Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 41

[Globefan]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 12:30am

degrassifan said: "The way the moderator at the Tony Kushner zoom kept emphasizing the movie was long makes me think it might even be longer than 150 minutes. But who knows? People with short attention spans even thought live-action Beauty and the Beast was long at 129 minutes… Lincoln was 150 minutes and Munich was 163 minutes (both Spielberg/Kushner films), so I feel like WSS will be around there somewhere."

The new scenes Kushner added will feel very organic 

[NameGreg]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 1:27pm

Kushner makes long works but they never feel slow or boring to me, so I’m all good if this is long.

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 2:13pm

Kushner is a master. One of my favorite playwrights right up there with August Wilson. I have no doubts his adaptation will be great.

[Globefan]

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

We're officially 2 months out 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 12:50pm

SpiritualGangster said: "Kushner is a master. One of my favorite playwrights right up there with August Wilson. I have no doubts his adaptation will be great."

Agreed, Kushner is one of the best writers around and along with Spielberg, his involvement is what made me so interested in what this version will be like in comparison to the stage show and 1961 film. I can't believe we're only two months away for this movie to finally come out, I've be so excited to see this for quite a long time.

Remember when some of us thought that Camilla Cabello was going to get the role of Maria before it was confirmed to be a rumor. Thank goodness for Rachel Zegler being cast, that's all I'm going to say.

[Globefan]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 5:19pm

https://twitter.com/DrissiAdv/status/1447969384501284871?s=20 They did a great WSS standee for the publicity 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 5:29pm

[Globefan]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 6:08pm

That's Luz (the renamed Consuelo) with her back faced to the camera. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 6:35pm

BrodyFosse123 said: ""

I love the use of the United States and Puerto Rico flags for our main characters. I wonder what else the marketing department has in store, considering the really good job they've done so far.

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 6:41pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Musical Master said: "Possibly 2 hours and 30 minuteslong."

Yeah that's what I would bet too.

1. cause Spielberg like a healthy lengthedepic

2. The fact that West Side Story is equal parts necessary plot AND lengthy dance breaks."

Bizarre considering the stage show has one of the shortest books on record. We'll just have to wait and see...

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 8:06pm

joevitus said: "rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Musical Master said: "Possibly 2 hours and 30 minuteslong."

Yeah that's what I would bet too.

1. cause Spielberg like a healthy lengthedepic

2. The fact that West Side Story is equal parts necessary plot AND lengthy dance breaks."

Bizarre considering the stageshow has one of the shortest books on record. We'll just have to wait and see..."

You don't get Tony Kushner to write the screenplay if you want a 1:1 translation of the book to the big screen.

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 2:28am

KevinKlawitter said: "joevitus said: "rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Musical Master said: "Possibly 2 hours and 30 minuteslong."

Yeah that's what I would bet too.

1. cause Spielberg like a healthy lengthedepic

2. The fact that West Side Story is equal parts necessary plot AND lengthy dance breaks."

Bizarre considering the stageshow has one of the shortest books on record. We'll just have to wait and see..."

You don't get Tony Kushner to write the screenplay if you want a 1:1 translation of the book to the big screen.

"

I don't get why you get Tony Kushner to write the screenplay at all, unless you are a director are so obsessed with making a "big" (i.e. pompous) movie that you have to have one the greatest living playwrights on you payroll just to inflate your movie's promotional campaign. Kushner is genuinely great, and I'd never belittle his gifts, but I can't for the life of me see how he and his vision fit into this work. It's a bit like hiring David Mamet to write the screenplay for a remake of My Fair Lady.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 4:28am

This indeed is a great point. All of Kushner’s previous work with Spielberg were entirely original screenplays. Yes, based on various sources but he wrote completely original scripts. When this film adaptation was first announced, they overtly made clear that Arthur Laurent’s book for the original 1957 Broadway production was going to be the source and not Ernest Lehman’s screenplay for the 1961 film adaptation. It’s highly unlikely that Kushner would agree to just adding little moments here and there and updating some words for authenticity and nothing more. This could end up being a completely new script from scratch USING the 1957 Broadway book as it’s source therefore Kushner would qualify for a Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award and not for Best Original Screenplay.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 4:29am

Seems pretty logical that if Spielberg wanted script work he would turn to someone he's previously worked with successfully who aligns with his notion of story. Kushner fits the profile. Plus his name brings additional cachet.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 6:09am

Well, let's start with : Kushner WANTED to do it.

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 8:18am

Thanks, Brody!

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 8:21am

dramamama611 said: "Well, let's start with : Kushner WANTED to do it.

"

Start there for what reason? I'm sure a lot of writers WANTED to do it. What makes Kushner's talents a good fit for this material? 

I get the feeling Lehman's screenplay will end up looking much more faithful to Laurents' work than Kushner's. I thought the whole point of this movie was that they wanted to be faithful to the original work. 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 8:57am

joevitus said: "dramamama611 said: "Well, let's start with : Kushner WANTED to do it.

"

Start there for what reason? I'm sure a lot of writers WANTED to do it. What makes Kushner's talents a good fit for this material?

I get the feeling Lehman's screenplay will end up lookingmuch more faithful to Laurents' workthan Kushner's. I thought the whole point of this movie was that they wanted to be faithful to the original work."

Changes aside, the 1961 film was extremely faithful to the original show down to the choreography and even the costumes. 

If this new adaptation was aiming to be faithful to the original show they would have kept the choreography, the costumes and kept the “America” number strictly with the girls.

This new WSS is a WSS for a new generation. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 9:36am

JasonC3 said: "Seems pretty logical that if Spielberg wanted script work he would turn to someone he's previously worked with successfully who aligns with his notion of story. Kushner fits the profile. Plus his name brings additional cachet."

And going off of that, it's not like Spielberg hasn't worked with other playwrights in the past. Just recently his (quite underrated) Bridge of Spies was written by Matt Charman (whose Regrets even starred Ansel Elgort off-Broadway) and polished by The Coen Brothers. Spielberg isn't sloppy. He knows which writers he can collaborate with for the best results.

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 10:15am

"West Side Story" 60th Anniversary screenings on November 28th and December 1 only courtesy of TCM Big Screen Classics. Hopefully, this will be the restored print with the corrected colors during the Overture that were botched for its 50th anniversary. TCM has been screening the corrected version since May.

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 10:17am

I hope it means we'll get a corrected Blu-ray. At least get rid of that fade to black nonsense. 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 11:08am

joevitus said: "I hope it means we'll get a corrected Blu-ray. At least get rid of that fade to black nonsense."

It’s been corrected as well the “Maria” segment, where it is now the correct shade of blue and not that horrible fuchsia.

The streaming version hasn’t been upgraded though and is still incorrect. 

I have the corrected version saved to my DVR from its TCM airing. 

I’m surprised a 60th anniversary edition blu or 4K UHD disc hasn’t been announced yet. The film’s anniversary is October 18th. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 12:40pm

Thanks!

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 1:29pm

There can't be people who really want to hear the jets say things like "rigga tigga tum" again. 

Honestly hoping the characters curse this time round. That's more accurate. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 1:59pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "There can't be people who really want to hear the jets say things like "rigga tigga tum" again.

Honestly hoping the characters curse this time round. That's more accurate."

The MPA rating did indicate that this movie will have "some strong language", so the gangs cursing here and there will most certainly be in the new movie.