West Side Story – Spielberg remake (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

Damn, Jake, that's awesome!!!

 

[cinemiracle]

As a bit of an aside, I wanted to say/brag that I saw Chita Rivera in concert tonight, which happens to also be her 85th birthday. She is, of course, the indelible Tony-winning star of the original Broadway production as Anita, plus many, many other roles throughout an illustrious career in the theatre. While of course she has aged in the 60 years since West Side Story premiered, she has done so magnificently, and is, as ever, one of the world's greatest entertainers of all time. It was a great privilege to be in her audience tonight.

She sang songs from throughout her career, but West Side got both "A Boy Like That" and "America." With respect to all the talented women who have sang these since she originated them, no one does it quite like her.

If Spielberg does go through with this remake, I feel it only appropriate that he should find her a cameo in it somewhere to honor hr legacy in this show.

I also saw Chita Rivera when she was performing at the Sydney Opera House, many years ago. A truly unforgettable experience.

 

[Matt Hough]

I have seen Chita RIvera in three Broadway shows: the original Chicago, The Rink, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. She was magnificent in all of them but particularly Chicago. I couldn't get my aunt and uncle (who used to take my brother and me to NYC a couple of times a year) to go to Bye Bye Birdie because they thought it was a rock and roll show, and they were afraid of West Side Story's plot which they thought was too heavy for someone as young as I was. But that was OK. In their place I saw Carnival!, My Fair Lady, and The Music Man.

 

[bujaki]

Yes, Chicago with Verdon! Unforgettable production.

 

[LincolnSpector]

http://deadline.com/2018/01/steven-...est-side-story-directing-vehicles-1202262857/

Spielberg usually gets what he wants, but I cannot understand the value of remaking this film when the original is as close to perfect as it gets. If he wants to make a musical, I'm all for that but I wish he would use his considerable clout and talent to film one that hasn't been made into a movie before.

I mean, if someone is going to make a West Side Story remake, at least Spielberg is too good to dismiss. But it still seems like a missed opportunity for him to do something genuinely new.

Thoughts?

I have no problem with remakes, as long as the originals are still available (which is usually the case). If a good director has an interesting take on a story that's already been filmed, it might be worth watching.

Also, I don't really consider the 1961 movie "close to perfect." It has a hell of a lot going for it. The dancing is among the best in cinema. And it has three great supporting performances: Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris, and Rita Moreno.

But Natalie Wood is miscast, and Richard Beymer is absolutely horrible. If you're going to do Romeo and Juliet, you need a good Romeo and a good Juliet.

You can read my article on the film.

 

[cinemiracle]

I have no problem with remakes, as long as the originals are still available (which is usually the case). If a good director has an interesting take on a story that's already been filmed, it might be worth watching.

Also, I don't really consider the 1961 movie "close to perfect." It has a hell of a lot going for it. The dancing is among the best in cinema. And it has three great supporting performances: Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris, and Rita Moreno.

But Natalie Wood is miscast, and Richard Beymer is absolutely horrible. If you're going to do Romeo and Juliet, you need a good Romeo and a good Juliet.

You can read my article on the film.

I totally agree with you that Natalie Wood was miscast. Same for Richard Beymer. He is said to have crawled under the seat when he first saw the film. He hated his performance. It was truly horrible .Let's face it, he never had much of a career. Whatever could has possessed Robert Wise to cast these two actors? The story may have been based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but even he based his story on other similar stories that were common in his day. I am truly amazed at how many gullible people to-day still think that Romeo and Juliet was a true story. He just based his story on someone else's and made his characters older and set it in a different city. I saw this film when originally released several times on a huge 62 ft wide screen in 70mm. Luckily it was shown without an intermission as the Director insisted for it's Roadshow release.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I feel like you guys are failing to take into account that West Side Story, with Beymer and Tamblyn, is actually a Twin Peaks prequel

 

[TravisR]

I feel like you guys are failing to take into account that West Side Story, with Beymer and Tamblyn, is actually a Twin Peaks prequel

I'm sure West Side Story is a big reason why they got cast in Twin Peaks.

 

[Jim*Tod]

I have no problem with remakes, as long as the originals are still available (which is usually the case). If a good director has an interesting take on a story that's already been filmed, it might be worth watching.

Also, I don't really consider the 1961 movie "close to perfect." It has a hell of a lot going for it. The dancing is among the best in cinema. And it has three great supporting performances: Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris, and Rita Moreno.

But Natalie Wood is miscast, and Richard Beymer is absolutely horrible. If you're going to do Romeo and Juliet, you need a good Romeo and a good Juliet.

You can read my article on the film.

I would agree that Wood and Beymer were miscast. But the fact remains that as written, both Tony and Maria are the least interesting characters in the show. Even when I saw the recent stage revival with better casting in the roles this was apparent.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

So, apparently, this is on and casting has begun. Spielberg does a musical (remake). Why not? And if you really want to change it up, how about making it the Crips and the Bloods from the 80s and do that version? You can still call it West Side Story since the Crips and the Bloods were all over from Culver City to Venice beach on... the West Side. And they could rap "America" like in Hamilton with a few minor lyric changes.

 

[Tino]

So, apparently, this is on and casting has begun. Spielberg does a musical (remake). Why not? And if you really want to change it up, how about making it the Crips and the Bloods from the 80s and do that version? You can still call it West Side Story since the Crips and the Bloods were all over from Culver City to Venice beach on... the West Side. And they could rap "America" like in Hamilton with a few minor lyric changes.

Do you have a link to confirmation that it’s a definite go?

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Do you have a link to confirmation that it’s a definite go?

http://www.showbiz411.com/2018/01/2...ory-pro-forma-casting-call-goes-out-for-leads

Sadly, they are not taking my suggestion and it will still be NYC in the 1950s, but you better speak Spanish if you want to play a Puerto Rican in this version. The book looks to be different, though, with Tony Kushner writing the script (Angels in America).

 

[Worth]

So, I guess Indiana Jones 5 is on hold until Harrison Ford matures a bit more into the role?

 

[TravisR]

So, I guess Indiana Jones 5 is on hold until Harrison Ford matures a bit more into the role?

Since it's Spielberg, I just assume he'll shoot them back to back.

 

[Vic Pardo]

So, apparently, this is on and casting has begun. Spielberg does a musical (remake). Why not? And if you really want to change it up, how about making it the Crips and the Bloods from the 80s and do that version? You can still call it West Side Story since the Crips and the Bloods were all over from Culver City to Venice beach on... the West Side. And they could rap "America" like in Hamilton with a few minor lyric changes.

I think Cannon did that version in the 1980s:

 

[mark brown]

The thought of remaking this film is offensive!

 

[Tino]

The thought of remaking this film is offensive!

Why is it offensive?

 

[Tino]

I don’t get the hate at this idea.

The original will still be available and remain the classic that it is.

What bearing will this remake have on the original? None.

If it’s not your cup of tea just don’t see it. Seems like a simple solution.

 

[Tino]

Well we won’t see this film before 2021 at the earliest...if it actually ever gets made.

Spielberg is committed to filming the next Indiana Jones film first next year with a 2020 release.

 

[Rick Thompson]

A new West Side Story is a classic "why bother?" movie. It'd be like remaking E.T.