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West Side Story (Patreon)

Published:
2026-02-28 13:00:08
Imported:
2026-02
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West Side Story | Canadian First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Movie Review | Movie Commentary

Full length/Unedited: https://www.patreon.com/Cinebinge https://www.instagram.com/cinebingechannel/ Merch: https://www.cinebinge.ca BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cinebinge.bsky.social Simone & George are reacting to West Side Story for the first time! Canadians React! Subscribe | Like | Share | Comment Early Access & Full Reaction available on Patreon! #moviereaction #moviereview #westsidestory Instagram: @cinebingechannel

Comments

Ashton Lewis

The crown jewel of musicals. I'm locked in

theycallmekev

This movie is Romeo and Juliet in a more modern (1960s) setting set in New York. The musical it’s based off of was written by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents and was a massive hit on Broadway. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris (Maria and Bernardo) both won Oscar’s for their roles in this film and it’s still the record holder for most Oscar’s won for a musical (it won 10 including Best Picture). And yes, “Beat It” and also “Bad” (which was directed by Martin Scorsese), are direct homages to West Side Story.

PhilM

For any followers of Terry Pratchett, my favorite insanely obscure joke from the Discworld is that the two feuding families in Ankh Morpork are called Selachii (Latin for shark) and Venturi (a fluid effect used in jets).

Jeff K.

Rita Moreno is an absolute legend and really, that's all that needs to be said. One of our very few EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winners in history. Also: since I know that George is a big Stephen Fry fan, when he did his BBC series Stephen Fry in America, the title song was "America" from West Side Story (sung by Rita Moreno in the film).

dudewheresmycar

Steven Spielberg's 2021 version should now be a must watch after seeing the original. Whilst the original is fantastic, it's set pieces do take place within the confines of the area of a theatre stage. The 2021 version blows those confines apart by shutting down entire city blocks and streets for those set pieces. I highly recommend it just to witness the scale of it.

Lloyd Franklin (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-13 17:00 I'm a little disappointed that you didn't do a double feature. Spielberg's version in my opinion is so much better and is a must watch.
2026-02-28 13:35

Dan Halstead

Smooth Criminal referenced it heavily too, while also paying homage to Guys & Dolls, and Fred Astaire's gangster turn in Band Wagon.

William Burnham

Natalie Wood was the young girl in Miracle on 34 street Her singing voice was the great Marni Nixon , famous as the singing voice of many Hollywood actresses Audrey Hepburn My Fair Lady Deborah Kerr The King and I Russ Tamblyn -Riff was the youngest of the brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers In the dance in the hall the moderator was John Astin( Gomez Addams )-Sean Astin’s father

blerbaberpaterb

i would guess its more to do with scheduling and time? since both clocks in 2 and a half hours, thats 5+ hours of recording for them just for 1 video haha. in addition to all the other stuff they make for us every week

paul rai

I hope you guys do watch the Spielberg remake from 2021. I actually love it over the original, just due to Spielberg being an amazing director when it comes to staging and cinematography (Prologue, the school dance, America, Officer Krupke, etc), and the performances from Rachel Zegler and the supporting cast is marvelous. It’s a great new adaptation, similarly how the two Nosferatu films can stand on their own as great films for how they adapt the material.

paul rai

1000% agree. The staging, cinematography, production design is on another level, and that’s the level of quality you get with a Spielberg directed film. Plus, it’s always cool when a legendary director tries a different genre outside their wheelhouse and man, I hope he directs another musical. I just love the energy and showmanship he brings to his West Side Story remake.

djKENTO

So in 2017 a giant and I mean... GIANT theater opened in Tokyo called the "IHI Stage Around Tokyo". It was an enormous specialized theater where the stage was a circle around the audience who were on a rotating platform that would follow the action as the actors moved around the stage. This stage was SO BIG that you could drive full size cars on it. In 2021 they did the most expensive production of West Side Story in HISTORY. The set was a full city block the characters could walk through. It's one of the most impressive stage productions of any kind ANYWHERE EVER... And the theater was only open for 7 years. Only 1300 seats, which isn't even as big as the largest broadway theater, but it was several magnitudes more expensive to run. here's a link to the trailer for the production. Towards the end of it you can really see the scale of the stage. They also did a Final Fantasy X traditional Japanese Kabuki style opera there that is very gorgeous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPdGsb5Kn9M

djKENTO

also yes Michael Jackson LOVED West Side Story and talked to Rita Moreno about how he copied her dancing from the AMERICA number for Bad. Beat It and Bad's videos and dancing were inspired by this movie.

kelvin

Not knowing at least Natalie Wood or Rita Moreno has me in my feelings as well as feeling my age 👴🏽🫠

newhastings

I get why you probably haven’t heard of Rita Moreno before but man it still doesn’t fully compute in my mind given how much of a legend she is

JBK405

A "zip gun" is a homemade gun. They're the tool of low-level gangs and criminals who can't afford "real" guns. A lot of the actors in the film appeared in the play beforehand, which partially explains all of the dancing and choreographic skill since they were used to having to do it all live and in one take. The rest of the explanation is that the rehearsals for this film were RIDICULOUS, and went for hours and hours. They actually went TOO long, and a lot of the actors developed leg injuries due to dancing constantly on hard stone floors. I've seen the stage production twice. The story as a whole is indistinguishable one to the other, and the changes they did make in the screen adaptation (Altered lyrics to “America” and switching the locations of “Cool” and “Officer Krupke”) were the right choices for the movie, but it was still a very distinct animal. I still remember the end to the Rumble between the Sharks and Jets. As the curtain falls on the still bodies of Riff and Bernardo, it’s a powerful scene. Especially since the curtain came down SO slowly, accompanied by the slow steady clanging of a clock. It was like listening to their final heartbeats.

Rob Parry

Good reaction. I think this one is far superior to the 2021 remake.

Jeff K.

Unrelated, I just remembered tomorrow is finally Birdcage day and to say I'm excited... well... I do an eclectic celebration of the dance! I do Fosse, Fosse, Fosse! I do Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Martha Graham! Or Twyla, Twyla, Twyla! Or Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd! Or Madonna, Madonna, Madonna!... but I keep it all inside.

Simone's Coconut Squire

This is a great example of how they used to cast musicals. You were either a singer who could dance (Tony) or a dancer who could sing (Riff).

Happy Hanukkah

I am OUTRAGED that you didn't recognize Sister Pete! OUTRAGED!!!1!1!! (Where on Earth Is Rosa Alverío?)

Happy Hanukkah

I'm reminded of the time I had to clean out a bathroom trap for the first time in a rented apartment. I wasn't sure if I was dealing with a large (and gross) clump of hair or a dead rat. (It was the first.)

ImpishMisconception

I love this movie but I always change the ending in my head to where Tony and Maria stay together forever. I prefer happy endings.... I also recognize the man who organized the dance at the school, told everyone to make a circle. That's John Astin, he played Mr. Addams in the black and white Addams Family sitcom.

Pam Nail

The newer version changes the order of some events (and songs) -- reverting to the structure of the stage version -- which might explain why some of it feels unfamiliar. Also LOL the newer movie brings back "sperm to worm." Totally agree about the choreography and cinematography working together. It probably helps that the choreographer (Jerome Robbins) also co-directed the movie. The music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, which makes the songs feel more classical and less like traditional showtunes (or the kind of pop-style songs of Grease).

Happy Hanukkah

Yes! I too reject the false dichotomy presented to us by the Jedi and the Sith!

maikeru

I wonder if simone uses a green screen, so that it's easier for george to remove the background for the thumbnails.

Happy Hanukkah

Perspective: West Side Story: 1961. Beat It: 1983, 22 years later. Reaction: 2026, another 43 years.

zona999

This film is so much better than Spielberg's where they changed the lyrics to America, butchered one of the best songs and numbers, "Cool", putting in a different part of the film. One of the smart changes the original made over the play was the ordering of scenes. And Spielberg's "Krupke" sucked, too, imo.

AniLunchbox

1. I never realized how many songs I'd heard over the years that came from this. 2. Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet reaction when ?!?!

Glenner7

Robert Wise had also directed the original The Day the Earth Stood Still (no dancing in that one!). Nathalie Wood, who had been in Rebel Without a Cause, drowned under mysterious circumstances 20 years after West Side Story.

REDR58

Russ Tamblyn also plays a very colorful and important character in the Twin Peaks TV series, but I don't want to say too much more about that now.

Tay Schumaker

So my favorite version of West Side Story was the 2020 revivial on Braodway by Ivo van Hove. It was a pretty divisive production, used a lot of screens, cut I Feel Pretty and was only one act. It was the first and only production that really made you feel the momentum of the story and kept you on the edge of your seat. And reshapes songs like Officer Krupke to feel oddly timely and disturbing,. It was a casualty of Covid and some questionaple choreography decision that lead to injuries

Tay Schumaker

The only musicals I can think of that started out as movies first (other than the obvious Disney ones) are Moulin Rouge and The Producers. La La Land has been workshopped but not actually debuted anywhere first

Tay Schumaker

Last comment, Sondheim wrote the lyrics to this (Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Merrily We Roll Along, etc.) and wanted to be the first to use "fuck" in a major Broadway song, (“Gee, Officer Krupke—Fuck you!”) This did not come to pass. Columbia records balked because obscenity laws would prohibit the recording from being shipped over state lines. In the end, the line was changed to “Krup you!”—Sondheim has since maintained that it may be the best lyric line in the show.

Young Blood Priest

Robert Wagner, Natalie Woods husband at the time, was always under suspicion. Word on the street is they were fighting because Wagner thought she was sleeping with Christopher Walken who was on the boat with them.

Jef Etters

By the director of Star Trek the Motion Picture.

Alex Ch

So are they able to hear the overture at the start?

Alex Ch

Ok, they are. They just don’t really mention it.

REDR58

Oh, and to clarify, John Astin is Sean Astin’s *adoptive* father after John Astin married actor Patty Duke, who is Sean Astin’s biological mother. Sean Astin’s biological father is Michael Tell. Party Duke and John Astin eventually divorced but Sean is still close to his ex-adoptive father John: https://youtube.com/shorts/_Ch2S358qqY?si=Sg2fv3RWDKOfpQtO

Alex Ch

Probably known to this crowd less as Gomez Addams than as the father of Sean Astin, Samwise himself.

MacGuffinStuff

That was the one I was thinking of, at first I thought I saw her on Sesame Street, but then I remembered Electric Company, and young (relatively) Morgan Freeman on that.

MacGuffinStuff

Damn I had no idea so many songs I've heard referenced in other movies and shows were from this. I recognized the "Something's Coming" song in the beginning that Tony sings, except I recognized it from the beginning of Albert Brooks' "Defending Your Life" and Barbara Streisand is singing it on the CD in Albert Brooks' car just before, you know if you've seen the movie (if not I highly recommend it, it's really funny, clever, and has heart). I love that people are mentioning what an icon/badass Rita Moreno was, and that George and Simone appreciated her performance, I loved her, she represented perfectly too, she is Puertorriqueña, Boricua. I remember her already older,I would see her on TV when I was a kid, a small woman with an enormous personality, she was always quick-witted and clever in interviews, that little trivia was a good example. And, another fun fact, she briefly dated Elvis in the 50s, just to make Marlon Brando jealous, and it worked, they had a crazy romance for years.

Buzzard

MAD Magazine did a great parody of this called "West Coast Story" in their April 1971 issue (#142). It featured the Rats vs. the Cruds and was illustrated by the immortal Jack Davis. "Tea" is an old slang term for marijuana, so his grandma was a drug pusher.😵

Freddie Miles

My favorite film (largely because of the choreography, cinematography, score, etc... pretty much everything EXCEPT the overall plot, since I'm not a fan of Romeo and Juliet). I know Robert Wise gets a lot of credit as director, but he was the co-director. The distinction is important since he Robbins is the one who originally conceived of the stage play and this film wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the co-direction of Jerome Robbins. The Spielberg version is... inferior.

Monica Alarcon

Frist time watching this movie although it's so engrained in popular culture it's like I've seen it before... from the Goodfeathers episode in Animaniacs to SNL's parody of the fight dancing and most of the songs I know from other sources like Herp Alpert's version of "America", Yes' prog rock version of "Something's coming", Pet Shop Boys dance version of "Somewhere", True Symphonic Rockestra metal version of "Tonight" and I've seen "I feel pretty" refferenced somewhere but I don't remember where... in my mind I see Robin Williams or Robert DeNiro singing it but I can't remember....

dys

My highschool did a production of this my senior year. I'd already seen this movie, but my best friend, whose mom is Puerto Rican, had not, and wasn't a fan. Especially the "America" song he thought was pretty insulting... especially because my New England hometown is like 85% white so there were a bunch of white kids singing about how poor Puerto Rico is.

Lana Gorgeous

Grease is not in the same league as West Side Story, which is one of the greatest musicals of all time. 1960's musicals were so different. My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music also great. Really good 70's Musical, perhaps the best is HAIR and Jesus Christ Superstar. Grease is ok!

Lana Gorgeous

West Side Story won 10 Academy Awards, making it the musical film with the most Oscar wins (including Best Picture). It was the first film to share the Academy Award for Best Director between two people, with Wise winning in the Best Picture and Best Director categories.[

REDR58

When you guys watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" that film had an overture. During the opening shots, the large cruise ship seen docked is the SS United States, a now-retired vessel that holds the "Blue Riband” for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by a passenger liner. For many years it was tied up at Philadelphia but has since been moved for eventual reefing, supposedly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_United_States We then see the U.N. building, the Empire State Building and Old Yankee Stadium, among other landmarks. Officer Schrank is played by Simon Oakland. He would go on to appear in the movie “Bullitt” (1968) with Steve McQueen, which you should watch! It’s interesting how the Puerto Ricans keep talking about coming to “this country” as if it wasn’t already their country. Puerto Rico has been a territory United States since 1898 and thus all Puerto Ricans have been citizens of United States since then. Although I suppose there was a bit of a culture shock so maybe it may well feel like a foreign country to many Puerto Ricans. Richard Beymer, who plays Tony, was also in Twin Peaks with Russ Tamblyn. Tamblyn was a trained gymnast and proficient tumbler. A number of the “Puerto Rican” characters were actually non-Hispanic actors in dark makeup. Notably the late Natalie Wood who was of Russian/Ukrainian descent and George Chakiris (Nardo/Bernardo) who had Greek parents from Turkey. The death of Natalie Wood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrKiD-BPoVE) was alluded as a plot point in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” with the story of Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth supposedly having killed his own wife. Just about all, if not all, of the actors singing were dubbed by other singers. As wonderful as the performances were, I’m really glad that these days the actors largely sing their own songs instead of the having a dubbed singer. The scenes with the haziness on the edge of the screen immediately made me think of vertically filmed YouTube videos that blur the edges to fill the screen, which is really annoying. At least with this, it’s done for artistic reasons and is fine, of course. The “10-13" police code in New York City means “Officer needs assistance.” Susan Oakes as "Anybodys" is described as a "tomboy." Rocket in one’s pocket it’s just slang for a gun or other weapon. Doc runs Doc’s Drug Store, so yes that’s why he’s called Doc! In the end credits it lists the movie being based on the stage play by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The book by Arthur Laurents is also credited. The movie was filmed in “Super Panavision 70” resulting in an aspect ratio of 2.20:1 which is why it looks so expansive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHdhlp_OTC0

Scott Willig

West Side Story was a Broadway smash hit. It is basically a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. The cast was predominantly theater actors/dancers so not necessarily recognisable. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris won Oscars for best supporting actress and actor and sang their parts for Anita and Bernardo. Natalie Wood did not win Best Actress for the role of Maria. It is Hollywood convention that if you are nominated for an award in a musical you wont win unless you do your own singing - Natalie did not sing her own parts.

G P

For more Rita Moreno check out the HBO series Oz

Gizmo_Mogwai_

This is a movie of its time for better or worse. For the exception of one actor, all Puerto Rican characters are white with brownface cosmetics and heavily portrayed inaccurate PR stereotypes.

Holy Squire

I grew up in Philadelphia the 1970's and there was a pharmacy- soda fountain/burger joint combination on every corner. By 1985 this was no longer the case. The superstores began to take over and the neighborhoods homogenized losing their individual character.

Jonathan Eaton

I'm so glad to have finally watched this. My friend's uncle plays Riff. He is also Amber Tamblyn's uncle. She has been in many great movies and shows and is married to comedian David Cross.

Drew

The cops in this are an interesting time capsule, in 1961 before the Watts Riots, and before the birth of “copaganda” that followed the Riots. Starting in the 60’s law enforcement made a concerted effort to rehabilitate their public image through media. But watch movies of “old Hollywood” and cops are very often portrayed as corrupt thugs, because it wasn’t a secret or poor opinion, everyone knew it. In Casablanca, the police captain Renault was matter-of-factly corrupt, but the humor in the character is in his trying and failing to appear respectable. Fascinating representation of history in the art

REDR58

Chino played by José De Vega Jr. is Filipino/Columbian. Del Campo as played by Rudy Del Campo had parents from Mexico. At least 2 of the uncredited female actors, Maria Jimenez Henley as Teresita, Juano's girlfriend and Olivia Perez as Margarita, Rocco's girlfriend would appear to be Latin/Hispanic of some variety and 2 or 3 of the other actors are of Greek extraction. So the cast was a bit of a melting pot but Rita Moreno appears to be the only actual actor of Puerto Rican origins among them.

REDR58

My biggest problem with Greece is that too many of the cast are simply way too old to be highschoolers. It’s laughable how old some of them are to be portraying teenagers. But it’s a fun movie nonetheless.

Marcus Hicks

Like the cops in LA Confidential.

Marcus Hicks

You should totally watch Stephen Spielbergs recent take on this movie. Its fantastic.

Marcus Hicks

You might be unaware thst the lyrics to America-in the 2020 version-were closer to the ones from the original Broadway version of the song.

Marcus Hicks

I think they are both on par. The 2021 version is more faithful to the stage production, but obviously with a much bigger budget.

Marcus Hicks

Stephen Speilberg has always wanted to make a musical. That's why he had that big song and dance number at the start of Temple of Doom.

OddThomas

Some other classics to watch: Gone With The Wind, High Noon, High Society, Night of the Hunter, Watership Down

OddThomas

Ngl, both West Side Stories bored me to tears. Umbrellas of Cherbourg is my favourite musical.

OddThomas

Romeo + Juliet is one of the best 90s films

Eversharpe

I will not stand for the double standard being shown here! Loving the tongue rolling here but cringing at Dustin in Stranger Things! "Rrrrrr" I say, "Rrrrrrrrrr!"

Cory Garron

I was thinking this movie was from the early 90s, turns out I was thinking of Poetic Justice. I've obviously seen neither of these films.

Cory Garron

I totally thought George pulled a Spike line on Simone... but that didn't make sense. lol

Philiboy49

"Maria" "Somewhere" and "Tonight" were all chart topping songs in the early 60's. In fact in HS marching band we played all of those songs. And it won 10 of the 11 Oscars it was nominated for. I was 12 when this came out and I was just captivated; I saw the movie 7 times. It was great fun watching you react to this.

Philiboy49

I think spolers were not nearly so much a thing back then. We didn't see reviews on TV or anything, and you had to subscribe to some major paper to even get reviews. When I saw it I had no idea what the movie was about. That waas actually pretty common. Disney movies you'd hear about. Of course I wasn't living in a show biz town either.

Philiboy49

"Somewhere" is my absolute favorite song of all time. You should watch Barbra Streisand's version. It is a song of alienation and hope. It hit who I was at age 12 even thought I had not yet realized I was gay.

Dee Aitch

Dear god this is an awful movie. Who does this appeal to? EDIT ok I gave it 38 minutes of my life. Even tho that was probably half of it just being the lines on the screen. But that's enough. Even if it gets really good later, I give up.

Tyler Foster

If Singin' in the Rain (1952) is eligible, I really hope that goes on the next poll for musicals, as that seems like an obvious must-watch and one that features far more hummable tunes (not that that's the only ingredient for a great musical). Some other musicals or music movies, famous and obscure, that I would like to see on the channel. • American Pop (1981) -- wild animated jukebox musical spanning decades • Better Man (2024) -- unconventional biopic of international pop superstar Robbie Williams (awareness of Williams is not necessary to enjoy the film) • Hearts Beat Loud (2018) -- indie comedy about a father and daughter recording music together starring Nick Offerman • Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) -- a queer classic • Josie and the Pussycats (2001) -- a satire of the music industry that's something like They Live for teenage girls • Little Shop of Horrors [Director's Cut] (1986) -- ideally, you would watch the director's cut and then watch the theatrical ending, but I do think the essential version of this masterpiece of puppetry and comedy is the DC • Moulin Rouge! (2001) -- Baz Luhrmann's glittery jukebox epic • Phantom of the Paradise (1974) -- another cult musical from the year of Rocky Horror about a songwriter making a Faustian bargain with an evil record executive • Pitch Perfect (2012) -- collegiate a cappella comedy that kicked off a trilogy • Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) -- Lonely Island mockumentary about the fictional popstar Connor 4 Real (Andy Samberg) • Selena (1997) -- biopic of Selena Quintanilla, Mexican pop sensation who tragically died at a young age • That Thing You Do! (1996) -- comedy about a fictional 1960s pop sensation and the first film directed by Tom Hanks • Tommy (1975) -- visually stunning musical comprised of songs by The Who • True Stories (1986) -- oddball cult film directed by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne • UHF (1989) -- the original "Weird Al" Yankovic movie • Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) -- although this is ostensibly a spoof of the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, it's really a spoof of every music biopic made before or since

Ken Schneyer

Another wonderful reaction, you two! Thank you. I think it's important to note that in the song "Cool", Ice is *not* exhorting his friends to keep cool heads or to refrain from violence. Rather, he is using the word "cool" as it was understood at that time, meaning to avoid displaying extreme emotion -- indeed, as much as possible, to *deny* extreme emotion. This is important because musically and choreographically, "Cool" is a devil dance. The melody is non-stop tri-tones (augmented fourths or diminished fifths), which traditionally signal the presence or entrance of Satan. Ice is literally leading the Jets into damnation, and claiming it as a virtue. The message from the composer is that this is what damnation looks like. Also, in the context of the song "A Place for Us", it's worth remembering that the three primary artists behind the creation of this work -- Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Jerome Robbins -- were all closeted gay men. The song takes on a whole different meaning in that context. In the song, "Officer Krupke", when Riff says, "Hey! I got a social disease!", it's worth noting that "social disease", in 1960, was a euphemism for an STD. I first saw this film when it was re-released in theaters in 1970 or so, which was *before* I had seen or read "Romeo and Juliet". I recognize that it took Bernstein's brilliant music and Robbins's insane ballet choreography to accomplish what Shakespeare did with words alone, but I will tell you that this musical makes me cry more readily (and harder) than R&J does. There are a lot of musical comedies out there. Musical tragedies, like this film, Sweeney Todd, etc., are much more rare.

Kinokind

I distinctly remember Rita Moreno, who was part of the original Broadway cast, talking about the opening night show. The play was so radical, so groundbreaking, that they weren't sure how the audience would receive it. At the end, a body is carried solemnly offstage. She said when they came out and lined up for their bows, the audience was stone-cold silent and motionless. She had time to think "That's it, we're done for." Before the audience leapt to their feet cheering. Other fun facts: Jerome Robbins was a famously brutal task master, rehearsing the dances over and over until they were perfect. And keep in mind that on location they are dancing on concrete (that neighborhood in Manhattan was torn down and redeveloped shortly after filming). Remember the co-director, Robert Wise, also did "The Sound of Music", "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and "Star Trek, the Motion Picture" among many other great classic films, and was the editor on "Citizen Kane" for god's sake! And the songs were quite groundbreaking for the time, which is probably why you don't hear people singing many of them. Bernstein was something of a musical genius, and Sondheim's lyrics are famous for their complex, difficult structures (before he became a lyricist, he was a mathematician).

Shaka Racks

Once again the gaps in yalls pop culture knowledge astonish me. Only bc George liking Simpsons n Simone being a part of film work. West Side Story is one of the ten most iconic and influential pieces of western cinema and western pop-culture in general. YES George, Beat It the song and music video are modeled after this work which was first a daring Broadway show that compelled a taboo discussion of racism, classism, and the illusion of the wholesome American family. The play was ultra controversial in 1957. Leonard Bernstein created the masterpiece music and in his DEBUT writing Stephen Sondheim did the lyrics. DEBUTS with West Side Story writing: Cool, Jets, Something Somewhere, GD Maria! Tonight! Officer FN Krupke, I Feel Pretty! And America, all on ONE SHOW! This movie will influence stage design, musicals, literature, and social politics of the young men and women who come before the Boomers. West Side Story is second only to Wizard of Oz as the most prescient social-political short hand in western culture until the arrival of Star Wars. Saul Bass's artistry will shape almost every piece of marketing in America for the next 40 years. It cannot be overstated all the big and finite ways that the movie West Side Story hit western pop-culture like a nuke. I said this last year on a video. I hope George rewatches the good quality seasons of the Simpsons after watching all these movies bc you must've easily missed 60%-70% of the jokes if West Side Story is/was totally new to you! 🤗

Rob Parry

I don't think most people care that the 2021 version is closer to the play. The 1961 version is one of the best movie musicals of all time and more popular and successful than the stage production ever was. It's been the definitive version for over 60 years. I think the only thing the 2021 version has over it is modern cinematography (which it really didn't need) and the lead actors are actually singing their own parts. The performances, choreography, and chemistry between the actors in the 61 version blows the new one away IMHO. The new version is not bad, but it really didn't need to be remade.

Roddrick Smith

Both of You would really appreciate Steven Spielberg’s take after watching them back to back. Like you did Nosferatu.

Ben Stevens

forgot how much i loved this .. got me in a few spots! my late grandmothers both loved this movie, but it's still very relevant today, even if it's a caricature. such great early modern composition too (both musical and visual) and really well performed by a talented cast. i see again why it is so iconic.

Ian J

I think the way I would describe the type of musical this was is by saying that it is a movie whose story is told through song as opposed to a movie made of songs. In a lot of musicals, the songs can almost feel like a punctuation disrupting the rhythm/flow of the movie. This one felt like it was always moving.

Angela D. Mitchell

Yay! I'm a playwright and former music theatre singer/performer, so I plotzed that y'all reacted to this. It's iconic for a reason. (I do wish you would react to the later Spielberg adaptation! It can stand on the shelf beside this one and is lovely in a different way.) Meanwhile, "Something's Coming" is one of my favorite songs -- the hope and innocence of it. And the way it's shot is so moving -- Tony singing right into the camera about his dreams. And yeah, I always laugh at Tony calling "Maria" and finding her immediately. (There's a very funny moment in the Spielberg adaptation where a bunch of different "Marias" open their windows when Tony calls.) George, Maria sings in soprano to denote her youth and purity in contrast to the more worldly Anita who is mezzo/alto. (There are all sorts of fun musical tropes here that screenwriter Lehman was superb at -- like, characters sing to each other to show they're in love. But they dance together to show they want to sleep together. Etc.) Speaking of dancing, I love the timeless Jerome Robbins choreography -- it's so stylized. The pointed feet, the angled bodies -- it's all edges. It's truly iconic. And the acting! Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer bring that innocence to Maria and Tony, while Rita Moreno blazes onscreen -- she definitely deserved her Oscar! I do hope y'all react to the Spielberg 2021 version too. It gets a lot of flack (people hate remakes on principle for some reason, which I will never get) -- but it's truly beautiful and restores the original song order from the show, removes the "brownface" by casting real Latin actors, and has a greater care and respect for the Latino culture and language thanks to Tony Kushner and Lin-Manuel Miranda. And the Spielberg version has everyone in the movie actually sing their roles. The lip syncing is so good here but most of the actors are lip-syncing -- Natalie Wood was dubbed by Marni Nixon, Richard Beymer was dubbed by Jimmy Bryant, and Rita Moreno herself was partially dubbed by Betty Wand. But still, this movie is amazing. It's still so powerful and the racism still hits so hard! I hate how timely the song "America" is -- it still strikes a nerve ("Everything's right in America / If you're all white in America"). Sondheim was such a genius. The cinematography, the direction, the acting, are all so fantastic. It's a classic. Thanks for reacting to it! More classics, please! :)

China Andronicus

I second this. Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, and Mike Faist were all huge standouts.

BoredLittleLady

Rita Moreno is the legend that plays Anita in this movie. Simone, you said you saw the new version of this movie. Well, Rita Moreno played the store owner in that movie.

Tyler Foster

Because I rewatched the original with you guys, I rewatched the 2021 film, and I really hope you react to that too. I think both of you would really enjoy seeing it more now having just seen this one.