MovieChat Forums > West Side Story (2021) Discussion > Why I champion West Side Story

Why I champion West Side Story

posted 3 years ago by [deleted]
31 replies | jump to latest

I don't usually champion anything made by Disney except maybe the 1976 version of Freaky Friday with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris, but I felt compelled to stand up for West Side Story especially because it was an underdog that has some gloriously beautiful moments that never happen in cinema these days . I actually wept in the movie , always during one of the musical sequences. I wept for the beauty of Leonard Bernstein's score and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics. I wept because ballet is never seen in American films anymore especially not with males.I wept for the dazzling fluid cinematography from Januscz Kaminski that skillfully dances along with the cast. I wept also for the showman Spielberg who has been a childhood hero from my youth onward. He has made the first film of his I connected with in decades. There's great talent on display among these young actors most of whom probably usually work on Broadway. Those pirouettes are real, not something whipped up by a CGI technician. I don't understand why people don't find this fresh for our age since this is not our usual fare at the multiplex. I feel it needs to be supported by people who want to keep culture alive in an age in which juvenalia triumphs through the superhero garbage movies.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] liscarkat (18886) 3 years ago

You have a point. Those of us who care should cherish any rare departure from the comic book dreck that dominates movies today. But Spielberg's statement that he didn't include subtitles because "it would give English power over Spanish" is so egregiously, brainlessly woke that it puts me off. I'm perfectly content with the original film; it has the same music and the advantage of Jerome Robbins's choreography. Spielberg won't miss my $12.00.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

You are really overdramatizing that statement Spielberg said on Spanish. I have written on another thread that I had no difficulty understanding the sense of what was being communicated even when Spanish was being spoken in the film. It's mostly a few sentences here and there and once you see it, you'll probably feel a little foolish that you made such a big deal about it. Many of your comments are judgements on a film you haven't even seen and you're way off on.some of your assessments.

[–] christomacin (4675) 3 years ago

Two words: The Godfather. This sounds like a non-controversy to me. Unless the scene is impossible to understand, the director is free to add or not add subtitles at their discretion, and it has been done in plenty of films before this. It doesn't always work but it has been done before. Anyone that hasn't actually seen the scenes in question and how well they play onscreen has little standing in criticizing the decision. Having said that, Spielberg should probably have avoided too-on-the-nose comments, especially after some of Rachel Zegler's own ill-advised comments. I can makes some allowances for her youth, but Spielberg ought to be smarter than that at his age. Doesn't take much to turn people against you these days, and maybe in this age of Twitter feeds subtle and nuanced comments just aren't a thing anymore.

[–] liscarkat (18886) 3 years ago

It's not the Spanish I object to, or even that it's not subtitled. It's Spielberg's smug, stupid woke attitude about it. That's my assessment, and it's not way off. I don't need to see the film to know that he said what he said--he's been quoted by reliable sources. Then there's the issue of changing a "tomboy" character into one afflicted with gender dysphoria (or caught up in a peer-group trans cult). When the wokeness exceeds a certain level, it becomes distracting. It's certainly not what Laurents, Robbins, Bernstein, and Sondheim had in mind. As I said before, all I have to do is not go see it, and Spielberg won't miss my twelve bucks. He and I both win.

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

You've made some excellent points, liscariket! Spielberg got in way over his head when he decided to do a reboot/remake of the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story. I not only saw the TV program not long ago which pointed out the comparisons between the reboot/remake and the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story, but I also listened to part of the soundtrack on my smartphone, and did not like what I heard, at all. The soundtrack of the reboot/remake of the film version of West Side Story sounds bombastic, flat, heavy, and tinny, at the same time.

I agree that Spielberg's outlook of "having subtitles would be giving the power of English over the Spanish" is rather extreme, as well.

Here's another point, as well: When Spielberg said that he was doing this reboot/remake of the film version of West Side Story in order to get even with Donald Trump, I felt that Spielberg also went way overboardhad when he injected politics into the whole thing. I don't support Donald Trump, nor did I vote for him, nor will I vote for him in the 2024 Presidential Election year, if he runs for POTUS again. That, too, re-enforced my decision to vote my pocketbook and not go to see Spielberg's film version of West Side Story at all.

I'll also add that Spielberg will not miss any of my money, either. He can do perfectly well without it.

[–] christomacin (4675) 3 years ago

"It's not the Spanish I object to, or even that it's not subtitled. It's Spielberg's smug, stupid woke attitude about it. "

Hollywood needs to learn this lesson. You can be as woke as you want, but have enough respect for your audience to leave them room to figure it out for themselves. Don't spoon feed it to them, and above all, don't take a lecturing, hectoring tone about it. Rachel Zegler also made some unfortunate comments before the film was released that didn't help matters either. Kubrick in films like The Shining was ten times more woke and liberal than Spielberg ever was. For Kubrick's methodology differed from more modern film-makers in that he was content leaving a few very subtle clues of what the film was really about yet insisting that we do the thinking for ourselves. Too often these days we getting bludgeoning as opposed to gentle shepherding of ideas.

[–] clashwho (758) 3 years ago

What did Rachel Zegler say?

[–] BeaSouth (3459) 3 years ago

Do the hearing impaired also lose the captions for the Spanish parts Spielberg omits in order to make his political point? If so, I find his rationale for using language to leverage “power” over certain audience members pretty arrogant and uninformed

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

I wouldn't know. I didn't ask for one of the captioning boxes.

[–] Jimmyt11111 (138) 3 years ago

I read on the internet that all the dancing in WSS was CGI and Spiderman swinging around New York was real life. You know nothing!

[–] furiousstyles (4391) 3 years ago

Spiderman no way home is far more entertaining than West side story , thats a fact, brilliant film.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Untrue

[–] furiousstyles (4391) 3 years ago

Have you seen No way home?

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

No and I won't. I don't watch trash for entertainment. I take it down to the curb to be whisked off to a garbage landfill.

[–] furiousstyles (4391) 3 years ago

And thats why you fail, and have a shit movie pallette

[–] modica (4169) 3 years ago

I hated Spiderman No Way Home. I really don't know why it gets so much love. Can't believe I risked Covid to see it. So disappointing.

[–] luvthepros (806) 3 years ago

Like you, I was also very emotional every time a musical number was on screen. I fought back tears throughout most of the movie and I did that twice, two days in a row. Spielberg's West Side Story is so beautiful to watch and listen to.

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

Not long ago, I not only saw parts of Spielberg's reboot/remake on a TV program that emphasized the comparisons of Spielberg's film version of West Side Story and the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story, but I listened to the entire soundtrack of Spielberg's reboot' remake of the film West Side Story, and thought that the whole soundtrack to West Side Story 2021 was very metallic-ssounding, extremely loud, and that Rachel Ziegler's singing voice was really nasal in many parts, and Ansel Elgort's singing voice wasn't that great, either.

The whole Spielberg reboot/remake of the film version of West Side Story seemed way overdone, too bombastic, and too heavy. A musical is also supposed to have some lightness to it, which Spielberg's West Side Story film version seemed to have none of. The personalities of the characters were changed way too much, the Jets and the Sharks themselves looked too much like the newsie boys, and their girls looked far more like a bunch of wealthy suburban prep-school girls that were dressed to the nines for partying around town, rather than a bunch of gangsters' girlfriends.

The stuff about Ansel Elgort was utterly disgusting, and that, along with the other stuff I mentioned about, has stiffened my resolve to vote my pocketbook and not go to see it at all.

I don't plan on seeing "Spiderman: No way home", but have no plans to see Spielberg's reboot/remake of the film version of West Side Story, either.

I'll also add that part of what gave the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story its strength and beauty was the fact that when it was transferred from stage to screen, it was preserved as a larger-than-lifesied piece of theatre. Having said this, I believe that Spielberg's film version of West Side Story will eventually fall victim to the fact that it's filmed totally outdoors.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Please stop

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

No, Metatron1970! YOU stop!

Mind your own damned business for a change.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

This is my thread and I make the rule that only people who have actually seen Spielberg's West Side Story can comment on it. You have been saying since DECEMBER that you refuse to watch this new version. It is now widely available thru Disney+, HBOMAX, Redbox, etc. Nobody wants to continue hearing you rant about a movie you've never seen. You are therefore banished from this thread until you have seen the movie.

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

So what Spielberg's reboot/remake of the film version is available through Disney, HBOMAX, RedBox, etc.? I've seen enough of the 2021 film version and have heard the soundtrack score to it, so I can pass some judgement, so don't go telling me what to do.

Spielberg's film version of West Side Story never, ever should've gone into the movie theatres in the first place. It looks far more like a movie that was meant for television, anyhow, and no.....I won't stay off of this thread. Anything that either you or anybody else on here posts is open to responses by anybody, whether you or anybody else on this board likes then or not..

[–] luvthepros (806) 3 years ago

The cinematography in Spielberg's film is outstanding, the costuming is wonderful and the directorial shots that Spielberg chose are so much more superior to a TV movie. I know you did see some of Spielberg's film and I'm sure you did see that "puddle shot" that many people have commented on. That was just spectacular. That type of talent that Spielberg has for story telling in film is not afforded to TV made movies. Sorry, just can not agree with your TV movie comment.

[–] Roguemail (1615) 3 years ago

Here you are posting the same stuff you have been for the last year.

You talk about the sound quality, but this is probably down to the sound on whichever medium you watched or listened to it on. Watch and listen to it properly in a cinema or on streaming then pass judgement.

You say there is no lightness, but yet you have not seen the movie.

And if I read that stupid "vote with my pocketbook line again...

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

OMG! How many times can she say "I'm going to vote my pocketbook and not see West Side Story"?!!

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

Oh, come off of it, Roguemail! I've seen enough of Spielberg's film version of West Side Story so that I can pass some judgement, so don't go telling me how to think. I listened to the soundtrack of Spielberg's film version of West Side Story on youtube, which, imho, is sufficient enough for me to form an opinion of it. The differences between the soundtracks of Spielberg's film version and the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story, even on youtube, are noticeable, and, yes, I more than likely would notice the differences even if I'd seen Spielberg's West Side Story in a movie theatre or on TV, because I've got a good ear.

Don't make threats, either. I don't have to vote my pocketbook, now that Spielberg's West Side Story film version has been streamed. I'll just boycott it just the same.

[–] Roguemail (1615) 3 years ago

So for you the new version is bad because its different. That's what it boils down to.

You behave like the original is one of your children, like its sacred and should not be tampered with.

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

Awwww....shut up, Roguemail! You're damned right that the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story is sacred and should not have been tampered with, at all, by anybody! The reboot/remake of the film version of West Side Story was absolutely and totally unnecessary. To you, I'm childish for having a different take on the new film version of West Side Story. YOU'RE the childish one for being so insulting!

[–] modica (4169) 3 years ago

I really was against the remake, but did see it and actually liked it a lot. It isn't as great as the original, but it definitely does a good job trying to update the original movie. I liked how they expanded on certain things and changed certain things(even though I still enjoy the original things more). The song Cool was placed before the rumble and completely changed and I enjoyed what they did with it here, even though I think the original is better. I feel you can still enjoy the movie and not be turning your back on the original. Spielberg did not ruin the movie. I do think subtitles would have been nice, seeing that other movies use them, but that is a slight criticism. I did understand the essence of what was being said and do know some Spanish words and phrases so that not a lot was lost with me.

[–] mplo (2357) 3 years ago

I rented Spielberg's film version of West Side Story to watch on my computer, but, to be honest, I'm sorry I did. I could not sit through the entire movie and see it in its entirety. I found it too bombastic, overdone, too heavy and intense, and way too violent, and, as another poster on here put it, was overdone at the expense of the original story. West Side Story is a musical, and it's supposed to have some lightness, as well, which, unlike the old, original 1961 film version of WSS, the 2021 film version sorely lacks. All told, it feels all wrong to me, and not at all like West Side Story.

I did watch the old original 1961 film version of West Side Story on my computer not long ago, and still enjoyed it, a great deal, although it's much more meaningful when it's shown on a great big, wide screen, in a real movie theatre, with the lights down low, and sharing it with a whole bunch other people, whether I know them or not.

To me, the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story is the real deal, and I'll stick with that one.