West Side Story - Spielberg

I watched [part of it last night and am just about to settle down to watch the rest - what I saw was excellent, but I do seem to struggle with hearing dialogue on films.

It's a rare re-make that really hits the spot and, even then, the reactions to it are subjective. I saw West Side Story at the pictures as a teenager, and that was a "re-make" of the stage musical. For me, what's crucial is Bernstein's score. I can't get worked up about seeing Spielberg's version, but then I am a crabby old bat who thinks that original creativity is better than glitz, hype and making money off other people's work.

West Side Story is one of my favourite musicals , I love the original and was apprehensive about the Spielberg version , but I loved it .

There isn't much glitz in it, less than the original infact.

original creativity is better than glitz, hype and making money off other people's work.

Bet Shakespeare is livid.

kittylester

^original creativity is better than glitz, hype and making money off other people's work.^

Bet Shakespeare is livid.

😂

Don't know about Shakespeare being livid. Wasn't his Romeo and Juliet based on a much earlier story?

Franbern it was based on an Italian story

In my youth, I was also in an amateur version of West Side Story, I was a Jet girl and it was fun to do. I also love the film.

I love Spielberg films and old musicals such as West Sude Story -
I found this production tedious and unenjoyable and I don't know why .
The dancing and singing were very good.
The costumes were pleasing .
For me , it lacked that certain chemistry that makes for a wonderful film .
I 4hink that it was the casting of the main male role.

Re the origins of the story: my daughter came home from school aged ten highly indignant that William Shakespeare had stolen the plot of West Side Story.

Chocolatelovinggran

Re the origins of the story: my daughter came home from school aged ten highly indignant that William Shakespeare had stolen the plot of West Side Story.

😂😂😂

How very dare he!

Franbern

Don't know about Shakespeare being livid. Wasn't his Romeo and Juliet based on a much earlier story?

Yes, several in fact.

Esmay Richard Beymer takes some beating in that role.

I think West Side Story totally misses the point of Romeo and Juliet in that the tragedy lies in the fact that the Montagues and the Capulets are, to quote the prologue "Two households both alike in dignity ----- From ancient grudge break new mutiny etc etc.

In other words the tragedy lies in the fact that R&J come from similar families but because of some ancient vendetta,
the families are at odds and the situation is made worse when they fall in love.

I'm not sure whether I was in a "funny mood" but I didn't particularly enjoy the Spielberg version. I will add at this point that I'm not someone to always say an original of anything is best. I watch lots of films both old and modern in a variety of genres. But I found something lacking in this version that I can't quite put my finger on. The scenery was more detailed than the original and the cast ethnically more authentic, but it was somehow missing the electrifying spark of the original.

Absolute rubbish from Spielberg. Nothing can ever replace the original.

I'll probably watch. Thanks for the tip.

Flappergirl, it just didn't feel right to me.

Indigo8

I think West Side Story totally misses the point of Romeo and Juliet in that the tragedy lies in the fact that the Montagues and the Capulets are, to quote the prologue "Two households both alike in dignity ----- From ancient grudge break new mutiny etc etc.

In other words the tragedy lies in the fact that R&J come from similar families but because of some ancient vendetta,
the families are at odds and the situation is made worse when they fall in love.

The original West Side Story didn't miss the point in my opinion , it just modernised it. Instead of young people from two families with a longstanding feud falling in love, it is based on two rival New York gangs. The story is as old as time and Shakespeare just borrowed the idea himself.

I've yet to see this latest version.