Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread — Page 64

Musicnut82 said: "Wow, that is a very bold statement, if you take into account that his filmography since 1993 includes: SPR, A.I., Minority Report, Munich and Lincoln. Personally I consider SPR, A.I. and Munich masterpieces, the rest can be argued from very good to good."

This is a real thing real people say and not just created characters who parody film geeks?

Ten initial - and mostly spoiler-free - reactions from someone who adores the 1961 original and has been both anticipating and dreading this since it was announced three years ago:

1. The best score in musical theater history has never sounded better than it does here under Gustavo Dudamel.

2. Finally, for the first time in many years, someone (Janusz Kaminski) who knows how to film a musical dance scene. No rapid-fire cuts, closeups, dizzying camera swirls...just film the dancers' bodies in full and let the audience enjoy their artistry and the choreography. Everyone who makes a movie musical from now on should take a lesson from this.

3. Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose are both can't-take-your-eyes-off-them riveting, and their "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love" is one of the movie's highlights. Mike Faist and David Alvarez are also standouts.

4. If there's a weak link, it's Ansel Elgort, who has a fine voice but - sorry, just my opinion - really can't act very well. (Curiously, I thought the same thing about Richard Beymer in the original.)

5. Only a few lines from the original Arthur Laurents book have survived; almost the entire Tony Kushner script is new. I thought much of it was an improvement, and definitely far more culturally aware, but there were a few lines - including what I think are some critically important ones - that I really missed.

6. The songs are all there, but with some changes that I won't discuss here (mostly because I don't know how to toggle spoiler content). I was mostly fine with them, except for one big change - which happens to involve my favorite musical theater song of all time - that to me really made no sense and was the biggest problem I had with the movie.

7. For those who care about such things, this could well be the first time in history that two versions of the same movie win the Oscar for Best Picture. And despite the perceived flaws discussed above, it would be deserved.

8. It's also very likely that Best Supporting Actress will go to Ariana DeBose, making Oscars history with two actresses winning the award for the same role, or to Rita Moreno, making Oscars history with the same actress winning the award for two versions of the same movie (in different roles).

9. Go see it on the biggest screen you can find. This is no TV movie.

10. So, which version do I like better? I don't think I can answer that...at least, not yet. My initial reaction is that there are aspects of each version that I prefer over the other. I expect there will be room enough in my heart for both of them.

Saw it tonight and it was thrilling. I won't repeat all of the positive feedback mentioned by others. The only thing I will add is that I was tickled that they kept the ICONIC, "I know you do" in America. I was the lone person clapping to that, and that's okay by me.

I saw it last night in a small theater in Palmyra, PA. Dolby surround sound and reclining seats. Place only has like 30 seats and half were full. Place was freezing and I had to get up to pee twice.


That being said I think this is a masterpiece. Highlights were Ariana, Rachel, Mike and Iris.

I found Ansel to be the weak link.

For me Iris was the standout for only having a very short amount of time onscreen. Probably around 3 minutes and a few more just lurking in the background. 2 very powerful scenes. 1 in which goes into Anybodys gender a bit. Happy there is a non binary trans person playing this role.

Updated On: 12/10/21 at 02:58 AM

Saw it last night… Absolutely fantastic. I’m honestly surprised to be reading the posts that state Ansel as the weak link. I found him to be absolutely wonderful. In my opinion, he was actually one of the standouts. He acted the role beautifully (not sure how to hide spoilers, so I’ll just say that one of my favorite parts of the film was his reaction to what Valentina tells him in the basement of Doc’s shop toward the end… It absolutely broke my heart, in the best way), and delivered gorgeous vocals (his placement and vibrato are truly stunning, in my opinion). I know there’s been some controversy surrounding him recently, but without knowing much about that or commenting on it, I found him to be a truly wonderful Tony and even one of the highlights.

I also adored the way they did the rumble in this movie. It was so intense and suspenseful, and it didn’t copy and paste what the 1961 movie did, but you still obviously knew it was the iconic rumble. The added dialogue between Tony and Bernardo during that scene was really nice to see.

“Cool” was also done very well in my opinion. I think my favorite scene, though, was “A Boy Like That/I Have A Love”… Truly heartbreaking and beautiful. Ariana and Rachel absolutely nailed it.

I do agree with what someone stated a while back that the ending scene, to me at least, felt a bit rushed (not on the part of the actors… more something to do with how it was directed). I still found it to be effective, but maybe not as much as I have in the ‘61 movie or when I saw the show on broadway. It just didn’t land super well for me and I wish they had taken a little more time with it. But it still got me crying, so it delivers, maybe just not as much as I was expecting.

“Gee, Officer Krupke” was the other part that I was slightly underwhelmed by, but that may just be because it was much different than what I expected (I purposefully didn’t listen to the new soundtrack before I saw the movie last night, so as to be able to experience everything for the first time while seeing it, so it may have just surprised me and I may find I like it more once I see/listen to it more).

But honestly, those are really my only two critiques, and they are pretty minor. Everyone was fantastic - the leads (Rachel, Ansel, Ariana, David, and Mike) all stunned me in the best way, and Josh was absolutely heartbreaking as Chino and delivered a new and fresh performance from any other Chino I’ve seen. He really gave him many layers and colors and was just wonderful.

I was absolutely blown away by the whole thing and will definitely be seeing it again and again!

Why remake a a film that’s already a masterpiece? Robert Wise’s Oscar-winning film should be left alone. That was my reaction a few years ago when I heard Steven Spielberg was remaking West Side Story. I am more than happy to eat my words. I wanted to watch it again as soon as the credits began. There is so much to absorb.


Spielberg’ s West Side Story is a masterpiece that somehow manages to surpass the original. He peels back the paint to offer an authentically raw take on the classic. The film is perfectly cast with many of Broadway’s freshest triple-threat talent, many who have never been on screen, in leading and supporting roles. For this reason and many others, I believe the Academy should give Spielberg a deeper look for best direction. As Riff, Mike Faist (Newsies, Dear Evan Hansen) looks born for the silver screen and brings new complexity to the character. Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, Motown) will undoubtedly be nominated for her star-making performance as Anita. We are so lucky this production was able to pull David Alvarez (Billy Elliott) away from his acting hiatus. Trans non-binary actor Iris Menas adds new depth and context to the character of Anybodys. The entire ensemble of dancers and performers shines in 2021’s West Side Story.

While Ansel Elgort’s Tony isn’t as vocally-strong next to all these Broadway performers, he holds his own and brings charm to the film. Get used to hearing Rachel Zegler’s name. She is absolutely stunning as Maria and will also be in the Oscar race. In the newly-written role of Valentina (Doc’s widow), Rita Moreno shines once again and offers a solemn and striking new rendition of “Somewhere.”

Tony Kushner’s script brings new historical context yet keeps it fresh. Bernstein’ s score has never sounded so lush, a credit to the sound designers and editors. Justin Peck’s Robbins-inspired-choreography, though at times less technical, feels freer and more athletic in the sprawling streets of New York. The cinematography is moody and gorgeous, complemented by incredible lighting and scenic design throughout the film. Spielberg effortlessly demonstrates what a modern movie musical can be.

If you are vaccinated, mask up and go see it “Tonight, Tonight.”

TheaterFan3: Do you have the deluxe DVD of the 1961 film? Robbins's dismissal during production is discussed and explained in the bonus DVD. He took a very long time to say "check the gate" or "print it." Instead, he kept going for better and better takes and frequently came up with ideas for different shots while watching through his lens. In short, he was shooting so much footage that the producers couldn't afford to continue with him. The film always had two directors, so Robert Wise simply took over in entirety.

Apparently this happened just as The Dance at the Gym was about to be shot. Hal Prince described a visit to the set as it was about to be shot expecting to see Robbins and then being told he had been fired. Robbins was there for the Prologue and, I believe, I Feel Pretty, America and at least some of Cool (which took a long time to shoot). Perhaps he was there for Somewhere, as I have read he was involved in taking advantage of Beymer's and Wood's height difference to enhance their relationship, coming up with shots of her looking up to him (the Somewhere sequence is indeed beautifully shot). The Rumble was definitely shot after he had been removed.

Some of the dancers, tired of his relentless perfectionism, were not sorry to see him go while others, seeing him as the true creative source of the entire project, felt he had been wronged. But it was the decision of the producers, The Mirisch Company and United Artists. They just couldn't afford to keep him on.

He was brought back for the post-production editing of the film. He was unhappy with how The Dance at the Gym had been shot and did his best to edit around its proscenium look. In the end I don't think anyone claimed his co-director credit had not been earned.

LizzieCurry said: "Musicnut82 said: "Wow, that is a very bold statement, if you take into account that his filmography since 1993 includes: SPR, A.I., Minority Report, Munich and Lincoln. Personally I consider SPR, A.I. and Munich masterpieces, the rest can be argued from very good to good."

This is a real thing real people say and not just created characters who parody film geeks?"

I am not sure I follow your question.

Btw my statement was not made in a demeaning or condescending manner but more in a shock or surprise/disbelief reaction. Having not seen the film I think you would agree if you were told that Spielberg has made a movie that is better than the ones mentioned on my list and up there with Schindler's List you would be shockingly surprised. Especially when he hasn't made a film of that caliber in over a decade. Spielberg along with Kubrick are my two favorite directors of all time, so I am actually quite pleasantly surprised when I receive the confirmation that he has made another high caliber cinematic classic at the age of 75, soon to be, something rare for filmmakers since they tend to lose their peak after a certain age.

Musicnut82 said: "Btw my statement was not made in a demeaning or condescending manner but more in a shock or surprise/disbelief reaction. "

I'm glad that wasn't your intent. But that wasn't the outcome.

The film opened to a soft 800k Thursday night, same as Dear Evan Hansen. Here's hoping it gets the chance to leg out as musicals sometimes can. Spider-Man swallows most multiplex screens next Friday, but this seems like counter-programming.

CarlosAlberto said: "The last scene didn't completely land with me. It was too brief and it did not quite move me as it did in the original film. Rachel cannot even come close to Natalie Wood's completely gut wrenching breakdown from the original film. It moved me, but Natalie Wood always moves me to tears...even after 1,000 viewings. I just wish there was a little more of an investment made in that final scene in the new film."

I completely agree with these points, Carlos. I thought, on the whole, the movie was an absolute masterpiece and is a crown jewel of cinematic adaptation of a musical. It felt vital, fresh, and bold. Visually stunning, sung and danced for the ages, featuring amazing performances (particularly DeBose and Moreno, who made me absolutely lose it during her "Somewhere". Hoping it picks up a number of Oscars.

However, my biggest issues with the film were exactly these two. I thought Rachel was a major standout throughout the film—she is absolutely magnetic to watch and her voice is angelic. But I thought her acting wasn't raw and intense enough during two important scenes: (1) where she sees Tony for the first time after the rumble; and (2) mourning Tony in the finale. Natalie Wood's devastation in those two particular scenes still haunts me, and I thought Rachel was a little too act-y in those moments. I found it odd because there were other parts of the film where I thought Rachel showed the potential to convincingly act devastated and in horror (like in "A Boy Like That" and when she's running up to Tony and realizes Chino is behind him with a gun).

And I thought the fallout after Tony dies was not on the same emotional level and heft of the preceding two and a half hours. It's unfortunate because I wanted to bawl my eyes out, but it weirdly felt like they just performed by the book for the final two minutes of the film.

I'm nitpicking here because the rest of the property was pretty much flawlessly done. So many smart choices made. I will certainly be making return trips to this and will be rooting for it during Oscar season.

ElephantLoveMedley said:

I completely agree with these points, Carlos.


However, my biggest issues with the film were exactly these two. I thought Rachel was a major standout throughout the film—she is absolutely magnetic to watch and her voice is angelic. But I thought her acting wasn't raw and intense enough during two important scenes: (1) where she sees Tony for the first time after the rumble; and (2) mourning Tony in the finale. Natalie Wood's devastation in those two particular scenes still haunts me, and I thought Rachel was a little too act-y in those moments.

And I thought the fallout after Tony dies was not on the same emotional level and heft of the preceding two and a half hours. It's unfortunate because I wanted to bawl my eyes out, but it weirdly felt like they just performed by the book for the final two minutes of the film.

Totally agree with this. Thanks for reminding me that Rachel also missed the mark when she confronts Tony after the rumble - - - another scene that guts me every time because of the way it was so brilliantly played by Natalie Wood.

With Natalie you feel Maria's pain...with Rachel, not so much....

I found this discussion to be really interesting.