WEST SIDE STORY (2021)

Well, what a time for this film to come out in the cinemas seeing as it is the 60th anniversary year since the original 1961 version directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbin first exploded onto the screens. A phenomenal classic film. Unforgettable, wonderfully shot, beautiful choreography, choreography, wonderful singing, emotive acting and score. Leonard Bernstein provides such an emotive and sensation score and of course, those wonderful lyrics from the late great Stephen Sondheim who we sadly lost 2021 . Now, of course you may ask, is there any point in doing a remake of something which is already perfect .Well, I have to say, with Steven Spielberg at the helm, I was intrigued. I believe it is one of his favourite films,. As you can tell I worship the original but whilst Steven Spielberg is not reverential, but he definitely pays reverence to the 1961 version and honours it remaining true to its very heart. By this I mean we get all the songs whilst not necessarily the same settings. I don't think Spielberg set out to make it a carbon copy. Both are very different versions. Both brilliant in their own way. I'd say I really found myself falling in love this version. From the first few chords and opening bars of the music you feel this is going to be exciting, and the wonderful thing is the entire cast can absolutely sing brilliantly. The choreography which keeps a sassy sexy homage to her 60’s original brings as new fresh original twist. In this version we begin with a crumbling derelict slum town. We see the dust kicking up and we see a wrecking ball and to me it's very symbolic. That's what it is when we meet the Jets. . The Jets are kind of self -sabotaging ,but they know nothing else. As opposed to the athletic looking 50’s/60’s teenagers of the original, a noticeable difference is that these Jets as a gang are skinny almost street rats which works really well, because that's exactly what they are. We absolutely believe that they are hoodlums slumming it on the streets. As with the original we all know it is modern day take on Romeo and Juliet transported from Italy to New York and the rivals houses of the Capulets and Montague become rival gangs of the Jets and the Sharks. It's all about territory, particularly but Spielberg brings in some other underlying messages setting it against a city redevelopment backdrop, with shiny new apartments, something aspirational for the Puerto Ricans who've come to make a better life but also which poses a threat to the Jets existence . I really enjoy Steven Spielberg's narrative through and after Tony Kushner does a great job of the screenplay. Steven Spielberg resists the large set pieces or making it stagey or theatrical. In this way it is shot it helps you feel very much involved. You physically feel when you're in the dance, you feel Tony and Maria meeting each other amongst the hustle and the bustle. It's beautifully shot. Also with the Jets and the sharks when they're doing the rumble or any kind of fights you completely feel, the knife and the violence and are really a part of it all. As you can imagine Spielberg really uses the medium of film to perfection, included the use of location shots which really enhances the scene and transports you. So when we have 'America', they take to the street like a great Latin American Fiesta. With other scenes where we go further out of the city , we get some more narrative. We also , as ifs the trend of modern movies get a bit more “backstory” on Tony.. We get a little bit more different settings when what 'One hand, one heart is beautifully set. We also have the antithesis to all the dark drama and all the violence with 'I feel pretty, and that's beautifully set in another setting. Spielberg has collated an impressive cast for the film, Hollywood icon Rita Moreno, who starred as Bernardo's girlfriend Anita in the 1961 West Side plays a new role under the name of Valentina. Valentina is wife to ' Doc who owned the drugstore who has now sadly passed on. Valentina takes in Tony like she was he was her own. She has a very heartfelt song within it which would normally be sung by Maria later on. Actually all the casting was very well done. David Alvarez as Bernardo had a tough act to follow with George Chakiris who played Bernardo in the original version. I'm sure he'd be very interested to see how this played out on the screen.Natalie Wood of course was beautiful, glowing in the Hollywood original and as a star of the Hollywood system at the time, casting was naturally going to fall to her as a lead. Here Rachel Zegler as Maria is beautifully authentic,and Ziegler does a beautiful job and she has a beautiful voice as well. Ansel Elgort , for me was a fantastic Tony just a wonderful actor very likeable, very watchable, well played by him. .I'm glad to say here that everybody sung live to my knowledge. We have Ariana DeBose as a Anita and she does a great job as well. Lots of vivaciousness on screen. Mike Faist does a really fantastic job. He looks very, very emaciated, and like he hasn't had anyone to love him all through his life and just really believable as Riff. Another song which is done differently was 'Cool'. And I really liked the way they did that. Playing off between different people. No longer does 'Ice' lead that song. For a screen musical I think it’s a good length coming in at 2hours 36. You will come out feeling many emotions; it can make you feel sad at times, elated, with much light and shade, even in the depths of destruction and ensuing tragedy it still retains an uplifting quality. However it just fails to emote on an acting level as much as the original which just had the edge on that aspect.