Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 37

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 2:18pm

FosseTharp said: "@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."

When I see it, I might very well agree with you. That isn't the vibe I'm getting right now, but then there has been very little to see and, you're right, the nature of the scenes/story means that there will be unavoidable similarities. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 3:07pm

I rewatched the classic film last night and I realized what's so exciting is to see this material not inhibited by the Hayes code.

This is such a story about violence and real racism and even though there's a poetry to it all there's a grounded reality in what it's showing and there always has been. 

The movie is the broadway show and I just can't wait to see what this is when it's not stagey. I mean the whole sequence at Doc's before I Feel Pretty is just very stagey and slow. There is such high stakes here and interesting camera angles can really bring that out.

I think I used to be adverse to remaking old musical movies but I feel like if the case is made that a film could bring a less stagey approach and better emotional center than the original adaptation than I say go for it! 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 3:44pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I think I used to be adverse to remaking old musical movies but I feel like if the case is made that a film could bring a less stagey approach and better emotional center than the original adaptation than I say go for it!"

I agree. I think new film adaptations of the likes of South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Paint Your Wagon, Hello, Dolly!, Mame etc. Are ones I would love to see tackled again for their originals are ones I consider film adaptations with room for improvement and deserve new versions by new filmmakers who can be more creative and not feel the need to be stagey or badly handled because Hollywood is following "trends".

We are getting new film versions of The King and I, Guys and Dolls, and A Chorus Line (in the latter's case a Netflix miniseries) so there's nothing wrong with following this sort of path.

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 3:51pm

Musical Master said: "rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I think I used to be adverse to remaking old musical movies but I feel like if the case is made that a film could bring a less stagey approach and better emotional center than the original adaptation than I say go for it!"

I agree. I think new film adaptations of the likes of South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Paint Your Wagon, Hello, Dolly!, Mameetc. Are ones I would love to see tackled again for their originals are ones I consider film adaptations with room for improvement and deserve new versions bynew filmmakers who can be more creative and not feel the need to be stagey or badly handled because Hollywood is following "trends".

We are getting new film versions of The King and I, Guys and Dolls, and A Chorus Line(in the latter's case a Netflix miniseries) so there's nothing wrong with following this sort of path."

The King and I is the only one that seems unnecessary. The others are pretty dire adaptations. As are the originals on Rattle's list, though I seem to be the only one with a soft spot for the film of South Pacific. It isn't great, but it's often (for me) entertaining. And far better than that dreadful made-for-t.v. reinvention. 

 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 3:56pm

^ With all due respect, I’m game for the King & I as long as there is proper Asian casting with the King, Lady Thaing, Tuptim and others.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 4:40pm

Camelot is such a clunker of a movie musical adaptation. 

But I also don't know if it could be that interesting remade or for that matter if the want is there by people with money to remake it.

Even in its timeless story-there's something specifically dated about Camelot and I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 6:06pm

BwayLB said: "^ With all due respect, I’m game for the King & I as long as there is proper Asian casting with the King, Lady Thaing, Tuptim and others."

Oh, I've no problem with a new version, just saying that of all the musicals listed, that's the one whose first film version is already a very good movie.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 6:08pm

^ I completely agree on that. Especially with Yul Brynner as the King, the musical staging by Jerome Robbins and the sets/costumes.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 9:48pm

The King and I is still a very good movie with a great performance by Yul Brynner, but it does have some problems that keeps it from being The Sound of Music great in my opinion. Which means this new film adaptation of the musical that seems to want to be it's own version isn't unwelcome in my book.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 10:58pm

^ Problems such as

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 11:06pm

BwayLB said: "^ Problems such as"

 

White people. 

 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 11:19pm

^ Besides that

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 11:26pm

BwayLB said: "^ Problems such as?"

White washing of the Asian characters, stagey direction that happens sometimes, "I Have Dreamed" being cut, and honestly I wished Richard Rodgers allowed Maureen O'Hara to play Anna instead of Deborah Kerr. Because Maureen could have been a great equal power player to the powerful Yul and can actually sing extremely well. Here's her singing "Hello Young Lovers" in the first part of this birthday tribute video, she sounds really lovely.

 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/21/21 at 11:32pm

^ Ive seen Maureen in The Parent Trap and Miracle on 34th Street. And i love I Have Dreamed

[A Director]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 3:42am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I rewatched the classic film last night and I realized what's so exciting is to see this material not inhibited by the Hayes code.

This is such a story about violence and real racism and even though there's a poetry to it all there's a grounded reality in what it's showing and there always has been.

What? In reality, street gangs don't dance.

The movie is the broadway show and I just can't wait to see what this is when it's not stagey. I mean the whole sequence at Doc's before I Feel Pretty is just very stagey and slow. There is such high stakes here and interesting camera angles can really bring that out.

You don't know the stage show.  Changes were made in the movie version!

 

 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 9:45am

So, any word on a possible release date for the soundtrack? Or is it still up in the air?

[Robbie2]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 5:38pm

‘West Side Story’: 1 Small Song Change Created One of the Best Scenes in Movie History — Will Steven Spielberg’s Follow Suit? https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/west-side-story-1-small-song-change-created-best-scenes-movie-history-steven-spielberg-follow-suit.html/

‘Cool’ from ‘West Side Story’ was originally in act 1

Did not realize that!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 6:10pm

It was right after Anita and the girls did “America” and before Tony and Maria’s “One Hand, One Heart.”

In the 1961 film adaptation, its right after the rumble and before “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love.” 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 6:18pm

Apparently this song switch-a-roo was a change that original book writer Arthur Laurents wanted when the 61' film was being developed, but was something that Bernstein, Sondheim and Robbins wasn't so sure about.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/22/21 at 8:05pm

America was originally supposed to have the male sharks as part of the number, but Robbins wanted to stage an all-female number, so the male sharks got scrapped. Cool and Gee Officer Krupke were going to be switched to their film places, but the creative team realized it would've been too difficult to switch the sets for each song, so they left Cool before the rumble and Krupke after the rumble. 

[MissJennifer]

Posted: 9/23/21 at 9:15am

As much as I love the stage version, the movie's version of "Cool" is far more powerful...it seems more of a release AFTER the rumble than before, with all the fear, anger and stress of the deadly fight being purged in that jaw-dropping dance. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/23/21 at 10:38am

degrassifan said: "America was originally supposed to have the male sharks as part of the number, but Robbins wanted to stage an all-female number, so the male sharks got scrapped. Cool and Gee Officer Krupke were going to be switched to their film places, but the creative teamrealized it would've been too difficult to switch the sets for each song, so they left Cool before the rumble and Krupke after the rumble."

I'm curious where you get your info from. I'm not challenging you, but I mostly know the story of the show's construction from Sondheim and Co., where Laurents says Krupke was put after the rumble because Robbins and Bernstien hadn't wanted any comedy in the show to begin with and could only be persuaded to do it by Laurents referencing Shakespeare's clowns. Even then, they insisted it be inserted as an emotional release following the death of Riff--and Laurents even says ultimately he thought they were right because, coming early in the movie, the song only came across as a silly number. 

I certainly don't think Laurents was the soul of trustworthy info, but I'm interested in who gave an alternative version of the song's placement, as well as the striking of the Sharks from "America."

[degrassifan]

Posted: 9/23/21 at 11:00am

joevitus said: “I'm curious where you get yourinfo from. I'm not challenging you, but I mostly know the story of the show's construction fromSondheim and Co., where Laurents says Krupke was put after the rumble because Robbins and Bernstien hadn't wanted any comedy in the show to begin with and could only be persuaded to do it by Laurents referencingShakespeare's clowns. Even then, they insisted it be insertedas an emotional release following the death of Riff--and Laurents even says ultimately he thought they wereright because, coming early in the movie, the song only came across asa silly number.

I certainly don't think Laurents was the soul of trustworthy info, but I'm interested in who gave an alternative version of the song's placement, as well as the striking of the Sharks from "America.""

There are multiple sources that talk about it, but here’s a website that details all three numbers and their changes — 

Cool vs Gee Officer Krupe and America

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/23/21 at 2:32pm

Even though the 1961 film's placement of these two songs are a neat change, I kind of like their placements in the original stage show better. One, because in the show, "Cool" is a neat bit of tonal foreshadowing of things to come when the Rumble begins. And two, "Gee Officer Krupke" is a nice bit of relief after how heavy things were before and what makes the next scenes of the musical hit that much harder.

I'm glad that from the looks of things, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner has restored these two songs back to where they were before.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/23/21 at 2:57pm

What always worked so well about "Krupke" being Riff and Act One of the movie is he's so likable because of his part in it and it makes it even more devastating when he dies.

Also pacing wise, Cool matches the stakes of the turn of story after the rumble.