West Side Story (Steven Spielberg, 2021)

[domino harvey]

Interesting update of a "classic" of American movie history which is, nevertheless, not a particularly enjoyable movie (the original 1961 movie, I'm talking about) and thus ripe for updating.

Sorry, in what universe? The movie is tremendously enjoyable on just about every conceivable level.

Yep, this is Letterboxd revisionism at its finest

[knives]

I mean, I want to see Criterion release more musicals too, but a 2021 remake would not be the priority I'd push for!

Can't disagree with your point, but my argument would be that the value of the Criterion "extras" here would be tremendous, while the value of Criterion "extras" on say, "Singin' in the Rain" -- much as I'd like to have that -- would be less valuable, relatively speaking.

There are plenty of musicals which haven’t been released yet more in that Mikado zone that would benefit the most from Criterion style exposure and examination. Not to speak for Blus, but I imagine he had in mind those sorts of films.

[hearthesilence]

Generally every review I've seen puts Spielberg's film over Wise's (and I get the impression Sondheim did as well) but Richard Brody's is the first I've seen to argue in favor of Wise's film.

[senseabove]

I haven't seen the original in years—I have vaguely positive feelings toward it, though it holds no special place in my heart—but the surprisingly widespread positive reviews got me motivated to check the new version out before it left the Big Auditorium at the neighborhood movie palace... and I think I'd side with the Spielberg on this one. If nothing else, it's just a delight to look at, distractingly incessant lens-flares aside; and the only flaw performance-wise is Elgort, who has all the natural ease of a three-legged dog and all the charm of its fleas (which is strangely fitting, as I don't recall ever finding Richard Beymer all that inspiring either). Everyone else is entirely deserving of the praise they've been getting, Ariana DeBose and Mike Faist deserving of particular mention, and the updates are doting but not slavish, contemporarizing but (mostly) not too on-the-nose. On some level, I suppose it's just a pleasure to see a big studio movie come out that really feels Classic-era Studio Movie beautiful: beautifully lit, beautifully staged, beautifully shot, beautifully costumed, beautifully sung, beautifully danced...

[soundchaser]

Generally every review I've seen puts Spielberg's film over Wise's (and I get the impression Sondheim did as well) but Richard Brody's is the first I've seen to argue in favor of Wise's film.

This largely confirms my fears: that Spielberg's is aiming for maximum professional sheen. His changes to

Spoiler

the gym scene, one of the most memorable in the original

tell me he doesn't quite get the point. But then I don't get the point of this remake outside of "not Natalie Wood," so...

[therewillbeblus]

I can appreciate a competent director with pull in Hollywood choosing to use that cred and confidence in skillsets to greenlight a safe musical in today's climate, which doesn't seem to be particularly interested in this genre on the silver screen, certainly not to a level of knee-jerk marketability. However, the original has plenty of merit on its own, and while I haven't seen this remake yet and reserve the right to compare them down the line, I haven't read anything to suggest that Spielberg's film is seeking to completely reinvent the wheel so much as provide the same entertainment with upgraded technology in a more socially-conscious 21st century zeitgeist without being heavy-handed in its infusion of a revised ethos or anything. I could be wrong on that last point there, but I hope I'm right. Needless to say, I have a feeling I'll like this, but that like soundchaser alludes, I'll wind up seeing it as superfluous beyond surface-level entertainment value and (hopefully, but not promising by the box-office numbers thus far) the potential for a resurgence of musicals getting greenlit in the foreseeable future.

[senseabove]

It's definitely not shy about being more contemporary in its social awareness, but it's also sort of amusingly on-the-nose when it does go on-the-nose: (very mild spoilers, but...)

Spoiler

the much-discussed opening crane shot over the rubble on the lot where the building the remake premiered in will be; Anybodys being made pretty explicitly trans; Moreno making a very blunt statement about where an attack she interrupted was going...

But otherwise it felt well-handled, to me, and in such a way that made it apparent how much more awkward it would be if they didn't at least acknowledge some of these issues in 2021.

This largely confirms my fears: that Spielberg's is aiming for maximum professional sheen. His changes to

Spoiler

the gym scene, one of the most memorable in the original

tell me he doesn't quite get the point. But then I don't get the point of this remake outside of "not Natalie Wood," so...

FWIW, I think Brody's being a little willfully obtuse here. There's more to that scene than "just a face-to-face behind the bleachers," even if it's doing it differently from the original, and even if the group dance in that particular scene is less erotic, there's plenty of eroticism elsewhere (and furthermore, I'd venture that would be the choreographer's "mistake" as much or more than Spielberg's...). I think Spielberg did a very good job walking a very fine line, balancing the need to avoid appearing to ape elements of the original—whether that's memorable vocal phrasings, dance quotes, scene stagings—while also not coming off as willfully, self-consciously different. It sounds like Brody just has a genuine love for the original that the remake would never stack up against anyway... but it also feels a little obtuse of me to make too much of it here when I haven't seen the original in years and you haven't seen new one.

[therewillbeblus]

It's definitely not shy about being more contemporary in its social awareness, but it's also sort of amusingly on-the-nose when it does go on-the-nose: (very mild spoilers, but...)

Spoiler

the much-discussed opening crane shot over the rubble on the lot where the building the remake premiered in will be; Anybodys being made pretty explicitly trans; Moreno making a very blunt statement about where an attack she interrupted was going...

But otherwise it felt well-handled, to me, and in such a way that made it apparent how much more awkward it would be if they didn't at least acknowledge some of these issues in 2021.

That makes sense, and is about what I expected and was hoping for by my comment

[BirdLives]

I think that review betrays not only Kael's misunderstanding of the film's pacing but also of Romeo and Juliet.

(Also, while I haven't seen it, I find it hard to believe that Spielberg's version would be LESS mawkish.)

Hmm, I'm going to give this forum the benefit of the doubt that it's not the kind of place where I'm expected to reply to sarcastic attacks from people who haven't even seen the movie.

Gee, anti-intellectual much?

But I will note that, yeah, Spielberg's version is less mawkish. The reasons for that are fairly easy to guess/ascertain, but once again, I don't view it as my job to do the work of anti-intellectuals who prefer attack mode. Do the work yourself, buddy. (Hint: Kushner. Munich. A good place to start.)

But more generally, hey, I'm a pluralist. I don't need to see the weirdly stiff, boring Robert Wise movie again, but heck yeah Criterion; put the two movies together in a 4k package; should be great for the Criterion reputation. This also gives me the chance to repeat my request to see all the uncut dance footage designed by Twyla Tharp for "Amadeus" and "Hair". It has to be in a vault somewhere! So, overall: Criterion, please release a "Dance in Hollywood" 4k and blu ray package with both versions of "West Side Story" plus the best dance sequences ever put on film in their uncut glory.

Heck, Criterion itself might get an Oscar for such a release. People love dancing in movies, after all.

[domino harvey]

Please do defend the remake and your take on it, but nothing soundchaser wrote could be legitimately labeled anti-intellectual. Kael was her own brand and her takes are absolutely not always or even often indicative of overall critical estimation, and rejecting them is definitely not indicative of the dismissal being evidence of a dullard protecting their own dumbness

[soundchaser]

If nothing else, I’m pretty sure this is the first time in my life I’ve been called “anti-intellectual” before.

More seriously: Kael’s take simply highlights, for me, what makes the original so interesting: it combines whip-fast modern filmmaking with a “mawkish” sensibility in a way that creates a fascinating shifts in mood, tone, color, etc. The gym scene alone — the juxtaposition of the angular “Mambo” with the gauzy meet-cute — is worth the whole project. So, too, in the Shakespeare source material, which thrives on its mixture of poetic forms to slightly cheesy (but compelling) effect. Besides, even if you disagree with me, I’m not sure quoting a critic as idiosyncratic as Kael is an argument likely to change any minds.

(Besides besides — the only critic I really trust about musicals is Rick Altman.)

And senseabove: you’re probably right that I’m coming at this whole project from an angle that doesn’t lend itself to much discussion. I should maybe see the film one of these days!

[BirdLives]

If nothing else, I’m pretty sure this is the first time in my life I’ve been called “anti-intellectual”

Enjoy!

I wasn't the one who extended the discussion by asserting there was no "universe" in which the original "West Side Story" was not tremendously enjoyable.

I merely pointed out someone who didn't think it was so enjoyable.

[soundchaser]

I’m just surprised that you thought you could assert your, let’s be charitable, slightly unorthodox opinion of the original as fact and have it unquestioned, or at least undiscussed.

And really, I don’t hold Kael in any particular estimation. You may have just as well posted a random Letterboxd user’s similar take and I’d have said much the same thing: it shows that they don’t understand the film or the source material.

[domino harvey]

If nothing else, I’m pretty sure this is the first time in my life I’ve been called “anti-intellectual”

Enjoy!

I wasn't the one who extended the discussion by asserting there was no "universe" in which the original "West Side Story" was not tremendously enjoyable.

I merely pointed out someone who didn't think it was so enjoyable.

So, that’s an example of hyperbole, not anti-intellectualism. As someone who says Amadeus contains some of the greatest dance sequences ever filmed, you may be familiar with this concept

[BirdLives]

Anyway, I highly recommend the new movie and hope Criterion gives us a beautiful edition with both movies!

[Maltic]

It's a new $100m Spielberg movie, which is bound to come out on state-of-the-art BD and UHD via the usual channels, anyway, like The Post did, and Ready Player One...

[therewillbeblus]

Right, but think of all the extras that could compare this superior movie to the original's datedness!

[soundchaser]

Careful with the hyperbole there, friend!

[domino harvey]

In a bizarre strategy to self-sabotage, this film is apparently refusing to send screeners for award consideration. Like, I know this is a box office bomb, but there’s gotta be a better way to drum up the theatrical take!

[therewillbeblus]

I suppose Spielberg has been the leading voice against home-viewing experiences being considered fair play for Oscar consideration (or charging their allowance to categorize themselves as "movies" at all!) This was originally pertaining to streaming platforms only, but maybe he's just delving deeper into his own madcap ethos. Quarantine does strange things to people

[Brian C]

As someone who's seen the film, I too share Spielberg's ambivalence towards encouraging other people to watch it!

[therewillbeblus]

He's obviously saving the physical release for Criterion

[Brian C]

Hopefully packaged with a bunch of dance scenes from other movies.

[aox]

Like, I know this is a box office bomb

Is it though? I have zero interest in seeing it despite being a Spielberg fan, but under what metric is this considered a bomb? IMDB voting and Rotten Tomatoes seem favorable. I was under the impression this was going to do well at the Oscars as well.

[domino harvey]

It is