Purchased the lossless download of this album last night at midnight UK time and have been listening today. A pretty gorgeous recording. Beautiful vocals and the orchestral sound is thrilling, just listen to the Prologue. Sondheim apparently attended every recording session and gave his comments and suggestions.
I may watch the original over the weekend which I haven't seen for a while but I definitely up to see this Spielberg version.
We all have biases but someone who "really doesn't like musicals" may not be the best person to give a review of a new musical film adaptation.
Perhaps not. I saw this as a Spielberg fan, not a musical fan. It's important to provide context for one's "review" of a film, though (if you could call a messageboard post that). We all have one.
I've noticed that the film has received loads of rave reviews. Credit to them, I suppose, but this was not for me.
We all have biases but someone who "really doesn't like musicals" may not be the best person to give a review of a new musical film adaptation.
Perhaps not. I saw this as a Spielberg fan, not a musical fan. It's important to provide context for one's "review" of a film, though (if you could call a messageboard post that). We all have one.
I've noticed that the film has received loads of rave reviews. Credit to them, I suppose, but this was not for me.
That is perfectly respectable, of course.
I was just curious why you did not enjoy musicals?
I didn't know Dudamel was the conductor on this. That guy is a treasure; I saw a performance of mambo that he conducted some years ago and it was all blood and fire
I was just curious why you did not enjoy musicals?
Yeah, that's a complex issue that has to do with artifice, narrative engrossment, overt melodrama and stuff like that. Didn't want to derail the WSS thread with it. I often marvel at the sheer spectacle of them, though. Busby Berkeley's 42ND STREET, for exampe, is a bonafide masterpiece, whichever way you look at it. Probably my favourite film musical (again, animated movies notwithstanding).
I was just curious why you did not enjoy musicals?
Yeah, that's a complex issue that has to do with artifice, narrative engrossment, overt melodrama and stuff like that. Didn't want to derail the WSS thread with it. I often marvel at the sheer spectacle of them, though. Busby Berkeley's 42ND STREET, for exampe, is a bonafide masterpiece, whichever way you look at it. Probably my favourite film musical (again, animated movies notwithstanding).
All the reviews I have read say the film is amazing. I'm excited to see this film.
I read the Variety review. If the reviewer is correct, this is going to be a great cinema experience. I had to laugh, though, when he wrote that the ending was still as weak as it was in the 1961 version. If so, he should take his gripe to Shakespeare and leave Tony Kushner alone. Ha!
I didn't know Dudamel was the conductor on this. That guy is a treasure; I saw a performance of mambo that he conducted some years ago and it was all blood and fire[/endquot
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.
All the reviews I have read say the film is amazing. I'm excited to see this film.
I read the Variety review. If the reviewer is correct, this is going to be a great cinema experience. I had to laugh, though, when he wrote that the ending was still as weak as it was in the 1961 version. If so, he should take his gripe to Shakespeare and leave Tony Kushner alone. Ha!
Tomorrow (Sunday, 5 December, 7 PM ET), the ABC news program 20/20 offers up a special that goes behind the scenes of the production of WEST SIDE STORY, interviewing Spielberg, Rita Moreno, and other actors and crew about this adaptation.
Personally I consider the 1961 version the best film musical in movie history so I went to see the Spielberg version with some trepidation. Well, I think this one is even better. The performances down to smallest parts are excellent. Ariana DeBose's Anita can proudly stand next to Rita Moreno's 1961 version. All the other leads are superior to their counterparts. The scenes between Rita Moreno (who I am pretty sure will get nominated again for best supporting actress) and Ansel Elgort for me are pure movie magic.
The film feels timely yet gloriously oldfashioned. While the editing is fast it never comes close to the music video style that hurt In The Heights earlier this year. Instead the cuts feel earned and support the music and choreography which is spectactular.
Janusz Kaminski's cinematography might be his career-best and should earn him another Academy Award ranging from the reduced colors of the opening to the love scenes which feel like 1940s Technicolor. And it shows again that Spielberg knows how to use the widescreen frame like no other director around (only David Lean and - Robert Wise can match him in that respect IMHO). This is a film that should be experienced on a big screen.
I just hope the film will find its audience as I fear that a large part of the target audience might not yet be willing to go back to the cinema.
I agree. I've seen it twice already - once at a screening last weekend and once last night on the Universal CityWalk IMAX screen.
I think it's still a tiny bit early for me to judge firmly, but I tend to think it is probably the finest American musical film ever made. On every level.
I just hope the film will find its audience as I fear that a large part of the target audience might not yet be willing to go back to the cinema.
It doesn't look like the opening weekend is going to be huge, but I think this will have PHENOMENAL word of mouth, I wouldn't be surprised to see it quietly do a GREATEST SHOWMAN (not comparing the artistry, just the box office) and stick around for weeks and weeks and quietly make a ton of money!
I was relieved, upon watching the film earlier today, that the music and singing is faithful to the original 1950s show and that the beautiful Bernstein/Sondheim score is preserved to a T. (Although I wish that Sondheim had been able to write a new number for this version, but, in the end, not necessary.)
The dramatics of this film could have been better. Although this 2021 remake is about the same length as the 1961 movie, this one feels longer - the tension during the post-rumble scenes slackens just when we need the anguish and sleepless energy of the characters to stay wire-sharp. It's an interesting idea to have this take place when the neighborhood is to be torn down for Lincoln Center; it gives the narrative an end-of-an-era feel, but that desperation isn't really there as it should be. Having the Puerto Ricans spice their speech with Spanish is not the problem some people have been making it out to be - most of what they say is either self-evident or immediately translated. Interestingly, much of the race and political dialogue and lyrics ("if you're all white in America") was already present in the iterations from 60 years ago.
The characters are generally well-played. Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler are a sympathetic romantic couple, he given more motivation re his tendency to violence and why he wants to control that, she a fragile, but somewhat wiser Maria - not sure if that characterization works. David Alvarez and Ariana DeBose convey their passion for each other, Debose maybe could've been a bit more hellion. I like Mike Faist's voice as Riff - he has that kind of delivery that wouldn't have been out of place on the 1940s radio show "Duffy's Tavern." It's cool just seeing the ageless Rita Moreno here - not only did she play Anita in the 1961 version, but she goes back another decade in "Singin' in the Rain"!
Brian d'Arcy James plays a somewhat more well-rounded Krupke, but it's weird that Broadway star James is given a non-singing role. Corey Stroll is perhaps more jadedly nasty than Simon Oakland from 1961 was. Chino has much more of a character journey here than he originally ever did. Anybodys has a weird scene in the police station beating up a squad of cops. I think anybody new to "West Side Story" will be a bit bewildered by this character. Gladhand is nerdy, but thankfully not as cringey as John Astin played him 60 years ago.
It's a bit murky identifying the Jets and the Sharks. Most of the Sharks still have little to do, and the Jets come off more anonymous here than in 1961. Charming and funny in "Gee, Officer Krupke," utter beasts during their harassment of Anita at Doc's, background characters in "Cool," they seem like different personalities each time we see them, rather than the consistency of the Jets in 1961. (Baby John, thank goodness, is less annoying here than his '61 counterpart.)
There are plenty of memorable visuals and visual and sound edits throughout: There's a slight crane shot of Tony during the singing of "Maria" where he steps in a puddle and the reflected lights shimmer around him. The "Krup you!" comes right as Krupke himself steps into the scene. During the sunset portion of the "Tonight Quintet," the sky is bright with shocking reds and oranges, one of the few times when the crazy, immature, but glorious love of Tony & Maria is visually stated in a flamboyant manner. As Thor mentioned earlier, the cut from the end of the "Jet Song" to our introduction to Tony is satisfyingly and smartly done, also cleverly showing how Tony is forever linked to his gang
Indeed, it is the musical numbers and how they are filmed that is the glory of this film. "Maria" adds some humorous touches to Elgort's dazed and delighted performance - better than Richard Beymour's walking in place in '61. I also like how a section of the "Somewhere" ballet scores Zegler's attempt to look like she slept all night (e.g. giving her hair instant bed-head) rather than stayed up all night in her party dress. The opened-up "America" is dazzling, although the opened-up "I Feel Pretty" doesn't quite come off. "Gee, Officer Krupke" is delightful, using props in a police station and a wonderful "we're down on our knees" utililzing pieces of paper that the Jets have thrown to the floor. (But I was confused by the "streetwalker" (who kind of looks like a young Gwen Verdon) who also seems to have keys to the place?)
I didn't care for the reimagined "Cool," but "One Hand One Heart" remains moving and simple. I was noting how Spielberg and his crew tried to avoid effects of the 1961 version, but there were defeated by the "Tonight Quintet" which is near identical. Still a thrill though. The "Dance of the Gym" was oddly sluggish to me. Anyone else think so? Moreno sings "Somewhere" (but who's the "us" in "there's a place for us" if it's a solo?), cutting to the other characters. All of the other numbers were done very intelligently as well.
The period detail looks pretty good, although I wonder if "mutually assured destruction" was a term used 60 years ago? Also "weed" as in marijuana? But these are quibbles.
It just lacks not enough requisite teenage emotional desperation. Again, there was a slack atmosphere between dance numbers. I think there should have been more of "this won't end well and there's nothing we can do to stop it" crackling energy.
Great musical numbers, good actors, some clever new touches, but in the end, strangely unmoving. (When Natalie Wood cries, "DON'T TOUCH HIM" in the 1961 film, I'm a wreck. The same scene in 2021? Not as gripping.) 3/5
Chino has much more of a character journey here than he originally ever did.
This is generous. Thought this character was all over the place, righ to the very end. Difficult to know what motivated him from scene to scene. I could be wrong but I believe that at the end of the Wise version he's led off by the cops. In this one ... well, it's another odd note.
