West Side Story (2021)


   Strangely it isn't the original 1961 film that haunts the opening scenes of Stephen Spielberg's remake. Instead, I was reminded of Saturday Night Fever when John Travolta managed to get as much rhythm and swing into walking around the streets of New York with a can of paint as possible.

This is a beautiful film and won't offend any fans of either the original stage show or the Jerome Robbins film. The choreography is treated well by the camera - you can see all the shapes both of individual performers and of the cast as a whole. The acting is impressive and it is marvellous to see Rita Moreno (still the only Latin American actress to win an Oscar) return to the story not in her award winning role of Anita but in a newly created character who is the moral centre of this Shakespearean tale.

The most impressive aspect for me was the fabulous music and the sound. You can't go far wrong with Bernstein and Gustavo Dudamel conducts the New York Philharmonic with pace and precision. The credits have 'additional music' from the Los Angeles Philharmonic - what an amazing orchestra to have as your back-up. All the instruments are really well mic'd - I loved the sound of the percussion. And there is a glorious segue from the music to the tuneful screeching of police car tyres. Lovely.

No idea if this will appeal to people unfamiliar with the musical but those who are should try to see this version.
Location: Basingstoke, UK

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