Fox 'unlocks' WSS for remake, at the behest of an interested Spielberg. - West Side Story (1961) Discussion

[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

When it comes to a West Side Story re-make by anybody, including Spielberg, I am one of the naysayers. I'm totally opposed to the idea of a remake of West Side Story, first because it's a sign that Hollywood has been running out of creative ideas, secondly because of what the results of a West Side Story remake would be, given today's standards and the present state of Hollywood, and thirdly because West Side Story just wouldn't be West Side Story if it were re-made, if one gets the drift.

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[–] rorystevens 10 years ago

I'm not against the idea of a remake, but I'd want it to be done well.

I think it would be interesting to see the story updated to a contemporary setting.

Maybe Spielberg could enlist someone like Pitbull to write some rap songs for the Sharks (or add some rap to some of the already existing songs)?

Maybe the Mambo dance at the gym could get a dubstep remix?

Maybe the story could be a little more realistic in which Tony and Maria actually have more time to fall in love and bond, instead of them falling in love and have him die the next evening?

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Hi again--Sorry to re-iterate my arguments against a re-make of the film West Side Story, but with corporation-oriented stuff that passes for talent these days, the fact that there's so much emphasis on rap music and other stuff like it, and the fact that movies today are so much more graphic and violent than they were back then, when the original classic film of West Side Story and other great classic films of that general period were made, I see nothing but an unmitigated piece of junk coming from this, which would go over like a lead balloon, which many re-makes of great classics have.

Seriously--why should the film West SIde Story, a beautifully dynamic classic that won ten well-earned Academy Awards, including Best Picture the year it came out (late October of 1961, to be exact.) be re-made, and possibly turned into a disgusting piece of junk? It shouldn't imho.

Imho, If West SIde Story had come out any later than it did, or if there was a remake of it, the results would more than likely be as follows:

A) The romances between Tony and Maria, as well as between Bernardo and Anita would be much more explicitly sexual and much steamier, if one gets the drift.

B) The fighting scenes between the warring Jets and Sharks, especially the Rumble, would be much gorier, more violent, more graphic, and even bloodier.

C) The stabbing deaths of Riff and Bernardo during the Rumble, as well as the gunning down of Tony, would be much, much bloodier.

D) Ultra-powerful guns, rather than switchblade knives and fisticuffs, would more than likely be used during the Rumble, with more gore, blood and more deaths.

E) The language would be much harsher, and "bluer", and the cops would express their prejudices against both the Sharks and the Jets much more overtly, and they'd be much, much rougher on both gangs.

F) There would probably be no hints of a possible reconciliation between the two gangs, which was one of the purposes of West Side Story.

Having said all of the above, especially since most re-makes of films are disastrous anyway, there's absolutely nothing, imho, that beats the original.

Mr. Spielberg (or any other film director interested in a possible re-make of this great classic film), if you're listening in, PLEASE leave the classic film West Side Story alone and find something else of your liking to remake. Thanks!

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[–] rorystevens 10 years ago

I'm not against the idea of a remake, but I'd want it to be done well.

I think it would be interesting to see the story updated to a contemporary setting.

Maybe Spielberg could enlist someone like Pitbull to write some rap songs for the Sharks (or add some rap to some of the already existing songs)?

Maybe the Mambo dance at the gym could get a dubstep remix?

Maybe the story could be a little more realistic in which Tony and Maria actually have more time to fall in love and bond, instead of them falling in love and have him die the next evening?

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

I'm not against the idea of a remake, but I'd want it to be done well.

I think it would be interesting to see the story updated to a contemporary setting.

Maybe Spielberg could enlist someone like Pitbull to write some rap songs for the Sharks (or add some rap to some of the already existing songs)?

Maybe the Mambo dance at the gym could get a dubstep remix?

Maybe the story could be a little more realistic in which Tony and Maria actually have more time to fall in love and bond, instead of them falling in love and have him die the next evening?

Excuse me, rorystevens, but this is the second time you've posted this exact post, word for word. What gives here? Just curious.

Having said the above, I stand by exactly everything I've said, regarding my positions against a re-make of the film West Side Story.

Also, rory--it sounds as if you're trying to manipulate me into adjusting my opinions so that they tally up with yours, which I will not do. I'm also of the opinion that you have no business getting up into my face by pasting your exact same posting after all my replies to you. Why don't you try a different tactic?

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[–] tiburonbirdred 10 years ago

Revival of the stage work--no problem. A movie, no way. I don't have a problem with all re-adaptions, for example, if notable points had to be downplayed due to morality clauses in old Hollywood ie "Peyton Place the book vs the movie. But there are somethings that the magic just can't be recreated.

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Hi, tiburonbirdred. Thank you for an excellent post! Your points are well taken, and this:

But there are somethings that the magic just can't be recreated.

really brings home the point regarding a re-make of the film version of West Side Story. This great classic film is in a special class all by itself, because the magic in this film just simply cannot be recreated.

Most re-makes of movies have proved to be disasters, and I firmly believe that a re-make of the film West Side Story (no matter if it were Spielberg or anybody else who did that.) would be an unmitigated disaster, in many more ways than one!

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[–] jschillig 10 years ago

I wouldn't be against a new adaptation, IF they didn't try to make it ever-so-modern-and-hip. If it were me, I'd keep the setting in 1957 but give the gang members clothing that could look equally at home in 1957 or today...jeans and t-shirts in different shades of the same color for each gang, for example. I'd make sure that the gang members didn't look too cleaned-up...that they LOOKED like tough knocked-around street gangs.

I'd also remedy one of the most frequent criticisms of the movie version and cast a Tony who's believable as both tough ex-gang member AND lover. (One of the best, if not THE absolute best productions of WSS I've ever seen--and that includes the tour of the revival--was a small youth company's production that did just that with their Tony.) I mean, hell, even Richard Beymer himself expressed disbelief that "I was a kid from Iowa trying to pass myself off as an ex-gang leader."

The thing is...I think that Spielberg could do it. He's shown a flair for time periods, whether it's the 1860s for Lincoln or the 1930s of the Indiana Jones flicks--and later, in Crystal Skull, the same time period as WSS. (Say what you will about Crystal Skull, it did give an excellent sense of the late 50s time period.)

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

I really don't know, jschillig. I still stand by my position that a re-make of the film version of West Side Story would be a disaster, regardless of who took on the job of re-making/directing West Side Story in the first place. It would just cut the heart and soul right out of this great film, and the magic in this film couldn't be re-created by anybody except the people who made this great musical/movie in the first place. I frankly don't think that, in today's world of expensive gadgets, computerized special affects, and overly graphic and explicitly sexual scenes and tons of "blue" language (I'm no stranger to "blue"language, btw), that a re-make of a movie that came out in the early 1960's would go over so well today, at all, because a re-make of West Side Story would be far too modern and too hip.

As for the casting of Richard Beymer, Richard Beymer had really wanted to play a Tony with more of an edge in West Side Story, but, due to certain directorial constraints put upon Beymer by (the late) Director Robert Wise, he was unable to. Beymer is said to have been so disappointed over the fact that he couldn't have played Tony with a little bit more of an "edge" to him that he walked out of the Premiere showing of the film West Side Story when it first came out.

Elvis Presley (remember him?), btw, was the first one that Robert Wise approached for the part of Tony in the film version of West Side Story, but was forced to turn down the part, due to an over-controlling manager. Elvis Presley regretted having turned down the opportunity to play the part of West Side Story's Tony after WSS became a hit as a film in the fall of 1961.

Elvis Presley did have the "tough but tender" look of an ex-gang member, as well as the personality for it, and he could sing, but I sincerely wonder how well Elvis's heavy Southern accent would've gone over in New York's Hollywoodl

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[–] leader-7 10 years ago

The only point of a remake is to feed hollywood egos.

What really is going to be accomplished by a remake?

Who's going to choreograph it? Jerome Robbins' ballets in this were sheer dance perfection --

What a foolhardy idea.

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

The only point of a remake is to feed hollywood egos.

What really is going to be accomplished by a remake?

Who's going to choreograph it? Jerome Robbins' ballets in this were sheer dance perfection --

What a foolhardy idea.

Hi, leader-7! Good to see you posting here again! Your points are all excellent ones that're well taken.

Hollywood has long run out of creative ideas, which is why so many re-makes and/or sequels of films are being done, now. Nothing beats the original, imho.

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[–] leader-7 10 years ago

Hi!

Right~! I mean WHAT IS THE POINT of a remake of perfection!? idiotic.

Then they'll rewrite the script, and change the players -- and really, WSS is all about what it WAS THEN, not what they want to make it, for now. it's not about "contemporary."

No one is rewriting the Canterbury Tales, or Huck Finn. For.a.reason!

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Again, you've made some great, good points that make great, good sense, leader-7. West Side Story is what it is, and a re-make of this great classic film would be a disaster, because it would just cut the heart and soul right out of it, if one gets the drift.

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[–] leader-7 10 years ago

And truthfully, I don't see Spielberg as a director here. he's a genius in some arenas, but musical theater doesn't strike me as one he's got any expertise or "feel" for. ;-)

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Not withstanding the fact that West Side Story is in such a special class all by itself that a re-make of it by anybody would be an unmitigated disaster, Steve spielberg is really not the kind of guy that I'd like to see re-making West Side Story, because his expertise in musical theatre is absolutely zero.

You're right, leader-7.

Steve Spielberg has made some good movies, but I seriously doubt that West Side Story would be among them, in any case, if one gets the drift.

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[–] Buddy-51 10 years ago

I'm not looking forward to a remake of this film, but, in Spielberg's defense, it should at least be pointed out that Robert Wise also had no experience directing musicals when he took on this assignment. In fact, Spielberg reminds me a bit of Wise in that he's not afraid to branch out into different genres (SF, horror, action, social drama, historical fiction) and he always seems to do a first-rate job in all of them.

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Regardless of the prevailing opinion(s) regarding a re-make of the film version of West Side Story, I still belleve that a re-make of this fabulous classic would be an absolute and utter disaster. Another aspect of West Side Story (the film) is its subtlety, which, in turn, gives it its versatility. That being said, I personally envision a re-make of this particular film as being much more blatant, hyped-up, junkier and cheesier and devoid of the subtleties that give that great classic film its strength and versatility in the first place.

What it all boils down to is this: Imho, nobody, regardless of who they are, their experience with film-making, and their willingness to branch out and take risks (and I include Steven Spielberg here.), can be trusted with the re-making of a film such as West Side Story, which is too special for a re-make. This great classic that won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture on the year that it first came out (late October of 1961, to be exact.) is what it is, and nothing beats the original. I think that Steve Spielberg should show his great affection for this classic by leaving well enough alone and gravitate towards something else.

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[–] StrongRex 10 years ago

It has its own IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3581652/?ref_=rvi_tt

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

I got a glimpse of that link. It didn't seem like much of anything.

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[–] movibuf1962 9 years ago

WHATEVER (WTF) FOR??

All this'll do on message boards is unleash a floodgate of nasty, curt, hateful commentary passing as "free speech," as haters so often want to say on such anonymous boards. If you say you want it, you're labeled ignorant, under the age of 12, or too politically correct (whatever that means, but that argument is always brought up when people ask for accurate ethnic casting in films). If you say you don't want it, you're labeled a prude, a dinosaur, rigid, and a pretensious bigot because you like things the way they are and don't want change.

I personally think the original film is glorious, and it remains one of my top 10 favorite films of all time to this day. I have absolutely no problem with it being remade (as I can opt not to see it if it is done), but I don't see it happening 'cause it's a musical, and musical film is one genre that's passed over more than not in Hollywood. If Spielberg is actually doing it, more power to him- even though he's never done a musical [but then neither did Robert Wise!!]. I'd just hope he does it with as much of the integrity of the original book as possible and not succumb to the habit most directors have with musicals: turning them into MTV videos with irony, anger, edginess, and a gazillion apologies why people are spontaneously singing in the first place. Musicals nowadays are not filmed for people who love them, they're filmed for people who hate them. They're done with modifications, so the cynical audiences of today will be satisfied. Too much of WSS would be changed, made angrier, more violent, and probably half of the songs would be removed (as they were in INTO THE WOODS), or replaced with spoken dialogue (as they were in DREAMGIRLS), or framed as fantasies in the head of a mentally unstable heroine (as they were in CHICAGO). And who needs that?!!

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

I stand by every single thing that I've said regarding a re-make of the film West Side Story. Some films should just simply be left alone, and West Side Story being a very special classic that's in a class by itself, imho, is one of them.

Chances are better than not, I think, that, in the event that a re-make of the film West Side Story were to happen, by anybody, including Spielberg, that the following would occur:

A) The romance scenes between Tony and Maria, as well as the ones between Anita and Bernardo, would be much more explicit sexual and graphic.

B) Since the police throughout the United States have become much more militarized and are far more heavily armed, that, too, would reflect in West Side Story. The cops would be even more violent and trigger-happy, and more overtly prejudiced, against non-whites and poor whites alike.

C) The school yard/playground fights between the Jets and Sharks would be even more graphic and more violent, because the hatred would be even more intense.

D) More to the point, guns, rather than switchblade knives and/or fisticuffs, would be used during the rumble, the epitats and insults more graphic and profane, the rumble and the ensuing deaths of Riff, Bernardo and Tony would be far, far bloodier.

E) There would be no hint of reconcilation between the two sides, and the hatred would just persisst.

F) The musical score to West Side Story, instead of being beautiful and intense, would be turned into a hip-hop score, and the dancing into rap dancing, which would make a real piece of junk out of a beautiful classic, if one gets the drift.

G) The cast, especially the police, would be even harsher, and way, way overdone.

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[–] StrongRex 9 years ago

replaced with spoken dialogue (as they were in DREAMGIRLS)

I don't think that would happen in West Side Story, because they actually did a good job creating a balance between songs and dialogue. There's plenty of dialogue in WSS, why would they make any of the songs' lines spoken words? But I will say that a ton of musicals have way too much unneeded singing to begin with, and not enough dialogue.

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

I don't think that would happen in West Side Story, because they actually did a good job creating a balance between songs and dialogue. There's plenty of dialogue in WSS, why would they make any of the songs' lines spoken words? But I will say that a ton of musicals have way too much unneeded singing to begin with, and not enough dialogue.

Again, I stand by my opinions on the idea of a re-make of the film West Side Story.

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