West Side Story

I absolutely loved the movie - I had a lot of high expectations. I grew up rewatching the borrowed DVD of the 1961 version from the library. I have the 2009 Broadway version memorized by heart. But this adaptation?? It did everything so, so much justice. The acting, the singing, the dancing. There was a tension that you should feel throughout. And so many Performances with a capital P - ESP Ariana, Mike and David. The shots were absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The orchestra - EXQUISITE. This version of WSS actually broke me.

I want to watch it again. I look forward to owning this version on DVD.

I was hesitant to go after hearing some negative reviews and stories of disapppointing box office after release.

But he music treatmeant of Bernstein's score, the choreography, the cast, were reallyjust excellent. Tony and Maria have more chemistry and talent than the originals (movie version), and I was blown away by the "I Want to Be in America" street scene. Not woke, not lame. See it.

Watching west Side Stiry in a cold theatre with a mask, I was having a difficult time warming up to the movie. I kept thinking "why bother" with a remake. Then I realized the movie was still set in the 60's. And Spielberg wanted to set the record straight. The new West Side Story is about race.

In this production the Puerto Ricans were really Latino and spoke Spanish (no subtitles). The white kids were mostly sort of clueless, without much reason for being there. The Puerto Ricans had all the good lines, the believability, the energy.

I actually liked the performances a lot. Rachel Zegler as Maria was stunningly pure, almost unrealistically romanticized like a virgin princess. Ariana DeBose was tormented and fiery, and David Alvarez was the stealth show stealer of the production with his sexy, macho Bernardo.

The singing was outstanding. Rita Moreno sang and she still has a decent voice. But in retrospect, I was mist impressed with Ansel Elbert as Tony, who has been getting mediocre reviews for his lack of "soul". Ansel Elbert was hot! Elbert was singing tenor, sweet, clear and very emotional singing from his heart. What a concept.

It's not a common occurrence for a young person to sing so innocently these days, about true love, and Elbert, with his pouty lips and lanky working class presentation was so much fun to watch! Nobody believes in true love anymore. So it was a bit anachronistic to see this production based on the idea of true love. At the end when Maria cries her heart out over Tony laying in the street she is not only crying about the loss of her love. She also seems to be crying to the gang members looking on snd crying about their loss of innocence. In that regard she was crying for the audience, for me, Who cries about true love these days? True Love? It's actually counterrevolutionary.

I can't answer that question because I haven't seen most of the remakes, but it is hard for me to imagine a better one. This film is not a copy of the original made in 1961, when the setting was contemporary with the film. That 1961 film won 10 Oscars including best picture and best director (Robert Wise), so it would be hard to top. Here Steven Spielberg doesn't top the original, but replaces it with something that brings the story up to date. It is edgier, filled with actors who are of the same ethnicity as the roles they play and ie speaks to current issues, notably immigration. The latter is not hard since the opposing gangs are white on one side and Puerto Rican on the other. It even has a role sympathetic to the current LGBTQ movement.

The original was my favorite filmed musical, largely for two reasons: The music and Natalie Wood in the role of Maria. The plot is, of course, a refashioning of Romeo and Juliet and the broad outlines of the 2021 film are the same. Some of the musical are not in the same places as in the 1961 film, which is okay except for "I Feel Pretty" which does not seem to come at an appropriate place. Also, "Somewhere" is not sung by the couple, but by Valentina (played by Rita Morena as an excellent replacement for Ned Glass as Doc). That did not work for me. Those made me gave this a 9 instead of a 10.

The script differs from the 1961 substantially and for the better, because it fills in some gaps in the plot and provides a better context for some of the music and actions. A few of the lyrics are changed as well, but not dramatically. Some of the dialog is in Spanish, but I could tell what was being said, again from the context.

I was never good at judging actors because it is always hard to tell how much of their performance owes to good direction and what can I say except Spielberg. To me, however, the performances seemed more realistic than the 1961 film.

Steven Spielberg remade the 10-time winner of the 1961 Academy Award and the musical known as "West Side Story." The film was definitely a remake, as it represents the conditions that were created in the 1960s, especially the social conditions and behavioral problems that existed in that decade. People waiting for a modern update will be really disappointed.

I must say right away that this is definitely my favorite piece of musical cinema. Based on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".

I really liked it, I advise everyone to watch it!!!