West Side Story (2021)
West Side Story
Amblin Entertainment/TSG Entertainment
20th Century Studios
Release date: 12/10/2021
“West Side Story,” will debut on Disney+ in the U.S. and most international countries on March 2. The film will launch in Taiwan on March 9 and Japan on March 30.
Ratings
My Rating: 8/10
#whatonwhatsgood Fan Club Rating: 75%
Express Review
Will it be as good as the original that came out in 1961?
I think Spielberg does a spectacular job of remaking one of the most best musicals in the universe. The performances, choreography, and musical numbers are amazing. The costume designs, lighting, set designs and camerawork are sensational.
At the beginning of West Side Story, Bernardo (David Alvarez) from The Sharks wants to set his sister Maria (Rachel Zegler) up on a date with Chino (Josh Andrés Rivera) at a local school dance ... However, once they get there, Bernardo and the Sharks find out that Maria is in love with the former leader of The Jets Tony (Ansel Elgort)? Will we see a war between the rival street gangs The Jets vs. the Sharks? Can Tony and Maria live happily ever after or is their love doomed?
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by
Tony Kushner
Based on
West Side Story by Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents
Produced by
Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Kevin McCollum
Executive Produced By
Rita Moreno
Starring
Ansel Elgort as Tony
Rachel Zegler as Maria
Ariana DeBose as Anita
David Alvarez as Bernardo
Mike Faist as Riff
Rita Moreno as Valentina
Brian d'Arcy James as Officer Krupke
Corey Stoll as Lieutenant Schrank
Josh Andrés Rivera as Chino
iris menas as Anybodys
Mike Iveson as Glad Hand
Jamila Velazquez as Meche
Annelise Cepero as Provi
Yassmin Alers as Lluvia
Jamie Harris as Rory
Andréa Burns as Fausta
Curtiss Cook as Abe
Sharks
David Avilés Morales as Anibal
Sebastian Serra as Braulio
Ricardo A. Zayas as Chago
Carlos E. Gonzalez as Chucho
Ricky Ubeda as Flaco
Andrei Chagas as Jochi
Adriel Flete as Julito
Jacob Guzman as Junior
Kelvin Delgado as Manolo
Carlos Sánchez Falú as Pipo
Julius Anthony Rubio as Quique
Yurel Echezarreta as Sebas
David Guzman as Tino
Jets
Sean Harrison Jones as Action
Jess LeProtto as A-Rab
Patrick Higgins as Baby John
Kyle Allen as Balkan
John Michael Fiumara as Big Deal
Kevin Csolak as Diesel
Kyle Coffman as Ice
Daniel Patrick Russell as Little Moly
Ben Cook as Mouthpiece
Harrison Coll as Numbers
Garrett Hawe as Skink
Myles Erlick as Snowboy
Julian Elia as Tiger
Shark girls
Ana Isabelle as Rosalia
Tanairi Sade Vazquez as Charita
Yesenia Ayala as Clary
Gabriella M. Soto as Conchi
Juliette Feliciano Ortiz as Cuca
Jeanette Delgado as Ili
Maria Alexis Rodriguez as Isa
Edriz E. Rosa Pérez as Jacinta
Ilda Mason as Luz
Jennifer Florentino as Montse
Melody Martí as Pili
Gaby Diaz as Tati
Isabella Ward as Tere
Jet girls
Paloma Garcia-Lee as Graziella
Eloise Kropp as Dot
Leigh-Ann Esty as Gussie
Lauren Leach as Karen
Brittany Pollack as Mack
Kellie Drobnick as Mamie
Skye Mattox as Maxie
Adriana Pierce as Natalie
Jonalyn Saxer as Rhonda
Brianna Abruzzo as Sorella
Halli Toland as Sweden
Sara Esty as Tat
Talia Ryder as Tessie
Maddie Ziegler as Velma
Cinematography
Janusz Kamiński
Edited by
Michael Kahn, Sarah Broshar
Music by
Leonard Bernstein
Interviews with Ansel Elgort, Brian d’Arcy James, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno and Steven Spielberg on 12/4/2021
Ansel Elgort who plays Tony discusses 'West Side Story' and working with Stephen Spielberg
"In West Side Story, I play Tony. Tony is a street kid from New York City. He was a member of the Jets but got into some trouble at a rumble. He beat up a kid pretty bad and ended up going to prison for a year. During that time, he did a lot of self-reflection. He thought about trying to change his life and put himself on a better path. He wants to be a good man. Then, when he sees Maria, I think that becomes the shining star of hope. Tony is very uneducated, he's an Orphan, he comes from absolutely nothing.
Being directed by Steven Spielberg was always a dream of mine. I knew that it was going to be a very, very special experience. I wanted to do the best work that I could possibly do. I didn't know what a gentle soul he was. What a loving person he is, how supportive he is with everybody, and when he gives you criticism, he never makes you feel bad about it. He always just wants the best from you. He makes everyone around him feel so supported and loved. He is just the greatest leader."
Brian d'Arcy James who plays Officer Krupke discusses 'West Side Story' and working with Stephen Spielberg
"I play Sergeant Krupke in West Side Story. Krupke is trying to do his job in a way that is helpful and not hurtful to his community.
Steven Spielberg is such an open-hearted, warm, and collegial person. I got a job to do and we're going to do it together. He makes you feel like you should be there. I think that is a great quality of leadership."
David Alvarez who plays Bernardo discusses 'West Side Story' and working with Stephen Spielberg
"I play Bernardo. He is a fighter. He's a boxer who migrated from Puerto Rico to New York to try and find a better life. His passion is taking care of this family. He takes care of Maria and Anita. He is also protecting his Puerto Rican community in the city.
Stephen Spielberg just gives you a blank canvas, and he gives you a pencil, and he says, Just draw whatever you want. Just create whatever you want and then I'll see how I can mold around what you just created, which is a beautiful thing."
Mike Faist who plays Riff discusses 'West Side Story' and working with Stephen Spielberg
"I play Riff. Riff is the leader of the Jets. He is Tony's best friend. In this story. Tony was the leader of the Jets and was sent off to prison. Now he is back, Riff's entire story is to try to get Tony back to being a part of this tribe...this family again.
Tony wants to be different and does not want to go back to that toxic place. He wants to change and to be a better person. The conflict throughout the entire film is Riff's inability to recognize that in Tony.
Stephen Spielberg was the most giving and kind and collaborative director I might have ever worked with. It was the best experience artistically."
Rachel Zegler who plays Maria discusses her character in 'West Side Story'
"I think Maria loves her family so much. She loves her roots. She's also very interested in rooting herself to other things, and other people and having different associations in her life. She leads with love and has a tough time trying to understand why people hate differences. She focuses on similarities more than differences. Tony and Maria constantly have conversations about how they're different and how that's dangerous. But they love each other. I think that's a really beautiful thing."
Ariana DeBose who plays Anita discusses her character in 'West Side Story'
"I play Anita. She's the first lady of the Sharks...the girlfriend to Bernardo - the leader of the Sharks. She is an absolute firecracker with a passion for dancing. She has a beautiful maternal relationship/sisterly relationship with Maria. I like to think of her as the glue amongst the family. She holds things together even in the face of incredible adversity. She speaks her mind. She's a woman ahead of her time. She is beautiful and ambitious. She has no qualms about going 100% towards fighting for her version of the American dream."
Rita Moreno who plays Valentina discusses 'West Side Story' and working with Stephen Spielberg
"The character that I play is Valentina. She's learned a lot living in that ghetto area. She was married to Doc, who used to own the candy store where the Jets hung out. She's now taken over. She is a widow. She has a great relationship with Tony. She mothers him. She invited him to live downstairs in the basement.
I actually get to sing the most beautiful song in the world. I cried when I saw that in the script.
It was so strange to see Ariana DeBose as Anita. The role that really got me an Oscar and a Golden Globe. I had to put her at her ease. She was apparently extremely nervous to meet me. She hid herself among all the kids. So one day I said, 'Where is Ariana?' and everybody pointed. I said, 'We have to have lunch together.'
Stephen ... when I asked him can I do the clapper for the very last scene, he said, 'Yes'. We went 14 takes and I was doing the clap. He tells me yesterday that that was on purpose because he didn't want it to be over and because I was enjoying doing that so much."
Director and Co-producer Steven Spielberg discusses making 'West Side Story'
"I wanted to make this film because it's a message about the importance of love over hate. It's also the most extraordinary score probably ever written for any American musical.
The biggest challenge in making the film was to make each musical number look different. The camera for me needed to be inside those numbers. So the camera became in itself a dancer. That's How I kind of looked at my role in this film. I can't dance to save my life but I know how to make a camera dance.
This is the longest casting I've ever done in a film. Schindler's List (1993) took a year to cast, and this took almost a year to cast as well.
This is one of the most complicated productions of my career. Unlike Jaws (1975) where the shark didn't work...the ocean never cooperated, which made it physically challenging.
I'm not looking to get back into the jungle of musicals again. I'm never going to say never...but I don't I have my sight on any other musical beyond West Side story."
West Side Story Los Angeles Premiere 12/7/2021
Ana Isabelle - "Rosalia"
"I feel like this movie has so many topics that are relevant and so important in our society right now. We should undertake each other more than fighting each other.
It's a dream come true for all of us to be representing the Latin community. I was born or raised in Puerto Rico."
Ansel Elgort - "Tony"
"Throughout the process, I just wanted to do the best job that I could possibly do and work really hard."
Ariana DeBose - "Anita"
"I think folks are just going to be so excited to see their own faces reflected back to them."
David Alvarez - "Bernardo"
"The most powerful message that stands the test of time is the power of love...and not giving in to fear, hatred, and division...really try to understand the people around you."
David Newman - Music Arranger
"I think West Side Story is really a unique work of art. I think it bridges Broadway, Jazz, and opera. I don't think there's really been anything like it.
It was really an honor to be a part of bringing it to the screen."
Ilda Mason - "Luz"
"I think West Side Story is a story about love. How that's the most important. It's also about how we're just all humans we do not have to be divided. We do not have to be Jets and Sharks. It's a story about love and acceptance."
Janusz Kaminski - Cinematographer
"It's a great homage to old Broadway musicals. We wanted to create a movie version of the 1957 Broadway musical. It is just a fun, entertaining and glamorous Hollywood movie."
Josh Andres Rivera - "Chino"
"I mean I'm really excited because we're in the midst of a really important conversation about representation in Hollywood. I think to have something like this at the forefront of the mainstream. I can only hope that we're moving in the right direction. I hope that we can inspire creators to tell their story authentically."
Kevin McCollum - Producer
"Stephen Spielberg from a very young age listened to the Broadway musical like all of us did and dreamed about doing this."
Kristie Macosko Krieger - Producer
"West Side Story is a message about love. How loves triumph over things like bigotry and hate."
Mike Faist - "Riff"
"It's a really special thing to be at the premiere with everyone in the crowd. We're excited to be here."
Rachel Zegler - "Maria"
"Maria is so multi-dimensional. She's multifaceted. I think we really added the element of her being an 18-year-old who is just starting out. She thinks she knows everything about everything, but she knows nothing about nothing. I think it's a really amazing journey to see as she learns and computes and tries to understand the world around her."
Rita Moreno - "Valentina" / Executive Producer
"I got so lucky. I know that I was Tony Kushner's idea for Valentina. He was only thinking of me because his partner said, 'what are you going to do about Doc?' His partner said 'what about Rita Moreno, as Doc's widow?' It's their fault that I'm here. I will always be grateful."
Steven Spielberg - Director / Producer
"I mean I made the movie, and I still took the songs home and listened to them. The songs have certainly stood the test of time. To me, West West Side story, as a Broadway musical is the godfather of all Broadway musicals. It is so is extremely intimidating to even attempt, or even to dream of a reimagining based on the original Broadway show. I was blessed with a great cast and a great ensemble of tremendous artists.
We took a year to cast this. I waited to tell anybody they had their parts until I knew who all 4 principles were going to be. Poor Rachel, I saw her on the first day of casting. She had to wait 350 days before she got the part.
I've just been blessed. These artists are triple threats. They can act, sing and dance."
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose)
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno)
- Best Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy
- Best Actress, Musical or Comedy (Rachel Zegler)
- Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose)
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