West Side Story – Spielberg remake (1 Viewer)

[LincolnSpector]

I just feel that some films should be left alone. It's also a resources issue. In the case of the WSS remake, I'd MUCH rather see a director like Spielberg spend his time, talent and treasure giving us something new and unique instead of retreading ground that's already been covered.

The 1960 version will be left alone. It will not be cut, taken out of circulation, or converted to 3D (at least I hope not). So there's nothing to worry about.

And it's quite possible that Spielberg and Kushner will make a very different and equally-good version. I doubt they'll do better than the original when it comes to choreography, but in other ways, it may be much better.

 

[LincolnSpector]

Here's an article I wrote way back in 2005 about remakes: https://bayflicks.net/2005/06/03/remakes/

 

[dpippel]

We'll just have to agree to disagree Lincoln.

 

[Vic Pardo]

George Chakiris, Gus Trikonis, Larry Roquemore, Jamie Rogers ,Eddie Verso, Suzy Kaye et al were ALL made u to look Puerto Rican. Just as Rita Moreno was made up to look Asian for "The King and I', in which she also had her vocals dubbed (and which she conveniently leaves out of the conversation when criticizing Wood's casting).

Jaime Rogers and Eddie Verso are both Puerto Rican.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I know this is probably just wishful thinking, but given the current struggles in Puerto Rico, I think it would be great if the production could try to give jobs and internships on the film to students or graduates who were studying at Puerto Rican film schools or working locally there. It would be a great gesture that might go a long way.

I was reading last night about how after Katrina hit New Orleans, Elvis Costello sought to record with the famed New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint, and that the sight of Toussaint recording again in New Orleans gave hope to people there that things would get better again. And I thought, if that brought a measure of comfort and joy to people in New Orleans, why not try the same idea for Puerto Rico?

 

[Jake Lipson]

That's a great idea, Josh. Incidentally, Lin-Manuel Miranda (who did the Spanish translations for the 2009 revival) is bringing Hamilton to Puerto Rico next year and returning to the title role for the first time since leaving the Broadway company in 2016, in an attempt to give Puerto Rico just such a boost. If they are going to use Miranda's translations again, perhaps he will get on board and organize something like what you're describing.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Well, surprise. Apparently Spielberg is also considering directing a biopic of Leonard Bernstein, and this may or may not jump in front of the West Side Story remake. What makes this sort of funny, of course, is that Bernstein is the composer of West Side Story, so Spielberg must really be on a Bernstein kick to want to do two such projects back-to-back. Variety says Indiana Jones 5 is definitely next on his docket, though, and will come before either of the Bernstein projects.

http://variety.com/2018/film/news/steven-spielbergs-west-side-story-1202722086/

 

[PMF]

Harrison Ford as Bernstein, perhaps?
West Side Spielberg, indeed.
Rather than a re-make, I'd rather see a portion of their monies going towards a primo Restoration.

 

[usrunnr]

Regarding PMF's above post: "Here! Here!

 

[Matt Hough]

A Bernstein biopic would be a very interesting proposition if they don't go the route of so many other entertainment personality movies and fictionalize the subject, get songs and other compositions out of order. etc.

 

[RobertR]

fictionalize the subject

The odds that they wouldn't are minuscule.

 

[Jake Lipson]

A Bernstein biopic would be a very interesting proposition if they don't go the route of so many other entertainment personality movies and fictionalize the subject, get songs and other compositions out of order. etc.

I trust Spielberg on this. While Bernstein is of course a legendary composer, I'm not sure a film about him would be a guarantee blockbuster, which means Spielberg would be doing it mostly because he wants to and for the artistic value of it. That means he obviously has a strong personal interest in it and would likely be invested in getting it right.

 

[Jake Lipson]

This article makes a good point about how many projects Spielberg attaches himself to:

http://www.vulture.com/2018/03/a-decade-of-steven-spielberg-not-making-up-his-mind.html

 

[Jake Lipson]

It looks like, right now, Spielberg is serious about making this his next project. They're holding casting calls soon:

http://www.playbill.com/article/ste...ushner-west-side-story-holds-nyc-casting-call

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Indy 5 has been confirmed as his next project. I don't mind this coming immediately afterwards but I'm tired of seeing the Indy movie being bumped.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. I wonder if this might be a situation like he's had before many times with Ready Player One and The Post/Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can/Jurassic Park and Schindler's s List where he basically produces both back-to-back and they come out with a very short turnaround time in between each other. Indy will of course be a summer blockbuster, and West Side Story will almost surely get a year-end awards run, but it's not out of the question at all for him to deliver both in the same year based on his past working patterns.

It's also worth noting that I read somewhere that Fox controls the movie rights for West Side Story. I don't know where I read that or how valid that might or might not be. But if that's true this will likely end up being overseen by Disney by the time it happens, in which case that might make juggling the two easier, because he would be working for the same corporate entity in both cases.

 

[Wayne_j]

Tin Tin and Warhorse came out a few weeks apart.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Tin Tin and Warhorse came out a few weeks apart.

That too. Thanks; I knew I was missing one pair, but couldn't remember what went with War Horse. Actually, they were even closer together than that -- Tintin opened December 21 and War Horse opened on Christmas Day.

Because we know Indy will be a summer release, I think this one will be slightly more spaced out than that, since West Side Story will inevitably have an awards season run. However, it would not surprise me at all to see Indiana Jones and West Side Story both in 2020 (or, depending on how quickly West Side comes together, that one could theoretically end up in December 2019, with Indy following on its current date of July 10, 2020.

Currently, Universal has the movie version of Wicked schedule for December 20, 2019 (which has since been claimed by Disney for Star Wars IX.) However, Wicked doesn't seem to have much momentum yet, so it seems unlikely that it will make that release date. Hypothetically, in the absence of West Side Story could probably easily counterprogram Star Wars in the way that The Greatest Showman worked opposite The Last Jedi this past holiday season (or how Mamma Mia! did great business across from The Dark Knight ten years ago.) Or West Side could be slotted for December 2020 after Indy that summer. We'll see.

 

[TravisR]

That too. Thanks; I knew I was missing one pair, but couldn't remember what went with War Horse. Actually, they were even closer together than that -- Tintin opened December 21 and War Horse opened on Christmas Day.

Yeah, Spielberg is an iron man when he wants to be. Ready Player One was scheduled for December but Warners moved it to avoid Star Wars. However if they hadn't, RPO and The Post would have both opened this past Christmas.

I think knowing that his editor Michael Kahn (and VFX guys, etc.) will give him what he wants enables him to to be able to be in production on one movie will also having another movie in post production. He's able to oversee post production without having to micromanage it.

 

[Patrick H.]

Indeed, little-remembered fact was that post on Jurassic Park was completely overseen by George Lucas at Skywalker while Spielberg was shooting Schindler's List in Europe. Hence Lucas being at the top of the "special thanks" list in the credits.