Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread — Page 71

Steven Spielberg and his production company can take the financial hit, he’ll keep on creating and getting movies made. WSS is just a massive art project for him. He’ll get best picture at the Oscar’s and showed Rachel to the world. I’m sure that’s all he truly wanted out of this project.

I'm prepared to be proven wrong, but I would be very surprised if West Side Story wins Best Picture. I know it's something of a wide-open race, with the leading contenders not drawing audiences, but it would be rather damning for Hollywood to have its best picture be a remake of a 60-year-old film that also won Best Picture.

If West Side Story turns into a box office success, then I can see an argument for it on the grounds that people really love the film and are headed to theaters in droves to see it. Otherwise, I don't see the film having a chance at the top prize.

Wouldn't Ansel make a wonderful Corneliys in HELLO, DOLLY?

Something I also considered with the issues of box office- West Side Story has been subject of parody for decades. What tv show in the 90s didn't parody the finger snapping Jets? Or make fun of the lydian off kilter music? People have baked in feelings about what West Side Story is (a lot of people's reservations with it often sounds like homophobia)

Remember Sound of Music Live? How that had incredible ratings? I think that's cause THAT specific old musical is enduring for people more.

In terms of old musicals having longevity- Sound of Music is winning over all of them. With maybe Wizard of Oz as a close second. And I think it's cause you can be christian and conservative, you can be liberal, and everyone is fine with Sound of Music. And parents all across America keep plopping their children in front of the tv to watch Julie Andrews sing Do Re Mi.

Who is introducing kids to West Side Story anymore besides their drama teachers?

Why is no one discussing David Alvarez kissing Ariana DeBose through that sheet? That was HOT!

TaffyDavenport said: "Miles2Go2 said: "Not one to usually promote WM, but….

http://West Side St0Ry / O.S.T. (WM) - West Side Story Soundtrack (Walmart Exclusive) - Vinyl [Exclusive]


it’s (regular black vinyl) also officially available on Amazon now. I think I’ll call my local record store first and see if they can get it for me. Release date February 4."

Working link:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/West-Side-St0Ry-O-S-T-WM-West-Side-Story-Soundtrack-Walmart-Exclusive-Vinyl-Exclusive/957231623"

Target is selling a red vinyl https://www.target.com/p/various-artists-west-side-story-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-target-exclusive-vinyl/-/A-84231604?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012510700&CPNG=PLA_Entertainment%2BShopping%7CEntertainment_Ecomm_Hardlines&adgroup=SC_Entertainment&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=c&location=1022058&targetid=pla-630444542857&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=CjwKCAiA-9uNBhBTEiwAN3IlNFB0vMmONqO53gu2J53go61NmKl9CUQ4yJgZIpUI9RlyspD2JI1fJhoCB9wQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ok, just came back from the cinema…

My overhaul impression? hard to say, some things worked for me some didn't.

(SPOILERS ALERT)

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of the 1961 film and Spielberg along with Kubrick and Hitchcock are my three all-time favorite American filmmakers. Having said that i will try to be as honest and forthcoming as I can be with my analysis. Here we go...

Cinematography/Direction was absolutely brilliant. NOT better to the 1961 but brilliant in a different way, I’d say more cinematic. Spielberg and Kaminsky focus mainly on moving masterfully the camera constantly (Spielberg is the best at that). The camera oozes energy, literally dances with the dancers in every dance number in almost every single frame. You literally become one with them. Wise’s chose static/still shots and let the dancers do the numbers without many cuts. Wise puts the audience in the observer’s seat and allowed them to witness the marvel. Spielberg brought the audience into the dance floor and asked them to dance as well. There are positives and negatives in both techniques. With Wise's version you do not miss a thing from the numbers, you witness every single swing, turn, sauter, glisser but it doesn’t make you feel that you are right front and center on the dance floor, you are not part of the act. But you can admire the choreography like you are watching a symphony orchestra perform. With Spielberg you feel that the dance is much bigger than the frame and loads of things happen that you cannot see therefore missing out on the totality of the performance, but being closer to the dance floor and moving around the dancers it makes you feel the energy more and that you are actually there with them. Pros and Cons in any case. Personally I liked this version more.

Choreography. Without going into much detail, I loved how with Wise’s version the dancing was slower and much more clear cut, every move was more distinct (even the dancers in the background), like gymnasts were performing. In Spielberg’s version the choreography felt more contemporary and more street like (for lack of a better word) which made it fit better as part of street gang members and less of ballet dancers. I’d say that’s a plus for the new film given the topic it negotiates – street gangs. With the exception of The Rumble I preferred the choreography and singing in the new one more. Highlights for me being America, Officer Krupke. The idea of taking America on the streets was genius and made it absolutely breathtakingly huge and colourful in every way, I didn’t want the number to end!



There’s a controversy in reviews about how “I Feel Pretty” should have been placed before the tragic events of the fight (as in 1961 film) because it halts the dreadful emotions of the aftermath. I personally like it the way they have it here, it acts as a humorous interlude. Also watching Maria being on Cloud number 9 when us, the audience knows the news that are about to come to her gives a different more complex emotional reception while watching this number and makes the impact from happiness down to tragic reality at the end more brutal.

Musical arrangement & singing: I put those two together because I feel the feedback I have matches. I am not going to beat around the bush with this one, I will say it straight away and I’ll take my chances of being called a blasphemer. The singing and musical arrangement in this one is better. There, I said it. Yes, even Ansel and Rachel duets. Note: I will talk more about Ansel later on. It sounds more lush, more fresh, more alive and I prefer it a whole lot more. And this is from someone who has the original CD from the 1961 film at home since 1994. In a nutshell Gustavo Dudamel did an excellent work and proved why he is one of the greatest living conductors right now. Obviously Bernstein is THE genius behind the music and that doesn't change.

Maria and Tony: Rachel was really good, her singing and acting was top notch except the ending (I will talk about that later). Ansel (Tony) well, he had me some moments going “oh that is really good I like it” and others feeling like he is sucking the air out of the room. Especially in some of the very emotional scenes I found him cringeworthy to the extent that I believe some Directorial decisions were made by Spielberg due to that. You will notice he doesn’t get a lot of mediums or close ups during pivotal emotional scenes and when he does they are quite brief and cuts straight to the other person. I don’t think he was capable of pulling those pivotal emotional moments and that’s one of the reasons the ending suffered. I believe this is why Spielberg decided to have Moreno sing “Somewhere” instead of Tony and Rachel, doubtful they would have pulled of the same emotional triggers. He knew the limitations and made the smart decision accordingly. I disagree with some that say his vocals and singing in general is bad, on the contrary I found him much better than Richard Beymer. His mannerisms and body movement in some scenes on the other hand were laughable or cringeworthy at best. I remember the scene with the Maria song, when he starts singing I could hear people in the cinema quietly heckling his performance and ruining the moment for me too. He got way better after that number till the very end which he ruined it once again (more on that later). In general I liked him more than Beymer as Tony, and their duets with Maria, especially “Tonight”, were fantastic.

Supporting cast - everyone ranged from really good to exceptional. Standouts Ariana DeBose (Anita) and Mike Faist (Riff). I loved both of them and were the ones who elevated the movie. I could feel Riff’s anger, street smarts and roughness. His energy and tension was unmatched. Anita; what can I say about Ariana DeBose, only one thing. If she doesn’t win best supporting actress this year at the Oscars the awards are a sham! She was the real TRIPLE THREAT of the movie. Everything was 10/10 (acting, singing, dancing). I felt more emotional with her grieving for Bernardo than the final scene which is the main issue with the movie.

My main problem – The Ending

And here we come, to what I believe is the part that to me at least brings the movie to what could have been almost a perfect 10 to just a great film. I am sorry but I felt almost nothing at the end. Not only it felt rushed but during the pivotal emotional moments the gut punch was simply not there. Note: I didn’t cry in the 1961 version either but I felt Natalie Wood’s devastation right to the bone. And Wise played that scene much longer showing the slow departure of the Jets and some comfort offering to Maria.

Here Rachel didn’t look like a girl who just lost the love of her life, the guy who meant the world to her. Remember, this is young love. At that age we fall hard as **** and when something like that happens our reaction is to become complete and utter wrecks. We are too young to have felt loss (usually), we haven’t been hardened by life’s experiences yet so everything that comes, especially first time emotions, is felt to our core and we act accordingly. I am sorry but I didn’t get that from Rachel. Ansel ruined it for me the moment he was told the news by Moreno that Maria is dead. His reaction was cartoonish. When he rushed out of the store looking for Chino I was engaged back again (not hard), but that only lasted up till the moment he gets shot; combined with Maria’s emotional reaction and the end felt flat for me.

Verdict: Absolutely great movie that rightly and without second thought deserves to be placed alongside the 1961 version. Some things work some don’t. It’s easily Spielberg’s best work since Munich IMHO. Is it up there with some of his masterpieces (Jaws, CE3K, E.T., Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, SPR, A.I., Minority Report) from his good years (1970-2001)? Absolutely not!! Unless Spielberg reshoots the last 5-10 minutes and makes them have an emotional impact, until then it remains, to me at least, a great film that had potential to be absolutely perfect.

Interesting note: Did anyone notice the photography color grading palette that changed during the end credits matching the 1961 movie? Great touch.

Updated On: 12/13/21 at 07:58 PM

Globefan said: "Antonio Cipriano would've been a better Tony"

Anyone would have been a better Tony.

I've never seen West Side Story this great (although I love the first film). It's wild how they've pretty much thrown out the entire book. I actually think the new book is a significant improvement that deepens the characters and the themes.

Debose, Zegler, Faist, and Alvarez are great. Some of the best movie musical performances I've seen in years.

Spielberg fills this film with so much life. I can't believe this is his first musical. Hopefully the box office numbers pick up and we can force him to do an adaption of Follies.

I mean, people are going to compare them and likely favor one or the other. Just as people compare various revivals both to each other and to the original production. It goes with the territory. Saying they shouldn't is kinda a waste of time.

So I really loved the change in Tony's backstory-

But what it made me want at the end was he needs to have another story beat. It should destroy him that he killed Bernardo. Especially with what we learn earlier. I wanted to see that change him, affect him. Realize that he's ruined his life. There should be something so much more complicated in how him and Maria associate with each other at the end.

I don't know there's just something missing with Tony and I think it keeps his death from being devastating.

"Also, everyone in this new version is singing in their own voices whereas, excluding “America”, everyone was dubbed in the 1961 adaptation."

Not exactly. No one is dubbed for America, Cool or Gee, Officer Krupke in the 1961 film.