7.7 rating is shocking…
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braveulysses — 15 years ago(April 01, 2011 12:36 AM)
That's really strange, I've been acting and performing for over ten years and I don't think I've ever talked to someone involved in theatre that doesn't like West Side Story. In my experience it seems to be one of the best-loved musicals by theatre people.
"All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine." -Jeff Spicoli -
boone727 — 15 years ago(March 30, 2011 07:25 AM)
The play is ten times better than the movie. There are many plays that they turned into movies that worked very well. But they tried to make the movie too much like the play instead of making it a movie, and so the play was much better.
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StrongRex — 15 years ago(March 30, 2011 08:30 PM)
Uhno. The play was awkwardly written, had poor song arrangement, and had inconsistencies with characters and situations. The movie made all that better.
Also, have you even seen the play? Parts of it are NOTHING like the movie. -
friendoffilm — 12 years ago(March 30, 2014 04:08 AM)
Frankly, I think at at least an 8 or 9 rating by imdb would've been far more suitable than a 7.7 rating for
West Side Story
.
West Side Story
, imho, is an equally beautifully musical, on stage and on screen. As a devout fan of the film West Side Story who has seen several stage productions of this musical and who largely enjoyed the more up to date Broadway
stage
revival of
West Side Story
, I viewed this particular Broadway stage version of WSS with a harder, more critical eye than many, if not most people.
I also believe that the fact that
West Side Story
was kept as sort of a larger-than-lifesized piece of theatre when it was transferred from live stage to screen is one of the strengths of the film version of
West Side Story
. -
PillowRock — 14 years ago(May 04, 2011 02:15 PM)
Back then this type of thing may have been acceptable to "sensitive" audiences
What are you talking about "acceptable" and "audiences" for? Do you have any sense of movie history?
This is 1961, which is several years before the Production Code was scrapped in favor of the ratings system.
What "sensitive audiences" would find "acceptable" could not possibly be any less relevant. The producers and writers working on the
West Side Story
movie never made any choice / decision to "downplay" the language. If you wanted the movie to be released in American theaters, then replacing the profanity was an absolute, ironclad requirement of the censorship rules that were still in place at the time.
Is your main complaint with
On the Waterfront
that the dock workers aren't swearing? Is
The Enemy Below
ruined because the sailors never swear? -
lil_alex_8 — 14 years ago(August 02, 2011 08:43 PM)
saw this last night in 70mm on the big screen
made me appreciate this beautiful classic even moreI had goosebumps the ENTIRE way through.it deserves at least an 8.5 -
Sophitia36 — 14 years ago(September 24, 2011 03:23 AM)
I also think it's a masterpiece. For me, there is absolutely no other musical that can come even remotely close to matching the awesomeness of West Side Story (or if there is, I have not seen it yet).
The songs are all top-notch and very diverse.
The dancing is incredible, and it's the only musical I've seen that truly integrates dancing and does not just use it as some kind of gimmick.
The story is touching, it is socially relevant, and the actors are great (yes, the couple is naive and a little bland, but remember, it's a Romeo and Juliet story and that's the way they're supposed to be).
The structure is also amazing. And although I've never seen the play, I've seen a documentary about the changes they made for the film and I think every single change was a genius idea.
For example, bringing in the boys for America was the best idea ever. It seems to me that that scene would be so boring without them, just endless praising of life in America by the Puerto Rican girls
Moving "Cool" was also a great idea. It's perfect where it is.
And I also heard that the version of "Tonight" sung on the balcony by the two lovers had been written for the movie, and that origially it was "One Hand, One Heart". Well, I think "One Hand" is the weakest song by far, while "Tonight" is a brilliant piece of music, so I support that change 100%.
Now, forgive me for the very elitist comment I am about to make. But I feel one of the reasons why the rating is so low is that movie goers sometimes have no true appreciation of things like awesome dancing or great music or things that are a bit old and dated.
When I hear people complain about the opening sequence, or even say that they did not even watch the movie because they could not be bothered to wait until the end of the prologue I don't know what to say. The prologue is a wonderful example of the use of music and dancing to tell a story, to me it's not boring in any way.
I tend to think that people who can't sit through that either have no appreciation of that kind of cultural stuff, or have the attention span of a goldfish or maybe they just hate the jazz-y style of the movie's music and dancing. -
CCRider01 — 14 years ago(September 30, 2011 08:17 PM)
Typically most movies are down rated on IMDB by under 18 and over 45 females (hard to please?), but West Side Story is more downrated by males 45 and under.
This film seems to be universely liked by all ages, but most likely LOVED by those people over 45 who perhaps saw it for the first time as a kid.
I loved West Side Story when first viewed as a kid, and still do, but I can see why others might find it dated and a bit hokey at times. It is still a classic though, and if just for the cinematogrophy and music, it is highly entertaining. -
Sophitia36 — 14 years ago(October 01, 2011 01:54 PM)
Well, in my opinion the phenomenon you're talking about could be seen as a lack of culture among young people
This same lack of perspective sometimes explains why a number of very average recent movies are often ranked above older classics.
I am only 26 so I do not qualify as someone who loves West Side Story out of nostalgia. I really do not think this film gets high ratings only because it was a phenomenon in its time and a bunch of nostalgic adults keep voting for it. I think it is a timeless jewel.
For me, saying that a film is outdated when it is such a masterpiece makes no sense. It was made in 1961, of course if people cannot understand this they might find it outdated but that's just silly.
For the same reason, when men underrate romantic movies of this quality just because they dislike romanticism, I think it shows a certain contempt for what is seen - wrongly - as a more "female" culture.
I understand perfectly well when men scorn movies that are bad, girly rom-coms Actually I dislike them too. But today most women are able to tell the difference between, say, a good action movie and a bad one, and a lot of them enjoy the movies men watch, so I don't see why men should be unable to tell the difference between a corny romantic film and a great film. -
dbdumonteil — 14 years ago(February 08, 2012 12:39 AM)
generally I do not go much for musicals and i find the songs boring
but in "WSS" I like ALL the songs!7,7 is ridiculous;but when you see that 'the whatsisname" redemption is "best movie of all time" ,I think this top 250 must not be taken seriously! -
SimplySteve — 13 years ago(August 11, 2012 03:29 PM)
I agree 100%!!!! It should be in the 9's!!!! It mind boggling!
Best musical of all time..It's a masterpeice!! 10/10 for me too!
btw - Russ has been some other classics such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Peyton Place, and The Haunting. Not too shabby. I guess it was down hill for him when he did the Japanese monster flix "The Gargantuans", although i loved it, and especially that he was in it!
.