AMC is advertising WEST SIDE STORY as one of its "Artisan Films," a moniker they use for films that are not expected to be hugely popular. We've come a long way from 1961, when the original film was the #2 performer at the U.S. box office that year.
OST track 9 "Balcony Scene (Tonight)" is up on youtube
Balcony Scene (Tonight) · Rachel Zegler · Ansel Elgort
Balcony Scene (Tonight)
(P) 2021 20th Century Studios
Released on: 2021-12-01
Producer, Associated Performer, Recording Arranger: David Newman Producer, Executive Producer: Matt Sullivan Producer: Jeanine Tesori Studio Personnel, Recording Engineer, Mixer: Shawn Murphy Studio Personnel, Engineer: Lawrence Manchester Studio Personnel, Engineer: Ian Kagey Studio Personnel, Engineer: Josh Coleman Studio Personnel, Engineer: Angie Teo Studio Personnel, Engineer: Aki Nishimura Studio Personnel, Engineer: Ben Miller Studio Personnel, Engineer: Kevin Shaw Studio Personnel, Engineer: Erin Michael Rettig Studio Personnel, Engineer: Cary Clark Studio Personnel, Editor: Joe E. Rand Studio Personnel, Editor: Ramiro Belgardt Composer: Leonard Bernstein Author: Stephen Sondheim
1 Prologue (5:54) 2 La Borinqueña (Sharks Version) (1:06) 3 Jet Song (2:11) 4 Something's Coming (2:30) 5 The Dance at the Gym: Blues, Promenade (2:11) 6 The Dance at the Gym: Mambo (3:19) 7 The Dance at the Gym: Cha-Cha, Meeting Scene, Jump (3:28) 8 Maria (3:05) 9 Balcony Scene (Tonight) (5:24) 10 Transition to Scherzo / Scherzo (2:14) 11 America (4:57) 12 Gee, Officer Krupke (4:20) 13 One Hand, One Heart (3:45) 14 Cool (4:03) 15 Tonight (Quintet) (3:28) 16 The Rumble (3:10) 17 I Feel Pretty (2:58) 18 Somewhere (3:10) 19 A Boy Like That / I Have a Love (5:25) 20 Finale (3:36) 21 End Credits (9:03)
TOTAL TIME - 1:19:17
Tracks 1, 5-7, 10, 16, 20, 21 have no singing, though there's some dialogue in 6 and 16
Granted, it's been many years since I saw the 1961 film, and can't remember if the Romeo & Juliet relationship was as thin and sudden there as it was in this. I suppose Ansel Elgort has a kind of youthful charm (and a semi-mysterious air about him, like in THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), but he can't sing worth a damn. As someone who really doesn't like musicals (unless they're animated), I really tried to give it my best -- especially because Spielberg is my favourite director -- but I found myself bored and thinking about what I should have for dinner for a lot of it.
Speaking of singing, it's very "talky" and mundane from everyone involved -- do not expect virtuoso excellence. I suppose it was a conscious move to make it more "everyday", but Bernstein purists will complain.
There are some good things in the mise-en-scene and setpieces; the restaging of the Robbins choreography and all that (best bit was the Demy-like street dance in "America"), but they came better through in the trailers than in the actual film, IMO. Like those long shadows before the gang fight. Also liked Rita Moreno's return to the WSS "universe"; very good role and performance.
Best bit about it was a classic Spielberg/Kahn edit in the opening; a very 2001-like cut where an object is tossed up in the air, cut to an object falling into the hands of Tony in a new scene.
The instrumental arrangements, however, sounded very crisp and clear. Well done by Newman, Dudamel & co.
Steven Spielberg talks about Stephen Sondheim being on the set and would watch Sondheim’s reactions. It is a Cool Video. And Spielberg shows great respect to Sondheim.
Did he mention Jeanine Tesori as the "music director"? I gather that David Newman was only in charge of the orchestral arrangements? And Dudamel conducting? That's an unusual division of labor.
This excerpt is very encouraging. The arrangement is faithful to the original, the sound is good, the orchestral performance committed (and, where needed, urgent) and the voices as up to the material as Jim Bryant and Marni Nixon were in the earlier film. Can't wait to hear it all!
1941 and the Anything goes number from Temple of Doom.
The 1941 number was fantastic. I think I was only disappointed by Anything Goes because it was choreographed by Danny Daniels, and his work on Pennies from Heaven was so fantastic that my hopes were too high for this one.
1 Prologue (5:54) 2 La Borinqueña (Sharks Version) (1:06) 3 Jet Song (2:11) 4 Something's Coming (2:30) 5 The Dance at the Gym: Blues, Promenade (2:11) 6 The Dance at the Gym: Mambo (3:19) 7 The Dance at the Gym: Cha-Cha, Meeting Scene, Jump (3:28) 8 Maria (3:05) 9 Balcony Scene (Tonight) (5:24) 10 Transition to Scherzo / Scherzo (2:14) 11 America (4:57) 12 Gee, Officer Krupke (4:20) 13 One Hand, One Heart (3:45) 14 Cool (4:03) 15 Tonight (Quintet) (3:28) 16 The Rumble (3:10) 17 I Feel Pretty (2:58) 18 Somewhere (3:10) 19 A Boy Like That / I Have a Love (5:25) 20 Finale (3:36) 21 End Credits (9:03)
TOTAL TIME - 1:19:17
Tracks 1, 5-8, 10, 16, 20, 21 have no singing, though there's some dialogue in 6 and 16
I think you miss-typed, surely track 8 Maria has singing.
You certainly don't want to tamper with a classic, and it sounds like Spiely hasn't, at least in the music dept. The latest indications are that he has pulled it off. That is no mean feat. It will be a pleasure to watch the one for the first time and re-watch the other for the zillionth. And then re-watch the one. I guess down the road--for both! But nothing, absolutely nothing compares to the Robbins touch. Am especially curious to see how "Cool" is now presented, in this regard.
Granted, it's been many years since I saw the 1961 film, and can't remember if the Romeo & Juliet relationship was as thin and sudden there as it was in this. I suppose Ansel Elgort has a kind of youthful charm (and a semi-mysterious air about him, like in THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), but he can't sing worth a damn. As someone who really doesn't like musicals (unless they're animated), I really tried to give it my best -- especially because Spielberg is my favourite director -- but I found myself bored and thinking about what I should have for dinner for a lot of it.
Speaking of singing, it's very "talky" and mundane from everyone involved -- do not expect virtuoso excellence. I suppose it was a conscious move to make it more "everyday", but Bernstein purists will complain.
There are some good things in the mise-en-scene and setpieces; the restaging of the Robbins choreography and all that (best bit was the Demy-like street dance in "America"), but they came better through in the trailers than in the actual film, IMO. Like those long shadows before the gang fight. Also liked Rita Moreno's return to the WSS "universe"; very good role and performance.
Best bit about it was a classic Spielberg/Kahn edit in the opening; a very 2001-like cut where an object is tossed up in the air, cut to an object falling into the hands of Tony in a new scene.
The instrumental arrangements, however, sounded very crisp and clear. Well done by Newman, Dudamel & co.
The "love at first sight" element was always there.
Thor, you amaze me. You manage to be both fickle and utterly predictable at the same time.
