Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 36

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:33pm

Smallfoot should have shown a bit of its music in the trailers.

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 1:06pm

Musical Master said: "SpiritualGangster said: "I was actually referring to the other movie musicals that MusicalMaster was referring to in his response to my message."

That's right. I do remember the teaser trailer for the film adaptation of Into The Woods was very guilty of this. I think the reason why this happens sometimes is because marketers want to appeal to as many people as possible, so they could see the movie even ifthey like musicals or not. Sure it's annoying when it happens, but it is what it is."

I had forgotten about “Into the Woods”. You’re right, I guess the marketers did want to appeal to a wider demographic. 

 

[Luscious]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 1:15pm

Looks stunning! The art direction, set design, costumes, colors, and cinematography.... wow, wow, WOW!!! If the screenplay, acting, and singing is equally as brilliant, it's going to sweep the Oscars! Can't wait to see this on the biggest screen possible!

[Globefan]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 2:39pm

I pre-ordered the making of book 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 4:28pm

degrassifan said: "Globefan said: "Andrea Burns is in the film as Maria's boss"

I picked up on that in the trailer. Looks like Maria is part of the department store’s cleaning staff and Andrea Burns looks like the head of the cleaners."

Per the 1957 play and 1961 film, Maria and Anita work at a bridal shop.  From that snippet, it clearly looks like an after hours moment in the bridal shop, hence the broom, etc. Judging from Maria’s movements, this looks to be the “I Feel Pretty” number.

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 4:28pm

Globefan said: "I pre-ordered the making of book"

 

Is it the one by Laurent Bouzereau?

[Globefan]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 4:50pm

SpiritualGangster said: "Globefan said: "I pre-ordered the making of book"



Is it the one by Laurent Bouzereau?"

Yep 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 8:15pm

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 8:45pm

I found a really interesting article on the development of Lincoln Square in the late 50s and early 60s, where Lincoln Center now stands. The neighborhood was then known as San Juan Hill, and the displacement of the residents of the neighborhood will be depicted in this new version of "West Side Story". 

What is ironic (or maybe intentional?) is that the opening Prologue for the 1961 film version was shot at this very location amongst its empty tenements before they met the wrecking ball. Sections of the Prologue (the basketball court) were also filmed in Spanish Harlem. 

Here is an excerpt from the article for context on what is going to be depicted in the new "West Side Story":

The redevelopment of Lincoln Square, however, led to the eviction of its majority black and Hispanic tenants, who then found themselves in Harlem or the Bronx and not in new housing units proposed by the Committee on Slum Clearance. The New York Times estimated that 7,000 lower-class families and 800 businesses were driven out of their former community.

“You cannot rebuild a city without moving people any more than you can make an omelet without breaking eggs,” said Moses during the 1959 ground-breaking ceremony. “We do, indeed, sympathize with tenants and do everything possible to help them. But we cannot give everybody and his lawyer what they want,” he said.

While San Juan Hill was characterized by city officials as a dirty, run-down slum, the neighborhood’s cultural significance should not be neglected. It was the birthplace of the Charleston and a haven for New Orleans jazz music, the place pioneering jazz pianist Thelonious Monk called home.

 

The complete article can be found here:

The story behind the lost neighborhood where ‘West Side Story’ is sethttps://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2020/02/25/story-behind-lost-neighborhood-where-west-side-story-set

[Globefan]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 9:36pm

SpiritualGangster said: ""

I hope Carol Lawrence is invited to the premiere 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 9:42pm

Oh, you can safely assume EVERYONE living will be invited to the World Premiere. That’s a given. Not just principal actors but dancers as well. Everyone involved with either the Broadway production or the 1961 film adaptation.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 10:45pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Per the 1957play and 1961 film, Maria and Anita work at a bridal shop. From that snippet, it clearlylooks like an after hours moment in the bridal shop, hence the broom, etc. Judging from Maria’s movements, this looks to be the “I Feel Pretty” number.

"

If you look at Maria's dress it's the same blue one from the moment when she kisses Tony (after the rumble and she discovers him bruised and battered). So it's the dress shop, "I Feel Pretty", the scene afterwards which there's a set photo of her walking and talking with friends, then her apartment when Chino tells her what happened, and finally Tony appears which then leads to "Somewhere" and it's rumored "Ballet Sequence". Which is what I'm guessing the film's events are in that order, which actually hues pretty closely to the stage show as at has been stated many times, this is going to be interesting to see when it comes out and people talks about the differences between this, the stage show, and the 1961 film.

[Globefan]

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:38pm

I'm excited to see the new added scenes 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 6:18am

 

Maddie Ziegler, who plays "Velma" spoke to Variety about her experience on the film, her career, etc:

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/maddie-ziegler-west-side-story-dance-at-the-gym-dance-moms-1235069544/

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 7:27am

“It’s always nerve-wracking to do a remake of something, especially something so iconic, but [Spielberg] really stayed true to the 1960s, which is amazing,” Ziegler, 18, told Variety.

Um, no. This here just shows how involved she was in this production.  Everyone involved was clearly aware (from their scripts) that the film was taking place in 1957.  I know 4 people who worked production and even THEY were aware of the film’s timeline and the word “remake” was never used at any time.  She definitely was just a dancer in the film and a day-player when used anywhere else.  Definitely second page on the Call Sheet talent.  

[Globefan]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 9:09am

SpiritualGangster said: "



Maddie Ziegler, who plays "Velma" spoke to Variety about her experience on the film, her career, etc:

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/maddie-ziegler-west-side-story-dance-at-the-gym-dance-moms-1235069544/"

I hope Velma actually gets real dialogue this time. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 12:22pm

Maybe she will, maybe she won't. Also, I have a feeling this will be a surprise late entry at the NYFF, some of Spielberg's other movies have been late entries as well.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 12:38pm

It was posted last week that a screening was to take place yesterday…Monday, September 20…in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Did that happen and did anyone on this board attend?

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 12:47pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "“It’s always nerve-wracking to do a remake of something, especially something so iconic, but [Spielberg] really stayed true to the 1960s, which is amazing,” Ziegler, 18, told Variety.

Um, no. This here just shows how involved she was in this production. Everyone involved was clearly aware (from their scripts) that the film was taking place in 1957. I know 4 people who worked production and even THEY were aware of the film’s timeline and the word “remake” was never used at any time. She definitely was just a dancer in the film and a day-player when used anywhere else. Definitely second page on the Call Sheet talent. "

'

It's a remake whether other people call it that or not. Any number of the stills demonstrate aspects of the first film version are being recreated. I'm not sure there is a big enough difference between 1957 and 1961 for the average person on the set to mark the difference. I expect some of the crew would be expected to be more aware of the minute differences (to ensure consistent period set/costume/prop design) than a lot of the cast members.

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 12:49pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "“It’s always nerve-wracking to do a remake of something, especially something so iconic, but [Spielberg] really stayed true to the 1960s, which is amazing,” Ziegler, 18, told Variety.

Um, no. This here just shows how involved she was in this production. Everyone involved was clearly aware (from their scripts) that the film was taking place in 1957. I know 4 people who worked production and even THEY were aware of the film’s timeline and the word “remake” was never used at any time. She definitely was just a dancer in the film and a day-player when used anywhere else. Definitely second page on the Call Sheet talent. "
 

LOL, sure.  Yes, she misspoke by calling it 60’s…. But by a whopping three years.  Maddie most definitely was more than “ just a dancer and day-player”  and was most certainly on the first page of the call sheet. She has 13+ million social media followers and BILLIONS (yes plural) of views on YouTube, so there’s no way she was just  a dancer and glorified extra (not to mention playing Velma l, the main Jett Girl).  I’m willing to bet she was paid higher than the majority of the other Jetts and Sharks.  She probably received a higher pay than Mike Faist. On Google she’s the 3rd cast member listed and in almost every article about the film she’s mentioned among the cast members, when some have even omitted Mike Faist and most didn’t mention the actors playing Baby John, Chino, Diesel, Action, Rosalia, Graziella, etc. 

 

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 1:07pm

There's a difference between remake, reboot, reimagining, and re-adaptation. I wish audiences would understand this. I just hate when people get so mad over anything being "remade." Plays and musicals get restaged all the time, but God forbid a movie is done more than once. I like seeing different perspectives and takes of the same story. Gerwig's Little Women made people fall in love with Amy March, whom you're supposed to hate in other versions. Cinderella (2015) expanded on characters and plot that the 1950 movie didn't touch upon. I see this West Side Story as a re-adaptation/revival but done on film instead of on stage. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 1:34pm

degrassifan said: "There's a difference between remake, reboot, reimagining, and re-adaptation. I wish audiences would understand this. I just hate when people get so mad over anything being "remade." Plays and musicals get restaged all the time, but God forbid a movie is done more than once. I like seeing different perspectives and takes of the same story. Gerwig's Little Women made people fall in love with Amy March, whom you're supposed to hate in other versions. Cinderella (2015) expanded on characters and plot that the 1950 movie didn't touch upon. I see this West Side Story as a re-adaptation/revivalbut done on film instead of on stage."

I don't see this as a reimagining or reboot (that latter term really only references a movie or tv series). "Re-adaptation" is clumsy. I see direct elements of the Wise-Robbins film in what's been released so far, so "remake" seems the apt description. 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 1:54pm

Am I correct in saying that it’s an adaptation of elements from both the original stage and film versions? The reason I say this is because if it were an adaptation of just the original stage show then the Sharks wouldn’t be included in the “America” number. Also there is a whole lot of dialogue that is completely original and is not derived from the original stage book by Arthur Laurents. 

Just my two cents…(wink)

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 1:58pm

joevitus said: 
I don't see this as a reimagining or reboot (that latter term really only references a movie or tv series). "Re-adaptation" is clumsy. I see direct elements of the Wise-Robbins film in what's been released so far, so "remake" seems the apt description."

Of course there are going to be direct elements because they both follow the same story beats. Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Pride & Prejudice (2005) are going to have direct elements because they are based on the same book. The WSS trailer also featured different dialogue, Maria getting ready for the dance in her room, Anita adding a belt to Maria's white dress, the Puerto Ricans arriving at the dance instead of a dream-like transition from the bridal shop to the gym, Tony and Maria having a conversation under the bleachers, Black people, Maria and Bernardo having words during breakfast, Anita leaving the police station, and so many other differences. The only similarities I saw were in the fire escape shots, but that's to be expected because where else would that scene take place? It's like saying The Sound of Music Live was a remake of Wise's film when that clearly wasn't the case.  

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 2:13pm

@Joevitus, and I completely understand why they’re calling it an adaptation and not a remake and completely agree. Of course there will be shots and scenes that resemble the 1961 film because they’re both based on the same musical , not to mention Peck’s choreography is inspired by Robbins work so you will notice similarities. But as great as that film is, it was basically a stage production done on a soundstage and on location in NYC with a bigger budget. Besides adding the Shark guys to “America”, the placement of I feel Pretty, eliminating the dream ballet, and wrongfully (IMO) swapping the placement of Cool and “Officer Krupke”, the 1961 film is basically the same as the musical with almost all of Laurent’s dialogue used. It’s not exactly cinematic… it’s the film version of the stage show. Whereas, the films of Cabaret and Chicago for example are musical films based on their source material but are completely new adaptations for the medium of film.
 

This version of WSS completely rewrites the script and expanded it for the film medium. Spielberg and Kushner used the original stage musical and created an adaptation of that property into a Movie Musical. That is why they all are adamant that it’s an adaptation and not a remake.