WEST SIDE STORY (1961) - Movie Review

[@JForJeffort]

I just watched this film today for the first time (a travesty as someone who performed in musicals growing up). I love your review. You’ve gained a new subscriber! I’ll be watching more of your content!

[@oliverbrownlow5615]

Bernardo isn't analagous to Mercutio in *Romeo & Juliet.* Mercutio is Romeo's best friend, and part of the Montague group, so he's analagous to Riff in *West Side Story,* while Bernardo is analagous to Juliet's cousin Tybalt (who's killed by Romeo after he kills Mercutio, just as Bernardo is killed by Tony after he kills Riff).

[@Elvis-guy1973]

I've just watched this and I thought it was great, but I couldn't put my finger on the reason why. The songs were great and everything and the dancing was just so "out there" I think. And I really enjoyed it.

[@pedrorocha9722]

My favorite moment is Cool and specially the way it ends. When I saw it for the first time, it shocked me because it was so fresh.

[@ChrisLikesMovies82]

West Side Story is coming to the big screen at the end of this month (June 2018) via TCM and Fathom Events. Pretty excited to go watch it, although I'm not the biggest fan of the movie. I like it, but I don't think it's great. Maybe my mind will change. Maybe it won't. Love the channel! Keep up all the great work!

[@Suite_annamite]

Natalie Wood was so gorgeous here! Though it's certainly true how "boring" she was. Though I can't help but wonder how much higher her career would've soared had she lived longer (and had she not been you-know-what by you-know-who and his friends).

[@ndogg20]

That opening. You just fall into the picture. Its on Netflix now and I find myself watching the first 20 minutes every night.

[@jameschestnut9839]

I remember a friend of mine who was very much into dance and musicals said we should watch West Side Story. I'm always game. This was a movie he remembered liking. We watched maybe ten minutes of it, looked at each other and said "nah". Some things are only "good" in a nostalgic way I think. Time often destroys the relevancy and enjoyability of art. It just happens.

[@saigokun]

This was a great and well informed review. Thanks for doing this.

[@the305itself]

*cough* you should review "Annihilation" *cough*

[@noeytindol5529]

Rita Moreno is the greatest person ever! This way a great film.

[@leobergmiller873]

Would you ever consider doing another video on your top 5/10 all time favorite movies? I’d love to see an updated version as you’ve mentioned in passing that your opinion is always changing. Love your channel, keep up the great work!

[@deepfocuslens]

Hmmm interesting idea. Sure! I'll keep that in mind for sometime in the future. Thanks!

[@leobergmiller873]

deepfocuslens Awesome, you’re the best!

[@classicvideogoodies]

Robert Wise made a musical film in 1990 named "Rooftop" that was also about poor NYC young people and it made you think of West Side Story. But it was nowhere near in quality and it is all but forgotten today.

[@Suite_annamite]

@1:25: The Puerto Rican migrants, you might mean to say, because they're already Americans, ever since the turn of the 20th century as a result of the Spanish-American War.

[@brainsareus]

Though you sort of alluded to it, you glossed over the Monster Elephant in the room; what if, Rita Moreno had played Maria, as she did on B'way; instead of Natalie Wood, who played Maria in the film...??

[@Damezumari1]

I saw this flick when it first came out in(I think)the Spring of 62. I was just a kid. I believe I paid 25 cents admission! It was before the contemporary rating system and I remember being horrified and sickened by the that attempted rape scene. I was catatonic for the rest of the movie but I was still transfixed. Did you know that the song, "One Hand, One Heart," was originally written for the musical "Candide?" And as a Best Picture winner I think it holds up rather well compared to some of the throwaway offerings that have won that honor since then. I can live with its enduring flaws.

[@deepfocuslens]

Yes, I did. My parents had the song played at their wedding apparently.

[@Damezumari1]

OK then. I will not try to play "stump the critic" with you again.

[@thingenjoyer9815]

I think a review of "the city of lost children" would be cool.

[@kingamoeboid3887]

I have a few suggestions if you don’t mind? PINK FLOYD: THE WALL IF.... 1900 WHISPER OF THE HEART

[@deckofcards87]

I'm curious what do you think about 'The Red Shoes' ?

[@blinkzone1]

You should get a chance to see "Disobedience". Good film

[@brooklynbaby123]

Could you please do a review of Thirteen. I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

[@deepfocuslens]

Hmm haha never thought of doing that one. Hit too close to home for a while. But I'll definitely consider it. :)

[@classicvideogoodies]

If not Thirteen, then other films about mother-daughter relationship: Autumn Sonata, Terms of Endearment, Dim Sum, Mildred Pierce, Imitation of Life, The Bad Seed, Only When I Laugh.

[@tonybennett4159]

I don't think the movie holds up particularly well. One problem is an uneasy mix of gritty on location stuff with rather airless studio bound stuff. Beymer and Wood, as you say, were always inadequate, bringing no character to their parts. I think it was less a question of poor direction than of poor casting. The ensemble numbers were great, and Moreno and Chakiris were fantastic, but they weren't enough to save a rather uninvolving production. Maybe it's one of those musicals better left on the stage.

[@theolamp5312]

I'm so glad that you go into the vaults, rather than just review the latest and "greatest". I'm not a big fan of musicals, but thought West Side Story was great. I even loved An American In Paris even more. On a more current musical, you should check out Keala Settle's performance to get funding for The Greatest Showman - Link kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn2pdql-jKmShKc It's even better than the scene in the movie. The emotion in the room is more than I have ever seen for a musical performance.

[@AdamFishkin]

Hmmmmm. Polar opposite to the flaws I'd target. The composition of the opening dance sequence has always baffled me, especially with Wise's background as an editor. The praise the choreography gets from others isn't hard to understand, though. The theatricality is admirable. Perhaps as a stage director I've become overly sensitive to how choreography is translated from stage to cinema. I find that it gets better in the film's second half. (The wrong choreography will also likely be the Achilles heel of Spielberg's remake if he isn't careful.) Agreed about Rita Moreno: her characterization is dynamite. The rest of the performances never bothered me too much ... you can tell they tried hard, they just don't fit into the Saul Bass-ish aesthetic.

[@robbieanson1218]

If it was not for this movie I will not have the gang that I got now it’s not what you might think all of my own family served in the navy but as four of what I said from before some people want to go by the name Leonard Bernstein is his name it doesn’t matter if it’s you or I ever served in the Navy or in the military where I Matt was is this Jesse would know about that But you don’t speak for me when you said Anita is everybody’s favorite actress that you speak in for me too you can’t do that I don’t play favorites and Norris you speak for everybody else you only can speak for yourself for this video but they didn’t as the Jets dinner temporary they were harassing her because they were not listening to her in the first place they only saw only one thing and that one thing only that she was a Puerto Rican and she wasn’t one of their I should know I saw both of the movies of West side story I should know so yeah I want you to know that and understand so I take it that you’re a very nice woman and call it called for by your husband I’m suspecting that you are married I went through many names for the gang that I have The flow Ghettokings The refugees The core The cousin gang The garage boys Northside refugees Fours of Yahweh another name The Crusaders If it was not for Westside story and the Warriors and Boyz in the Hood ice cube if it wasn’t for any of the films that inspired me to have my own Christian gang but I don’t follow religion or anything like that no but you need to know this so you would know I seen this movie in high school while Wølf not just that you would know Tony in riff start of the Jets but you would know that he wants was part of the Jets to I should know I had the movie was about to turn it into a beret but you would know that I know what I am talking about here I seen this in school and I took a test on it and you would have the idea that this movie it has inspired the Broadway play Nadia all the way around for that And you know about that if you actually look up the play and you know that I am right to say that he would also know I am also write that you don’t speak for everybody else about I need a been everybody’s favorite she’s not my favorite I like her a lot but it does that mean that she is my favorite and I don’t play favorites as for Natalie woods is concerned she died she drowned it in the Mississippi miles away from here she was afraid of drowning she didn’t know how to swim her acting career was caught short because of that I am just say this to teach you something I am not mad or upset I’m just trying to teach you something about me and it will also happen during the movie and also we need a prequel to that movie my beautiful one I want you to know that and understand Forza for this movie I will not be ram now what is a successful Christian gang that I have now known as a Crusaders with family friends Ross get it out all of America in also I live so yeah I don’t care of this is just a movie review I am just letting you know about how to pronounce his last name as Lennar Bergstein that’s all I was doing now by some rank or anything like that And I know what it’s like to have failing that served in the navy sometimes it’s OK to wear a dress belt rank or a last name it all depends what your rank is and it also depends on your merit and demerit badge that you have as you know I support our American soldiers and throw the years they served from the beginning of it America and where we are at now they have protected us attacks by Zosel Havasu be from Baghdad and they were terrorist so I can understand me a call from about rank what people should just go by her names that is in fact that if you watch Stargate SG one then you would know people can still see their name and also go by rank so I took away my last comment to you to explain it limit more to you why are you all know And was a lot dipper understanding or I am coming from

[@praveenisepic]

~hi~