Spielberg Remaking WEST SIDE STORY - Subtitles Are (Apparently) Racist!

[AndyDursin]

Does this mean Indy 5 is DOA?

Cant get excited about Baby Driver in a West Side Story redo....

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/anse ... 202964116/

[AndyDursin]

Official press release gives the first real sign Fox is now longer nothing but Disney's de facto Touchstone brand (now called "Twentieth Century Fox Films", "Released by the Walt Disney Company"), which will release less than a handful of titles every year.

Gustavo Dudamel and David Newman will be working on the soundtrack together.

The film’s music team includes renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who will helm the recording of Bernstein’s iconic score; Academy Award®-nominated composer and conductor David Newman (Anastasia) who will be arranging the score for the new adaptation; Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Broadway’s Fun Home and Thoroughly Modern Millie), who will be working with the cast on vocals; and Grammy®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (Beauty and the Beast, Chicago), who will serve as executive music producer for the film.

[Paul MacLean]

I just can't work up any enthusiasm for this movie.

It feels less like an inspired choice than a calculated move, like Spielberg was thinking "Gee, what should I make next? I dunno, how about a remake of West Side Story! That will bring me acclaim and maybe another Oscar!"

[Monterey Jack]

Or maybe Spielberg has wanted to make a musical for his ENTIRE CAREER, and has finally crossed that item off his personal Bucket List?

[AndyDursin]

I understand making a musical is something he's wanted to do, but I just don't get this choice of material whatsoever.

Lke I wrote above, it's a remake of one of the best known musicals of all time. This is like remaking the GONE WITH THE WIND of the musical theater. Even if it turns out well, it's been done before in every medium already, revived many times, performed everywhere. And it's an ethnic story that has its roots in the 50s and 60s. I don't understand what in this dated old story appeals to him especially when you look at his body of work.

The degree of difficulty is low given the music (it's going to be hard to mess up something this tried and true), but the rewards are low as well (been there, done that). I also think he's late to the whole Chicago/Glee/Mamma Mia musical revival genre of a decade ago on top of it...that train already left the station .

A very weird choice that I have serious doubts is going to have a lot of commercial appeal at this point in time. Personally I've seen the show on stage and on screen before, and I have little interest in seeing this movie, especially in theaters. It's not my favorite musical anyway, so I'd pass no matter who was making it!

[AndyDursin]

Of course the movie that SHOULD have been a musical was 1941. The Jitterbug sequence is dazzling and the story would have been augmented by songs. It would've been the right vehicle for something more escapist and lighthearted.

The mix of Spielberg and West Side Story just doesn't seem to make any sense.

[mkaroly]

I have seen all but two of Spielberg's films (THE POST and READY PLAYER ONE are the ones I have yet to see). I do not know if I can ever watch a remake of WSS (not interested in the original either). I am not really in to musicals - if he did an original musical then maybe I would give it a try. HOOK could have been a musical - but as Paul said above I have zero enthusiasm for this project. It might end up being the only Spielberg film I never watch.

[AndyDursin]

Keep in mind this is the 1962 Best Picture Oscar winner we're talking about too.

What exactly is he trying to prove making this movie? Surely he wouldn't want, you know, someone remaking SCHINDLER'S LIST or E.T. or any one of his classics.

[Monterey Jack]

Whelp, there's $100 million down the drain...

https://www.thewrap.com/ansel-elgort-se ... ault-2014/

[Eric Paddon]

"Boy, boy, crazy boy........"

[AndyDursin]

Trailer's finally out.

Again, I don't know what to make of this. Spielberg doing a period rendering of a classic show and film that's already been done just screams like a big ego trip. Elgort's casting also comes off as weirdly out of step with the whole "authentic" casting he's otherwise gunning for.

The visuals look nice, but what's the point?

[Paul MacLean]

Why are Bernstein and Sondheim credited twice? (They are also credited twice on the movie poster.)

In any case, a West Side Story remake seems like fool's errand.

Given the recent "breakdown" in race relations (fueled and propagated by the media and political opportunists) a new adaptation would seem, on the surface, topical. However I think most people will be baffled by the sight of a bunch of inner-city toughs flitting about in Jerome Robbin's balletic choreography.

Personally, I'd rather watch China Girl!

[AndyDursin]

I noticed that on the credits too -- it's as if they want to plaster Bernstein and Sondheim's names on there so much that it adds "cred" to the project.

As to why -- I think it might be contractual. It's like there's a credit for the original stage play and then they get another credit for THIS film. So Bernstein and Sondheim wrote the original music for the show, and then THIS film uses all of their music -- I guess.

[mkaroly]

Zero interest in seeing this.

[Monterey Jack]

Yet another musical where the trailers and TV spots go out of their way to disguise the fact that the characters sing.





It's such a dumb marketing ploy...people familiar with the source material will think the movie is "hiding" the singing and choreography, and anyone rolling out for the movie not knowing that it's a musical will become immediately annoyed when the characters start to croon. Would you cut a trailer for an action movie with no action, or one for a comedy with no laughs (wait, that's Ghostbusters: Afterlife )? I know that musicals have a limited audience (especially these days), but being dishonest with the advertising isn't going to help. I distinctly remember reading stories about people storming out of screenings of Sweeney Todd demanding refunds, because "Everyone is singing...!"