WEST SIDE STORY

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Okay, all of my PMs have convinced me to go ahead with this, so, people, please don't let me down.

When I saw West Side Story, I was so moved that (tears streaming down my face) I purchased another ticket for the next showing and went right back in.

Usually the Academy Awards are just political, but Rita Moreno and George Chakiris were undeniably great!

Do people have favorite musical numbers? I love to sing "One Hand, One Heart", "Somewhere" and "A Boy Like That", but, then again, "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "America" are bitingly terrific. Do you recall the way they mixed the soundtrack with the closing credits - amazing! How about the music in the beginning as they zoomed in to the playground? One way the movie was inferior to the play was cutting out the wonderful elongation of the music/dance between Tony and Maria at the dance; anyone agree?

Have you noticed the fickle finger of fate? Tony Mordente went on to be a well-known choreographer; the guy who played "Cool" ( apparently he made a big impression on me Laughing

) got such buzz, but I never saw him again; Rita Moreno keeps on keepin' on, but George Chakiris disappeared. Any other examples?

Do any of you know how the producers finally settled on Puerto Ricans as the minority group? The producers apparently battled mightily before choosing that particular dynamic; ie Puerto Ricans and "whites".

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Rita Moreno as Anita was fab-u-lous!

I haven't seen this movie in years and years and you've made me want to see it again.

I think "America" was my favorite song/dance from the film. The dance at the gym (Hand Jive?) was cool too.

For what it's worth, Little Mo and I sing "Bug Pajamas" to the tune of "I Feel Pretty" because he loves his bug pajamas so much.

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I remember seeing this on stage in L.A. and it did move me to tears during several scenes (Richard Beymer is no Larry Kert). I love the film despite reservations about the direction of the intimate scenes and some of the scenes where the interior set takes over the frame (with some irritating, garish back-lighting that really made no sense in the scene). Jerome Robbins choreography is, in my opinion, without peer (having also seen his staging of Copland's "Rodeo" which was electrifying) and likely besides "American in Paris" the finest example of choreography on film (aided by the wide screen shots -- and I don't know whose decision it was to place the camera at a low level shot in many scenes, but Jerome Robbins is given credit for co-direction with Wise). I also had and still have reservations about the dubbing of both leads. But, then, I would have rather seen Julie Andrews in "My Fair Lady." Casting decisions have been a bugaboo for me in Hollywood stage musical adaptations. I would love to see a revival on stage but all-in-all this would have to remain as the definitive version on film. (Yes, I've always back-drawered the flaws I feel are in the film due to the same quirky direction style Wise has displayed elsewhere).

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Although I loved Natalie Wood as Maria, my vote for best performance would have to go to Rita Moreno. She was amazing.
This is one of my all time favorite movies. Richard Beymer was the only problem I had with the movie. I didn't think his performance was equal to the rest of the cast.

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Beymer was the weakest link!

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I love WSS - one of my all time favorites - because of the music and the choreography. The acting and the direction are not so noteworthy, but I can put up with them to enjoy the good stuff.

A Boy Like That gives me chills every time.

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The commentary at the end of the "Chicago" thread cannot be moved over any other way than manually as this wasn't a split (ending up with a moderator sponsoring the thread). I can move it over manually under my posting handle as there are now several posts we would not like to loose by starting a new split. Or, maybe better yet, a link to the page where sweetcomplication started commenting on WSS? Now there's a swee complication if there ever was one. Laughing

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Back to the film, interesting trivia is in the "Officer Krupke" ditty -- where the last line was cleaned up unlike the stage and original cast recording where the "f" word is quite plain. An example of the times where now, nobody would think twice about leaving the word intact.

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Russ Tamblyn I've always liked and he didn't fail me in this film either. You're right on the money with Rita Moreno. The dance in the garage was fantastic. George Chakiris burst on the scene and the girls were drooling over him. I've only seen a few filma with him in it. Kings of the Sun with Yul Brynner playing an American Indian chief and Chakiris playing an Aztec or Mayan chief. He was also in Is Paris Burning.
I couldn't cry for the film because I'm a guy.

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...WSS made an impression on me, for being the hippest, and most biting musical, I had seen to date. I especially liked "Gee, Officer Krupke", and "Maria". (That first line is awsome!)
...Why Peurto Rican and Whites? Dynamic, Edgy, true-to-life. So Blackand White, would have been even more dynamic, edgy, and true-to-life, right? Ahhhh....but there's that little love affair thingie,... Rolling Eyes

..Late fifties, we're talking here, I don't think so.

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Hey Bob,
...I remember watching "Color Purple", for the first time, on tape with a group of friends. After a futile fight, I loudly proclaimed that all the smoke in the room was making my eyes water! Rolling Eyes

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drooling over George Chakiris Cool

? You must be kidding . . . pant pant pant :wink:

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Down girl -- he doesn't quite look like that anymore! Laughing

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WEST SIDE STORY

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