Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 46

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 6:14pm

https://peopleenespanol.com/chica/ana-isabelle-west-side-story-rosalia-exclusive/

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 10:09pm

One thought that came to mind to me was depending on how well received the changes are, particularly the expanded dialogue from Kushner, whether or not we might see the incorporated into another revival some time in the future.  Ivo van Hove's attempt might have left a bad taste in some mouths, but it probably didn't last long enough to taint the material. enough to stop an enterprising Producer from attempting to revive it again.

The Spielberg vs van Hove thing could make for some interesting analysis from the people who were able to see the latter.  From what I understand attempted to make the material "relevant" by cutting an already short book even further and drawing blatant parallels with modern political events through his trademark projected video and such, while Spielberg and Kushner seem to be making it relevant by highlighting the social and economic context of the period when it was set, creating parallels with similar issues seen today.

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 10:35pm

KevinKlawitter said: "One thought that came to mind to me was depending on how well received the changes are, particularly the expanded dialogue from Kushner, whether or not we might see the incorporated into another revival some time in the future. Ivo van Hove's attempt might have left a bad taste in some mouths, but it probably didn't last long enough to taint the material. enough to stop an enterprising Producer from attempting to revive it again.

The Spielberg vs van Hove thing could make for some interesting analysis from the people who were able to see the latter. From what I understand attempted to make the material "relevant" by cutting an already short book even further and drawing blatant parallels with modern political events through his trademark projected video and such, while Spielberg and Kushner seem to be making it relevant by highlighting the social and economic context of the period when it was set, creating parallels with similar issues seen today."

I thought that the new film and the van Hove revival would've been great companion pieces for EXACTLY that reason 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 11:11pm

Official Runtime: 2 hours and 35 minutes. The same runtime as the new Dune film.

https://www.unitedcinemas.co.nz/movie/west-side-story

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/5/21 at 11:17pm

I hope they don't bloat the film with the long overture and the closing credits 

[degrassifan]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:20am

Musical Master said: "Official Runtime: 2 hours and 35 minutes. The same runtime as the new Dune film.

https://www.unitedcinemas.co.nz/movie/west-side-story"

Thanks! I’m gonna wait and see it confirmed other places too. Sometimes movie theaters put placeholder runtimes. This may very well be the runtime, or it may not. 

[bismarcky]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 5:59pm

Speaking of expanded dialogue by Kushner, I saw this in a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly and found María's initiative super interesting: 

https://ibb.co/QXp0D1d

 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 7:16pm

The new dialogue between Tony and Maria is so Tony Kushner that I love it!

[degrassifan]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 7:37pm

bismarcky said: "Speaking of expanded dialogue by Kushner, I sawthis in a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly and found María's initiative super interesting:

https://ibb.co/QXp0D1d

"

Oh wow! That’s really cute. Maria is bold AF. I love it! 

[degrassifan]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 9:38pm

First scene heading from Tony Kushner’s script. Found it on Twitter. It’s from the making-of book. 
 

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 10:33pm

Looks like Fathom Events will be hosting screenings of the original film in theatres Sunday, November 28 and Wednesday, December 1st.

TCM Big Screen Classics Presents West Side Story 60th Anniversary

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 11:52pm

degrassifan said: "bismarcky said: "Speaking of expanded dialogue by Kushner, I sawthis in a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly and found María's initiative super interesting:

https://ibb.co/QXp0D1d

"

Oh wow! That’s really cute. Maria is bold AF. I love it!"

This is how Maria should be portrayed. As a strong young woman. 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 12:46am

degrassifan said: "First scene heading from Tony Kushner’s script. Found it on Twitter. It’s from the making-of book.


"

It would be really cool if after that it dissolves to show the neighborhood (San Juan Hill) that was demolished to make way for Lincoln Center. 

[NameGreg]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 1:28pm

Makes sense that the overture is absent. You can’t get away with such a long piece of music over the credits with nothing actually happening nowadays. And you can’t really put it over opening action since that makes the prologue redundant. I’m sure it’ll be on the album though.

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 1:56pm

NameGreg said: "Makes sense that the overture is absent. You can’t get away with such a long piece of music over the credits with nothing actually happening nowadays. And you can’t really put it over opening action since that makes the prologue redundant. I’m sure it’ll be on the album though."

I hope the timeline of the prologue is more clearly defined than it was in the 1961 film, which made it look like the whole conflict blew up in a single day, rather than over a period of time. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 2:14pm

NameGreg said: "Makes sense that the overture is absent. You can’t get away with such a long piece of music over the credits with nothing actually happening nowadays. And you can’t really put it over opening action since that makes the prologue redundant. I’m sure it’ll be on the album though."

Maybe there could be a Deluxe Edition that hasn't been announced yet and it could include more music that is either in the film or it isn't.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 2:36pm

NameGreg said: "Makes sense that the overture is absent. You can’t get away with such a long piece of music over the credits with nothing actually happening nowadays. And you can’t really put it over opening action since that makes the prologue redundant. I’m sure it’ll be on the album though."

Another option could be what was done in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins Returns where the overture/main title music occurs after the prologue? We’ll see! I doubt there will be a 4 minute orchestral piece at the beginning of the film though. Those don’t happen anymore unfortunately. 

 

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 3:13pm

Has there been any word if there will be a 60th Anniversary Blu Ray release for the original?  When I look on Amazon it looks like the most recent release was the 50th Anniversary.

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 10:38pm

Theatre Fan3 said: "Has there been any word if there will be a 60th Anniversary Blu Ray release for the original? When I look on Amazon it looks like the most recent release was the 50th Anniversary."

I was wondering the same thing. It doesn’t seem likely as it would have been announced months ago and would probably have been released by now. The original film’s 60th anniversary was October 18th. 

It’s a shame it hasn’t been released because they have remastered it and finally fixed the problematic overture that marred the 50th anniversary release. 

MGM hasn’t even bothered to upgrade the streaming version and replace it with the new remaster. The only outlet that has screened the new remaster is TCM and I’m willing to bet it will be this new remaster that will be shown on November 28th and December 1st in theaters. 

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 11:17pm

I wonder if Jerome Robbins would love what Spielberg is doing with his story if he were still alive. 

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 12:26am

Globefan said: "I wonder if Jerome Robbins would love what Spielberg is doing with his story if he were still alive."

I would be more interested of what Arthur Laurents would think about the (what it seems to me to be) a total overhaul of his original book.

The more I read about it and the more I see it’s isn’t merely a remake but a complete reimagining of the show. It’s definitely not a carbon copy or by-the-numbers which is risky but at the same time very brave. 

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 12:21pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxsI_WJzTjc

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 2:56pm

I'm thinking that the scene with Lt. Schrank and the police officers is what leads to the "Tonight Quintet" which will probably add tension and suspense in comparison to the 1961 film which the song begins right after "One Hand, One Heart". Speaking of, I'll bet that the new church setting will add a lot of ethereal beauty to "One Hand, One Heart", judging from how beautiful the lighting is in that scene.

I can't believe we are one month and 2 days away until the movie comes out, 2021 flew by so fast.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 2:58pm

No doubt Laurents and Robbins would hate it...though perhaps hated slightly less than the Van Hove revival :)

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 3:39pm

I think what's going to be interesting is how they meld the gritty realism with the fantastical poetic element of dance and music.

The original movie being such a Jerome Robbins on film type of thing, it all tonally worked. 

So I see that as the challenge with this. Cause the trailer is giving me real and gritty but it's not giving me 

"West Side Story land" 

And just overall I hate how long they hold out on showing ANY sort of true musical sequences in the trailer. It's West Side Story for god's sake people know it's a musical.