Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread- Page 77

[Musicnut82]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 7:58am

hearthemsing22 said: 

4. Honestly…maybe I’m a bad judge for saying this-but I don’t think Ansel was that bad. I don’t.
 

I felt he did really good  to ok in most occasions, definitely a lot better than Beymer. The only thing that was a complete failure was the ending. His reaction to Maria’s news was laughable at best. It felt so cartoonish and rushed. That’s the film’s only real weakness and I am surprised that a director of Spielberg’s caliber left that on the film. I would have done as many takes as possible keep the actors there all day till they get it absolutely on the money. Very very disappointing. 

Apart from that moment and the rushed mediocre ending everything else was done to perfection! Maybe I would dial down a little bit the excessive accent, it makes some of the dialogue and singing incomprehensible. Other than that, incredible film!!

Updated On: 1/3/22 at 07:58 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 11:52am

The cartoon accents and the logistically ridiculous war zone ending.  2 gunshots in a Latin neighborhood and no one comes out or even looks out their windows?  In NYC? Only always-present Valentina walks out to see what’s going on?  She must also be Mother Hen to every gang in the area based on her relationship with EVERYONE in the film. The original setting for that finale scene is a playground/basketball court late at night so no civilians entering the scene makes logistical sense - it’s just the main characters.  But Spielberg sets it in the middle of still occupied side of the street (the area across is being demolished) and not a single person comes out to see what the hell is going on?  Really?  At that point, I no longer was invested in the film and just waited for the film to end.  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 12:45pm

Anyone know when this be available on VOD?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 12:49pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "The cartoon accents and the logistically ridiculous war zone ending. 2 gunshots in a Latin neighborhood and no one comes out or even looks out their windows? In NYC? Only always-present Valentina walks out to see what’s going on? She must also be Mother Hen to every gang in the area based on her relationship with EVERYONE in the film. The original setting for that finale scene is a playground/basketball court late at night so no civilians entering the scene makes logistical sense - it’s just the main characters. But Spielberg sets it in the middle of still occupied side of the street (the area across is being demolished) and not a single person comes out to see what the hell is going on? Really? At that point, I no longer was invested in the film and just waited for the film to end."

Are Latin neighborhoods known for poking their heads out windows at gunshots?

Do I think the ending fully works? No. But I'm willing to go with thinking with either the state of the neighborhood physically and emotionally keeping everyone inside away from yet another night of violence, or the heightened emotional stakes means focusing on the main characters silently coming together for their final actions.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 1:01pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "The cartoon accents and the logistically ridiculous war zone ending. 2 gunshots in a Latin neighborhood and no one comes out or even looks out their windows? In NYC? Only always-present Valentina walks out to see what’s going on? She must also be Mother Hen to every gang in the area based on her relationship with EVERYONE in the film. The original setting for that finale scene is a playground/basketball court late at night so no civilians entering the scene makes logistical sense - it’s just the main characters. But Spielberg sets it in the middle of still occupied side of the street (the area across is being demolished) and not a single person comes out to see what the hell is going on? Really? At that point, I no longer was invested in the film and just waited for the film to end. "

To start, it’s a musical, not a documentary. People don’t tend to burst into song or dance in real life either, but no one says boo about that in the film’s reality.

Also, basketball courts/playgrounds are also surrounded by apartment buildings in the real world, so just because no one pokes their head out of a window or comes to see what happened in the original movie doesn’t mean it’s any more realistic. You just don’t see the surrounding buildings to suggest they’re in a populated neighborhood. Even if they’re in park area, it would be close enough to buildings to be heard by nearby residents.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 1:05pm

Are Latin neighborhoods known for poking their heads out windows at gunshots?

Spielberg establishes early on in the film that the Latins are aware of things happening outside: the old and young Maria looking outside their windows during “Maria” and all the Latin ladies poking their heads out of their windows during the start of “America.” 2 gunshots in the dead of night would definitely awaken many.  At least a few men would venture onto the street to see what the heck is going on, let alone people pulling blinds aside and looking outside their windows.  The gunshots sure made Valentina step outside. 

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 1:20pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "The cartoon accents and the logistically ridiculous war zone ending. 2 gunshots in a Latin neighborhood and no one comes out or even looks out their windows? In NYC? Only always-present Valentina walks out to see what’s going on? She must also be Mother Hen to every gang in the area based on her relationship with EVERYONE in the film. The original setting for that finale scene is a playground/basketball court late at night so no civilians entering the scene makes logistical sense - it’s just the main characters. But Spielberg sets it in the middle of still occupied side of the street (the area across is being demolished) and not a single person comes out to see what the hell is going on? Really? At that point, I no longer was invested in the film and just waited for the film to end. "

A barely occupied street. In fact, from the looks of it, the drugstore is the only building on the street that is still completely intact. The adjacent street seems to have more full buildings, but loud noises, even gun shots, in a virtually desolate, mostly torn down area where demolition is almost constantly occurring, really doesn't get much notice. This is especially true when it is gang territory, anyway.

I grew up in Northwest Indiana. I could have been in the Gary city limits in about 10 minutes. A lot of Gary closely resembles that street at the end of the movie, and nobody is going to come outside to see what's going on if shots are fired. Nobody. Not now, not when I was a kid, and not even when my dad was a kid. Unless you are a part of it, you're not part of it.

[Musicnut82]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 6:35pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Are Latin neighborhoods known for poking their heads out windows at gunshots?

Spielberg establishes early on in the film that the Latins are aware of things happening outside: the old and young Maria looking outside their windows during “Maria” and all the Latin ladies poking their heads out of their windows during the start of “America.” 2 gunshots in the dead of night would definitely awaken many. At least a few men would venture onto the street to see what the heck is going on, let alone people pulling blinds aside and looking outside their windows. The gunshots sure made Valentina step outside."

as mentioned before, this is not a documentary or a drama film based on real events, this is a musical and musical stage fantasy rules apply. 
But if you insist on keeping it to reality I can assure you that on violent neighbourhoods with gun crime at night the very last thing you would expect to see is people poking their heads out of the window or cone out of their homes and on the streets whenever shots are fired. People are petrified and stay at home with closed blinds, lights out pretending to be asleep, some of them even hit the floor when they hear gunshots. That’s the reality. 

 

 

Updated On: 1/3/22 at 06:35 PM

[BJR]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 6:44pm

Wait, cartoon accents? As a criticism of the new film, while in defense of the original? Seriously?

[Musicnut82]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 7:20pm

BJR said: "Wait, cartoon accents? As a criticism of the new film, while in defense of the original? Seriously?"

Actually they were both bad but I feel they kind of overdid it with the new one. I was listening to the soundtrack last night snd I am struggling to understand what they sing during the “America” song.

[Musicnut82]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 7:20pm

BJR said: "Wait, cartoon accents? As a criticism of the new film, while in defense of the original? Seriously?"

Actually they were both bad but I feel they kind of overdid it with the new one. I was listening to the soundtrack last night snd I am struggling to understand what they sing during the “America” song.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 9:34pm

I thought I was the only one who found that Beirut-like depiction of that stretch of Manhattan just off. Even considering the stylized nature of the era's recreation, the almost dystopian look of the terrain felt oddly generic, not like New York. I appreciated the need to cut romanticized squalor from the verisimilitude, but it didn't strike me as more accurate, just different. A small quibble, but the bombed out streets made the turf war feel less personal. These gangs were fighting over shards of glass, concrete, bricks. Please, I get that it's the whole conceit: a world disappearing. It's poignant, but: only one store, that seemed desolate in its exterior, yet cozy and inviting inside, just didn't track. In fact, the movement from interiors to exterior throughout much of the film was jarring. You couldn't feel that people inhabited the space.  

BrodyFosse's observations are spot on. 

Updated On: 1/3/22 at 09:34 PM

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 1/5/22 at 2:05am

Musicnut82 said: "BJR said: "Wait, cartoon accents? As a criticism of the new film, while in defense of the original? Seriously?"

Actually they were both bad but I feel they kind of overdid it with the new one. I was listening to the soundtrack last night snd I am struggling to understand what they sing during the “America” song."

Accents, my hearing ? I'm totally confused. WSS I tolerated[accents] because I knew what was going on. Gucci-WhoTFKnew what they were saying[most of the time]. Dune--I had no idea about anything. I thought actors had to enunciate, not mumble. WSS I loved every minute, Gucci, I was bored[wait for the DVD], and Dune, the camera loves Timothy. the sets spectacular and the costumes deserve the Academy Award but the script??--just make it up guys.

[Musicnut82]

Posted: 1/6/22 at 6:59am

SweetLips22 said: "Musicnut82 said: "BJR said: "Wait, cartoon accents? As a criticism of the new film, while in defense of the original? Seriously?"

Actually they were both bad but I feel they kind of overdid it with the new one. I was listening to the soundtrack last night snd I am struggling to understand what they sing during the “America” song."

Accents, my hearing ? I'm totally confused. WSS I tolerated[accents] because I knew what was going on. Gucci-WhoTFKnew what they were saying[most of the time]. Dune--I had no idea about anything. I thought actors had to enunciate, not mumble. WSS I loved every minute, Gucci, I was bored[wait for the DVD], and Dune, the camera loves Timothy. the sets spectacular and the costumes deserve the Academy Award but the script??--just make it up guys."

 

Anita: “You want to staLt WaR WoRld Tree?”

cringed so hard at that one. 
 

as far as costumes go, WSS easily wins it over the films you mentioned. Dune is a spectacular movie and seeing it winning Special Effects and Cinematography but not costumes. 

 

 

Updated On: 1/6/22 at 06:59 AM

[lightsarebrightonbroadway]

Posted: 1/6/22 at 8:13am

Is anyone aware as to whether or not Kushner's screenplay has been released yet for consideration or when it will be? For me, it was one of the highlights of the new film and I'd love to read it!  

Updated On: 1/6/22 at 08:13 AM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 1/6/22 at 8:27am

There are things that bother me about the rushed ending, but the escalation of the film's subtle expressionism into a really desolate midnight warzone on that particular block, all empty shadow, is not one of them. 

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 1/6/22 at 10:42am

Jarethan said: "Musicnut82 said: "
I would add that the choreography in the current version is so much better filmed. As previously mentioned, it sometimes feels like you are in the middle of it, whereas the original for me looked like it was filmed in a way that every dancer was always on camera, i.e., too stage-bound, whereas this was totally cinematic."

Apparently that’s what Spielberg and Kaminski (cinematographer) wanted to achieve hence the continuous moving camera, dollies, push ins through the dancers, crane shots etc. They wanted to place the audience on the dance floor, become part of the act and feel the energy and tension. The drawback with that technique is that it misses the choreography as a whole, it’s hard for the camera when it’s inside the dance to capture the whole group. But that didn’t matter than much given that Justin Peck’s choreography was less synchronised ballet like and more carefree/freestyle (for lack of a better word). Spielberg wanted to make WSS choreography more bound to the real world as possible and less to the stage but without losing the elegance and artistry of a stage act that much. It felt that a less gymnastic/ballet style and more freestyle dance act is what suited street gang members more.

Wise went for the full stage-like approach withwide 70mm static outside looking in from a farshots with minimal movement and zoom ins. He wanted to place the audience on the theater seats and let them admire the choreography/artistry in its entirety and full force, like a perfectly conducted symphony orchestra performing in front of you. Robbins’s choreography was clinical, every single movement and every single dancer synchronised to perfection with ballet, liquid and flawless movement. That type of choreography DEMANDED wide group shots, it would have killed the vibe and purpose of Wise’s vision for the film had it followed Spielberg’s approach.

I feel both filmmakers, and their teams, achieved what they had envisioned. It’s up to us, the audience to interpret it that way and not make comparisons between the two films, and choose which adaptation suits us best.

I personally marvel and admire Wise/Robbins’ incredible and unmatched work and see it for what it is, a perfect transfer (technically) of a stage play to the big screen that no one will ever surpass. Nevertheless, I will have to go withSpielberg’s more cinematic, more gritty and grounded to reality approach. It still has its flaws (especially the third act) but to me I feel more immersed and attached to the story than with Wise’s version.

Brilliantly written. You should be a film critic."

I agree! Great review!

I saw the '61 film for only the second time in my life a few nights ago. The first and only other time I saw it was in high school music class. It turns out I find the new one better. I think the backstories really add a lot, plus I prefer the direction, visuals, and singing of the new one. But in the '61 film, the wide shot of Tony and Maria seeing each other for the first time and them both on the farthest, opposite sides of the screen was really a sight to behold and was most likely not done in the 2021 film only because it would be seen as copying. Also, no music during Maria holding the gun was another thing the '61 film did better. But in the new film Tony reacts way better (as in more emotional) when he gets the news Maria is dead. So, all in all I prefer the 2021 version.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 4:09pm

SAG-AFTRA has posted its ''Cool'' conversation with the cast of ''West Side Story.'' Fun anecdotes and insights from Rita Moreno, Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez and Mike Faist. Hope they're up for Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture when the SAG Award nominations are announced on Wednesday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwXipAKsU0A

[Kad]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 4:58pm

Looking up photos of the demolition of San Juan Hill, it looks like the film's depiction is rooted in truth, albeit exaggerated for effect. 

Via Gothamist

Manhattan's Long Gone San Juan Hill

[SpiritualGangster]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 5:48pm

Kad said: "Looking up photos of the demolition of San Juan Hill, it looks like the film's depiction is rooted in truth, albeit exaggerated for effect.

Via Gothamist

Manhattan's Long Gone San Juan Hill"

Thanks for sharing those Kad. I have friends and family who live right behind the Center in the Amsterdam Houses who lived through this. Those houses as well as the Phipps Houses on W 63rd and give or take a few other buildings remained while they saw everything else around them come down. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 7:32pm

I'm in the WGA, and the screenplay was not sent to us, either printed (as if often the case during awards season) or to my knowledge in digital form. No creative union got screeners, as many have reported, though there were multiple in-cinema screenings for union members on both coasts.  I look forward to reading the Kushner adaptation as well.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 7:49pm

Yup.  I receive all the DVD screeners (which often include a soft-cover bound script) and WEST SIDE STORY sent NOTHING!  I’ve been aching to rewatch the film at home and I’ll most likely have to wait until it’s released as VOD.  

[Globefan]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 10:10pm

Rachel just won Best Actress 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 10:13pm

Thrilled for her. Only up from here!!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 10:19pm

Globefan said: "Rachel just won Best Actress"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

There’s also a Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama category.