I think it's very much a part of the story.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 3/20/20 at 9:51pm

Globefan said: "I'd love to see the first theatrical poster be a replication of Tony and Maria running down the street. I know exactly where that picture of Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert was taken. It was taken on 418 West 56th St"

That might easily fool some people!

[MadAboutTheBoy]

Posted: 3/20/20 at 10:01pm

I found these, which are pretty interesting:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ufbzDR8Yv9w

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ufbzDR8Yv9w

But in the second one, at the :20 and 1:35 marks, does anyone know why they're driving the cars backwards during filming?

 

P.S.  Sorry these aren't hyperlinked.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/20/20 at 10:12pm

Hahaha. Just watched the video (you posted the same video link twice) about 10 times to see WHERE on Earth you saw cars driving backwards. Every car seen in this footage is driving forward.

[MadAboutTheBoy]

Posted: 3/22/20 at 12:32am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Hahaha. Just watched the video (you posted the same video link twice) about 10 times to see WHERE on Earth you saw cars driving backwards. Every car seen in this footage is driving forward."

Sorry about that. I posted the wrong link. Here's the correct on ( at the 1:06 mark): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s7nD6PAg_m8

[A Director]

Posted: 3/22/20 at 4:03am

The costumes look 1957ish to me.  As for the cars going backwards, it could be there wasn't enough room to turn them around.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/22/20 at 8:21am

Regarding the cars and the bus going backwards: they are simply going back to their starting points. They are filming on closed public streets. It would take them about 10 minutes if they drive thru the regular streets to drive back to the starting point. Quicker and more controlled simply having the drivers slowly drive backwards and back to the starting point without leaving the set.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/10/20 at 7:01pm

Judging from the cast and crew, the bts footage and the pictures I'm very hopeful that this may turn out to be one of the best musical films in quite a while, that treats the musical genre with love and respect other than drowning it out in Hollywood/Oscar-bait nonsense that plagued Cats and other bad musical film adaptations from the past 20 years.

Thankfully with the existence of Cats, everyone has learned how NOT to do a musical film adaptation of a Broadway musical. Hopefully.