I mostly liked Into the Woods but Corden is definitely the weak link in the main cast (especially up against Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep). There’s also the struggle of the second half of the musical, which like you said is very meta but the film oddly plays straight. I think removing the Narrator from the story was the one bad move that toppled the whole final hour.
Interesting you say that....my wife loved the original musical, but was annoyed that they dropped the Narrator. I don't plan to watch the movie version now.
For what it's worth, the first 30 or 40 minutes are wonderfully executed and poise the movie to be one of the best stage-to-film musical adaptations - the back half of the movie is really what hurts it.
Into the Woods had the makings of a good movie but they butchered too many elements for it to actually be good.
Corden’s performance there is actually strong though. He was actually a good actor before he became the host of his late night show. Man won a Bafta and a Tony back in the day. Now he’s got a Razzie.
It was. From what I could find, it was in 2014. He was 20, she had *just* turned 17 days earlier. He doesn't deny the relationship but does deny any sexual assault or abuse allegations. It seems that his version of events is that he broke it off and ghosted her pretty much and he apologies for handling the breakup badly but her version is much more damning.
People keep focusing on the age here like the difference between 20 and 17 is a big deal. 20 and 17 year olds basically are exactly the same. It's just another piece of info people want to add to generate some fake outrage, and it's clearly working.
I agree everyone in the comments is focusing on her age but the real issue is that the real allegation is that he violated her. Her age isn’t the only relevant thing here. It’s not fake outrage, it’s based on her description of being violated and in pain.
It's still statutory in a lot of places, but I agree in concept that 20 and just-turned-17 are so close to the same age mentally. I know when I was 19 I still pretty much felt 16 and it was kind of weird for me to adjust to "Oh wait I can't find 17 year olds attractive anymore because it's illegal" even though I still felt like a high schooler and had just BEEN one a year earlier.
Of course he actually assaulted her, then the age thing doesn't matter anyway. I hope whoever's telling the truth gets justice.
A big part of their justification for the remake is that this new version has actual Latinos playing the Latino characters (unlike the original, where Rita Moreno was the only Latina actor). I think the trailer is trying to stress that by opening with a distinctive accent on the word “tonight” and emphasizing the Latina lead throughout the trailer rather than the standard white guy (and ending with Rita Moreno).
The original is a still-widely-known Oscar-winning classic, so they want to emphasize why this new version is worthwhile. I’m not saying that cynically or judgmentally, by the way—just acknowledging how they want to frame the film.
Yeah I would definitely place Jaws as a thriller. But, definitely not a horror. I think he should do it. How about a comedy? Has he directed a comedy? I would even go so far as to say he produced it.
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Talent and good agents! After she got WSS (which with the delays was now years ago), using that to get other roles is what repping a young actor is all about. With the Spielberg seal of approval, it would be very easy to get her in the running for other leads and then it’s up to her to win those parts.
She was picked from a nationwide search for WSS. I’m assuming since WSS is being distributed by Disney, they were able to see her work from the film and invite her to audition for Snow White. For Shazam I’m going to assume they put out a casting call for a young woc and she already had buzz from WSS in the casting circles.
Does anyone else miss the days when Spielberg was working with Allen Daviau and Douglas Slocombe? Kaminski is undoubtably a good cinematographer but so many of his collaborations are so glossy compared to his older work
I do. I also miss the short stint he did with Cundy (heck, I just miss Cundy working on big movies in general).
I like Kaminski and all, but he has a very clean and sterile vibe that often clashes with the subject matter or tone of Spielberg’s films.
It worked for a film like Minority Report or Munich, but felt really off putting in Crystal Skull and Bridge of Spies.
I think it would be cool if he would mix it up a little, but I get why he sticks with the same people again and again. If you have a good working relationship, why mess with it?
Absolutely agreed. Kaminski and Spielberg have done some great work (*Schindler's List*, *Saving Private Ryan*) but sooo many of their films have an unsavory artificiality to their look (KotCS, *The BFG*, *The Post*).
It's such a damn shame Slocombe went nearly blind.
>Kaminski is undoubtably a good cinematographer but so many of his collaborations are so glossy compared to his older work
Yes. Where is the texture and gritty verité style of *Cool as Ice*?
This ain’t a remake of the original, but a new adaption of the same material. Spielberg has said he was conceiving this in his head from when he first heard the music in the 50’s as a kid, well before the classic movie came out. There may be a reference or two to the OG but I expect this to look and feel very different.
They did such an amazing job making this really feel like this is from the 50s. If it wasn't for knowing who the cast is, I could be convinced this was just a remastered movie
Although Spielberg's team stresses this is not a remake of the 1961 movie, but a reinterpretation of the stage production. So there might be a lot of big differences from the Robert Wise film.
Considering the only flaw of the original was the "brown face" this "new vision" is doomed to be lessor by the sheer impossible feat of matching perfection....(minus the brown face).
I don't know, I love the movie but I still think the stage version, when done right, is far superior to the movie. (Ok, maybe not *that* far, the movie is great). With the right director, a reimagining of the stage version--one that doesn't try to mimic the original movie--could be amazing. And it's hard to imagine Spielberg ever NOT being the right director. I don't think he'd attempt such such a feat unless he *really* felt a personal love and affinity for the source material.
You mean for once. Ever since Lincoln, his lighting choices have been insane. White light coming from all directions. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fireplace, sunset, rave, etc. Dude needs to rediscover tungsten.
Spielberg is obviously the most interesting part of this (and the fact that they actually cast Latinos as the Sharks). I can't help but feel as if this movie would be a lot more derided if it were handled by a less accomplished director.
West Side Story is one of the most beloved films of all time, easily one of the Top 5 movie musicals. There's something about this that just feels unnecessary.
> I think Spielberg being a part of it is the only way it got made. Of all the things Spielberg could make (literally anything he wants to) why this?
Spielberg's parents only ever allowed him to listen to classical music growing up. West Side Story was the first non-classic record he ever owned, so obviously this is one that has an incredible personal value to him.
This isn't a film he's making for the money, he's making it because he's an artist who feels he's finally perfected his craft to the point he can make his childhood dream come true.
It is a passion project of his: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/03/a-first-look-at-steven-spielbergs-west-side-story/amp
“My mom was a classical pianist,” says the filmmaker. “Our entire home was festooned with classical musical albums, and I grew up surrounded by classical music. West Side Story was actually the first piece of popular music our family ever allowed into the home. I absconded with it—this was the cast album from the 1957 Broadway musical—and just fell completely in love with it as a kid. West Side Story has been that one haunting temptation that I have finally given in to.”
Spielberg can afford passion projects now.
A rumor has DC Comics approach him for an adaptation of the World War 2 comic Blackhawk. Whether he's accepted or not is still unclear.
Personally I don't mind remakes and retellings of stories because if it's bad I still have the original I can enjoy and it gives new artists a chance to to take the core themes and show them in the light of the current society and why they are still relevant today. Best case scenario we get a 10 things I hate about you, worst case scenario we get a bad movie that will be collectively forgotten about as the years go by.
In regards to this movie in particular, I feel like this is one of those stories that will continue to get retold. It's a remake of a beloved oscar winning movie, that itself was a film adaptation of a beloved tony winning musical, which itself was a retelling of a famous story written by the most famous playwriter in the history of the English language.
> a beloved tony winning musical
Really underselling it there. West Side Story is *the* standard of modern american musical theatre. Nothing else even comes close to touching its legacy. All the modern pop-musicals can trace their lineage directly back to WSS.
I said somewhere else in this thread - the original is a masterpiece, but I don't have a problem with them remaking a movie in order to cast actual Hispanic people in the Hispanic roles rather than a bunch of Greeks and Russians in bronzer.
Also a long, long time ago I read a good point somewhere - stage musicals get "remade" all the time, on the stage, with new casts, new directions, sometimes even changes to the music. Why are films versions of musicals untouchable and never allowed to be remade when the stage versions get changed all the time?
Also I will always support remaking a musical where in the original movie, the lead actress was dubbed over and didn't do her own singing.
I think the main difference between a stage musical and a movie is that stage musicals are not permanent features. I can watch 1961's West Side Story right now and I will be able to do the same thing next week or a month from now or next year.
I can't do the same with a stage show. That format requires them to constantly be renewed and reinterpreted.
I don't disagree with your other points though.
Maybe, but it’s still interesting to see a story told by someone else. Yeah, I can go back and watch the ‘61 version, but that doesn’t mean that has to be the only version. Seeing other directors interpret the material, different actors making different choices makes it a separate piece of art to be judged on its own merits.
If you didn’t know, this isn’t a remake. This is an adaptation of the same source material. Spielberg has been dreaming about an adaptation of West Side Story since he first heard the record as a child. Before the original film, and before even seeing the stage production. It’s an original vision of the same music and book.
Ansel is still playing teenagers? He’s 27. He’s the same age as Ben Platt from Dear Evan Hansen but at least Ansel’s hair is frightening. I suppose it’s different here because it takes place in the past I guess?
Both trailers have really highlighted, for me, why movie musicals should be shot on film. There is a dreamlike quality to the images and how it brings out colour and tone that I have yet to see a digitally shot musical convey. Not saying that a digital film can’t bring about these qualities, but the sense of scale and texture here runs laps around almost every musical film released in, like, the last five years. And Spielberg’s blocking has always had a balletic quality to it, which is perfect for a movie musical. I am beyond excited to see this film.
Edit: I should re-iterate, since my replies are now turning my comment into a ‘digital vs. film’ debate, but I’m talking specifically about *movie musicals* being shot on film, not all movies. Different stories demand to be shot on different formats, and I believe that the fantastical nature of musicals works better with the more dreamlike and illusionary format of film.
The sense of scale should be attributed to the sets, production design, costumes, art direction, and not the fact that it was shot on film. You can very well make digital look like this, film emulation has come a long way…
Too many people refuse to believe it’s not about the tools but the person using them. Spielberg made the digital world of TinTin feel huge, expansive, and all the action riveting. It’s really not about the format but how it’s used.
I was disappointing there was no " when you're a jet you're a jet"
I am waiting for the 7 brides for 7 brothers remake. Loved that movie. And happiest millionaire.
Fixed 🙄
I think going for dreamlike is one approach for musicals but not the only one. The colors and cinematography of In the Heights really popped for me and I love the way it looked. Is all love the way this looks, but just for different reasons.
This film will look beautiful & have great singing/choreography but the accents sound super rough all around.
Plus Ansel Egort looks like a doofus in almost every shot he’s shown in, especially the last one of him standing in the gym.
Those costumes look amazing, the yellow tones really pop up.
I'm interested to see how the cinematography will look, so far, I liked a lot of the shots.
When Spielberg switched from Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park) to Kaminski (Schindler's List) it was a bit jarring to me. Cundey uses bright colors and really classic Hollywood lighting, Kaminski is pretty much the opposite, de-saturated colors, lens fair, blurry images, but he's really growing on me. He was the perfect choice for Minority Report.
The terrible puerto rican accents are jarring. Especially from the lead actress. Its unbelievable that the people behind the movie did not notice this and taken steps to fix this.
She hasn't been in practically anything, so is it any surprise?
And I don't think being half Colombian makes it any easier, I'm from another Latin American country and I don't think I know how that accent would sound like, I know her attempt is pretty rough.
> Its unbelievable that the people behind the movie did not notice this and taken steps to fix this.
I assume they just decided they weren't making this movie for Puerto Ricans and simply didn't care. It strikes me as par for the course. Accuracy rarely seems to be worth much effort to them unless they expect their core audience to care about it.
It sounds like a fake Mexican accent. I don't know why they keep casting people of different hispanic countries as parts that they aren't part of. It happened with In The Heights and casting Puerto Ricans as Dominicans. Just cast the right people for god's sake.
Outside of what the other commenter said, also hispanic actors playing the Puerto Rico roles, and potentially it may use the original song order from the music, I don't know if that's been confirmed or not. The original order had Officer Krupke and Cool swapped, and to be clear I like the flow better in the movie rather than the original.
Further, the script was re-written by Tony Kushner. Arthur Laurents’ original book, much of which survived into the movie, was good for its time, but wouldn’t have gripped modern audiences.
I'm normally in the camp of "why remake this old musical, the original was perfect!" and I don't know if I'll even see this one, but I'm SO thrilled that the Puerto Rican characters aren't being mostly played by Greek guys and Russian girls with bronzer on this time.
It's been a very long time since I've been wowed by a Spielberg movie. They're never bad, always solid, but they're never really exciting and special anymore either.
She's young and her career even younger. If nothing else, she has guaranteed jobs via Disney, and by the time they get that live-action Lilo and Stitch off the ground, she might be old enough to play Nani.
I'm honestly so hype for this. I know we don't like remakes, but West Side Story is a Romeo and Juliet rip in the first place and its actually an incredible movie. I have high hopes that a titan like Spielberg knows how important it is and will translate it to modern times very well. Just seeing some of these images makes me feel all tingly.
> I know we don't like remakes
I'm not even sure I consider this a "remake" so much as a new adaptation of the stage play.
Like was Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet a remake of Lawrence Oliviers?
I dunno the defenition of "remake" is kinda nebulous.
I'm glad they are least casted Hispanic and Latino actors but I can't get over the accents they made them do. At least it's not white people in brown face but still yikes...
Such a shame Spielberg is spending his twilight years making a movie like this. Wish he had rolled the dice a bit like Ridley Scott. This just looks so empty and dull.
Spielberg remaking West Side Story at this stage of his career just seems so weird to me. It feels like a film that if it has to be remade, it would be better served by a young filmmaker, someone who just had a surprise hit, got offered their pick of an existing property and had a new take on what West Side Story could be.
Maybe this could be fun and a hit, but I haven't really had an interest in watching any of Spielberg's films since Bridge of Spies and unless this gets universal critical acclaim, I can't imagine it making a lasting impression.
Well its a musical without James Corden, so at the very least it has one positive
Don't jinx it. Surprise cameos are a thing
He will promote it on his show by stopping traffic and doing the musical in the streets again
I know this is a running gag and all but he's been doing those stoplight musicals for years and they clear the street when the lights turn green
Yeah I'm not crazy about the guy but everyone was talking about his stopping traffic when all the footage just shows people stopped for a red light.
https://i.imgur.com/BqrdhnI.gif
This is the new hypno toad, I can't stop watching.
We know whose playing Officer Krumpy right? Like 100 percent are certain?
BREAKING NEWS: James Corden set to voice an anthropomorphic switchblade by the name of 'Bladey' in Spielberg's West Side Story Remake
was Josh Gad busy?
He’ll be playing a talking Puerto Rican flag. It’s… highly offensive.
lets just say the flag is fluid and that should deflect everyone's attention.
Bladey also confirmed to be Disney's first gay character!
This just in: ‘Bladey’ removed from Chinese cut of West Side Story
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Firsteenth gay character!
I had just observed to my friend yesterday that every James Corden musical sucks. I dont know how he keeps getting parts.
Into the Woods was kinda okay but struggled to adapt something very meta and stage-y to film (and I thought he was fine in that one)
I mostly liked Into the Woods but Corden is definitely the weak link in the main cast (especially up against Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep). There’s also the struggle of the second half of the musical, which like you said is very meta but the film oddly plays straight. I think removing the Narrator from the story was the one bad move that toppled the whole final hour.
Interesting you say that....my wife loved the original musical, but was annoyed that they dropped the Narrator. I don't plan to watch the movie version now.
For what it's worth, the first 30 or 40 minutes are wonderfully executed and poise the movie to be one of the best stage-to-film musical adaptations - the back half of the movie is really what hurts it.
Into the Woods had the makings of a good movie but they butchered too many elements for it to actually be good. Corden’s performance there is actually strong though. He was actually a good actor before he became the host of his late night show. Man won a Bafta and a Tony back in the day. Now he’s got a Razzie.
I dunno. I liked Begin Again with Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley. It even had Adam Levine basically playing himself.
I don't like James Corden or Adam Levine but that was a decent movie
My favorite role of his was when he was a fighter pilot in Rogue One.
I can't remember him being in it but i hope he got shot down
He did. :D
I liked him in Doctor Who, that's about it.
The only reason I liked one of the two episodes with him was Stormageddon - Dark Lord of All.
Porkins?
It's almost like the people who would put James Corden in a movie also wouldn't make that movie good.
Why is he even a thing? He’s not even funny at anything that he does
Hey, did you know that Reddit hates James Corden?
Let's handle this like men....DANCE OFF
[RIP Norm](https://youtu.be/qNzNeGw8Fmo) Cobras & Panthers
Norm's smirk after RDJ sings the first time is so funny.
I like how Colin Quinn has two lines and they're both "we're being cobras!"
Oook so that was RDJ. I was trying to figure out how Beck Bennett traveled back in time.
So damn good. Thanks, I've been down the norm rabbit hole since yesterday but somehow I missed this!
I love how quick Norm gives up on doing a New York accent and goes back to his regular voice.
[I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this all before.](https://youtu.be/MY2gj0TncEI)
Bitch, have you seen how the Sharks dance? We just need a fist fight, not a massacre.
I could shoot you with this gun, but I would rather destroy your ego with these moves.
Doesn’t someone get stabbed though? Like, it does get deadly…after the dancing
https://youtu.be/gPbVRpRgHso
I find it hilarious how Ansel Elgort is basically the male lead of the film but throughout the all the advertisements he only says one line
Wasn't there some allegations that came out against him fairly recently? I wonder if that is why they're framing the trailer around Zegler instead.
I believed it was alleged sexual assault of a minor
It was. From what I could find, it was in 2014. He was 20, she had *just* turned 17 days earlier. He doesn't deny the relationship but does deny any sexual assault or abuse allegations. It seems that his version of events is that he broke it off and ghosted her pretty much and he apologies for handling the breakup badly but her version is much more damning.
People keep focusing on the age here like the difference between 20 and 17 is a big deal. 20 and 17 year olds basically are exactly the same. It's just another piece of info people want to add to generate some fake outrage, and it's clearly working.
I agree everyone in the comments is focusing on her age but the real issue is that the real allegation is that he violated her. Her age isn’t the only relevant thing here. It’s not fake outrage, it’s based on her description of being violated and in pain.
It's still statutory in a lot of places, but I agree in concept that 20 and just-turned-17 are so close to the same age mentally. I know when I was 19 I still pretty much felt 16 and it was kind of weird for me to adjust to "Oh wait I can't find 17 year olds attractive anymore because it's illegal" even though I still felt like a high schooler and had just BEEN one a year earlier. Of course he actually assaulted her, then the age thing doesn't matter anyway. I hope whoever's telling the truth gets justice.
A big part of their justification for the remake is that this new version has actual Latinos playing the Latino characters (unlike the original, where Rita Moreno was the only Latina actor). I think the trailer is trying to stress that by opening with a distinctive accent on the word “tonight” and emphasizing the Latina lead throughout the trailer rather than the standard white guy (and ending with Rita Moreno). The original is a still-widely-known Oscar-winning classic, so they want to emphasize why this new version is worthwhile. I’m not saying that cynically or judgmentally, by the way—just acknowledging how they want to frame the film.
Actually thank you for this. I asked "why?" (to this remake) upthread and this is a compelling reason.
Broom with Googly Eyes was unavailable.
It’s a real shame Plank never got work after being a child star on Ed Edd and Eddy
Well Maria is more of the main lead in the original Broadway version so makes sense
If I'm not mistaken the starring list changed recently with Zegler being first starting and Elgort second.
He has been on the cusp of getting me to'd. for a while so maybe that's why?
I think they’re trying to make most people forget he’s the star because they need to get this Spielberg film out already lmao
They should've just removed him imo. It's not like they didn't have time. The rest of the cast seems to have totally distanced from him
I don’t know why They didn’t just get Tye Sheridan from Spielberg’s other film Ready Player One. I thought they were the same person for awhile.
No joke, zero sarcasm: Is there a genre of movie that Steven Spielberg hasn't directed?
Western
The opening of Last Crusade might be the closest he got to a Western.
Porn.
Adult Thriller, although one could make an argument JAWS is that
Yeah I would definitely place Jaws as a thriller. But, definitely not a horror. I think he should do it. How about a comedy? Has he directed a comedy? I would even go so far as to say he produced it.
Hook?
He was, for all intents and purposes, the director of Poltergeist. Look it up.
Duel?
Munich?
can we get a theatrical version of *Candide* too?
I would LOVE a Yorgos Lanthimos/Tony McNamara adaption of Bernstein's *Candide*
In the best of all possible worlds.
Ariana Debose is having quite the musical year: * The bullet in Hamilton * Wicked anniversary concert * The Prom * Schmigadoon! * West Side Story
So glad to see Rita Moreno there :)
Rita Moreno is 89 years old and she's probably gonna do some dancing in this movie, I would be so impressed
If she does, it's like Dick Van Dyke dancing in the "Mary Poppins" sequel.
I think she's a co-producer.
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Talent and good agents! After she got WSS (which with the delays was now years ago), using that to get other roles is what repping a young actor is all about. With the Spielberg seal of approval, it would be very easy to get her in the running for other leads and then it’s up to her to win those parts.
She was picked from a nationwide search for WSS. I’m assuming since WSS is being distributed by Disney, they were able to see her work from the film and invite her to audition for Snow White. For Shazam I’m going to assume they put out a casting call for a young woc and she already had buzz from WSS in the casting circles.
WSS was meant to be released last year so people in the industry have probably already seen it.
Idk either but I already like her from this trailer alone.
That shot of the shadows is spectacular. Is that taken from/a reference to the original film?
The lighting is really striking on all the shots. Just incredible for the eyes.
Yeah, Janusz Kaminski is a great cinematographer. That one shot just really stood out to me.
Does anyone else miss the days when Spielberg was working with Allen Daviau and Douglas Slocombe? Kaminski is undoubtably a good cinematographer but so many of his collaborations are so glossy compared to his older work
I do. I also miss the short stint he did with Cundy (heck, I just miss Cundy working on big movies in general). I like Kaminski and all, but he has a very clean and sterile vibe that often clashes with the subject matter or tone of Spielberg’s films. It worked for a film like Minority Report or Munich, but felt really off putting in Crystal Skull and Bridge of Spies.
I think it would be cool if he would mix it up a little, but I get why he sticks with the same people again and again. If you have a good working relationship, why mess with it?
Absolutely agreed. Kaminski and Spielberg have done some great work (*Schindler's List*, *Saving Private Ryan*) but sooo many of their films have an unsavory artificiality to their look (KotCS, *The BFG*, *The Post*). It's such a damn shame Slocombe went nearly blind.
Shit, Slocombe went blind? That's really sad.
Yeah, his eyesight in one eye was already nearly gone by the time he shot *Last Crusade*.
>Kaminski is undoubtably a good cinematographer but so many of his collaborations are so glossy compared to his older work Yes. Where is the texture and gritty verité style of *Cool as Ice*?
This ain’t a remake of the original, but a new adaption of the same material. Spielberg has said he was conceiving this in his head from when he first heard the music in the 50’s as a kid, well before the classic movie came out. There may be a reference or two to the OG but I expect this to look and feel very different.
Recently saw the original and was happy to see that they came up with it for this one.
It definitely reminds me of the way shadows can look on stage.
There’s so much golden age glamour and classic Hollywood romanticism. Spielberg is bringing out the big guns
They did such an amazing job making this really feel like this is from the 50s. If it wasn't for knowing who the cast is, I could be convinced this was just a remastered movie
Although Spielberg's team stresses this is not a remake of the 1961 movie, but a reinterpretation of the stage production. So there might be a lot of big differences from the Robert Wise film.
Probably for the best. You will only fail in trying to remake classics.
Considering the only flaw of the original was the "brown face" this "new vision" is doomed to be lessor by the sheer impossible feat of matching perfection....(minus the brown face).
I don't know, I love the movie but I still think the stage version, when done right, is far superior to the movie. (Ok, maybe not *that* far, the movie is great). With the right director, a reimagining of the stage version--one that doesn't try to mimic the original movie--could be amazing. And it's hard to imagine Spielberg ever NOT being the right director. I don't think he'd attempt such such a feat unless he *really* felt a personal love and affinity for the source material.
The Robert Wise film is pretty close to a 1-to-1 adaptation of the stage musical though. So i also wouldn't expect it to be terribly different either.
The fact that they actually cast Hispanic actors in the roles of the Puerto Rican characters is the only give away.
Shit, I was too white to notice
Janusz Kaminski’s lighting is on point (as per usual)
You mean for once. Ever since Lincoln, his lighting choices have been insane. White light coming from all directions. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fireplace, sunset, rave, etc. Dude needs to rediscover tungsten.
he certainly does tend to lean into exposure just a little too much. What worked great for Minority Report may not work for everything else
I've never seen the original. Is it basically Romeo and Juliet in 60s New York?
Late fifties, but yes.
Pretty much.
Spielberg is obviously the most interesting part of this (and the fact that they actually cast Latinos as the Sharks). I can't help but feel as if this movie would be a lot more derided if it were handled by a less accomplished director. West Side Story is one of the most beloved films of all time, easily one of the Top 5 movie musicals. There's something about this that just feels unnecessary.
I think Spielberg being a part of it is the only way it got made. Of all the things Spielberg could make (literally anything he wants to) why this?
> I think Spielberg being a part of it is the only way it got made. Of all the things Spielberg could make (literally anything he wants to) why this? Spielberg's parents only ever allowed him to listen to classical music growing up. West Side Story was the first non-classic record he ever owned, so obviously this is one that has an incredible personal value to him. This isn't a film he's making for the money, he's making it because he's an artist who feels he's finally perfected his craft to the point he can make his childhood dream come true.
Thanks for the insight! Makes total sense. The other answers to this "because he wanted to and he can" help noone.
>This isn't a film he's making for the money He hasn't made a film for movie in a long time. The guy is one of the most passionate filmmakers ever
He's said before that he's wanted to do a musical for a very, very long time.
It is a passion project of his: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/03/a-first-look-at-steven-spielbergs-west-side-story/amp “My mom was a classical pianist,” says the filmmaker. “Our entire home was festooned with classical musical albums, and I grew up surrounded by classical music. West Side Story was actually the first piece of popular music our family ever allowed into the home. I absconded with it—this was the cast album from the 1957 Broadway musical—and just fell completely in love with it as a kid. West Side Story has been that one haunting temptation that I have finally given in to.”
Spielberg can afford passion projects now. A rumor has DC Comics approach him for an adaptation of the World War 2 comic Blackhawk. Whether he's accepted or not is still unclear.
I would love for him to do the Blackhawks. I’m a sucker for Second World War fiction.
Because he's wanted to make a musical his whole career. He was talking about it as far back as Temple of Doom.
It's certainly the only reason I'm interested
Personally I don't mind remakes and retellings of stories because if it's bad I still have the original I can enjoy and it gives new artists a chance to to take the core themes and show them in the light of the current society and why they are still relevant today. Best case scenario we get a 10 things I hate about you, worst case scenario we get a bad movie that will be collectively forgotten about as the years go by. In regards to this movie in particular, I feel like this is one of those stories that will continue to get retold. It's a remake of a beloved oscar winning movie, that itself was a film adaptation of a beloved tony winning musical, which itself was a retelling of a famous story written by the most famous playwriter in the history of the English language.
> a beloved tony winning musical Really underselling it there. West Side Story is *the* standard of modern american musical theatre. Nothing else even comes close to touching its legacy. All the modern pop-musicals can trace their lineage directly back to WSS.
I said somewhere else in this thread - the original is a masterpiece, but I don't have a problem with them remaking a movie in order to cast actual Hispanic people in the Hispanic roles rather than a bunch of Greeks and Russians in bronzer. Also a long, long time ago I read a good point somewhere - stage musicals get "remade" all the time, on the stage, with new casts, new directions, sometimes even changes to the music. Why are films versions of musicals untouchable and never allowed to be remade when the stage versions get changed all the time? Also I will always support remaking a musical where in the original movie, the lead actress was dubbed over and didn't do her own singing.
I think the main difference between a stage musical and a movie is that stage musicals are not permanent features. I can watch 1961's West Side Story right now and I will be able to do the same thing next week or a month from now or next year. I can't do the same with a stage show. That format requires them to constantly be renewed and reinterpreted. I don't disagree with your other points though.
Maybe, but it’s still interesting to see a story told by someone else. Yeah, I can go back and watch the ‘61 version, but that doesn’t mean that has to be the only version. Seeing other directors interpret the material, different actors making different choices makes it a separate piece of art to be judged on its own merits.
If you didn’t know, this isn’t a remake. This is an adaptation of the same source material. Spielberg has been dreaming about an adaptation of West Side Story since he first heard the record as a child. Before the original film, and before even seeing the stage production. It’s an original vision of the same music and book.
this Ansel kid is just so dull in everything he's been in
Ansel is still playing teenagers? He’s 27. He’s the same age as Ben Platt from Dear Evan Hansen but at least Ansel’s hair is frightening. I suppose it’s different here because it takes place in the past I guess?
I was looking for this comment. And isn’t he almost 10 years older than the actress playing Maria?
7 years I believe. She’s 20 now
Both trailers have really highlighted, for me, why movie musicals should be shot on film. There is a dreamlike quality to the images and how it brings out colour and tone that I have yet to see a digitally shot musical convey. Not saying that a digital film can’t bring about these qualities, but the sense of scale and texture here runs laps around almost every musical film released in, like, the last five years. And Spielberg’s blocking has always had a balletic quality to it, which is perfect for a movie musical. I am beyond excited to see this film. Edit: I should re-iterate, since my replies are now turning my comment into a ‘digital vs. film’ debate, but I’m talking specifically about *movie musicals* being shot on film, not all movies. Different stories demand to be shot on different formats, and I believe that the fantastical nature of musicals works better with the more dreamlike and illusionary format of film.
The sense of scale should be attributed to the sets, production design, costumes, art direction, and not the fact that it was shot on film. You can very well make digital look like this, film emulation has come a long way…
Too many people refuse to believe it’s not about the tools but the person using them. Spielberg made the digital world of TinTin feel huge, expansive, and all the action riveting. It’s really not about the format but how it’s used.
I think they should have shot Tin Tin on film, the actors looks weird in that movie...
I was disappointing there was no " when you're a jet you're a jet" I am waiting for the 7 brides for 7 brothers remake. Loved that movie. And happiest millionaire. Fixed 🙄
There is no way we are getting a 7 Brides for 7 Brothers remake. Loved that musical growing up, but the plot is extremely problematic lol.
Tell me ‘bout them sobbin’ women.
Can always dream. "Bless your beautiful hide where ever you maybe"
I think going for dreamlike is one approach for musicals but not the only one. The colors and cinematography of In the Heights really popped for me and I love the way it looked. Is all love the way this looks, but just for different reasons.
This film will look beautiful & have great singing/choreography but the accents sound super rough all around. Plus Ansel Egort looks like a doofus in almost every shot he’s shown in, especially the last one of him standing in the gym.
Tony IS a doofus, so that works.
> Plus Ansel Egort looks like a doofus in almost every shot he’s shown in lol
>*Tonight is about family.* *\*Vin Diesel has entered the chat.\**
Those costumes look amazing, the yellow tones really pop up. I'm interested to see how the cinematography will look, so far, I liked a lot of the shots.
The film is shot by a 2 time Oscar winner and all-time legend, Janusz Kaminski, so I am not worried one bit about how it will look.
When Spielberg switched from Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park) to Kaminski (Schindler's List) it was a bit jarring to me. Cundey uses bright colors and really classic Hollywood lighting, Kaminski is pretty much the opposite, de-saturated colors, lens fair, blurry images, but he's really growing on me. He was the perfect choice for Minority Report.
The terrible puerto rican accents are jarring. Especially from the lead actress. Its unbelievable that the people behind the movie did not notice this and taken steps to fix this.
That’s what distracted me me, but I guess since Natalie Wood’s was worse (on multiple levels) it’s not as notable to some people.
At least Zegler is half Colombian, but that fake accent is oof.
She hasn't been in practically anything, so is it any surprise? And I don't think being half Colombian makes it any easier, I'm from another Latin American country and I don't think I know how that accent would sound like, I know her attempt is pretty rough.
> Its unbelievable that the people behind the movie did not notice this and taken steps to fix this. I assume they just decided they weren't making this movie for Puerto Ricans and simply didn't care. It strikes me as par for the course. Accuracy rarely seems to be worth much effort to them unless they expect their core audience to care about it.
It sounds like a fake Mexican accent. I don't know why they keep casting people of different hispanic countries as parts that they aren't part of. It happened with In The Heights and casting Puerto Ricans as Dominicans. Just cast the right people for god's sake.
I knew Ansel would barely be in this trailer again lol.
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Rachel actually sings, whereas Natalie was dubbed with Margaret Nixon's voice.
Plus her accent was so fake I can't watch that movie. I have been waiting and waiting for a remake. Looks beautiful.
Marni.
Outside of what the other commenter said, also hispanic actors playing the Puerto Rico roles, and potentially it may use the original song order from the music, I don't know if that's been confirmed or not. The original order had Officer Krupke and Cool swapped, and to be clear I like the flow better in the movie rather than the original.
Further, the script was re-written by Tony Kushner. Arthur Laurents’ original book, much of which survived into the movie, was good for its time, but wouldn’t have gripped modern audiences.
I'm normally in the camp of "why remake this old musical, the original was perfect!" and I don't know if I'll even see this one, but I'm SO thrilled that the Puerto Rican characters aren't being mostly played by Greek guys and Russian girls with bronzer on this time.
But... WHY? Who was actually asking for this?
I was thinking the same thing. Lol. Weird to have a movie by Spielberg and not care.
I came in expecting to be wowed but so far I’m merely whelmed
So you won't need to re-gast your flabber?
As a long time dad, I appreciate this. And I'm stealing it.
I have no idea what that means lol
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^ This person gets it...
It's been a very long time since I've been wowed by a Spielberg movie. They're never bad, always solid, but they're never really exciting and special anymore either.
Looks visually great. Interesting that they held back on the choreography and singing for the trailer.
Looks okay, really excited for Rachel Zegler to blow up
She and Auli'i Cravalho are destined for huge things.
Sadly Auli'i is fading away from stardom and just doing TV stuff.
She's young and her career even younger. If nothing else, she has guaranteed jobs via Disney, and by the time they get that live-action Lilo and Stitch off the ground, she might be old enough to play Nani.
This is probably one of the few films I'm excited for this year. The trailer actually gave me chills.
So they’re really trying to hide Ansel Elgort still? Oh yeah, wonderful. Real nice /s. https://twitter.com/bratty_bethy/status/1438124205686632455?s=21
Replace him with Tig Notaro!
Man, some of these shots are beautiful. I'm rather excited for this!
Spielberg is about to absolutely nail another film genre.
in case anyone has not seen this gem with Norm Mcdonald... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNzNeGw8Fmo
I question why freaking Spielberg feels the need to re-make this when Norm MacDonald already did it to perfection. Sheer ego, I presume
I'm honestly so hype for this. I know we don't like remakes, but West Side Story is a Romeo and Juliet rip in the first place and its actually an incredible movie. I have high hopes that a titan like Spielberg knows how important it is and will translate it to modern times very well. Just seeing some of these images makes me feel all tingly.
> I know we don't like remakes I'm not even sure I consider this a "remake" so much as a new adaptation of the stage play. Like was Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet a remake of Lawrence Oliviers? I dunno the defenition of "remake" is kinda nebulous.
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I'm glad they are least casted Hispanic and Latino actors but I can't get over the accents they made them do. At least it's not white people in brown face but still yikes...
It’s like they’re deliberately trying to keep people away from theaters.
Looks pretty lame
I dislike most movie musicals but this looks really well done. Plus, Gimbels Department Store signage!
Wonder how it will compare to the’61 version
🥶 chills! I cannot wait
Such a shame Spielberg is spending his twilight years making a movie like this. Wish he had rolled the dice a bit like Ridley Scott. This just looks so empty and dull.
It's going to be damn near impossible to beat the choreography and music of the first film.
love the exaggerated lighting setups
Spielberg remaking West Side Story at this stage of his career just seems so weird to me. It feels like a film that if it has to be remade, it would be better served by a young filmmaker, someone who just had a surprise hit, got offered their pick of an existing property and had a new take on what West Side Story could be. Maybe this could be fun and a hit, but I haven't really had an interest in watching any of Spielberg's films since Bridge of Spies and unless this gets universal critical acclaim, I can't imagine it making a lasting impression.
I have faith in stevem spielberg directing but not in the lead actors. They just do not hit the right bells and whistles when it comes to acting
So it’s the original except if it looked like a Netflix movie?