West Side Story
Ever since I saw the opening sequence of "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", I have questioned why my favourite director, Steven Spielberg, has never made a movie musical. For those who don't remember the opening of this movie, it features Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw, the soon-to-be Mrs Spielberg) singing Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" with chorus girls showcasing musicals during the Golden Years of Hollywood. It's been 37 years since I first saw this brilliant, dazzling number on the big screen and now the time has come...Steven Spielberg has finally directed his first musical feature, the remake of 1961's "West Side Story", which received the most Oscars in musical history.
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Like many other movies, 'West Side Story' has had its release date delayed by Covid. I was really looking forward to seeing this last Christmas. It will officially begin in Australia on Boxing Day but I will definitely see it on the weekend of December 18-19 when there will be advance screenings. I haven't been this excited to see a movie at the cinema since Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.
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"West Side Story" is one of my favourite musicals. I have seen it twice on stage (the first time in New York and the second time in Sydney) plus I own the DVD of the original film version. I love the songs composed by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, including Maria, I Feel Pretty, America, Somewhere and Tonight. It's ironic that the lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, passed away during the week.
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There's a 45 day window from cinema release to streaming date but I have to see this on the big screen. I have never seen the original at the cinema so I will ensure that the remake will not suffer the same fate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf3CqmQiBQ0 (Movie trailer)
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(Written on Wednesday 1st December, 2021)
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