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Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021)


mrbellamy

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Sounds like a great idea. It's a wonderful musical, but the Robert Wise film is incredibly dated and rather lacking in punch, no small thanks to Jerome Robbins's camp choreography.

I could see Johnny writing some connective tissue if any of the narrative's going to be augmented, but all of it would be variations upon Lenny's material.

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This won't happen, I'm sure of it.

But Williams is a master arranger, so I'm sure he would have done a fine job with Bernstein's material.

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But Williams is a master arranger, so I'm sure he would have done a fine job with Bernstein's material.

Not to forget, he played the piano on the original soundtrack! This would be a nice full circle.

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I'm the only one who said it so it's pretty fresh. BTW, I only say that about Williams, not Spielberg (not at all). Unlike you, I feel that Spielberg is searching for something different. And doing a musical might be exactly that ... but, supposing it's true, why does it have to be as overfamiliar as West Side Story? That's a valid question.

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I say it is a high time for Indiana Jones The Musical!

Think about it! Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom the Musical with the original cast!

Or Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Temple of the Last Skull!

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I'm the only one who said it so it's pretty fresh. BTW, I only say that about Williams, not Spielberg (not at all). Unlike you, I feel that Spielberg is searching for something different. And doing a musical might be exactly that ...

Spielberg did several sequences to get that out of his system, mainly 1941 and TOD. It's a technical exercise for him i think, and the only reason he possibly could ponder it is because some musicals in the recent past enjoyed some success and it could get a financing. Artistically, a re-do of WSS has nothing to offer beyond the technical, it's neither zeitgeist-y nor musically relevant. Just like with HARVEY, it seems an ill-informed choice of material for any top director ( a Rob Marshall would do a 'fine' Hollywoodworkmanlike job with it, though, as he did on GEISHA).

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I would absolutely LOVE this...but please wait until John Williams has stopped composing! That is priority one for the moment.

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Why? We already have it.

Did Spielberg ever do a straight remake?

I can't get enough of WWS. Even if it's just a tribute piece that doesn't bring anything new to the table, I'm sure I'd eat it up. The prospect of hearing Bernstein on a big screen in itself is enticing. I'm also interested to see Spielberg's take on it...aesthetically I'm sure it'd be very different than the 61 film.

Always is a remake.

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  • 3 years later...

http://www.darkhorizons.com/spielberg-has-indiana-jones-5-west-next/

 

Wow, has it really been 18 months since Indy 5 was announced?

 

If Spielberg chooses to do a West Side Story remake, I wonder if Williams would be involved? Perhaps as musical director? 

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Out of curiosity, have you never seen Singin' in the Rain? 

 

In no order my top ten favourite musicals would be:

 

Singin' in the Rain 

Grease 

Oliver! 

Chicago

West Side Story

Mary Poppins

Sweeney Todd

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Wizard of Oz

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 

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35 minutes ago, Quintus said:

Out of curiosity, have you never seen Singin' in the Rain? 

 

In no order my top ten favourite musicals would be:

 

Singin' in the Rain 

Grease 

Oliver! 

Chicago

West Side Story

Mary Poppins

Sweeney Todd

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Wizard of Oz

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 

 

Let me guess...as a teenager you had Liza & Bette posters on your wall?

 

Hmmmm.  Which of the Rock Horror characters do you relate to most Quintus, and why?

 

I may have a follow up.

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A great list, Lee.

I'd have to say that mine would be:

WEST SIDE STORY

TOMMY

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

A STAR IS BORN (1954)

A STAR IS BORN (1976)

CHITTY- CHITTY BANG-BANG

THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG

ON THE TOWN

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

PINK FLOYD THE WALL (stretching it a bit but what the hey)

YELLOW SUBMARINE

IT COULDN'T HAPPEN HERE

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