Will this bomb like Cats? - West Side Story (2021) Discussion

[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

Probably not. Even though Cats is one of the longest running musicals on Broadway, it does have some fundamental problems and adapting it into a movie probably wasn't the best idea.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

I'll say this, StrongRex: It would not bother me one iota if the Spielberg/Tony Kushner reboot/remake of the film West Side Story did flop in the box office.

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[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

It wouldn't bother me either. I'm just not getting my hopes up because I was exposed to High School Musical, the worst movie I've ever seen in my life, due to its insane explosion of popularity. At the time of its release, you saw it EVERYWHERE and EVERYONE was talking about how it was the greatest thing ever. It had lots of merchandising and TWO sequels AND a spin-off, to say the least. It should have bombed from the beginning if it had to exist at all, and if no one ever saw that film that still would have been too good for it.

I also haven't forgotten the undeserved success Maleficent got after it bastardized Disney's most iconic villain, and the fact that it still got a sequel and its writer is still working in Hollywood makes my blood boil. It just goes to show you that if you're a company like Disney, you'll have hordes of fans that will blindly follow you no matter what story you are telling.

So now I'm not expecting anything no matter what bad things I hear about this upcoming remake of my favorite movie of all time. I still want it to bomb, but I'm not holding my breath.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

You've made some good points, StrongRex, although I've never seen "Malificent" or "High School Musical", , so I can't compare them with anything or form an opinion of either of those two films.

Another thing that worries me about Spielberg's upcoming reboot/remake of the original 1961 film version of West Side Story is the possibility that today's younger generations who have never, ever seen the original West Side Story movie will think that Spielberg's reboot/remake of it is the cat's meow, so to speak, thus causing the suppression of the original 1961 film, so that it will only be available on TV, or for purchase as DVD's or blu-rays, and never, ever be shown in movie theatres, even on occasion, again.

The search engines should at least have the good common sense and the common decency to provide a choice for West Side Story fans to either see the original 1961 film version of WSS or the remake of WSS in movie theatres.

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[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

I'm not usually one to tell people not to see a movie, but...if you ever decide to, it's at your own risk.

The only thing the ACTUAL Maleficent and this new "Maleficent" have in common is that they share the same name and they look alike. That's it.

High School Musical is an insult to musical theatre, reality, and just basic logic and common sense. Not only would the music make your ears bleed, but you will want to inflict pain on the irritating, unlikable characters due to their stupid antics.

And yes, the younger crowd will eat up pretty much anything regurgitated from Hollywood's bowel movements. They are a legitimate concern when it comes to the standards of cinema and good storytelling. For the most part, they are the people telling Hollywood this is what we want, and Hollywood is more than happy to deliver on this.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

Yup! Again, you've made some good points, StrongRex. It seems that most people are drinking today's kool-aid, if one gets the drift.

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[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

If it is true to the original material it will bomb because it will come across as silly. The only real hope that it has is if it gets reworked, but that will alienate the people that liked the original. This is a movie that really shouldn't be made at this time. The climate isn't right for this and at best it might break even... Really depends on what they do with the music because that's what people go to movies like this for more than the story.... Of course there is the possibility that it ends up like Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band that was made back in the 70's where some fo the music was good but the movie was just so bad you could endure the movie long enough to enjoy the music.

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[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

That too. See my thread on the Broadway version vs. the 1961 movie.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

West Side Story, imho, is a great, golden oldie-but-keeper of a classic movie-musical that won ten well-deserved Academy Awards, including Best Picture when it came into the movie theatres in October 1961, and should never, ever be remade/rebooted...at all....period.

I wish that Spielberg had left the film West Side Story alone and done something else.

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[–] QueenFanUSA (3375) 4 years ago

I'm sure Disney is even more nervous that they have yet another expensive Fox bomb on their hands.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

They're going to be cutting out the "I Feel Pretty" and the "Somewhere" scenes, both of which were also integral, vital parts of the entire story behind West Side Story. For people who hope that the re-make flops in the box office, that might fan their hopes even more.

Frankly, in any event, I plan on voting my pocketbook and boycotting Spielberg's reboot/remake of the original 1961 film version of West Side Story--inotherwords, not going to see it when it comes out into the movie theatres at around Christmastime of this year, and the planned cutting out of "I Feel Pretty", and "Somewhere" has strengthened my resolve to boycott Spielberg's remake of West Side Story.

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[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

I thought those cuts were happening in the revival. Are they happening in the remake too?

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

That's what I heard, although I could be wrong. In any event, the cutting out of the "I Feel Pretty", and the "Somerwhere" scenes is cutting out two scenes that are also very integral and vital parts of West Side Story's story, if one gets the drift.

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[–] StrongRex (1297) 4 years ago

I think in the movie, "I Feel Pretty" is integral because it's further character development for Maria but in the stage show it brings the story to a screeching halt and delays the inevitable. I heard though, that Sondheim is okay with this decision because he apparently never liked "I Feel Pretty." I may be wrong though.

"Somewhere" is definitely needed, whether it's a ballet or a duet - it solidifies Tony and Maria's resolve to run away together, it's not enough for them to just say "we'll run away together" and leave it at that.

I did also hear for the revival that they are using the movie version of "America." To which I say: Good! The original version sucks. But if they want the stage version to truly be great, that's not the only thing they need to change, and as mentioned they are changing two of the wrong things. Like "I Feel Pretty" should be moved, not cut.

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

They're doing the "America" scene out on the streets, instead of on a tenement rooftop. The colors seem way too jarring, and the Jets, the Sharks and their girls in Spielberg's reboot/remake of the film West Side Story look far more like a bunch of wealthy suburban prep school kids who are dressed to the nines for partying all over town than two street gangs who are at war with each other.

The city scenery in Spielberg's reboot/remake of the film West Side Story looks much more like a tonier section of a big city, rather than an impoverished, rough-and-rundown urban section, as well. I've seen pictures of the upcoming film and the cast, and don't like what I've seen so far.

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[–] HarlemEagle42 (16280) 4 years ago

I keep forgetting about this so maybe? I wonder if they will push it back?

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[–] liscarkat (16702) 4 years ago

It will probably be slobbered over by the PC critics, and everyone will get hysterical about how incredible and woke it is, then after a while it will sink into the commode of obscurity (where "La La Land" now properly resides) while the 1961 version remains a classic (in spite of its flaws).

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[–] mplo (2305) 4 years ago

That may very well be so, liscarkat. Contrary to what many, if not most people think, there's no way that a reboot/remake of the film West Side Story by anybody, including Steven Spielberg, would ever, ever beat the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story.

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