West Side Story


I watched this film last night on YouTube and I loved it! The cast was great, the soundtrack was amazing.
Did you know that Natalie Wood did her own singing?

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No, she didn't.

Natalie Wood's singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon.

ND2

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No. Out of the main cast, I think only George Chakiris only did his own singing throughout.

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Marni Nixon dubbed Natalie Wood's singing voice. It doesn't bother me, first because, due to my intense love for the original 1961 film version of West Side Story, I'm willing to overlook the dubbing, and secondly, dubbing was quite common during that general period.

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I know it was common, but I do wish more of them did their own singing. I'm not sure why Russ Tamblyn didn't do all of his own singing - I know he was dubbed by Tucker Smith (Ice) for the Jet Song, and I really don't think that was necessary. I heard what his singing originally sounded like for that song, and it was decent. If he could sing Gee, Officer Krupke competently, why not the Jet Song?

I heard Rita Moreno had to be dubbed for A Boy Like That because the range was too low for her. For the Tonight Quintet, I understand Marni Nixon having take over for both her and Betty Wand because they were both sick at the time, though I'm not sure why they didn't just reschedule.

As lovely as Marni Nixon's voice was for Maria, I wonder if Natalie Wood could have been trained as a singer early on in her childhood and came out great. I don't know as many details about her childhood or seen very many of her movies during that period, but I've heard her mother was horrible to her and pretty much put her child's career above everything else...so I don't know.

Richard Beymer being dubbed by Jimmy Bryant is a phenomenon I will never understand or get over. I have never seen better singer/actor dubbing for a musical. Jimmy Bryant sounds exactly like Richard Beymer would if he were an actual singer, it's so unreal. I've still never heard what Beymer at the time sounded like as a singer. It really makes me wonder what would have happened if Beymer went into singing at an early age as well - could he have sounded just like Jimmy Bryant or maybe even better?

Man, if only one could travel back in time and encourage these actors to consider adding singing as a skill for their careers...

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Hi, StrongRex. I hear what you're saying about the dubbing of Natalie Wood. It's too bad that she wasn't trained to sing and project her voice better. As far as the Jets and Sharks dancing, it would've been too difficult for them to sing while dancing at the same time. I think that's where dubbing was necessary.

Richard Beymer was dubbed by Jimmy Bryant. It might've been possible for Beymer to do his own singing if he'd been trained as a singer from an earlier age, but who knows?

Riff sang the Officer Krupke song, but there wasn't nearly as much dancing in the Officer Krupke scene as there was during the Jet Song. That's probably why Russ Tamblyn (i. e. Riff) was dubbed by Tucker Smith in that one, I think.

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Yeah, but wasn't all the singing pre-recorded? They still could have had Russ Tamblyn sing the Jet Song and have him mouth along with the lyrics while shooting. He did that anyway when Tucker Smith dubbed him.

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Hi, StrongRex. I'm not sure about the singing have been pre-recorded, but it might've been. The Jet Song had so much running around and dancing in it, that I'm not sure that dubbing could've/would've been avoided.

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If Russ Tamblyn pre-recorded the Jet Song, I don't see what would have stopped them from using his version. I don't see what someone else dubbing him has to do with that.

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I'm not entirely sure about that, StrongRex, to be honest. Whatever.....I'll just continue to enjoy watching the 1961 film version of West Side Story.

it's going to be playing at a drive-in theatre in Illinois for six days, beginning on July 4th. Sure wish I could be there! I live much too far away. Here's hoping that it'll come to a drive-in around my neck of the woods.

How're you doing, btw? I'm doing well...hope you are, too.

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Hi mplo,

I'm just trying to sell more copies of my first children's book, like I have been for almost a year now. I'm ready to publish my second book.

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Hi, StrongRex! Had no idea that you were a writer. Thank you for the heads up regarding selling more copies of your first children's book! Here's wishing you the best of luck in publishing your second book, and selling more copies! Sounds really exciting. All the best to you.

Miki

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Thanks.

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Hi again, StrongRex. You're welcome. Using the links to your books as a signature to your posts to enable people to click on them if they're interested is a great idea. All the best of luck to you.

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