Westside Story

[MoosethePR]

The release is spectacular you really should get it.

[modage]

done and done.

[ono]

Horrible film.  Just saying.  Of course, any film (musical especially) looks pretty horrible after seeing Singin' in the Rain.  The only bright spot is the "...in America" musical number, but everything else is so over-the-top that you can't possibly take it seriously.  I realize most musicals require some suspension of disbelief, but that doesn't explain why Singin' in the Rain works so well while this doesn't.

[modage]

i think Gold Trumpet might have to disagree with you here.

[Pedro]

singin' in the rain has some numbers take place within reasonable boundaries, at least by realism standards

west side story is great, and yep, sure as hell over the top.  that's part of it's brilliance

[Pubrick]

so why is this being talked about everywhere all of a sudden?

is it cos of the tamblyn chick? she's thora good.

[Henry Hill]

Westside Story is a classic. Fan since 1991. Beautiful film. Rita Moreno is muy caliente.

[MoosethePR]

Westside Story is a classic. Fan since 1991. Beautiful film. Rita Moreno is muy caliente.

Si, Filmboy. We are doing the play at my school. I play a puerto rican. I love the movie and the play.

[Rudie Obias]

Horrible film.  Just saying.  Of course, any film (musical especially) looks pretty horrible after seeing Singin' in the Rain.  The only bright spot is the "...in America" musical number, but everything else is so over-the-top that you can't possibly take it seriously.  I realize most musicals require some suspension of disbelief, but that doesn't explain why Singin' in the Rain works so well while this doesn't.

are you fuckin' kidding me?  the music, alone, is so much better and arranged in WESTSIDE STORY.  the opening sequence of the music and colors making up the new york skyline is great!!  then getting closer and closer to the 2 rivial gangs of the film.  brilliant!!  brilliant!  brilliant!!  get your head out of your ass!!  and stop following PTA for all you film likes and dislikes.

WESTSIDE STORY has better music, dance sequences, story, drama, comedy and style than any musical since it was released.  (MOULIN ROUGE! is a distant second for me.)

[ono]

are you fuckin' kidding me?

No.

the music, alone, is so much better and arranged in WESTSIDE STORY.

No it's not.

the opening sequence of the music and colors making up the new york skyline is great!!

No it's not.

then getting closer and closer to the 2 rivial gangs of the film.  brilliant!!  brilliant!  brilliant!!

No it's not.

get your head out of your ass!!

Bravo for your brilliant debating skills.  Because someone disagrees with you they have their head up their ass.  Yeah.  Sure.  You'll go far, you will.  And I'm well aware of the irony of the "no it's not"s above, for those of you at home keeping score

and stop following PTA for all you film likes and dislikes.

I liked Singin' in the Rain way before I knew PTA did.  This, from the guy with the PTA quote in his sig:

"...and Hollywood is very straight forward, it's like going to a prostitute... twenty bucks for a blow job, fine... It's very concrete, you get what you pay for." -paul thomas anderson

So really, who's the fan boy?  Not that that's a bad thing 'cause we all are to an extent.  That's probably why we got here.  But perspective is good, and I don't see how West Side Story has anything to do with PTA other than that I compared it to Singin' in the Rain and PTA said he loves that movie.

WESTSIDE STORY has better music, dance sequences, story, drama, comedy and style than any musical since it was released.  (MOULIN ROUGE! is a distant second for me.)

No it doesn't.  Dancing gangstas just don't add up, and the dialogue in the movie was horrible.  The premise is so laughable so as to negate any tragedy and make it impossible for anyone in their right mind to take the drama of these idiotic kids seriously.  What it comes down to is they were fools who got what was coming to them, and the imaginary gene pool in which they swam is now a better place for it.  It's been almost a year since I've seen West Side Story, so I'm not able to argue the "finer points" of the film (nor do I care to).

All I really have to say is, opinions really are like assholes, and subjectivity is a wonderful, horrible thing.

[Pedro]

The premise is so laughable so as to negate any tragedy and make it impossible for anyone in their right mind to take the drama of these idiotic kids seriousl.

well, then, would you say that the story of romeo and juliet is laughable and without value?

[Gold Trumpet]

West Side Story is the best musical ever made for me. Criticisms of its story and lackluster romance are very valid in my opinion, but the reason I separate it from Singin' in the Rain and most Hollywood films made in the era is that it is filmed with two perfect rythms: the one within the framework of the screen (the movement of the actors) and that of the editing and montage - juxtaposition of shots. These two rythms, carried through out the film and combined with music, provide the effect of a film that diminishes all other Hollywood musicals to simple song and dance. Gene Kelly did great for Singin' in the Rain, but his film is very murky in following logic: one dance sequence lasts for twenty minutes and is completely unrelated to the main story. Its effect is that it is a well choroegraphed dance and the reason I still love the film is because like most Hollywood films, its good entertainment. There is no system of filmmaking as powerful or as innovative used in the other Hollywood musicals that I think even competes with the one used in West Side Story. Thing is, story wise, most musicals do fail. Singin' in the Rain is convential comedy even for its times and Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers made movies on the basis of a two sentence plot almost. But, in the end, is the majesty of the dancing and West Side Story best understood to framework the dancing for the best effect possible. Story just was shit.

And c'mon, its West Side Story! Three words!

[ono]

The premise is so laughable so as to negate any tragedy and make it impossible for anyone in their right mind to take the drama of these idiotic kids seriousl.

well, then, would you say that the story of romeo and juliet is laughable and without value?

Yes, actually.  I remember once reading or hearing someone talk (forget which) about how ridiculous Romeo and Juliet's story actually is when you break it down.  And when one really thinks about it, it is.  How young the are, for one, then the fact that they both kill each themselves.  And the fact that one of them fakes their death (forget who) and the other discovers the body and kills him/herself.  Man, it's been awhile.  But that's beside the point anyway.

The reason Singin' in the Rain worked so well for me was the "majesty of the dancing," as GT put it.  I didn't see that in West Side Story.  I think it was in the apartment that the film really captivated me.  It just went on and on, and the music and moves were all top-notch.  And of course, the timeless Singin' in the Rain routine itself, but that goes without saying.

[modage]

Gene Kelly did great for Singin' in the Rain, but his film is very murky in following logic: one dance sequence lasts for twenty minutes and is completely unrelated to the main story.

yeah i actually have to agree with this. although i love singin in the rain, i do hate those breaks in the gene kelly movies i've seen.  they just go on for too long and would work great on stage if you saw it live but in movie form are distracting from the main plot.  an american in paris had the same thing, (although on the town didnt), but i'm imagining gene kelly liked to have these in most of his flicks.

[Pubrick]

Yes, actually.  I remember once reading or hearing someone talk (forget which) about how ridiculous Romeo and Juliet's story actually is when you break it down.  And when one really thinks about it, it is.  How young the are, for one, then the fact that they both kill each themselves.  And the fact that one of them fakes their death (forget who) and the other discovers the body and kills him/herself.  Man, it's been awhile.  But that's beside the point anyway.

The reason Singin' in the Rain worked so well for me was the "majesty of the dancing," as GT put it.  I didn't see that in West Side Story.  I think it was in the apartment that the film really captivated me.  It just went on and on, and the music and moves were all top-notch.  And of course, the timeless Singin' in the Rain routine itself, but that goes without saying.

i feel queasy after reading that. it's so ignroant that it affected me physically.

a few pointers, cos i might hav to throw up in a second.. u don't know shit about shakespeare, that's one thing. ur dissing the story by half-regurgitating the gist of what a stranger (who u don't even remember if u read or heard) said. don't tell me u argue like that in real life, u must live with retards. ur quoting GT when he in fact was all for West Side Story.. and u generally display very little ability to understand anything. wow. just..... wow.